2 | maybe splenda daddy at most
Song: Mami by Priceless Da Roc ft. Panopoly & Princess Drop Dehd
Depicted Above: Diego Barrueco as Quinn Carter
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Third period had long since began, and this Wednesday could not have progressed any slower. It had been two days since the Starbucks run in with Quinn, and I was losing my mind trying to figure out why twenty names were on that list. I tried running all the names on Google. Most of the search results didn't pull up with anything significant. Half way in I gave up, exhausted by the workload of homework I had to finish. I would have gotten a better head start that day had I not been stood up for my study session with Kev at Starbucks.
I looked up at the prompts on the projector screen of the classroom and started to form some coherent answers with my table group, which was luckily consisting of this six weeks Trey, Julia, C.J., Vin, and Joshua. Overall a pretty turnt table. A turnt table that also ended up getting no work done. Our table like everyone else's ended up getting off task within the first five minutes of group talk. It was great. Until we got called on. That part? Yeah, not so great.
I scooted to my side to talk to Kevin who was at the table adjacent to me. "So which girl was it this time that you had to blow off our Starbucks date, Kev?"
"Dude, I'm sorry Leia. And this time unfortunately it wasn't a girl. Parents got mad, and I got grounded."
"Kevvvvv, I waited like forty-five minutes to review APES* with you. I drove and everything. Ugh. You lil' piece of shit. I'm still mad. I looked dumb as hell waiting for company for forty-five minutes. The barista was about to hand me a sympathy frapp, dude."
"I'm sorry, Lay-Layyy. Parentals got mad at me. They just went ape-shit for no reason. Ha-ha. See what I did there... y'know APES and ape-shit?"
I deadpanned, and he shut up explaining his pun. I secretly did enjoy the pun. I could always appreciate a good pun, but I wouldn't give Kevin the satisfaction of knowing I did right now.
"They heard me playing League at like four, and they think I have a problem. Obsession or something. If there was a League-aholics Anonymous, you know they'd enroll me in."
I cracked a smile even though I wanted to keep pouting for that Starbucks no-show. I could't help it, and I was soon laughing my ass off.
"Whatever, next time don't send me a 'I'm sorry, can't make it.' text that late."
Kevin smiled because he knew just as well as I did it was way too hard for me to be mad at that.
I turn around focusing on our table's new topic of interest.
"Alright, class. Think five minutes should've been good enough for you. I'm gonna cold-call for the first question." Mrs. Aldridge with a Dr. Pepper in hand went to grab her cup of popsicle sticks to call on someone.
As she dug around, the lunch bell rang. Typical. Aldridge never focused on the time. Christ, her time management was nonexistent and so was our co-English teacher's—Mrs. Benson. Nine times out of ten we'd get cut off with the B lunch bell. Maybe if Aldridge actually taught us instead of guzzling down the Dr. Pepper, and Benson stopped watching so many cat videos in class we would actually get work done and leave for lunch without being cut off.
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Lunch came and went, and we walked back into class not really caring to lower our voices in the classroom or get on task. Alex, Julia, and I were in an intense conversation about the term "daddy" and if it was okay or not for a girl to call her boyfriend that.
We talked about the stupidest shit, yet we could easily transition into intellectual conversations with the same passion. That's what I loved about them. We connected so easily and hanging out with these girls always made my day.
I had taken a backseat in the discussion, lost in thoughts about the list and Quinn, but I was immediately jolted back in with a, "Leia, what do you think?"
"Uh, honestly I don't even know what ya'll just said, but you know I just remember reading this thing online. Like a social experiment. You scream daddy out loud and see which guys respond and turn around. I don't know; I thought it was pretty funny."
Alex and Julia stared at me at first but broke out into wide grins.
"Do it," Alex commanded.
"Guys, what. Aldridge bitch will walk in."
"Come on, she's probably getting another Dr. Pepper, and you know it," Alex chided.
"Yeah, come on, Lays. I know you're not scared. You've done worse before. You probably have the biggest pair in this class," Julia pressured.
That was undeniably true. For a dare, I would do pretty much anything.
It was sad but very thrilling. I was a lowkey adrenaline junky, and my track record proved that.
With great badassery, however, came an even greater responsibility. Even I knew, there had to be a certain extent of rationale for my actions. I wasn't unreasonable. I only did stuff if I knew I could get away with it. Aldridge walking in on my daddy-fest was a very real possibility. But eh you know what, screw it. She was probably somewhere outside the classroom relishing and downing a fresh can of Dr. Pepper.
I'm not a pussy, and I wanted to see how this would play out.
And so that's how I ended up screaming "DADDY" across the lecture hall.
The reaction I elicited was much more than what I expected.
The moment it came out of my mouth every individual with a penis in my class had snapped their head. It was like watching at least fifteen plus people screw their heads around like owls.
Undoubtedly, the funniest part was when two guys subconsciously responded with "yeah?"
I lost my shit. This was too good.
Fucking hell.
