With the multiple pink slips on her desk, Jamie sat in the back of the classroom. A pair of sunglasses shielding her eyes, with her hoodie pulled over her head. She didn't want to be bothered, not in the slightest, but that's all that seemed to occur on this rough Monday. I should have ditched. But where would she go? One more period and I'm out of here.
As always, quite early, he walked in. That signature strut, oozing such confidence as he juggled multiple things in his hands. "What's up, mama?"
"Not the time or the place, Mr. Nelson," she mumbled, sinking further into her chair.
Glancing in her direction, Prince's brows rose. "Well, excuse me for trying to be a little sweet on you this glorious Monday." Jamie shrugged her shoulders. "Someone's grumpy."
"I'm not grumpy," she retorted.
"Sure you aren't," he countered, walking over with a cup of coffee in hand. "I know you probably didn't get a cup this morning, but I figured its never too late."
Jamie sat up, taking the drink as he sat across from her. "Thank you. Really. It's appreciated." As she raised the cup to her lips, she stilled. "Wait, it's–"
"–almond milk. Yeah."
"Thanks, soy sucks. So does regular milk," she chuckled, finally tasting the vanilla flavored drink.
"But you eat cheese?"
"I didn't say I don't like dairy, just that regular white milk blows," she reiterated. "That's a big difference."
"Whatever you say," he shrugged scanning over the desk. "Someone's been busy today." He lifted one of the pink slips, only for her to snatch it from his hands. "What? I can't read about whatever stunt you pulled today?"
Jamie folded the slip, along with the others before stuffing it into her bag. "I didn't pull a stunt. Today's just been a long day."
"After our weekend? Did you not get any sleep last night?" He watched as Jamie slowly shook her head. "I thought that'd be all you wanted to do after that ride back," he wiggled his brows. "Is that why you're wearing the glasses? You hiding those sleepless night baaaagggggs?"
"Shut up," she snickered. "Having bags ain't nothing to make fun of. Everyone can't be perfect like you."
"You and I both know that I'm far from perfect."
"I have to disagree." While taking another gulp from her beverage, the bell rang signaling the end of the period.
Prince rose from the desk. "Whatever. Just take those off before the class starts. Cool?" Jamie failed to reply as her peers soon began trickling into the classroom.
When the period began, Jamie remained in her seat. Her hood pulled further over her head, the dark shades still resting on the bridge of her nose. This didn't go unnoticed. Not to Mr. Nelson, nor the other students. To prevent anyone from pointing it out, he did first.
"Ms. Tracy, would you please remove the sunglasses?" He waited at the front of the class, while all the students watched on as Jamie sat as stiff as stone. "Ms. Tracy..."
"Sorry, sir, but I can't do that."
He leaned against his desk, folding his arms over his chest. "Excuse me? I said take off the glasses."
"Eh, I'd rather not." A few of the students chuckled. Seeing Jamie disobey a teacher was a rare occurrence.
"Don't make me write you up," he threatened. Unbothered she remained. He couldn't believe she was pulling this. Not with him. "Seriously?"
"Sorry, but I really can't take em off."
"So a write up is worth keeping them on?" Jamie shrugged, "Yup. It can go write the rest of em."
One of the students spoke, "She's on a roll, Mr. Nelson. She got written up earlier today for the same thing," he laughed. "This is great. I didn't think you had it in you, Jamie."
"Darius," Mr. Nelson snapped. "Be quiet before I write you up as well." Darius groaned as he sank in his seat. Bringing his attention back to Jamie, he rolled his eyes. "Jamie. Glasses. Off. Now."
"Mr. Nelson. I. Said. No." She calmly replied. "Now, if you wanna write me up, go ahead. I could care less. Just leave me alone and teach."
The oohs that filled the room only infuriated him. Sure, this could occur outside of these walls but in this setting, he was the superior and he would not be the recipient of her disrespect. "You want that pink slip? Well, you got it."
Her reaction was still one of a person completely unfazed by the threats. She was quiet, staring back at him. At least he assumed she was. He slowly walked over to her and before she could process what he was about to do, he'd done it. He snatched the oversized shades off her face.
"Daaaaaang!" A student erupted. "What happened to you?"
Mr. Nelson, took a few steps back, instantly regretting what he had done. "You couldn't just write me up like the rest of them?" Jamie mumbled as she grabbed her backpack. "Thanks," she muttered as she walked around him, heading out the classroom.
