Frostbitten by Heather Beck Page B

to last year’s school dance.
And what about the one of you spying on girls in the change room?” Chloe
stepped closer to Sean, whose face was now bright red. “The difference between
you and Anastasia is that the rumors about her aren’t true.”
    “I...I was only joking
with her,” Sean stuttered, causing the gawking bystanders to laugh at him.
    “You’re so not funny,”
Chloe said, shaking her head in disgust.
    Finally finding her
voice, Anastasia angrily pushed Sean away from her and hissed, “Go to hell.”
    “Sean’s a total
wannabe,” Chloe told Anastasia as they continued down the hallway at a slightly
quicker pace. “Don’t pay any attention to him.”
    “It’s not just him,
though,” Anastasia said, coming to a stop a few feet from her English
classroom. “It’s what everyone is thinking.”
    “Not the important
people,” Chloe promised. “Listen, I have to get to class. I know you have the
literacy group at lunch, so I guess I won’t see you until after school – or
maybe at the assembly during last period. Either way, text me any time if you
need to talk, okay?”
    “Thank you,” Anastasia
said, before giving Chloe a quick hug and then watching her walk away.
    With a deep breath,
Anastasia entered the classroom and took her usual seat. The stares and
whispers were even worse in the class, and when Mr. O’Donoghue arrived, she had
to muster all her confidence to look him in the eye. She was positive that he’d
heard the rumors, and more than likely, he’d already been questioned about it
by the principal.
    “Good morning,” Mr.
O’Donoghue greeted them like it was an ordinary day. “I’d like to begin this
class with a discussion rather than a lecture.” Retrieving a piece of chalk, he
wrote in big letters, Lies and deceit . As if his statement wasn’t bold
enough, he underlined his words, causing the chalk to scrape noisily over the
blackboard.
    Why is he doing this? Anastasia thought, resisting the urge to slide down in her seat. She highly
doubted this was the lesson he’d originally prepared for today’s class.
    “Lies and deceit,” Mr.
O’Donoghue said, pausing briefly before continuing, “is one of the many themes
Milton uses in Paradise Lost. Yet, I would argue it is the most important
because of its effects on the characters and plot. Do you agree with me, and if
not, why?”
    As usual, no one raised
their hand, and although Anastasia had several thoughts to share, she didn’t
feel comfortable speaking up. She knew that it was much easier to merely fade
into the crowd of silent students.
    “You all must agree
with me then – terrific!” Mr. O’Donoghue said in a good-natured tone, even
though Anastasia suspected that it was somewhat forced. “Satan perfectly
epitomizes this theme because he is constantly deceiving others, especially by
the use of disguises. He’s also the one who tells the most lies. However, it’s
not until Satan combines these two elements that he causes the most damage. Can
anyone give me an example?”
    This time, a girl
raised her hand. “When Satan disguises himself as a snake and lies to Eve so
she’ll eat the forbidden fruit.”
    “Excellent answer,” Mr.
O’Donoghue praised the girl. “What this teaches us is that anonymity and lies
are a dangerous combination, and this lesson is as prevalent today as it is in
Milton’s epic. Examples, anyone?”
    Knowing exactly what
Mr. O’Donoghue was trying to prove and gaining strength from his courage to
take a stand, Anastasia raised her hand, finally ready to speak her mind. “The
Internet is a prime example of a disguise. Anyone can hide behind their
computer or phone, using it as a means for spreading lies that have absolutely
no foundation. What they don’t realize is that their vicious deceit has
consequences, and while they may be anonymous for now, the truth will be
revealed.”
    The class became deadly
silent, and this time, it was a smile that Anastasia had to