I never expected the whole male population of 3B to be my designated daddies. All heads were turned to me and pretty soon every girl, after figuring out my not-so-subtle social experiment, was laughing their ass off. The guys were pretty much quiet and embarrassed for a few minutes, but laughed it off except for the two who were my "so-called daddies." Oh god.
I was also pretty relieved about the fact that the beast hadn't walked into class from lunch yet. Good thing. If she had and had heard me who knows what would have happened. She wasn't in a particularly happy mood. She'd already snapped at Trey before lunch twice for playing League in class. Hopefully, she would have grabbed another Dr. Pepper during lunch as it was the only thing that could calm down Mrs. Aldridge.
That and flirting with Mrs. Benson's husband.
Mrs. Aldridge always seemed to get her flirt on whenever Benson's hubby was around.
Quite entertaining, really.
She giggled like a ditz and twirled what little hair she did have. Damn. Kinda weird? Scratch that. More like hella weird considering Mr. Aldridge also worked in school as a technological facilitator, just down the hallway, and Mrs. Aldridge had no problem shamelessly flirting with Benson's beau. Yikes. Teachers gone wild? Guess so. Aldridge had no restraint when it came to hoeing with Benson's boy.
Trey, playfully flirtacious as usual, replied, "You called?" He refers to me calling out "DADDY" to the class. "Sugar daddy to the rescue, Leia. What do ya need now? A couple hundred bucks for a few nights in exchange with me. Like last night?" He playfully winks at me as I roll my eyes in fake disgust.
"Sugar daddy, you say?" I muse. "With that tic tac you call a dick and that flat ass wallet—maybe Splenda daddy at most." I return the wink he sent me earlier, accompanied with a smirk.
"Aight, whatever Leia, you got me. Just please, no more. Have mercy on my friend down south. It hurts his ego y'know. Trey J.R. has feelings, too." Trey pouts and bats his eyelashes, practically begging for mercy with his hand resting over the right part of his chest.
I broke into a grin. "You stupid. Your heart is on the left side. Why the hell do you think you place your hand there during the pledge?"
Trey's mouth formed an 'o' as he realized his mistake.
"Remind me to never have a heart attack when you're around. I don't want you fucking up my CPR."
"Hey, I may fuck up the CPR part, but it would definitely be my amazing mouth to mouth skills that would bring you back."
I scoffed in response. "Yeah, because anything dead could be resurrected with that ratchet ass, stanky ass breath."
"Leiiiaaaaaaa," he whined, "why couldn't you just let me have this one? Just one."
"Now I couldn't do that could I? I have a rep to hold around these parts. You wouldn't understand." I wink at pouting Trey.
I mess up Trey's brown hair while taking a bite out of his food that he had brought back to class. Trey usually had two meals for lunch. One he brought from home and one he bought from the cafeteria. He ended up eating both during the span of lunch time as well as through class. This is why he was always complaining about never having enough money. He was always spending it on food. But I mean food is food. So I get it.
The door to the lecture hall slammed shut and in walked Mrs. Aldridge. In all her satanic glory. As I turn to face the doorway in which less hangry Lucifer, in flesh, made an entrance, I also catch Quinn Carter, with arms crossed and a bored expression.
Was he standing there the whole time? Huh? Since when was he in this class?
I vaguely remember that Sabrina, one of my other best friends, had mentioned a while earlier in the year that he was in 2B with her.
As far as personality, not much could really be said. He kept to himself. Quinn, though, not as much a social butterfly like me, did talk to people. He wasn't a total hermit. He just didn't willingly throw himself around to make friends.
I catch myself staring a bit too long at him and immediately avert my eyes.
"Hey Lay-Lay, be a doll and throw this in the trash would ya?" Trey requests.
"Okie doke." I grab the plastic plate of his meal and pretend to aim at him.
Trey scrunches his nose in annoyance. "Wow. You're so funny."
"I know," I counter.
"Shut up," he lamely replies. "I'm too lazy. I don't wanna," he drags out to emphasize his lethargy. I already know what a lazy ass he is, so I don't even bother to stick around to him whining even more at me to throw away the plate.
Rolling my eyes on purpose, I grab it and take it to the trash, conveniently standing by the doorway, just as Mrs. Aldridge gets her stuff together on the desk to pick up where we left off before lunch.
Why does she even bother? I don't know. Not like she actually teaches anything especially after lunch. It's like somehow we pass the time doing something but learning absolutely nothing. Fascinating actually. After lunch no one even bothers to pay attention. Half the class is either playing League or just straight up talking.
Making my way to the trashcan, I see Quinn already staring at me. I pretend to look distracted with the fact that Mrs. Benson also came in, finishing up her lunch. I'm not a shy person, but I'd prefer not to stare at his hot face every step I make towards the trash can.
I dump out the contents of whatever was left of Trey's meal. More like last meal. The fuck? This wasn't a lunch. More like a buffet on a plate. How he still remained so lean—the world may never know.
