clip my stories and announcements and tack them to a bulletin board, but that was about it. Warmth ran over my face knowing that Jesse knew about me.
“I want to go to Otis, so I have to be here.” Even though I was beyond the basics of high school art class, I had to put in an appearance to get where I was going.
“Hmm, that’s a good school. You think you’ll get in?” He leaned his head against his hand and waited for my answer.
“I… uh… have been planning on it since I was little. I’ve never thought of not going.”
This Jesse and his seeds of doubt were messing up my perfectly rotten first day of school. Going to an art college was my dream, and not going wasn’t part of the plan. Jesse was talented at finding the little areas in which to irritate me, even though we’d only known each other for all of five minutes.
“Mr. Leary, please pay attention, at least on the first day. You can bother Ms. Ionesco after class… with her permission, of course,” said Mr. Stanley, standing over Jesse, giving me a wink. He knew Jesse was giving me a hard time.
“I’ll do that. Thank you, sir,” said Jesse, leaning back into his seat and crossing his arms. I noticed he wore a beaded bracelet with a silver circle and triangle in the middle.
The rest of the period, Jesse paid attention to Mr. Stanley, and I paid attention to him without him noticing. It was hard to ignore how sure he was of himself, smiling when the teacher made a good point, and grumbling about ones he thought were wrong. When the bell rang, I felt a little disappointed to say bye to him.
“Guess we have to show up tomorrow. See you then, Ms. Ionesco!” He stood up and left the room before I could reply.
Lost in a fuzzy place from a long day of school and an experience with someone who made me doubt myself, I wandered down to the parking lot to meet Jenna and her mom. When I didn’t see them, I started to stroll along the sidewalk, feeling better than I had all day.
I was jolted when I saw Christian leaning against his car, talking to Hillman. They both laughed and then Hillman spotted me. He kept his mouth shut and watched me from behind dark sunglasses as I walked. A slight smirk was on his mouth. I shuddered and headed back to where I was supposed to meet Jenna. Hot coals could not have made me walk any faster. I must have looked like one of those speed-walkers with the funny swishy butts as I hurried away.
Seeing Christian made me feel like a little girl who wants a doll more than anything in the world, but can’t have it because she doesn’t have enough sticker s on her Good Behavior chart. No matter how much I cried and pleaded, it would never be mine.
“Hello, Beck. ” A voice like water over jagged pebbles breathed on my neck. I turned to face Hillman. He had shadowed my walk in perfect silence. His red hair was slicked back, and he wore a tight shirt and skinny jeans that contoured his muscular legs.
“Hi.” I held my books close to my chest, praying that Mrs. Beltran would show up and rescue me.
Hillman circled, surveying what he saw like it was an auction. “Never seen you wear black like that. It looks good on you.”
I didn’t feel so strong and powerful anymore.
“Thanks.”
“I was just talking to Christian.” He brought his arms up around his neck and stretched, his shirt lifting to reveal ripped abs. “He said you guys broke up.”
“I don’t want to talk about it.” I turned away, but he came around to face me again, arms crossed in front of his broad chest.
“He’s like that. Doesn’t make time for his girls. I’d never do that… to you, I mean.” He might as well have handed me a dozen red roses, his conversation laced with innuendo. I could think of nothing to say. Any other girl would have jumped up and down with joy, but I wanted to run.
“Oh, okay.” I felt my legs start to shake , and I looked around for any sign of Jenna. Christian had already left the parking lot, not that he’d
“I want to go to Otis, so I have to be here.” Even though I was beyond the basics of high school art class, I had to put in an appearance to get where I was going.
“Hmm, that’s a good school. You think you’ll get in?” He leaned his head against his hand and waited for my answer.
“I… uh… have been planning on it since I was little. I’ve never thought of not going.”
This Jesse and his seeds of doubt were messing up my perfectly rotten first day of school. Going to an art college was my dream, and not going wasn’t part of the plan. Jesse was talented at finding the little areas in which to irritate me, even though we’d only known each other for all of five minutes.
“Mr. Leary, please pay attention, at least on the first day. You can bother Ms. Ionesco after class… with her permission, of course,” said Mr. Stanley, standing over Jesse, giving me a wink. He knew Jesse was giving me a hard time.
“I’ll do that. Thank you, sir,” said Jesse, leaning back into his seat and crossing his arms. I noticed he wore a beaded bracelet with a silver circle and triangle in the middle.
The rest of the period, Jesse paid attention to Mr. Stanley, and I paid attention to him without him noticing. It was hard to ignore how sure he was of himself, smiling when the teacher made a good point, and grumbling about ones he thought were wrong. When the bell rang, I felt a little disappointed to say bye to him.
“Guess we have to show up tomorrow. See you then, Ms. Ionesco!” He stood up and left the room before I could reply.
Lost in a fuzzy place from a long day of school and an experience with someone who made me doubt myself, I wandered down to the parking lot to meet Jenna and her mom. When I didn’t see them, I started to stroll along the sidewalk, feeling better than I had all day.
I was jolted when I saw Christian leaning against his car, talking to Hillman. They both laughed and then Hillman spotted me. He kept his mouth shut and watched me from behind dark sunglasses as I walked. A slight smirk was on his mouth. I shuddered and headed back to where I was supposed to meet Jenna. Hot coals could not have made me walk any faster. I must have looked like one of those speed-walkers with the funny swishy butts as I hurried away.
Seeing Christian made me feel like a little girl who wants a doll more than anything in the world, but can’t have it because she doesn’t have enough sticker s on her Good Behavior chart. No matter how much I cried and pleaded, it would never be mine.
“Hello, Beck. ” A voice like water over jagged pebbles breathed on my neck. I turned to face Hillman. He had shadowed my walk in perfect silence. His red hair was slicked back, and he wore a tight shirt and skinny jeans that contoured his muscular legs.
“Hi.” I held my books close to my chest, praying that Mrs. Beltran would show up and rescue me.
Hillman circled, surveying what he saw like it was an auction. “Never seen you wear black like that. It looks good on you.”
I didn’t feel so strong and powerful anymore.
“Thanks.”
“I was just talking to Christian.” He brought his arms up around his neck and stretched, his shirt lifting to reveal ripped abs. “He said you guys broke up.”
“I don’t want to talk about it.” I turned away, but he came around to face me again, arms crossed in front of his broad chest.
“He’s like that. Doesn’t make time for his girls. I’d never do that… to you, I mean.” He might as well have handed me a dozen red roses, his conversation laced with innuendo. I could think of nothing to say. Any other girl would have jumped up and down with joy, but I wanted to run.
“Oh, okay.” I felt my legs start to shake , and I looked around for any sign of Jenna. Christian had already left the parking lot, not that he’d
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