Lessons from a Rude Boy

To Skip or Not to Skip, That is the Question

Monday morning I walked into the school, project board tucked under my arm for protection. My plan was to get it into Mr. Jacob’s room today so that it would be there for my presentation on Wednesday, and I wanted that to happen without incident.

            “What ya got there?” I smiled in spite of myself before turning.

            “My project,” he smiled down at me, wrapped up in a leather jacket. “So please refrain from bumping into me.”

            “Awww,” he pouted playfully, “where is the fun in that?” he stepped closer, making a motion to grab the poster from me.

            “I am serious Mason,” I warned. “You stay away from me until I get this safely to Mr. Jacob’s room.

            “Need a body guard?” his eyebrows wagged at me and I could not help but laugh.

            “Who is going to protect me from you?” I challenged.

            “That would be me,” a voice said from behind me, I turned and took in the impressively large figure of Liam.

            “How is it possible that I have never seen you walking through these halls before?” my brow creased in confusion. The crowd had to part just to get by him and he easily stood a foot taller than anyone.

            “Well most of the time your pretty little nose is in a book,” he smiled down at me.

            “I like to read,” I defended with a slight blush.

            “Which is cute, but doesn’t make for safe transport through these lecherous halls,” he grinned taking my hand and pulling me from the crowd.

            “Hey now!” Mason called after us, “I was talking to her!”

            “You take to long,” Liam called back pausing long enough to grab the board from my hands, easily overpowering my protests.

            “I’ll go drop this off,” he smiled, already stepping away, “you stay here and talk to the rude boy.”

            “Liam,” I tried, but he was already moving away from me with lithe agility that should not be possible.

            “I knew there was a reason I was friends with that boy,” Mason commented at my side.

            “That was really unnecessary,” I shook my head, already moving to follow and make sure that my presentation made it in one piece.

            “Hey show a little faith,” Mason pulled me back as Liam disappeared.

            “If my project has even one piece of paper out of place,” I turned to glare at him, “I will…” I trailed off and it occurred to me that I had never threatened someone before. There had never been any need.

            “You’ll what?” he teased.

            “I’ll make sure your picture is not in the yearbook,” yea that sounded bad.

            “Oh goodness,” he feigned terror, okay maybe that was not good enough, “not that! Don’t take me out of the year book.”

            “You are sooooo,” I motioned with my hands unsure of how to insult him.

            “Amazing,” he smiled.