Guarded Love©

'See-You-Next-Tuesday' Word -- Chapter 2

Period 2 of the Monday morning, I walk into class, and taking my seat alone, in the front right corner of class; math class. Math and English first thing in the morning? What the Hell? Who would put someone through that torture?

My guidance councillor, that's who.

Go rot in Hell Mr. Aradon.

Anyways, that's besides the point.

My math teacher sees me and smiles, grabbing a paper and placing it on my desk. "Well done," she smiled before walking away from me.

Scribbled on the front of the trigonometry test that I had written the day before was a 100% and a smiley face on it. I looked up and gave my math teacher a quick smile before sliding my test in my binder. Math is one of my stronger subjects, despite pretty much failing math in both Grades nine and ten. Maybe my math teachers just sucked. I don't know. All I know is that I'm passing math with a ninety-three percent this semester.

When I was in Grades six and seven, I would always show Jo my marks, and now that I'm in Grade eleven, my instinct is still to turn around in my desk and show Jo my mark. I had to keep reminding myself that Jo doesn't care anymore... then again, I don't know if she ever really cared.

Students filed into class slowly, and when the bell rings, there are only a few empty seats; the one next to me included. I choose that seat specifically, because that is the seat closest to the teacher's desk. No one ever wants to sit close to the teacher's desk, because everyone wants to do their own thing... and they can't do that with the teacher there.

I sit in my desk and begin to work on the next guide. Math is actually quite simple.

I soon get bored of my math, and let my ears and eyes wander around the room. I see my old friends sitting with each other and giggling. I let my gaze rest on a girl named Catherine, who was my best friend next to Jo back in Grade seven. Catherine is the only person in this school who still tries to be nice to me. All my other old friends have just given up.

Catherine sees me looking at her, and gives me a small smile, to which I did not return. I turn my head, but instead of seeing the teacher in front of me, I see an unfamiliar boy. I jump a little bit in surprise, and look up to take in his facial features.

The boy had short brown hair, with absolutely beautiful green eyes. His pink, thin lips were slight curved up in a cute smirk when he sees me jump. The boy seems to be about 6 feet tall, with a built frame.

I could also notice that he had really, really nice arms.

Wait what?

The boy blinks, looking from me to the empty seat next to me. "Taken?" he asked me shortly, to which I shook my head, gesturing for him to take a seat. "Jessie," he said taking a seat next to me. "What's a pretty little lady like you sitting all alone?"

I look down at my slim figure, sweeping over my 'lazy day' outfit. That day I was wearing an oversized t-shirt that had an animated lion on it, and my sweatpants. The sweatpants fit loosely around my hips, the drawstrings tucked gently into the side pockets so that they weren't visible. I give him a look that screamed 'are you kidding me?' I rolled my brown eyes, and brushed my blonde hair behind my ear. "I don't know, what's a fuckboy doing sitting in front of the teacher's desk?" I retorted, not looking away from my math work.

I heard Jessie snort a little. "Touché," he said before taking out his pencil case, which had a skull and crossbones on it. I take a moment to scan over him again. Jessie seems like an over sarcastic, confident douchebag who has his head so far up his ass that he can't see that he isn't the only person in the world. But I can tell that by the way he's nervously flitting his eyes around the classroom, that he was just as scared at being in class as I always am.

Jessie noticed that I was watching him, and the fear in his eyes was replaced by that fake confident look again. He smirks, "like what you see?"

And there he goes, pretending to be someone he isn't again. "Nope, just wondering what the hell happened to you in child birth, because your face is a little," I gestured to his face, "to put it nicely, your face is a little fucked up."

Jessie chuckled, sending me a wink. "I like a girl who's sassy."

My eyes widened and I gave him a toothy smile. "Oh look! In my hand, are the amount of fucks I give," I pause and look into the air. "Oh, well why don't you look at that, there are none!"

I have no idea where all these freaking comebacks are coming from, but they are coming out of my mouth. When did I get so sassy? Holy Hell.

Jessie was just opening his mouth to respond, but was interrupted by a voice from behind us. "Hey, New Kid, don't sit with that loser."

Well, hello there, Autumn.

Jessie and I turn around and both Jo and Autumn are standing behind us. I shrink back, not wanting to get into conflict with them. But Jessie had other ideas.

"Excuse me?" he questioned.

"Come on, come sit with us, Taylor's just a freak who's going to annoy the crap out of you." it was Jo's turn to insult me. If I'm being totally honest, that one hurt. She still has the ability to hurt me with her words.

"What if I like freaks?" Jessie shot back. I just wanted him to stop, to just get up and move his crap over to where Jo and Autumn were sitting. I didn't want him to cause a fight in front of the entire class.

Autumn's brown eyes flashed by me, and I saw her mouth the word 'ditz' at me. I mentally add the word 'ditz' to the list of profanities that she's called me. Turning back to Jessie, she put on a fake, sweet smile. "I wouldn't get caught up with Taylor Rose Chester," I notice the hatred that was in her voice as she spoke. "She's just a liar. I mean, she and Jo used to be best friends, and she pretended to be my friend, but when we would hang out by ourselves, she started calling me rude names." She paused. "She called me the 'see-you-next-Tuesday' word!"

Jessie looks at me. All hope that I had just left me, with just that look. I avoid meeting his gaze, and turn around to work on my math. "Just go sit with them." I muttered under my breath.

Jessie was silent for a moment before he sighed. "Umm, alright," he said quietly, grabbing his stuff, and following Jo and Autumn to their desks.

I sadly watched him go. I was kind of hoping that he and I could be friends.

Maybe I shouldn't have tried to let him into my life. He hurt me even before I'd told him anything.

Great.