Ding, ding, ding! There’s the bell for our ten minute warning to get to homeroom. I sigh and slug my overfilled backpack onto my back, my locker being across the school from the majority of my classes. And except my last three periods are taken up by one class, horticulture. I’m proud to be the only female in the class, I throw a cocky shake to my head. The boys in that class are my friends but they all do my bidding. Most are too afraid to confront me after the incident my freshman year with a boy in that class. Let’s just say he’s no longer my problem. Out of the class for picking on the princess, even though I won the battle. Pride, should I feel proud about that? I know my dad is.
”Stace!” My friend, Jesse, practically shouted in my face. “I’ve been trying to get your attention for like two minutes from down the hall!” He scolded.
I roll my eyes at his scolding, “Sorry, J, I must have been zoned out.” Honestly I didn’t hear him, which can be normal I’m able to block out most sound around me.
”Figures, head in the clouds. You know it’s dangerous to not be aware of your surroundings like you do.” Again, another scolding? And not even before 8am. Jesse is always like this, hyper aware. Wanting me to be hyper aware. I can try but absorbing too much of my surroundings gives me hives-I think. Or maybe that was a zit.
I decide I’m not going to be lectured like a child from someone ONLY six months and two days older than me. In the most princess tone I can manage I reply, “I’m more aware of the VIBES around me than just the details. You wouldn’t get it.”
A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.
Jesse gets what can only be described as a glint in his eye as he turns to face me more fully. Walking made it difficult but I matched his stride. We have home rooms in the same hallway, our last names both starting with ‘A’ but him being a year ahead of me in school.
After a long suffering sigh I feel I rightly deserve after being verbally accosted before 8am about safety of all things I ask, “ok, hotshot, what’s up? Feels like you have more to say than bitching about my safety standards.”
Ding, ding, ding! Five minute warning bell.
Jesse grins, like no one else I know. Like he has all the cards you want for gin rummy and he knows it, but how does he know? Every time!
Still grinning, he says, “Never mind I will just catch you at lunch.” He walks three steps ahead since I’ve stopped at my homeroom door. “Oh I almost forgot, here.” And hands me my flip phone.
Mouth agape. “HOW??” But he’s already walking away. Back to me. But I can just imagine the smug grin on his face. A grin I’d like to wipe off.
Silently fuming but it must have read on my face, no one greeted me as I walked to my seat. I have friends I promise. But non in my grade with the last name starting with ‘A’. I sit and start going through my phone to find any pranks he might have hidden. I’m stumped I can’t find any. He must have found a new way to prank on phones. Internally I sweat. The announcements for the day droning on in the background. Do I turn my phone off for the day? Or at least until Hort class. But that would mean missing any drama getting texted to me. But if it’s another ring tone in the wrong class, they might not believe it’s a prank. I chew my lip. I love pranks and attention as well as the next chick. But I don’t do embarrassed well. Ok, I’ve made my decision. Phone is off. The teachers lecture us all day anyways to put them away. Today I am a model student. I’ll turn it on at lunch with no teachers around to see if that’s when the prank will strike.