•͟U͟N͟D͟E͟R͟S͟T͟A͟N͟D͟ ͟c͟a͟r͟t͟i͟u͟z͟i͟•͟

VII

"So wait, what does your instagram @ mean?" I asked, legitimately confused. Jordan laughed, "Ah shit, that's a long story."

"Come onnnnnnnn," I begged, "we've got plenty of time." Jordan shook his head, chuckling, "Alright fine. So basically during junior year up in Charlotte, me and my friends did this thing for like a month where we would call each other our last names instead of our first names, with mine being Carter. Now, since  me and my friend, Leland, were in French class with one another, he decided to start calling me 'Cartier' instead of 'Carter' because according to this nigga, it sounded 'more French'. I know, it's super fuckin' ridiculous."

I laughed, as Jordan finished explaining, "What if I shortened it even more?" I asked. "Oh really?" Jordan responded, "To what?"

"Hmmmmmm," I theorized, "what about just Carti?" Jordan stopped in his tracks. "You know, Sy, I actually really like that, if we're being honest." Jordan told me, patting me on the back.

I blushed, trying to not do so too noticeably. "Awwwwww, he likes my name for him" I thought to myself, thinking of that weird pleasing eyes emoji (🥺). "If you like it that much, you are now no longer Jordan to me," I told him, "you are both Jordy and Carti."

Jordan seemed to blush a small amount also, which gave me much more hope than I think it should've. "If you're down, I sure as hell am." Jordan told me, ruffling my dreads playfully, which made me even more excited. "Fuck it, we're doing this." I laughed. Jordan smiled, saying, "Hey, I gotta go to class Sy. See you at lunch?"

"You bet." I told him, giving him a hug and waving goodbye as he ran down the hallway in the opposite direction. I blushed internally for like the fifth time in the last minute.

I started to make my way to homeroom myself, putting in my AirPods, and ignoring everything in the hallway, no differently than usual. I walked into homeroom only to be stopped by this girl that I had never talked to named Willow.

She stood only a foot or so taller than me, and was attached to Robin, I swear. It was like, wherever she went, this bitch followed her. Don't get me wrong, she seemed kinda cool, but it was almost like she was obsessed with Robin, and Robin almost seemed to be obsessed with Willow.

Willow wasn't around when Robin and I dated. She still went to school with us, both her and her brother, Jaden, but wasn't really friends with Robin. Hell, she's been destined to go to this school, because her dad has been the principal since like 1998 or something.

But being the principal's daughter isn't the thing she's been known for, rather that title goes to her TikTok fame. 95.8 Million likes. Yep, that much. Everyone calls her the Addison Rae of South Atlanta; she's famous, but she's not basic enough to be hated like Charli D'amelio.

As a result of being featured in numerous Willow TikToks, Robin has also reached TikTok fame over the past three months, hitting 1 million total likes back in July. Anyways, both Robin and Willow approached me at the door, nearly screaming at me to be in their TikTok.

Willow seemed to be more passionate than Robin, but both were enthusiastic about me being in it. I reluctantly agreed, as Willow essentially pulled my arm as she ran to this group of people that included both her and Robin, her brother, Jaden, Caleb, and a couple of other girls from my homeroom.

They wanted us to do some sort of stupid dance, none of which the guys really tried while doing, but Willow and Robin were still satisfied with it in the end. Robin has noticeably stopped giving me the glare she had been showing me for the past year, for what reason, I had no idea.

I scrolled through my for-you page, finding the video in less than five minutes. I liked it, thinking, "Whatever, she's gonna get like 600K likes, why not be kind and contribute."

The rest of the day moved slowly, as I wanted the day to turn to night, due to the first football game of season being tonight. I dragged myself to Chemistry, pissed off to see that homophobic piece of shit, Jonathan. Once again, after hearing Montero's point of view, I hated that son of a bitch even more.

I sat in my Chemistry teacher, Mr. Glover's, room, next to Jonathan, hating it. "Yo," Jonathan whispered across the table, "can you slide me some of the answers?" I rolled my eyes, sliding my papers across the table.

"Damn, no need to be a salty mothafucka'." he replied, taking the papers. I still didn't say anything, not wanting to engage with him, and feeling more pissed than ever. "I despise this man." I thought internally.

Jonathan was still copying answers once the bell rang, and he jumped up from his stool at our lab table, causing my papers to fly onto the ground. "My bad." he shouted, leaving my papers on the ground as he left the class.

I walked over to the other side of the table, and picked them up off the floor, leaving after everyone else in class had already left. I started towards my Government Class, until I once again heard a commotion. There, once again, was Jonathan, with his dumb-ass friends Kentrell Gaulden and Jarad Higgins. And, in addition to them, was a very worried looking Montero.

"Oh hell no," I thought to myself, "I'm not gonna let this unfold." I started towards the group, and as I was beginning to get close, I saw Jonathan charge at Montero, ramming him against the wall, in what looked like a painful shove. That was enough.

I began to run towards them, and once I reached them, ran in between Montero and the rest of Jonathan and his group. "Back the fuck off, bitch," I shouted at Jonathan, "and get the fuck away from him!"

Jonathan got noticeably more pissed, and started to advance towards me, but was stopped but Jarad. "Jonathan, there's too many people around here; pound his ass some other time." Jarad reasoned. Jared was right, as me shouting has managed to get attention from the crowded hallways. If they were smart, they wouldn't do this, or admin's attention would be attracted.

Jonathan looked back at me, staring me up and down, saying, "Have a fun fucking time making out, goddamned faggots." Jonathan turned around, walking away with Kentrell and Jarad at his side. "There's a special place in hell for you!" someone called out.

I bent down to Montero's level, who had now slid down to the floor. "You good, Monty?" I asked, concerned. "Yeah," he responded, "I'm good; kinda used to it at this point."

"No," I told him, "don't say that. They're just dicks." Before Montero could get another word in, someone ran up to us, as the traffic in the hallway resumed. "I tried to tell them off, you good homie?" a person I asked. I looked over to them to not only see Nayvadius, but also Summer Walker, the girl that Caleb and Travis had been obsessing over at lunch. "Nayvadius?" I asked, "It's been, uh, a minute."

Nayvadius had been apart of my friend group alongside Sheyaa, Miles and Rakim in like freshman year, until he started hanging out with this group of girls that included this girl named Onika Maraj-Petty, who went by "Nicki", this other girl named Billie O'Connell, who wanted everyone to think she was emo, but in reality was just kind of stressed as fuck, and then, of course, Summer.

"Yeah, it really has been, hasn't it?" Nayvadius responded, "And when'd you come back from Bama, Montero?" Montero smiled, standing up to give Nayvadius a hug. "I came back for senior year." Montero replied. Summer turned towards me, and waved, "Hey, Symere. How are you."

"I'm good, Summer." I told her. Summer and I had a class last year, and were partnered up all the time, so we had naturally started a friendship. "You alright, Monty?" she asked Montero. "Yeah, don't worry, I'm good." Montero replied, now standing up with his books and bag. "Alright, don't lie to me, okay?" Nayvadius instructed. Montero nodded, and Summer and Nayvadius walked off together.

"I ship it." Montero claimed, once they got out of hearing range. "You read my mind." I told him. He laughed, and waved goodbye as he walked off to his class.

"Wow," I thought to myself, "one wrong move, and being myself could be dangerous."