Just a Feeling

Chapter 3

Ancient China. SERIOUSLY? It's going to be a loooong year. It's the first day back and she's already giving us homework. I do my homework but if I don't come around to it, or feel like it, I won't do it. Well, that only goes for Mrs.Hess. We're supposed to define some stupid things from Ancient China. Who cares about Ancient China? Unless this old bag lived to tell the tale. I have Algebra again after this. Better than HERE. Heck, I'd rather be in the desert. Anything beats this.
She's in the middle of a sentence when the bell rings, and I get up with my things and run out the door. I take the bell as an excuse for me to leave. I take any chance I get. Pretty soon, she won't let us leave until she's done talking. One of those teachers who block the door and say, "The bell doesn't dismiss you, I do." Well then what does the bell do? Trust me, forty-five minutes with her will drive you NUTS.
I zoom through the nearest flight of stairs to Algebra, forgetting to wait for Mariana. As long as I'm away from Mrs.Hess. I'd rather be in math for two periods. And that's saying a lot. I detest math, and somehow I'm advanced, and that makes math harder than it's supposed to be. I was the first one to arrive and now other students are filling the empty seats. I see Mariana come down the isle, "Sorry I didn't wait for you. She was driving me crazy!", I whisper. "It's fine. But I don't know what you're talking about. She's nice." Nice. She can be nice but unfortunately, she's crazier than she is nice. I don't argue with Mariana because I thought the same thing last year. I remember when this very excited teacher walked through my English class, the first thing that popped in my head was "old". But I thought she seemed nice enough, and I was pretty excited to take Spanish class. After two months, I couldn't take much more of it. I still had eight more months to go.
Now here I am again. Only this time, I have another class with her. I'll give Mariana two months to settle down and realize I was right all along.
"Take out what we were working on the last time you were here and work silently.", Mrs.Fray said. When I saw her name on my schedule, I wasn't very content. The only impression I got from her was that she was very strict. I don't know her personally, but the only reason I heard of her was because Katherine had her as a softball coach. The only time we crossed paths wasn't a good reason. She yelled at me for hitting a boy with a fat Social Studies book. Don't get me wrong. I don't regret it at all. I told her that he pulled my hair and he got the short lecture. I remember him very well, Mark Howard. He was an immature, annoying person to be around. I found out a few weeks into 7th grade that he had a crush on me. I didn't like him back, but I'm always flattered when I find out. Even if I liked him back, we wouldn't have a chance. I'm not allowed to date until I'm sixteen. I'm not so bothered by it because I don't plan on having a boyfriend, but I don't like having limits. They stop you from doing what you want to do. I'm an outgoing person, and therefore, limits and I are sworn enemies.
My stomach grumbles loudly, but only so I can hear. We have lunch at 12:45 and it's only 12:10. Eighth graders have the last lunch. I make a mental note to remind myself to bring snacks tomorrow, and every other day. We've never been allowed to eat during class but I'm pretty sure it's better than starving.
Thirty-five minutes later, the bell rings. I gather my things and walk out with Mariana. "Finally." I say. "Lunch is my favorite class."
"Lunch isn't a class but I agree." she says back. We practically race down the hallway and the stairs to lunch. While we place our bags on the shelves, I suddenly remember, where are we going to sit? I ask Mariana this and she's shaking her head as I'm talking, "It doesn't matter, we can sit together, and Sandy and some other girls are sitting with us." I don't know who else is sitting with us, but I don't care. The faster we find a table, the faster we get to food. We decide on the first row near the door, to the right. I wait a few minutes to see who else is joining us besides Sandy, and then five girls circle me around the table. Sandy, Ryan, Judy, Jane, and Josy. I know them but I didn't have many classes with some.
"Hey." I give a shy wave. I might be an outgoing person, but I'm not very outgoing when I see unfamiliar people. They're not unfamiliar, but they might as well be. Before a conversation can start, our table gets called up, and I see him again. The sight of him brings a smile to my lips, and I remember why I love coming to school. Every day I wake up to go and learn, is another day I get to feel his presence and just be happy about it.
We don't talk much in school because we don't have the excuse to. It's just like that in middle school. Why approach a boy who has nothing to do with yet has everything to do with you? If it doesn't add up, then forget it. I frown because this means I can't purposely sit next to him either. I guess I'll have to cross my fingers and hope each class I share with him.
Mariana has to call my name to get my attention. "BIANCA."
"What?" I ask, completely off guard. "Move up, you're holding up the line." I don't know what she's talking about until I see kids trying to cut me because clearly, I've blocked their exit. "Oh. Sorry about that." I punch in my lunch ID and take my tray to the table. I talk with Mariana for the rest of lunch because I'm most familiar with her right now, and we part ways after the bell rings. I'd rather have Latin than Spanish, even if it is a dead language.
Too quickly, the bell rings yet for the ninth time today, and I get up to toss the remnants of my lunch. I don't understand why each class is forty-five minutes--unless you have it double period--and lunch is only thirty. Mr.Gonzales calls classes one by one until it's my turn to get up and leave. I turn around and say, "Wish me luck", and leave as quickly as I got here.

I stop dragging my feet to her class and start walking but I can't help thinking, What does it matter? I meet up with Katherine, as this is the only class we have together. "How was your day?" she asks thoughtlessly. "Oh it was alright. 'Til fifth period." I say bluntly.
"What happened?" she asks with a worried face. "The same thing that's happening now." I reply. She stops abruptly and thinks for a second, then she finally says, "Oh......I get it." Of course she gets it. She's been through this same class with me last year. Although she doesn't enjoy this class, she still doesn't hate it as much as I do. "It's only forty-five minutes." she says. "Forty-five minutes is too much with her." And then, it's time to enter the classroom. I pick a seat to the left of the door, ( because the seats are arranged in an open rectangle. ) and Katherine joins me. "Don't worry," she assures me. "It won't be as bad because we can look forward to next year." She says this so positively that I almost believe her. It's true, I can look forward to leaving next year but I'm still here. And NOTHING can change that. Except Brady. He's sitting on the other side of the room, looking as oblivious as ever.
He looks so lost, yet so......I don't even know. I can't say he's good-looking, but he's not ugly either. By now I know I'm not attracted to his looks, but his actions, his words, his kindness. I've never liked someone as much as I do him. I'm pretty sure it's one-sided, but I don't know for sure. We have a shy relationship through Kik, that's ever since I had the courage to ask for it. I thought that asking for his phone number would be too obvious, even though Sandy has his, and it's not as if she likes him.
Mrs.Hess babbles non stop until the ringing cuts her off and I sweep the floor to my homeroom. It's been an okay day. Nothing exciting, nothing bad--except for Mrs.Hess--and nothing to look forward to. Mariana silently takes the desk to my left and we read without acknowledging anything or anyone in the room. Before I know it, it's time to go home and leave. I can't wait to just leave this place and go back to the comfort of my tiny condo. I take a deep breath and pull my bag over my shoulder. Brady and I used to walk home almost everyday together after school. He lives in a house too close for me to have to drive there, not that I go over his house. I don't know if he still wants to walk home with me this year, but I already told Katherine that I was going to walk home instead. She knows I don't take a liking to walking home, but she just gave me a nod, because she knows. She's known since last year when I made it official. When I told her that I like-
     And there he is again. I can't think straight when he's around me. All I know is this; Brady. Is. Staring. At. Me.
He approaches me slowly, because now, I have all the time in the world with him. No sisters need to be picked up and no homework to do. It's just me and him.
"So......" he says hesitantly. I finish for him, "Let's go."