After School

Rose anxiously taps her fingers on the desk. She taps her busted vans to the beat of the song Feel Good by Gorillaz. Rose's shoes were filthy from the rocks she kicked while she was on her way to school. There was a trail that she would go to for her to get to Flint Highschool. Since the weather was quite nice, Rose wanted to take the path more often. Her hair was stained a bright red. She wore sweaters all the time that was twice her size to hide her fragile body. Rose had long hair that would sometimes cover her midnight eyes. Today school felt longer than usual. Rose was known to be more of a loner. She kept to herself and had no friends. She would sit in the back of the class while Lo-fi would dance in her ears. Rose would always carry her Airpods everywhere and if her Airpods were to die, she would have wired headphones.

"Ugh, the clock isn't even fucking moving." Mumbled Rose. She was extremely eager to leave the class. Her new puppy who she named Mushy was waiting for her.

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Finally, the bell blows into the school air. Rose jolts up from her seat and begins to pack her things. She yanks the headphones from her ears as she shoves everything back in her bag. Suddenly a tall man stops in front of her seat. His baby blue button-up collard shirt that was tucked in some black jeans made him stand out from the class. His coco hair was slicked back with some sort of hair grease. The glasses of this man were slipping due to the slight grease of his nose. Rose sees him and sighs. "Was the music too loud this time?" Rose annoyingly said. The man softly chuckles. "You have an attitude like no other student in my class, You are very lucky I do not take that phone away." Rose sighs. "I'm sorry Mr. Fisher" Mr. Fisher adjusted his belt while eyeing down Rose. "I want you to have to stay behind for today." Rose grabs her face and loudly groans into her hands. "I know you want to go home Rose but please listen to me." Rose sits down in her seat as the teacher sits down on her desk. "I notice you come late to school and you barely pay any attention to what I teach. I'm sure you are an angsty teen who hates everyone and everything-" Rose cuts him off. "Um yeah. People suck." Mr. Fisher stares at Rose and almost looks somewhat hurt. "So I suck?" he pouts. Rose smiles. "Well not you, I always try to come to your class. I like it here."

"Well, I wished you showed up on time." Rose's face turns pink from embarrassment. Mr. Fisher gets up from the desk and grabs his bag that sat perfectly still on the teacher's desk. "Let's walk and talk Rose." Mr. Fisher says as he looks back at her from his desk. Rose's heart beats out of her chest. It wasn't because she was scared, she liked him. Rose had the biggest crush on her history teacher. Oh god, what's going on? What does he mean when he said he wants to 'walk and talk'? Rose, please don't do anything stupid. Rose gets up from her seat and slings her bag over her shoulder. Mr. Fisher opens the door for her. As she walks past him he rubs her back on the way out. Rose lets out a soft gasp and keeps on walking. "Let's take the staircase down." Mr. Fisher points to the double doors leading to an empty staircase. Rose slowly walks to the door and pushes the heavy metal door. The teacher catches the door behind her. They both walk down from the 4th floor down to the second floor. "We can stop here so we can talk." Mr. Fisher says. Rose stops walking and faces him head-on. "Right here? Aren't we going to keep walking?" The teacher gets closer to Rose. "No." He says softly. Rose steps back but bumps into the wall of the staircase. WHAT IS GOING FUCKING ON? Fuck fuck fuck fuck. Mr. Fisher whispers to Rose. "You can call me Jordan from now on. I permit you."

"OK, Jordan, why did we stop here? Is something wrong?"

"I see the way you look at me Rose. I am no stupid man. I see you watch me like how a predator watches their prey. I can see you even though you sit far behind." Rose gulps as she watches this 6-foot man hunch over her 5'4 body. "That isn't true. I don't see you like that at all!"