⏭⏭⏭
Jamie stood in the mirror, in her bedroom, examining the damage. The swelling around her eye was subsiding, but the bruising appeared to worsen. "Guess the after effects are always worse."
Jamie's cellphone rang. She darted across the room already knowing who it could be. "Yoooo..."
"I'm at the door. I brought Chinese!"
Jamie sat at the head of the bed, while Henry laid across the foot of it. "I still can't believe that happened."
"It's whatever," she shrugged. "Maybe it had to happen for her to put him out."
"Nah, bitch, fuck that. Look at your face," Henry chimed. "It shouldn't have taken all that to happen for her to get it. That nigga was never gonna change from the jump. She's good though, right?"
"She was blinded by love, I suppose. And yes, she's fine. I'm not gonna hold it against her. I'm just glad I was there to stop it."
"I guess," Henry rolled his eyes as he munched on a piece of shrimp. "Then you're over here running outta class and shit," Henry turned his head in her direction. "Yeah, I know. One of your classmates came up to me asking questions about your eye."
"And?"
"And what? You know I ain't tell your business. I'm not one of those queens. I keep the tea to myself."
"Thanks, Henry."
"Anytime, love," he smiled. "This is just crazy though. I expected to come here to talk about your weekend and instead I gotta see you like this."
"We can still talk about it," she fumbled through her shrimp fried rice. "I don't mind."
"Just tell me the basics."
"Well, he got us this really nice suite in this super fancy hotel. There was light hanky panky. Then the audition."
"How was the audition?"
"Eh, I don't wanna talk about that. But, we walked around town, hit the museum, grabbed dinner. That's when my mother called but you know all about that," she tilted her head to the side.
"I didn't think she'd just pop up at the house like that! Sorry," he whined.
"I'm kidding," she waved him off. "It's cool. But anyway, after dinner we ended up walking by this club slash music venue thing. We went in. I got him to perform," she bit her lip in thought. "He was amazing. Like, really, really good Henry."
"I wouldn't expect anything less," he shrugged. "I mean, he is Prince."
"Touché," she nodded. "Then, um, when we got back to the hotel, he told me some things. There was lots of hanky panky after that."
"Hanky panky? Bitch, if you say that one more 'gain we gon fight."
"Anyway," she rolled her eyes. "We checked out early Sunday morning. Half way through the ride my head was in his crotch. So there was more hanky panky..."
"Oh, my god bitch. Shut up," he hollered."
"What's wrong with the word hanky panky? Let me live, dude! Anyway, we ended up pulling over at the next rest stop and he put it on me."
"Lord," Henry shook his head. "I swear you been getting more dick than me. Yo ass better be using protection."
"I'm on birth control."
"Bitch..." Jamie shrugged her shoulders. "You been letting him hit it raw?!" Jamie nodded. "Has he at least pulled out?"
"Once or twice."
"Oh, bitch." Henry jumped up from the bed. He picked up his bag and began to ramble through it. "I'm not about to let you fuck your life up. Hell naw. What kinda friend would I be?" He removed a strip of condoms, tossing them her way. "Use em, bitch."
"Um, thanks."
"Seriously, don't be out here slipping," he stressed, picking up his box of combination rice. "So, what did homeboy say when he saw that?"
"I don't know," she mumbled. "I haven't read any of his texts."
"He's been texting you?" Henry reached for her phone that sat beside her.
"0823," she muttered.
Henry typed in the passcode and immediately skimmed through the notifications. "Well, he's called four times and there's quite a few messages. Want me to read em?"
Jamie shrugged. "I don't care. Go for it."
Henry cleared his throat, "Here we go...
2:31pm
About what happened, eye didn't know U were actually hiding something.
2:35pm
If eye had known Eye wouldn't have done that
2:37pm
Y didn't U tell me
2:38pm
We r better than that
2:40pm
Tell me what happen from the moment eye dropped U off 2 2day
2:43pm
Who put their hands on U?
3:15pm
Was it that man? Greg?
3:16pm
Eye'll kill him
4:32pm
Jamie?
5:04pm
If eye don't hear from U by 7 I'm comin ova
After reading the last message Henry glanced at the top of the screen. "Bitch, it's 7:45. Call this man before he gets himself locked up."
"Why should I?" She quizzed, trying her best to hide the hint of disappointment. "It's past seven and he's not here."
AN: This is a lot shorter and I'm posting much earlier than usual, but I wanted to give y'all something before my working weekend kicks off in less than 3 hours.
👁 got y'all in the next chapter...MAYBE.
✌🏾, 💜, & ➕