Looking back at Carter, I see him still staring intensely at me. Scratch that. Not at me. But more like into me. His focus is laser-like. His stare is not exactly cold or glaring daggers but more like trying to figure out the person in front of him.
I made my way to my seat but could still feel his gaze on my back. I go back to Alex and Julia who are busy talking to themselves about some of our teachers on ratemyteachers.com.
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Class soon resumed to whatever the hell we were doing before except since we were running out of time, like every day in this class, we skipped forward in our lesson and were now independently working on our mini project.
"Bro, why's he here?" Alex asked Julia and I regarding Quinn, interrupting my concentration in the process.
"Yeah, doesn't he have 2B? Didn't Sabrina say that a while back?" Julia questioned in confirmation.
"That's what I thought too... and how come Aldridge is chill with him hanging out here? Did she okay this?" I asked.
"Guess so... but dude... Quinn keeps looking at you, the hell?" Alex noticed.
I turned to look casually in his direction, and sure enough his gaze was in my direction.
"About that... I uh... ran into him in Starbucks, and we started talking. Well more like he dropped something on the ground, and I was about to give it to him, but it looked hella shady, so I asked him what it was for. He didn't tell me. He kept refusing to tell me, so I never gave it back and left."
It was a strange story, and Alex and Julia's faces confirm that.
"Okay, that's really weird, he doesn't really talk to anyone from school. I can't believe you actually did that... Maybe he's mad at you?" Julia question-stated.
"Yeah, I don't even know what even happened. It just—I don't know."
"Go talk to him. Aldridge isn't looking. Benson isn't either. Class is almost over and seems like the teachers are chill with him here anyways," Julia prods.
"Okay, okay, I'll see what's up," I get up disregarding my class work. Not like they ever take up the stuff we work so hard on.
Taking some paper scraps on the floor as an excuse to talk to Quinn, I head to the recycling bin just by the trash can and door. Quinn's on his phone, but just as I reach his way he unglues himself from the screen and acknowledges my presence.
"Why are you here, you're not even in 3B?"
"Well hey, it's nice seeing you, too," he mocks enthusiasm but really only sarcasm drips from his voice.
"No, seriously, what are you doing here? Is this about the sheet or something?"
"No greetings, huh? You just get down to business." Quinn trails off.
I blink, ignoring his comment. Looking straight at him, I await an answer.
"Yeah, it is about the sheet. It's my property. I want it back."
"You skipped class for that stupid piece of paper?" I shoot back incredulously.
"I have two free periods. Aldridge doesn't care about me listening in on class. And yeah, I need it. I want it back."
"How'd you know I'd be here?"
He didn't know me, my name, or anything about me as we hadn't exactly shared pleasantries the first day we met.
"I was heading out because of early release and saw you heading to English after lunch was over."
That made sense.
"I'm not giving the sheet back until you tell me what it's about. You acting hella sketch doesn't help on your part. Just saying."
"It's really none of your business. But it's all of mine. Give it back," he huffed out.
The bell rang cutting off our conversation, and I rushed back to my seat to put my stuff away. Quinn didn't budge from his spot by the door way. Kind of stupid if you ask me, but he commanded such a presence, and he had such a don't-fuck-with-me rep that no one trampled over him. Not that that could have easily happened in the first place. The guy was definitely built and definitely tall.
I walk out of class with Julia and Alex. Since they both had fourth period together, I slow down and pull away from them to get one last sentence in with Quinn. I stare up into his eyes, and I hope my seriousness can convey my stubborn stance on this situation.
"Tell me, and it's yours."
With that I walk away. Feeling pretty kick ass. All I needed was some shades and an explosion going off in the background as I walked away.
My little moment is disturbed, however, when I hear behind me, "We'll see, mommy."
He was in there when I did that little prank after all. That didn't surprise me though.
What did was that while he seemed so cold and distant, he was capable of joking around and actually sporting a sense of humor.
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a/n: * - APES stands for AP Environmental Science.
alrightyyyy. chapter two all set and done. hope you enjoyed and laughed.
my goal was to build character and hopefully you can start to distinguish everyone and their unique identities.
i think the reason for the song i chose is pretty damn obvious haha. i have a vast variety in music taste and hope ya'll can explore and see it throughout the chapters. hopefully, many of you also have similar taste!
i'm so so so so so so very excited as i have finally been able to pick who plays quinn! the most gorgeous diego barrueco will be seen as quinn. i think he's definitely a good fit for the part especially since i planned quinn on having brown eyes aha (i mean seriously they're pretty underrated).
another note: the school, that leia goes to follows block scheduling. meaning there are A days and B days, and you alternate between those days. each day has four periods. some classes are double blocked meaning you have them everyday and some are single meaning you only go to it on either A days or B days. so far I don't believe leia has any double blocked classes. also free period is synonymous with early release. quinn has two periods off or early release. early release is often common among juniors and seniors that have already taken a ton of courses and got their credits over with and don't want to lower their GPA fyi.
vote and comment please and thank you! your support means more than you think it does(: