Nafessa Williams
I walked the halls of Redwood High School. My nerves were through the roof. It was my first day and I truly just didn't know what this new school had in store for me. It would be one thing if it was the first day of school, but it wasn't. I was switching over second semester of my senior year.
My backpack hung off of my right shoulder. People were staring at me, or maybe it was just my anxiety because it seemed the eyes were glued to me.
Looking back and forth from the schedule, I accidentally ran into someone. "Oh shit. Hunty watch ya self."
"I'm so sorry." I apologized quickly to the person.
The boy looked up at me. "Oh no sweetie. Don't apologize. It's all good. You must be new here. I'm Gil. This right here is Kelendria."
"Girl call me Kelly or Kel." The girl corrected Gil.
I chuckled. "Nice to meet you Gil and Kelly. I'm Nafessa."
Maybe this school wasn't that bad after all.
"Nafessa." Kelly repeated. "It's got flavor. I like it. You're very pretty Nafessa."
"Thank you. So are you." I complimented back.
"Where you heading?" Gil asked me.
Looking at my schedule, I replied. "Uh B 218."
"I'll walk you. I'm in the class next to yours." Kelly informed me.
"Not me. I have to go to the office for first period. Life of being a teachers pet. I'll catch up later!" He yelled as he walked away.
Kelly shook her head as he did leave. "Okay Nafessa, finding your way around here can be only as complicated as you make it. A floor is the first floor. B is second. C is third and D is fourth. It's simple really."
I nodded in understanding as we walked up the stairs. "Okay."
We made it to the second floor and this girl pulled Kelly to the side. "Where you heading, princess?"
"I'm walking my new friend Nafessa to class." Kelly nodded over to me and the girl looked me over. "Nafessa this is my girlfriend Janet. Janet, this is Nafessa."
The chick had red natural hair. She was wearing a crop top with a jacket on top and some jeans. She was pretty.
Janet smiled at me timidly. "Hi. Nice to meet you."
"You as well."
"We still blowing this place right bae?" Janet asked Kelly.
Kelly nodded. "Yeah. Can Nafessa come?"
Janet looked at me and shrugged. "Yeah. I don't see why not. Well that's if she's up to it."
"Wanna hang with us after first period, Nafessa?" Kel asked me.
"Like skipping?" I asked for clarification.
Janet and Kelly laughed at me before Janet answered. "Yes. Like skipping. We will come back before lunch. Come on. It'll be fun."
My mom is bat shit crazy— but I was halfway grown.
"Sure. I'm in. Where will y'all be?" I questioned.
"On A floor. You'll see us." Kelly answered before pointing. "Second door on the left is your classroom. Meet us afterwards. First floor."
I nodded. "K. I'll meet you all after."
Walking to the classroom, the bell had rung as soon as I did. Mostly everyone was in their seats but two towards the back were empty.
When I walked up to the desk, the woman looked at me and smiled. "Well hello, you must be Nay-Fee-Sa?"
"Nafessa." I corrected her lightly.
"I'm sorry sweetie. Nafessa. I'll remember it. Well I'm Mrs. Jackson or Mrs. Kat, you can have a seat in the back. We are just waiting on one more person."
Walking to the seat, I sat in one and a girl next to me looked over at me. "Wassup? I'm Shawnette, but please call me
Shawn."
"Nafessa." I mumbled back as we smiled at each other and shook hands. "She a hard teacher?"
"Hell nah. She chill. As long as you don't fuck with her daughter or tell her what her daughter be doing, she'll love your ass to death." Shawn mumbled back.
"Whose her daughter?" I questioned as I looked over at Mrs. Jackson who was typing something on the computer.
"Janet Jackson. Mrs. Kat got two kids actually. Janet and Mike. Micheals the angel though. Janet's the rebel."
Janet was Kelly's girlfriend. The one who just asked me if I wanted to skip with them. Oh shit. This was classic.
