Finding Me - Book 4

"Uh No."

"Uh no." I say focusing back at the teacher.

"Come on Emerson," she pauses and out the corner of my eye I see her look down," was it something I did?"

Shaking my head I look at her," no. I just have a lot on my mind right now."

"You know you can talk to me about anything." She tells me reaching over and grabbing my hand.

Not anything I'm afraid, still, I nod," yeah I know."

Smiling she squeezes my hand and her hand doesn't leave mine until the teacher assigns us two chapters to read for homework

The next class, Music, we start to learn guitar. We're picked by row to choose a guitar and he starts from the back.

I pick a red one that fades to black as it nears the edges and Jasmine grabs an all black one.

Because Grandpa Wayne taught me how to play guitar growing up I know what I'm doing. Still though he may teach us something I don't  know so I make it a point to listen.

Towards the end of class he leaves us be and I start to strum on the guitar. Random chords turn into Thinking Out Loud by Ed Sheeran.

Jasmine starts to hum the song as I play it and three other kids join me in playing the song.

At the end of class I approach the teacher, Mr. Lucia(LOO-sha). He's a tall European man with green eyes, brown quiffed hair, and a balbo beard.

"Hey Mr.Lucia quick question, feel free to say no," he nods for me to continue," could I hold on to this? Like until the unit ends."

He thinks for a moment, hand running over his beard, then nods," that's fine Ms. Stratton, sign it out here."

"Thanks so much." I say before writing my name and the assigned guitar number on the sign out sheet.

Offering a small smile, he nods, and turns back to his desk.

I grab my books from my seat and walk out, heading to my last class, Astronomy.

The class is on the top floor so I climb the three flights of stairs and go all the way to the end of the hall.

"So you like Jasmine?" Vincent immediately asks as I step in.

"Uh no," I say," now sit class is starting." I point the end of my pencil to Mr.Rose who is passing out the field trip information.

I sit in my spot next to Jacob who smiles softly at me. Offering a smile back I look forward.

After handing out the last one Mr.Rose stands at the front of the class and goes over it.

"Simply put: Senior only trip, everyone is provided with $60 each what you spend will be deducted from your school credit, bus leaves at 8:30 a.m. if you don't make it you don't come, first we head to the planetarium from 10 to 12, lunch afterwards at Apple Bees, museum tour, last stop is Observatory, we'll be back for dinner at 8. Yes you are seniors however there will be a body system, I'll notify you tomorrow who your buddy will be. Any questions?" He looks up from the passer.

A few kids raise their hands.

Jacob turns to me with another smile," so I was wondering, if you're not busy on Friday after school, would you like to go out with me?"

Shit.

I know Jacob likes me. It wasn't hard to guess but obviously I'm into Jasmine. If I weren't then I would definitely consider dating him.

He's cute, hot even, funny, charming, and oh so sweet. But he's not Jasmine.

"Uh," I scratch the back of my neck," no Jacob I'm sorry."