JESS

CHAPTER 4

Jess

As soon as I’d chilled a little from my run-away bout with Dre, I realized that I had English with him. I’d avoided him for two days, but today was “A” track. Which meant that I couldn’t avoid it. Grr. I couldn’t ditch. I never could. My mom trusted me. But I really didn’t want to face him. Especially after I’d been such a baby. He probably hated me. A lot. Yet another famous Jess blunder. Oops. For the millionth time. After all, every time he ever talked to me, I ran away. Or else I wasn’t listening. I would be too happy because he was actually talking to me. It just seemed like he kept trying to reach past my barrier; stupidly, I retreated into my shell every time. Like a freaking gimpy turtle.

I sighed and walked into class, trying to play it low. And I think it worked. For the first ten minutes. Stupid teachers.

“Jessica?” My eyes moved up to the font of our gray classroom where Mr. Johns stood.

“Yes, sir?”

“Who have you chosen to do your project with?”

“Um…” I watched as Mr. Johns impatiently tapped his overly-long fingernails on the desk. Ew. Patience is  a virtue, “Nobody yet.”

“Alright, then. I’m pairing you with Dre.” Dramatic background music would have been fitting just them.  Mr. Johns looked down his nose, cross-eyed, and checked my name off the list. I glanced over towards Dre. I hoped I looked angry enough to scare him. Probably not, though.

He was sitting halfway sunk into the seat, his buff arms were folded and he had an idiotic grin on his face. Buff arms. Whoa, they were nice. But I couldn’t soften now. I was supposed to be ANGRY!! So I stomped over to him and plopped into the seat next to him.

“Hey, Jess!” He sat up directly and stuck his hand out, “Lucky we got our project together, huh?”

I just looked over through the corner of my squinting eyes. He was such a guy. I watched his smile get wider, and I noticed how perfect his teeth were. Stupid. Why did he have to be perfect all the time?!

“What do you want to do?” Gosh, he was persistent. Go on a date, I thought. But I didn’t actually answer.

“That’s okay, if you don’t have an opinion; I have a really good idea. And it’s perfect, because you’re a girl! We’re going to act out a scene from the play,” he paused to open the class copy of Romeo and Juliet. I COULD NOT act out a scene of Romeo and Juliet in front of the class. And especially NOT with Dre. He continued, “you know, the one where Juliet is on the balcony, and she’s like: ‘Romeo, dude, I love you’. And he’s like: ‘Whoa! Was I supposed to hear that? Because THAT is music to my ears’. And then he totally--”

“NO!” I know I wasn’t supposed to say anything to him, but I couldn’t help it. There was no way. I HAD to say something. Except for instead of saying it, I yelled it. Oops. He looked at me with wide, dark eyes. And then he laughed. Hard. Just like when I attacked Mags. Eventually, he was crying and gasping for air.

“I – knew it – would work!! It – totally – worked. You’re so shy!!”  I could not believe him. He had set me up! Mr. Johns looked our direction and tilted his head slightly to look over his glasses at us. His eyes got the message across. To me, at least. But Dre was still laughing hysterically. I had to shut him up.

“Dre, I’m sorry. I really am.” That shut him up. Immediately. He was completely sober in .5 seconds.

“about what?” He was a guy.

“About… running away. Both times.” It was NOT fun to admit that I’d been an idiot. I started to go red again.

“Hey, it’s cool. I’ve been meaning to talk to you. Did I do something to upset you?”