Levi Harris: A Guide to Middle School

Episode 18: The Party

EPISODE 18: The Party

    August 20th 2009, ‘You’re invited to my party’

    Middle School is some sort of competition. You get the sport junkies who compete in sports, then you get the geeks who compete in whatever they compete in and you get the computer junkies like me who compete in how fast we can successfully hack computers. But my Middle School had something different. Ahmar and Jennifer competed on who could host the greatest parties. Ahmar’s parties seemed to be about the experience and having fun whilst Jennifer’s parties seemed to be about getting wasted. The good thing about their parties is that they never clashed and were always on separate dates. Well they were up to August 22nd.

    It started with a normal school day. I was sitting at the back with Angelina reminiscing. Mustafa, Muksin and Corey were making fun out of Tamim and Ahmar was gossiping.

‘Remember when you were pissed at me cos of what I said to you in Arusha?’ she said before breaking into a giggle. My insides started getting hot. I still hated that day. I faked a laugh before saying ‘Yeah I do.’ She observed the expression on my face and knew straight away that I was uncomfortable.

‘Sorry Lee,’ she said. ‘I never knew it still pisses you off.’ I wanted to reassure her that it was okay but when my mouth opened, Jennifer had ran into the room with pink slips in her left hand. Jennifer was slightly taller than me and had a mirrored face. Her teeth were perfect unlike mine, which needed braces. She had slightly dark skin as well.

‘Angie! Angie!’ she shouted. I frowned as she came towards us and she noticed and pulled off a frown of her own. Angie giggled slightly and sat up straight.

‘Yes Jen,’ She said, a smile spread across her face as she noticed what the pink slips were.

‘Guess what?’ Jennifer asked. Angie’s eyes went from Jennifer’s face to the pink slips twice before saying.

‘I’m invited to your…’ but she was interrupted.

‘Party yes!’ Jennifer shouted.

‘Can she shout any louder?’ I mumbled, unaware that she could hear me.

She pulled off a disapproving face before saying:

‘Whatever Lee… Anyways, are you coming?’ she asked Angie. Angie looked at me before looking back at Jennifer.

‘I guess I’m coming,’ she replied, her smile was still on her face and showed no sign of being worn out.

‘Err… Will bring him along?’ she asked while nudging her head towards my direction.

‘I guess so…’ Angelina said and Jennifer’s smile faded away but Angelina’s smile was still there and I wondered how long she was going to suppress her laugh for. Jennifer said ‘ok,’ before leaving and the reason for Angelina’s smile became clear to everyone. I had taped a paper on Jennifer’s back that read: ‘Hi I’m Jennifer and I’m a loser!’ Everyone started chuckling as Jennifer skipped away. Angelina picked up the pink slip Jennifer had left on her table and tucked it away in her bag.

‘That’s sort of mean Lee,’ Angelina said. I looked at Angelina with a smile on my face and her smile escaped her face.

‘It’s okay. Jennifer won’t mind.’ I said. Angelina opened her mouth and closed it again when she saw Ahmar running our way. A wide smile was ever spreading across Ahmar’s mouth and in her right hand were blue slips made of Manila paper.

‘Angie! Lee! Guess what?’ Ahmar shouted when she reached our table. Angie and I both looked at each other before sighing and saying: ‘What?’ Ahmar was happy to hear the question and she stood still and said: ‘I’m having a party at my house, you going to come?’ Ahmar had always surprised me with her English accent yet she lived in Africa for the majority of her life. Ahmar had lived in Birmingham in England for a short while before returning to Africa before we started class seven, last year.