From Beginning to End

Category:Short Story
"Quiet everyone!" I think I'm the only person that hears our sub teacher's voice over the clamor of students all fighting. She has a blonde pixie cut with pink tips and she's wearing an orange pantsuit that clashes with her hair and makes her look like one of the off-season pumpkins that are on sale at Walmart. "Settle down now!" This too is lost in the sea of voices. "Please, children!"
I look at Quinn and smirk. They roll their eyes back. 
"I SAID QUIET!" This time she gets everybody's attention. Suddenly everyone is in their seats and I only hear two or three people whispering in the back. She glares past my head, and just like that there's silence. I fight a smile as an image of embarassed classmates flits through my head. "Thank you." our teacher clears her throat and opens her binder. She fumbles through the first few pages before reading. "Today we're going to start on our final project before the summer. I want all of you to write a 2000 word essay on a topic that is animal related. This essay will be finished in two weeks, I'm going to check on your progress ever other day, does everybody understand?"
A few murmers of confirmation. A hand shoots up. 
"Jessica? You have a question?" 
"Yes; can we write about extinct animals?" 
"Yes you may," 
Jessica nods and her hand falls back down. 
"Any other questions?" our teacher asks. No one has any, or if they do, they don't voice them. She looks down at her binder before reading the rest of the announcments.
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"Yo! Mira!" Quinn waves me over to where they're sitting. 
I smile, wave back and work my way across the cafeteria to them. "Hey,"
"Here," Quinn offers me one of those delicious molasses cookies their mom makes and points to the seat next to them. 
"Thanks!" I swallow the cookie in two bites, then swallow.
"Wow, it like I don't give you one of those every Friday," Quinn rolls their eyes. 
I smile, a little amused, a little guilty. "Sorry,"
"Nah, don't worry about it. So what are you planning on writing about for our final project?" They say the last bit in a singsong voice. 
"I'm not sure. You?"
"I'm going to write about why we shouldn't eat animals, and why impossible meat is better!" Quinn pounds the table.
"Ow," I complain, covering my ears.
At least five people turn to stare at us.
Quinn slaps the table harder. "Not 'ow!' The injustice to dead animals!"
"I agree, but, like, does the whole school need to hear this?" I do my best to subtly gesture to the turning heads.
"Of course they do! Everyone needs to hear it!" 
Everyone rolls their eyes and turn around.
Quinn huffs.