My hands are sweaty. Nothing, I mean nothing, says nervous like sweaty hands. And it’s an outward sign, too – no hiding this one. Too bad I need all the confidence I can get. See, something a bit funny – and I don’t mean ha-ha funny, either – happened at school today.
oday is going to be a good day. First day back at school after a long Winter Break. New classes, new books, new notebooks, new pencils! And I have a date. With Melinda Dent, no less. I am on top of the world. And no Alex Wessen to bully me in class! There’s no way he made it to second semester Calculus.
“Hey, Mel,” Issac called, “we still on for tonight?” The girl in question winked in what she thought was a sexy manner. The boy turned a red darker than his shaggy hair.
“Yeah, we’re on, Zac.” The boy cringed at the nickname. “And no, I won’t call you anything but Zac.” She smiled, “It’s cute.” She flipped her dark hair back, turning to her friends. She looked back only once, to watch the boy who had squashed himself between a desk and a wall, trying to imitate the stances of the other boys in the class.
He caught her watching. She winked, and returned her attention to the front of the room again. .
“I know what you’re doing, Mel.”
“I don’t recall asking you, Missy.”
“It’s Kayla,” the girl spat, “and don’t think you’ll get away with it.” She raised her hand, “Ms. Davidson –“
“Stop!” Mel hissed, “What’re you trying to do? Get us expelled first day back from break?”
The girl glared at Mel, and turned her attention back to the front of the classroom.
Briiing!
The boy leapt out of his seat, almost knocking over his desk.
“Fuck it! Watch where you’re going, punk!” Alex Wessen somehow managed to pass first semester Algebra, then.
Issac mumbled something that sounded vaguely apologetic, and scrambled out the door.
“Honestly, you’d think his pants were on fire, or something, the way he ran outta here.”
“Or like his mommy called him.”
“You could be nice, you know.”
“Oh?” Mel sneered after a moment’s pause, “What would you know about it, Missy?”
“I know you’re being horrible.”
“And you’re a naïve little brat,” Jayle added, Mel’s friend.
“Touché.”
“Yet you’re the one who criticizes us?” Taylor looked at the giant stack of books Kayla had clutched to her chest. She reached out and tipped the books out of Kayla’s arms, which landed with a loud thud on the floor. Kayla glared at them, drawing her arm back to strike –
“As touching as this lovely spat may be, you four are now late to second period, and are disrupting my class.” Ms. Davidson looked up at the four girls, a frown visible on her face.
“Kayla, I hope you understand this sort of behavior is not tolerated at this school. As for you three,” her eyes drifted from Jayle’s honey-colored eyes and matching hair to Taylor, her twin in all but blood, and Mel, the sore-thumbed ring-leader. “You three know better. As such, I will see the three of you promptly at three after school today. Are we clear? It’s been one too many incidents from you this year, I’m afraid.”
She handed Kayla a pass to her next class, and pointed silently to the door.
Kayla brushed past the others, eyes darting in every direction, head down.
“Not going to talk to us, Missy?”
She walked faster, ignoring Jayle’s jibe.
The three girls stood in a half-circle watching silently as the new girl rounded a corner, and went out of sight.
“Oh, this isn’t the last of us, miss Kayla, don’t you worry.”
Gah, the formatting went wacky on me, sorry 'bout that. First prose in a long time, and for my creative writing class. Rip apart at will, please. I'm going to workshop this in a week or so, and I'd like it to be better before then, if possible.
Thanks, guys!
