The Life of Jessie: Thug Life?

You Missed Me Pt.1

It had been a month since I told Junior that I was leaving his crew. He didn't really take it that well. There was a lot of yelling on his part and saying that I was making a huge mistake. I knew he was right, but I couldn't let him know that. I knew getting mixed up with Salazar was going to bite me in the ass later on but, until that day, I was sticking with Inks and the guys. Lewis had been calling and texting me nonstop since that night. I had to play that I was cool with him but every time I heard his voice, my skin would just crawl. We had hung out two more times after that which was, well, not so fun.

With all this going on, Eddy has wanted to hang out, but I always gave him an excuse not to. I was glad that we didn't go to the same school. If we did, it would be more stressful than it is now. I wouldn't be able to take him figuring out what I was involved in and something happening to him because of it. It had been a month since I've seen him or talked to him. I wanted to keep my distance for that same reason of how I couldn't bear to lose him like the way I lost Mig-.

"Ms.Hernandez can you tell me the difference between a plant cell and an animal cell?" Dr.Gatlen says snapping me out of my thoughts and making everyone turn their attention to me.

I sat up straight in my chair feeling heat go to my cheeks. I look down at my so called notes, and all I had written was my name and date. I mentally slap myself and look back up at to all the eyes on me, "One has a cell wall and the other one doesn't?" I said more as a question than an answer.

Dr.Gatlen walked towards my desk. When he approached my desk, he looks down at my notebook and sees that it's blank, "Surprised Dr.G?" I say crossing my arms over my chest and smile sheepishly.

"Lucky shot Ms.Hernandez but luck will not always be on your side," he simply says and walks back up to the front of the class.

"Well I'll keep pushing my luck till I'm dead Dr.G," I say with a shrug.

The room was filled with gasps and whispers and I just rolled my eyes at them. Dr.Gatlen spoke up and silenced everyone, "With the way you're going, I do not have a doubt you'll be there soon." He pauses, his gaze making it hard to look away. "Just like the young man that passed away recently." He looks all over my face for some type of reaction. My hands ball in fists waiting for what other low blow he was going to say. "I believe his name was Miguel Sanchez."

I could feel everyone's eyes on me but I didn't dare look away from the asshole in front of me. I couldn't lose my cool in front of everyone, "Yo Dr.G, how would you know anything about him? You don't take the time to get to know your students." I hear Jose speak up, with a threatening tone. I place my hand on his arm and just shake my head to tell him to stop.

"Do not tell me how to do my job Mr. Soto." Dr.Gatlen started raising his voice, "If you young people would keep your minds in school maybe, just maybe there will be less of you getting locked up or dying on the streets."

"You don't know shit,"I say surprisingly calm, keeping my gaze down on my desk so I wouldn't attack the man. "What I do know is that you were being laid off because you had an affair with a student, and I'm surprised they let you back in the school," I spat at him feeling my anger raise a little. "If it were up to me, I'd never let you back in."

From where I was sitting I could tell Dr.Gatlen wanted to cut my head off. His face was red; even though he was dark skin you could still see the red in his cheeks. The room had gone dead silent not even the jokester of the class could muster up any humor in this deafening silence. Dr.Gatlen adjusts his tie and walks over to the button on the wall that is to call the officer to the classroom for misbehaved kids. "You will not fill these students' minds with your lies Ms.Hernandez, so you need to apologize." he demands.