SILHOUETTE

Chapter 3

"Are you excited about your first day, baby girl?" Amara beamed.

Simone had her aunt on face time against her vanity mirror. It was a bright and early August morning which also happened to finally be the first day of school. She had been playing in the mirror for what seems like all morning.

"No." She sighed, tossing the rat tail comb down.

"It's just first day jitters." She assured her niece.

"You think? What if they don't like me?"

"Who wouldn't like you? Sure they might mistake you for a student but you're wonderful and you know so much about art. I have no doubt in my mind that you will really change the way they see art and the world around them." Amara encouraged.

"You're suppose to say that auntie, you're my auntie." Simone half smiled resting her chin in her hand.

"And your favorite! It is true though. I know it's going to be scary but you got the Patterson blood and we fight until we have nothing left."

Her aunt was right - they were tough women that stopped at nothing. Tina Hicks was half of her but her Aunt taught her so much during her summers to visit as a child and during her four years. Simone finally decided what to do with her hair even if picking an outfit felt like it took her a million years.

She could barely sleep a wink feeling like a child that was going on a field trip the next day. Except she was more nervous than excited. She triple checked her reflection when her face time went off again seeing a photo of her and Jr kissing that she never removed as his contact photo appear.

"Goood morning Ms. Hicks!" Jr flashes a bright smile. He was always delighted to speak to Simone.

"Hey, Jess. What's up?"

Simone was the only human on earth that he gave permission to even call him by his full government besides his parents. Maybe she was just that special.

"I just wanted to check in and wish you good luck. You are starting today right?"

"Uh yeah, how did you know?"

"I might've googled it. Have a good first day , actually eat your lunch and don't go crying in your car. Take it easy, they are just high schoolers, you got it in the bag." Jr advised.

"Hey...I will not cry in my car. Hopefully not anyways but thank you. I'm doing good, still adjusting but it's been alright so far." She frowned at first before filling him in.

"Good and you better be socializing!"

There it was. Simone was positive that Keisha had set him up. They were the main ones pushing for her to have fun. Jr made sure she got out and didn't stay stuck in the books or on the courts. They were young at the time and they deserved to be happy and carefree.

"Goodbye Jesse! Have a good day. Tell Keish, I said hi." Simone waved ending the call.

***

Simone's day was going smoothly so far. The class periods had been flying by and before she knew it, she had found herself walking into the teacher's lounge. It felt like all eyes were on her. She hated feeling like the new kid on the block. Finishing heating up her food, she realized all the tables were just about full with other teachers conversing.

Jordan sat in the corner barely touching the leftover pizza. He saw her come in but was playing it cool. The moment her eyes looked like a deer in headlights , he motioned with his finger for Simone to join him. He wasn't above whistling but he was a respectable man.