Before The Bell Rings - Spencer White

episode II

"Okay class, for today's schedule, we will be discussing about-"

"Sex!" A boy shouted cutting my mother's introduction. She smiled, embarrassed.

"Yes, obviously Mister Vaughn. But especially consensual sex. How to give consent to your partner and set boundaries."

Her voice faded. Echoed. Suddenly, the weird doodles on the wooden desk became so much more interesting. She had put me in the front row. Besides her desk. I felt so out of place, I started to fake note-writing to calm me down.

"Justine. Could you please put the first video on the board please." 

So I did just that. Feeling every judging stare from the entire class. While sitting back on my chair, some giggled. The rest of the SLT class went by very slowly. Full of immature comments or idiotic jokes about vaginas, dicks, fucking. You know the drill of how horny teens' brains are functioning. When the bell rang, the same black haired girl from yesterday helped me and my mother gathering all the sheets on the table. The others almost ran out of the classroom in a matter of seconds. I find out her name was Amerie and she was the one that did the map. The Map Bitch as everyone at school were calling her.

"You didn't have to do that, you know" I said to her.

"Oh I do. Part of Mrs.Woods' punishment. I'm doomed to stay behind after every class of SLT"

"Oh." I paused. "Sorry about that."

"Not your fault eh. I'm Amerie, you're new right? Didn't see you before."

"Yes. Justine but my old friends called me JJ."

"JJ?"

"My initials."

We both smiled. We also both realized that my mother had gone. Probably in her office, I thought. We started walking together in the halls, both excited to reach the school's exit doors. We stayed in silence, not a weird one but rather confortable. When we finally reached the doors, two sparkly bodies jumped on Amerie. I remembered seeing their names on the presence sheet in SLT. Darren and Quinni.

"Our new bestie!" Quinni exclaimed, still embracing her friend.

I don't know why but I just stood besides them, waiting, hoping to be introduced.

"What's Mrs.Jones' little helper doing with you?" Darren said, in a rather sassy tone. But I took no offense. They looked up and down at me while sucking their cherry-red lollipop.

"Oi, JJ is as trapped as we all are. Do you really think she would do this for karma points?!" Amerie exclaimed, taking my defense. I smiled, happy to somewhat feel included.

"Hi, I'm JJ."

Quinni rapidly shook my hand with a big smile on her lips. She always smiled this big and bright. She had stars' stickers that made her eyes pop. I find it so unique and beautiful.

"Hi, are you coming with us to the cemetery tomorrow?!" She asked full of hope I would join them.

Amerie looked confused.

"The cemetery? As in where we hangout when our parents are home?" She asked.

"Yes, Dusty and his two idiotic musketeers  were talking about it in SLT. We thought it could be fun, you know. We've never been." Darren exclaimed, pointing to them and Quinni.

"Everyone hate my guts."

"Who cares about what everyone thinks Am. It's time for your redemption arc." Darren said.

Amerie snorted to their comment.

"Yes!" Quinni approved

"Alright. You in JJ?" She asked, turning her head to face me.