C A T C H 22 |BWWM|

Ch. 11 • It's A Bad Idea: Me & U

Jackson, MS. October 1943
Monday, 11:26 am

Paislee

I stood in front of the class of my second period. Letting my eyes wander to all the girls that surrounded me—the girls' glares and whispers had escalated since days before.

Most of all, my eyes traveled to my desk. The desk that was sat behind Beverly and the desk that she would never let anyone sit at because I was Beverly's best friend. Now, that wasn't the case. Bunches of girls crowded around Beverly as if she was a moth to a flame. I walked slow, taking ample slow strides to calm my pattering heart.

"Excuse me."

The area fell awfully quiet around the room as my meek voice spoke. Beverly's cat-like, hazel eyes cut over to me. Earning a scoff from her and other girls.

"And she's back again. Heard mommy and daddy found you with ole' boy," Beverly said, with an amusing twist.

My throat tightened as I pursed my lips. Setting my things onto the desk next to me, I heard them all shatter to the floor as I looked over to the smirking girl who threw them onto the floor.

"We weren't doing–"

"In the alleyway too? Y'know really, Paislee, I paved you out to be a good girl. Sneaking out with that boy and giving it up to him? Wow."

"Traitor!" Someone said from across the class.

"Nothing happened!" I shouted a little too loud than expected. "There is nothing going on with me and no boy. So stop telling people that there is."

"So you telling me that I didn't see him kiss you, near Tommy's"

I huffed quietly as I could feel tears of anger welling in my eyes. "Yes, he hugged me. That's what it was and that is it. Nothing is going on with me and Deen so you can cool off"

"Word from the bird is that he took you...right there in that alley. That's why your mama came calling my house filling me in about how y'all were inches apart. Your hands playing in his hair and how he'll never fall for a girl like you"

I furrowed my eyes brows in confusion. Mama had said she wouldn't say anything—guess she wasn't too embarrassed to tell Beverly's mom.

"Just leave me alone, okay? Bev, I don't know what I ever did to you but you're making my life living hell right about now. I know you're mad because Tommy and you are hanging on to nothing real but getting drunk off each other but leave me out of it

I felt the eyes of everyone in the room fall over me. Frantically bending down to pick up my stuff, I gathered it on my arms to be met with Beverly's face. Her eyes were slit and a smug expression played on her face.

"Watch yourself girl. I really don't want you in any more trouble. I'm only a phone call away from telling mommy of the countless after school rides he took you on, or how y'all made googly eyes the first time y'all met."

"You wouldn't–"

The slamming of the tall wooden door brought my attention to life as our teacher walked in.

"Paislee, find a seat now," The teacher said.

I waited for her to state the other girls' name but came with no avail. She simply nodded her head snappily with a fierce glow in her eyes as she looked at me.

"Today we'll be talking about war, segregation, slavery, and everything under the sun that's happening now. Especially the interactions of different races, since we seem to have a firsthand experience here."