Focus

Written for the Daily Flash Fiction Challenge with a word limit of 300.

The prompts: This story must contain the line: "I'm not supposed to talk to you."

Focus

Let's get out here.

Sean focused on the school secretary's hair; just barely visible over the top of the counter. The red bun, her fashion crown, sat atop her head and was for the movement, the center of his world - his anchor to reality. It bobbed and swayed as she worked at whatever it was that school secretaries worked at.

Sean tried counting how many times the bun moved to the right. Detail was important. Detail took focus and only focus could silence the voice.

Sometimes...

Sometimes but not today.

C'mon dude. This place is for losers.

"Shut up!" Sean hissed.

The secretary emerged from beneath the bun and looked up across the counter.

"Do we have a problem, Sean?"

"No, Miss Hanson. I was just mumbling to myself."

She gave him a look of warning and then returned to whatever.

That bitch! You don't have to take that, man. She needs to be taught a lesson.

"I'm not supposed to talk to you," Sean whispered.

That's what they tell you to keep you down. Don't you see that?

The voice had a point. Sean was sitting here waiting for the principle. Suspension was inevitable. The other guy pushed him first. This was not fair.

The room began to swoon as he fought to control his emotions. "Focus!" he told himself.

He Looked around frantically until his eyes landed on the bun. He focused with all of his energy.

"Count the hairs," he told himself.

Surprisingly, the individual hairs were actually easy to see. "Why was that?" He wandered.

What are you waiting for? said the voice.

Only then did Sean notice that he was standing right behind the secretary.

Do it!

Sean's fingers tightened on the scissors he had yet to notice he was clutching in his hand.

Word Count 300