Us At Midday

The Main Character

"Have you heard about our English teacher this year?"
"Yeah, it's Ms Eli again."
"Yeah, I heard she's seating everyone in alphabetical order this year."

"She can do whatever she wants, I just hope I won't have to do squats when I'm late anymore." Zayyir whined. The crowd of 40 seniors nodded, muttering their complaints.

The murmurs of the breaktime chatter were clattering on the balcony of the second floor.
I adjusted my bag on my shoulder. Soleil was in the bathroom so I waited by our class.

The bell screeched, alerting us to the fact no one actually cared about this institution and that we should get to the next class: English.
We all shuffled away, I spotted Soleil waiting down the corridor, right by our next class.

"Good afternoon everybody, please enter the class in alphabetical order, starting with Briana Abbey ..." Ms Eli opened her class door. She was wearing a black hijab that matched her long, fiery coloured dress and make-up. In short, she wasn't a very tall woman, but she was very stylish.

...

Soleil sat down at his seat, the last seat in the row next to mine.
"Wait, there's something wrong." The teacher stood in front, taking a look at all of us. I was sitting right in front, as I was supposed to.

She looked at me and the rest of my row mates (I guess I could call them that). "I knew it. This row is the wrong way around. Amaris, go sit in the back."
Everybody in the second got up and shifted to their new seats - with me next to Soleil.
"Perfect. Now that all the gremlins are in the right place, we can get started -"

A knock on the door echoed, interrupting Ms Eli.
It was Cody, a member of her admin class. She sighed.

"She kicked you out again, didn't she?" Ms Eli's hands were on her hips with sass. She had a knack for having the naughtier kids.
"I swear I did nothing -"
"Just sit down and I'll handle it after school."

The next day, miss handed out essay homework, calling out groups by name - all except Soleil and I.

"Oh, it seems you two don't have a group." I could see it in her eyes that she did that on purpose. She gave us each a bit of paper with a topic scribbled on, smiling a large grin from cheek to cheek.

I sighed. "So, do you -"
"I'll ask miss if we could work separately."
"- Yeah, that was totally what I was gonna say." I sunk in my seat, and in the corner of my eye, I could see the eversdroppers shaking their heads and sigh in utter disappointment.

...

It was already Wednesday, the day the essay was due and everyone excitedly showed their essays around for the rest to read during admin period.
Soleil was in the corner, scribbling away, eyes scrunched up in thought. I marched over past the graffiti-clad desks and students in our navy-blue uniform.

"Hey."
"I'm busy."
"I can see that, but with what?" I glanced over his shoulder, seeing a half-written essay before he shooed me away.

"I didn't get to finish it last night, okay?"
"I'm not judging, it's really good." I peeped again to have another look. We had Ms Eli's class as 1st period, which was staring in 5 minutes.

"We can share, you know?" I scooped out my essay, "Just sign at the bottom."
He read the first page as I held it for him to see, then looked down on his unfinished work.

"And if it makes you feel better, you can help with my maths homework that we were supposed to show Ms Parker today."
He tightened his grip on his pen. "Where do I sign again?"

...

We were back in the four yellow walls of English posters and scribbles of Ms Eli's class and everybody handed in their essays - except for Zayyir, who was doing a plank for 5 minutes. I supposed it was not squats, so that was progress, I think.

"Everybody wrote such lovely essays but must say that Amaris and Soleil's was honestly ..." She made a chef's kiss, "Would you guys like me to read it out for the class?"

Soleil and I gave each other a look. "I don't see why not." I shrugged.

She cleared her throat. "Honestly, In All Honesty by Amaris Orion and Soleil Mani.

"I guess that day is today, when I tell you my truest thoughts. I asked if you trusted me and I especially hope that's true because, the truth is that I really, really, am in love with you.
And honestly, with all honesty, I really don't want to ..."

...

"Amaris, can I please see you after class?" The bell rang for second period.

I slung my bag on my back, my classmates still singing praises of our essay.
Ms Eli sat on her desk, waiting for everyone to leave.

"Is there a problem, miss?"
"I know you wrote that alone, Mr Orion."
I blinked, a little surprised. "How?"
"I have my ways of knowing. Is that about Soleil?" She curiously stared into my soul, it felt like. My heart was beating in my throat. I swallowed, trying to push it back where it belonged.

"No, not at all."