Please Don't Set My Heart Aflame

Chapter #1: My Name Is Jessica

My name is Jessica. Jessica Laylee. I'm nothing special. I'm not that "cool kid" you see around school with a ton of friends. I'm not hated by everyone, either.

I'm a nobody. Nothing more to it. Always have been, and always will be.

I got this journal on the corner, today! I've always loved writing, and this is the first time I've written anything outside of school, for a while.

Speaking of school... Ugh, my first day is today. I have crappy school supplies, and I don't even have a cute outfit. Just a sweater. And leggings. That's about it. Here goes nothing. I grabbed my bag and slung it over my shoulder, then started walking to school.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Welcome, class, to English Ten. I will be teaching you for the year. My name is," she pulled out a piece of chalk and scribbled across the board in neat cursive. "Ms. Hefflebut."

"AHAHAHAAAAA!!!" A kid in the back pounded his fist on his desk in a fit of laughter as everyone turned to face him. A few kids giggled along. Honestly, you wouldn't think high schoolers would be so immature. "YOU HAVE 'BUTT' IN YOUR NAME!"

Ms. Butt cleared her throat, looking almost unfazed by the name calling. "On the contrary, my name has one 't' only. Also, it's pronounced Hefflebut." She pronounced the 'U' as if it was an 'I', but there was no hiding that her name made the butt sound!

Even I giggled to myself at that one.

"Settle down, class, settle down." A man wearing a blue shirt and black-and-blue-striped tie with glasses on his face quickly walked in, and clacked a stack of papers against a desk, trying to even them out. He was eying the laughing kid- now silent- as he did so. "Taylor, in my office. Now, please." He was still hugging and puffing. His face was red.

The kid mock-pouted. "Sorry, Mr. Miller..." He slouched and slinked out of the room.

Strange guy, this Taylor kid. Very strange, indeed.