"Miss Heard?" Mrs Jackson's voice made Shawn and I heads shoot her way. "Let's pay attention shall we?"
Shawn nodded and giggled softly. "Yes ma'am."
Mrs Kat got to reading some syllabus for the new semester but mostly everyone zoned out. I seemed to be the only one paying attention.
There was a knock on the door and someone walked in. It was a short girl with brown and gold hair. She nodded at Mrs. Kat, "Morning Momma Kat."
"Morning sweetheart. Let's not be late on the first day anymore. Alright?"
"Yes ma'am." She replied as she scanned the room and saw the seat next to me empty.
Shawn muttered to me. "Toni Braxton. Stay away. Especially if you want to be on Janet's good side."
I looked at her confused. "Why doesn't she and—."
"Shh." Shawnette interrupted me as Toni came and sat down next to me.
Looking Toni's way, I saw that she immediately began drawing things. I started watching on the cool, and noticed that it looked to be a boy she was drawing. She was going in depth, with only a pencil. I was in amazement.
"Now that I'm done reading, do whatever you all would like to do. Just don't get too loud." Mrs. Kat told us.
Some people put their heads down. Others got on their phones. Some began to chatter lowly. Shawn pulled a pillow out her backpack and laid her head on it and went to sleep, leaving me with my phone.
The Toni girl raised her hand. "Mrs Kat, may I go to the library?"
Mrs Jackson nodded and Toni stood up just for the boy in front of her to push her things out her hands. Drawings went everywhere and I stood up. "Hey dude, not cool."
He rolled his eyes at me before speaking sarcastically. "Oh well I'm sorry mother. Weirdo here just seemed to be in my way when I wanted to stretch my arms. Hands up, right Toni?"
Toni took a deep breath as she began picking the drawings up and I helped. When I handed them to her the bell rung and she shot out the class.
I shook my head and went to follow but the guy got in my way. "Hey, you are new here so let me warn you— stay the hell out of my way. Got it?"
Chuckling, I didn't back down. "Was that suppose to make me scared?"
"I'll make your life here hell. Be careful."
"Well come with your best. Now excuse me." I walked around him and into the hallway.
"Nafessa!" Someone shouted and I turned to see it was Shawn. "Wait up."
I slowed until she was next to me, forgetting that I was supposed to be following the Toni girl to make sure she was okay. "What's up?"
"Where you heading and what was that scene with Keith all about?" Shawn stretched as we walked.
"He's an asshole and I called him out on it, but I'm heading to meet with Kelly and Janet." I informed her.
"Oh shit. You're invited to the ditch? Bet. Let's go." She lead the way to the first floor and towards some hall. When we turned the corner, it seemed deserted and Janet and Kelly stood there.
Janet nodded my way. "Welcome to the dead end of the school. Follow us. You know how to jump gates?"
I nodded as I remembered all the times my father made me do it. "Yeah. I do."
"Great." Kelly replied as we left out some double doors and came to a gate. "You'll fit right in. Let's go."
Shawn jumped the gate first and I followed afterwards. We looked back as Kelly and Janet followed.
"Janet's car is this way." Shawn pointed to her car as we walked.
"I drove too." I stated not really feeling comfortable being carless with girls I just met.
"Cool. You and Shawn can take your car Nafessa. Me and Janet can take hers. That's cool bae?" Kelly asked Janet.
"I don't see why not. Keep up though Newbie." Janet nudged my shoulder playfully.
Chuckling, I pulled my keys out to my black BMW. "Ouu, I'm scared." We walked to our cars and got in. As I put on my seatbelt and started my car, I looked over at Shawn. "Mind telling me where we're going?"
"Oh to Kelly's house. Her mom stays buying weed and drinks for her."
I nodded as I backed out. "Hm, I don't smoke... but I do drink. Say alcohol and I'm in."
Shawn smirked at me. "Oh you'll fit in just fine."