Joseph and Tasi spend the morning in the drama room with their poet friends. They talk about how they'd rather be somewhere else and how summer wasn't long enough. Joseph goes along with the group's conversation, but he'd rather be alone with Tasi. There is so much he wants to tell her, but not now. He'll wait to express himself when it is just the two of them.
The bell rings and they split off to their homerooms. Joseph walks in the Guam heat from A-wing to the band room in G-wing. On the door, a pink sign reads "Mr. Artero's class report to cafeteria." Joseph groans and makes his way to the caf.
Like most Guam high schools, G.W. has a lack of substitutes. So, teacherless students are designated to the cafeteria, aka Martha's Café, aka the No Teacher Room. The students spend the 90 minute period lazing on their phones and gossiping and catching up on homework.
Mr. Artero's students are sectioned to the front of the caf, although Joseph would rather sit in the back near the dying aircon. He hopes he'll survive 90 minutes in a circus full of assholes and sluts. He sits close to a rotating fan which turned out to be a bad idea, because Shinto and her gang came in and sat right next to him. Her gang consists of two curvy girls and a chubby gay dude, and like Shinto, their arms were rainbowed with bright beads. Before Joseph could think about moving, the cafeteria-aid shouted, "Stay with you class and don't move around! Pick a spot to sit and stick to it!"
Should've said that 10 seconds ago, Joseph thinks when he spots Tasi enter. He waves to his bestie and she waves back as she makes her way to her section in the opposite side of the caf. He watches as she brings out a Sara Dressen novel and a bag of beef jerky. He smiles and brings out his Oreos and a Chuck Palahniuk novel. He opens Facebook on his Samsung and types 'Spending my morning reading literature and eating breakfast' and tags Tasi. He watches Tasi see the notification on her Nokia Lumia. She opens it and giggles. He wishes he was closer to her to hear the sweet sound from her thin lips.
"Go sit with her," Shinto says while she brings out four Wendy's burgers from her obviously knockoff Chanel. It says 'Chaneel'. Shinto passes the burgers to her hoes then says, "You think she's hot, so go sit with her."
He frowns and blushes. "You heard the school aid," Joseph says. "We can't move around."
"Oh stop being a pussy!" she laughs. "Watch this." She gets up to a neighboring table and kisses a short sophomore boy. What an odd spectacle to watch-a tall, beautiful girl bending over to tongue a short emo boy. The emo quickly responds by squeezing her fat ass. Joseph is jealous, but not in a lustful way. He wishes he had guts like Shinto. She dresses how she wants and acts how she wants. He can barely comb his hair in a different way without feeling judged. He wishes he had guts to sit near his best friend.
"Hey, girl!" the cafeteria-aid yells as she makes her way to them. "Sit down!"
Shinto breaks away from the emo boy and goes back to Joseph.
"Is that your class?" the aid yells. "Why were you at that other table? Don't you have any shame!" The aid waves her hand dismissively at the girl and walks away.
Shinto laughs and puts her arm around Joseph. "See. She didn't even see me get up and kiss my friend. She only noticed when we started moaning real loud. What more with your girly swagger? She wouldn't even bother to glance when you go to your girl."
Joseph sighs. "She isn't mine...We're just friends."
Shinto laughs. "You're such a big pussy." She opens her burger and starts to eat.
"Shinto, we gotta take a first day selfie!" her gay best friend chortles.
Shinto digs through her Chaneel and pulls out her Blu cellphone. "Are you sluts Instagram ready?" she asks her sluts. They nod and put on their best duckfaces. Shinto starts taking low quality pics with her cheap-disposable-gas station phone. "I wish I had a new phone so I can post these right now!" she exclaims.
Joseph rolls his eyes and tries to go back to his reading, but all he could think about is Tasi. He really does like her. He promises himself that this year is the year he'll make his move. This year is the year he'll grow some balls.
YOU ARE READING
Hey, Jose!
Teen FictionGeeky, Joseph is tired of his small island life on Guam. The only thing that keeps him going is his crush on his poetess best friend, Tasi. He promises that junior year will be the year he'll tell his feelings to her, but what happens when she frea...
