Prom Committee

Green-Eyed Slacker

The next morning I was ranting to Layla about what had happened in the parking lot the previous afternoon. We were walking down the hallways heading to our first class, English literature. We usually favored to get there early to gossip and catch up on life.

"Tara it's nothing to get mad about," she said.

"Uh yes it is. He ran into me and didn't even apologize," I fumed.

"It's not that big of a deal."

"Layla, you don't get it. He could have majorly injured me," I explained.

"Tara I freaking you love, you know that, but you are making WAY too big of a deal about this."

"No I am not," I replied walking into the classroom.

"Yes you are. The only reason that you're not dropping this is because you despise him for who knows why," she stated hanging her backpack on her chair and sitting down.

I followed suit and sat in the desk to the left of her. Our first hour teacher never gave us a seating chart like the other teachers. A lot of students enjoyed and favored the middle and or back of the class, but not us. It's going to sound nerdy but we chose to sit in the front of the room. It was simply easier to hear, see and not get distracted by idiotic things.

"For your information I have a perfectly sane reason why I don't favor him."

"Oh yeah and what is that?" she questioned crossing her arms.

"He is either always running late for class, doesn't hand in his homework on time, or somehow falls asleep during any lecture. Oh yeah, and a new reason to add to that list is the fact that he almost ran me over," I explained annoyed.

"Okay I know that you love school and getting good grades, but not everyone cares about that. I hate to say it but you need to just let it go."

I scoffed, "Layla this is not Frozen, the Disney movie, and I'm not Elsa who is just going to let it go. I have my valid reasons and I will stand by them."

"You really are stubborn, aren't you," she retorted shaking her head.

"You already know this," I rolled my eyes.

"Yes, but for goodness sake let the guy live his own life. For all you know maybe he has a good cause for all your negative listing," Layla remarked.

I stared at her really hard thinking about our conversation about this whole situation. I obviously was not a fan of him but I had to remember he was no Sadie Witherton. She got on my nerves just by glancing at me, but he didn't. The main objective for not liking him was because of his academic standards.

Unfortunately, Layla was right the whole time, and I needed to realize that. I needed to just dismiss this entire conflict. I needed to focus on my grades, having a successful prom with awesome decorations, trying to ignore Sadie, and maybe finally asking Josh on a date. I closed my eyes, and took a deep breath. When I opened my eyes I noticed students filing into the classroom signaling first period was going to begin shortly.

"You are absolutely right, and I apologize for my idiotic nonsense," I said half grinning.

She chuckled, "It's okay Tara, you really needed to rant, and I understand that. Sometimes you happen to get overheated about something, and I'm just here to remind you to cool down."

"Thanks Layla, you are the Anna to my Elsa," I beamed wholeheartedly trying to be sincere. Within a brief second I broke my composure and started snickering.

"That joke never gets old, you are a complete goofball," she laughed along with me.

The first period bell rang causing everyone in the room to quiet down and sit in their desks. And just like that, as if on cue, he comes strolling in the room with his backpack slung across one shoulder.

Beck Johnson.

He was tall, not Joshua Spring tall, but tall. His green eyes were kind of dull, and his messy black hair draped over his forehead. His entire style was basic skater boy, but somehow he owned it. I watched him walk from the door, past a couple row of desks, and sit in his seat in the back of the room. I turned away and glanced over at Layla. She gave me a stern look and raised an eyebrow. I lightly nodded my head tucking a loose piece of hair behind my ear.

"Good morning class," Mrs. White greeted us strolling through the door to her desk.

"Good morning," me and a few other students mimicked.

"These next few weeks we will be reading from the famous Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare. But today we are going to read a few sonnets by the well-known man before diving into his masterpiece."

Part of me was slightly excited but the other part of me wasn't thrilled honestly. Romeo and Juliet was such a classic love story that has been told many, many times before. It was simply overdone and consequently I already read it. Don't get me wrong it was a classic, but I don't know how it's going to help me get in a good college.

"Okay, I would like you to open your English literature books and turn to page seventy-two. Layla please read the first sonnet on the top of that page," Mrs. White stated.

As Layla started reading I followed along with my eyes and tried my best not to daze off into space.

—————

Twenty minutes passed and roughly three sonnets later Mrs. White stopped talking and everyone was silent. I was unsure of what was going on until I saw where her eyes were staring. I turned around in my seat and there was Beck sleeping at his desk. What a slacker.

Mrs. White walked over to his seat and dropped a book on his desk. He jolted up realizing where he was and what he was doing.

"Hi," he said embarrassed.

"Beck, this is the fifth time in the past month where you fell asleep in my classroom. I will not tolerate this, go to the principals office now," Mrs. White sternly stated.

He grabbed his stuff and walked out of the room briskly. Well finally he got what was coming to him. Only slackers and suckers got sent to the principals office.