Gossip goes down in Math Class

Chapter 1.3

~~Vince Matthews~~

“And where were you during class young lady?”  Ms. Tener, the old Economics teacher croaked. Vince Matthews and Eric Teller looked up from the money that Eric had been counting, to see Minnie Jackson come in.

“Was in the bathroom, I forgot bout your class.” Minnie said sullenly to Ms. Tener without looking up.

“Oh so you just forgot that you had a second period class?”  Ms. Tener said disgustedly. “Take your seat.” Ms. Tener clucked her tongue and went back to drawing the supply and demand graph on the white board. Vince watched as Minnie took her seat two tables up from him with Shandreka Ryan. Everyone in the class had to be seated two at a table, and Vince was seated all the way in the back next to Eric.

“You know what that means right?” Vince whispered to Eric, still eyeing Minnie.

Eric folded the wad of cash neatly and shoved it in his pocket. “What does what mean?” he sighed.

“What Minnie said about going to the bathroom and forgetting about class.”

“Yeah, what about it?” Eric asked, rolling his eyes.

“She was screwing some guy in there man, that’s why she was late to class. It’s always why she’s late.”

Eric gazed at Vince blankly. “Sooo...why do I care?”

They both looked at Minnie. Her real name was Simone but everyone called her Minnie because of her height. She was a very petite 5’3 with a hair trigger temper that made up for her size.  She was also notorious for turning tricks around the school, or so it was rumored, and she was constantly in the principal’s and guidance office being questioned about it. However, she always denied the accusations and the school never could prove enough to get her suspended.

She was a black girl with long dark hair that had blond streaks lining her bangs. And like always, her face was layered with every kind of makeup imaginable. Today she sported lip gloss, silver eye shadow, eye liner, red blush, big fake eye lashes, and super arched eyebrows. She was even wearing two huge silver hoop earrings with a matching silver stud in her nose. Her outfit consisted of super tight skinny jeans and a black jacket unzipped to reveal a silvery half shirt that showed her stomach and her silver belly button piercing. On her feet were gray Ugg boots that matched the sling purse that hung over her arm.

“We care because that means Jordan is wrong and she hasn’t been shut down by the principal.” Vince whispered frantically. “She obviously wasn’t caught and she’s still open for business!”

“Yeah…? So…you want to be her new customer or something? “ Eric snickered. “Well, I just hope you wrap your wiener before you do, because that’s a high traffic area you’d be plowing through.”

“Hey!” Vince hissed. “I’m not trying to be anything! I just like to know she’s okay. You know what? Just go back to counting Barney’s weed money! I can see you don’t care.”

Eric patted his pocket. “It is a lot of money huh?” he mused. “Barney found it in some locker, and I got him to give me almost half of it for barely any product. What an idiot.”

Vince nodded distractedly, still glancing at Minnie.

“Why are you so obsessed with her?” Eric asked. "Just give her some money if you want her that badly. She’s not exactly a prude.”

Vince looked away from Minnie quickly, “I-I’m not obsessed with her.”

 “You are. You’re always talking about her.” Eric stretched his long arms and yawned “Maybe I’ll give you some of my money and you can buy yourself a nice long session-"

 “No!’ Vince hissed. “I just…it’s just I-"

Eric looked at him and smirked “You’re just what?”

“I-I just-I’ve never been with a…” Vince’s voice dropped down to an inaudible whisper.

Eric leaned toward him. “With a what?”

Vince shifted uncomfortably and glanced quickly at Minnie who was filing her sparkly pink nails with a nail file.

                                 “A… black girl...I never been with a black girl before.”

Vince was a white kid with short buzzed cut brown hair. He was average height with a medium build and several facial piercings. He had a pierced eyebrow, tongue, lip, and both his ears were lined with silver earring loops. He didn’t look like the type of guy to get intimidated easily.

Eric’s smirk widen and he stifled a small laugh. “Oh Vince,” he said, patting him on the back. “In case you haven’t noticed, there are quite a few black girls at our school. Their not hard to find. Just ask one of them if they want to hook up with you.’

“Well, not everyone has screwed his way around the world like you!” Vince huffed defensively.

Eric gasped with mock offense. “Vince Matthews are you implying that I am a slut? I'm appalled, just appalled. I have NOT screwed my way around the world thank you very much…I’m very particular about who I’m with, and unlike you, I use protection. You’re the one who got the STD that time anyway… not me, not ever.”

“Shhh!!” Vince cried. “That was one time and it wasn’t that bad! The doctor cured it up right away!”

“Well I told you to stay away from that tattooed chick at that party.” Eric chuckled. “Now why am I the slut again?”

“Well you’ve been with every type of girl there is.” Vince grumbled.

Eric looked at him with a small smile. “I haven’t.” 

“You have.” Vince grunted.

“Like who?” Eric challenged

“Hmm I don’t know how about Gina?” Vince said with a sarcastic edge.

“White.” Eric said ticking off a finger.

“Emmy.”

“Hispanic.” Eric put down another finger.

Vince thought for a while then said. “May.”

“Asian.”

Another finger down.

“Asha…on multicultural day!” Vince cried.

“Okay…Indian I think.” Eric muttered. “You still don’t have black, that’s not every type.”

“I thought you’ve been with a black girl before? What happened to that so many black girls in our school shit?”

Eric shrugged. “I just haven’t met a black girl that I’m interested in going that way with quite yet...”

“Wait…” Vince whispered “what about Amelia Stine?”

“What about her?” Eric asked, fingering the silver stud piercing in the tip of his right ear. It was the only piercing he had, and although Vince had tried to convince him to get more of them, he always refused.

“W-well…” Vince stuttered. “She’s black.”

“So?” Eric said.

“Didn’t you and her... at that party that time...”

“No!” Eric growled and stared Vince down fiercely “I’m actually not as slutty as you think I am, okay?!”

Vince started to respond but Ms. Tener was standing over him. “Mr. Teller, Mr. Matthews, why is it always you two who are up to no good?” she croaked. “We have five minutes left of class! Do you think I can finish my lesson without the chit chat?”

Vince nodded and Eric shrugged. Ms. Tener eyed them both condescendingly and then hobbled back to the white board.