Gangbanger Study-Buddy

Stood-Up and Standing-Up

"He's just so-ugh! And he calls me Pop-Tart. I mean... Who does that?!"

I look over at my bestfriend, Jenna, who would rather braid her dragon-fire-breath hair than listen to me vent about my problems.

Irritated, I wave my hand frantically in her direction. "Hello? Why are you not freaking out here? I'm stuck tutoring a big-headed, Italian, douchebag and all you care about is braiding your hair."

With this said I turn over onto my back and let my head hang off the side, making everything look upside down just like my life at the moment.

Upside down Jenna sighs and turns her icy eyes towards me, pursing her lips.

"Come on, Paz. Sure the guy- what's his name...Fonte?- is a jerk but it's not like he can hurt you." She crosses her legs and returns to her fishtail braid. "The place is monitored by the school staff so obviously he won't be able to stab you, stuff your lifeless body into a heavy duty garbage bag and leave you in a ditch. So I think your being a little dramatic with this whole tutoring thing-"

As Jenna continues to talk I can't seem to let my mind move from her graphic story of how I might or might not get killed. What if she's right? What if my tutoring doesn't help him and he follows me home and kills me in my sleep? For all I know he probably has experience with this kind of thing. I mean he did notice the fourth question I wrote down asking how he landed himself in the program. What if he takes offence and decides to off me? Who'll look after Lily? Who'll look after my Pop-Tarts?! Who-

"Paz! I think all the blood has rushed to your head from laying upside down. You look crazed. Come on. It's almost time for you to go to the tutoring class anyway. I'll walk you." Jenna heads over to help me off my bed and over to the door.

After a hasty goodbye to my mother which consisted of many dissapointed glances at Jenna, we head over to the building with the yellow door otherwise know as: Paz Grey Thomas' reason of death.

We walk in silence along the street looking like polar opposites. Jenna with her long legs walks straight and proud, whereas I keep my eyes glued to the ground hoping to go unnoticed. Honestly I don't mind being the bland friend, in fact, I prefer it.

I don't need to be the brightest star in the sky as long as I have a friend who believes that I'm the only one worthy enough to hear their wish.

Too soon we arrive at the mustard door. I see in the corner of my eye that Jenna has turned to face me with her pinkie sticking out: our sign that everything will be okay.

I turn towards her and touch the tip of my little finger with hers.

"Thanks Jenna. You're a life saver, when you're not telling me in detail how I might be murdered."

Her eyes twinkle with mischief.

"What else are friends for?" With that she gives me her signature wink and walks off touching the tip of her braid.

As my source of strength walks further and further away I feel my feet grow heavy with dread.

Come on, Paz. You got this. He's just a dude that has an ego the size of an elephant, sarcasm that kills and eyes that can make steel melt. No biggie.

With my courage at a high I march through the doors and down the hall towards the room filled with many teenagers who look ready to start a fire.

Ah. The smell of forced learning and angry teens.

As I take a seat at my assigned table I immediately notice the vacant chair in front of me. Looks like Dante's going to be late again.

A small bell rings, signalling the start of the tutoring. However, instead of opening up a textbook like everyone else I sit at my table staring at the invisible space that is not Dante.