Being a Banner [ 1 of JA ]

2

"I was the first one to turn in my test, and five minutes later, I was asked to come to her desk and tell her what was wrong with my essay. I thought it was Kerry Banner Approved. Did you lie to me?" Was the first thing Levi said after I asked how the test went.
      We were now in English, all three of us. Levi on my left and Jax on my right.
      I shake my head, "Levi, why would I lie to you? I'm the one who makes sure you're passing your classes. Well, me and your mom. What did Mrs. Laster say was wrong?"
Levi rolls his eyes as he pulls out his English notebook. "That there is a net gain of four ATP molecules instead of two during glycolysis."
      I cringe, pursing my lips straight.
      Jax laughs, "There's the face."
      "So I'm right then? There's two?"
      I nod.
      Levi groans, "She got so mad at me when I challenged her to it."
      "I could ask her when I get there." I say. "Maybe I'll say that a lot of kids thought there were two."
      Levi scoffs, "She's not going to listen."
      "To Kerry she will," Jax says. "She's Laster's favorite."
      I shutter, "She looks to me to always get the class moving. I hate it."
      As I pull out my English notebook, I see a pair of pink flats at the base of my book bag. Sitting back up with my notebook, I see the popular face of Shannon Carter sneering down at me.
      We have a staring contest, but hers is a glare while mine is more bewildered.
      "Um. . .do you need something, Shannon?" I ask kindly, knowing she could ruin my whole high school experience with one word from her glossy lips.
      She flipped a blonde curl over her shoulder. "Move your bag."
      For my rough exterior, I was sort of a wimp. Usually I'd silently do what she or anyone would say, even if they asked kindly. Today felt a little different. I'm not sure if it was my hormones shifting or just that today was the day I finally started to stop caring.
      My brown eyes stared into her bright blue ones, and I threw on the cheekiest smile ever. "You could at least say 'please.'"
      I could feel Levi's eyes growing wide and Jax's awkwardly looking the other way.
      Something inside felt good to see Shannon's face contort in confusion and anger.
      "You're as grungy as New York." She spat before stepping around my bag, making sure her flats kicked my book bag down.
Picking my bag up, Levi gives me a flabbergasted look, then smiles and pumps his fist to tell me a good job.
Looking over, Jax smirks and shakes his head. "You just grabbed the shovel that's going to dig your grave."
"I know." I said, realizing the possible consequences. "I have no idea where that came from. It was sort of fun."
"You can't have confidence." Jax playfully says. "What's going to happen to us if and when you become popular?"
I smile and scoff, "Like I'm going to leave my friends behind me. Everyone knows the popular kids are unhappy. I gotta have my groupies with me at all times."
      "'Groupies?'" Jax asks with an unbelievable smile.
      "As long as we get to date walking tens, I'll be a groupie." Levi says, which earns him a slap on the arm from me.
      As the bell rings, a lady who is not our English teacher walks in. The school has been dealing with the disappearance of our English teacher for over a month now, using as many subs as they can to fill her place. Unfortunately, they have not found someone who's capable of teaching English. Our last substitute couldn't spell 'definitely' correctly.
      "Hello everyone," says the substitute in a sweet voice. "I'm Ms. Margins, and I will be substituting for Mrs. Cabb. Hopefully if all goes well today, I might become your full-time teacher until she gets back. Is there a class list?"
      As she looks around the desk, Levi leans over to me.
      "I'm telling you, Mrs. Cabb got involved in something, had to leave the country and change her name." he whispers.
      I lean back, "She's obviously dealing with some family crisis or marriage problems."
      "That's too boring. One day when her face shows up on the news, you'll be so sad that you didn't believe me." Levi replies.
      I quietly giggle, "I like believing in the real problems instead of the imaginary," Because I was always let down when I believed in the impossible. Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny, superheroes and the Tooth Fairy are just examples of what I had to comes to term with realizing an adult was behind most of them. With superheroes on the other hand, I waited for the day the city was under attack and some being with incredible powers, a suit and a cool name would swoop in and save the day. Then I wouldn't be thinking at how terrible the world is.
      "Here it is," Ms. Margins holds up the class lost and begins reading it off. "Laura Adams. . .Elliot Armentrout. . .David Attenborough. . ." Her eyes pause and stare at the next name. "Is it. . .Carrie?" Really, my name shouldn't be pronounced like that, it's very slight and doesn't matter. Only a New Yorker is able to pronounce my name with making it sound like there's an 'E' instead of an 'A.'
      "Yes." I say, but just so I still know how to pronounce it I add, "Kerry." She nods and keeps moving down the list.
"Levi Feller?"
Jax holds up a hand, "Right here," I roll my eyes as he smirks at me. The boys love switching their names when we have a sub. Ms. Margins continues, and Levi sits patiently waiting for Jax's name.
"Jax Porter—"
"PRESENT!" Levi shouts, which earned him a few chuckles. He makes Ms. Margins jump which also get a few more kids laughing.

*************

Lunch finally came, and we sat outside feeling the cool September breeze. "So I was thinking, maybe we could see a movie, run around the mall," Levi was saying at the table. I was staring at my lunch: two pieces of cheese pizza, a chocolate bar, and a chocolate chip muffin. Jax looked at my lunch.
"Hungry?" He asks.
"Starving." I reply, picking up one slice of pizza. It was a pretty unhealthy lunch, but I knew a ton of people who ate worse than this and still remained slim and skinny. Like Levi.
Taking a bite of my pizza, I watch as Levi devours his slice and the moves onto eating his second slice.
"I hate you." I tell him.
"Why?" he asks with a mouth full of pizza.
"You eat all that shit and still end up skinny."
"He may be skinny," Jax says. He then turns to me and grabs my upper arm. "But you have all the muscle."
I roll my eyes and smile, "Yeah, yeah, whatever. But I'm built like a linebacker."
"And that makes Levi better?" Jax asks.
"Yeah," Levi says, but then shakes his head. "Wait, what?"
"You can bench weight more than Levi weighs. He could even be the bar," Jax chuckles.
"Ha, ha." Levi says. "Make fun of the skinny kid." He turns to me. "Your dad's skinny."
      I look to the sky in thought. "He is?"
      "I mean, from what I remember." Levi shrugs.
      "I can't say that I've seen him recently," I mutter. The boys go silent, and it's only when I look up that they are nervously staring at each other. "What?"
      "Sorry," Levi says with grit teeth.
      "For what?" I ask. Then it hits me. Don't bring up the girl's dad who's always missing. "Guys, I don't care."
      "Was he there today?" Jax asks. I shake my head and tell them that I won't see him until I'm fast asleep. Or not at all. But I don't say that.

I smiled. I may not have many friends, but I'm glad I've got them. We basically see each other everyday considering we live in the same building. I remember on time I was sick for a week, and these guys kept checking up on me. Even when they had dinner or breakfast they'd check on me.

"Can we have a movie marathon tonight?" Levi asked. A part of me wishes I had more social skills like Levi, and the ability to do anything in one day.
"I'm up for it," Jax said. They looked at me, "What about you?"
"Sure," I reply.
"Sweet, uh... Okay, my apartment, four or five?" Levi asks. Well, besides sitting at home alone and doing homework, it's better than nothing.

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Edit: oh my god I did not remember giving Kerry a chevron book bag 😂 yuck you could tell that I wrote this in 6th grade