Sex Ed: After Class

Glimpse of Her Past

—8 years ago—

"Jacob!"
"Hey, Kiddo. How was school?"
"It was loud. There was a fight today..."
"A fight? Did you see it?"
"No. I try to avoid confrontation, y'know?"
"Yeah I get that."
"Hey, Spiderman..."
"What is it, Kid?"
"How come you have an accent?"
"I told you, I was born in Bristol. When I came here my style of talking changed but my accent stayed."
"Bristol is in the UK, right?"
"Yes. I'd love to take you over there and show you where I grew up."
"Jacob you're only 16. You're still growing up."
"I'm almost a legal adult, mind you."

I pouted up at him. He was a lot taller than me. At least half a foot taller. Though I guess that's normal when I'm only 13. A group of his high school sophomore friends stopped us while we were walking down the sidewalk.

"Oh hey Jacob. I see your hand's right back in the cradle. One day you're gonna get caught, man."
"Shut up, Drew. I told y'all she's my friend."
"Yeah okay. You bringin' her to the arcade with us or should we meet up after you take her home?"
"How about it, Kid? Wanna go to the arcade?"
"Uh...I can walk home by myself..."
"No you can't. Your mom already told me not to let you."
"My mom treats me like I'm 7."
"Hey. You can go to the arcade with us or I can take you home."
"...Arcade."

He smiled, draping his arm around my shoulder as we walked towards the arcade.

—

"Let's go, Cara! We're gonna miss homeroom!"
"Jacob I don't wanna go! I'm scared!"
"It's your first day of high school! You should be excited."
"No! I really don't wanna be a freshman!"
"You come out of there or I'm pulling you out!"
"Jacob...!"

I pouted, finally climbing out of Jacob's car. Looking at the large building struck fear deep down inside of me. Finally in high school. I should be excited.

"Ayeee! Jacob. Look who graduated from a hand in the cradle to jailbait biter." Drew laughed, giving Jacob a pat on the back.
"Technically she's not jailbait until I'm 18." He chuckled in response.
"Man, Cara you look shaken up. What's wrong?"
"She's scared cause she's a freshman. She's been watching too many tv shows." Jacob spoke when I didn't attempt to open my mouth to talk.
"Aw, don't worry, Kid. We don't torture freshmen. We got better shit to do." Drew smiled.
"Let's go in so you can find your homeroom and get all your stuff."

I followed them into the gate and looked around at all the kids standing around and talking. You could definitely tell which ones of us were freshmen. We were all over-prepared and looked nervous. New backpacks that were full of brand new school supplies. Jacob and Drew gathered with some other juniors and started talking. I stood quietly next to him until some girl— she was taller than me, lightskinned with long straight hair and light brown eyes, confronted them about me.

"Who's the brat? Why's she hanging on Jay like he's her fuckin' dad?" She asked.
"Chill out Angela." Drew blew her off bluntly.
"Nah, I'm just curious. Like damn can she not stand on her own?"

The other girls in the group kind of giggled at her. This only made her keep going.

"Damn, babydoll let him go. You're so young you can't walk? Need a diaper?"
"Angela, lay off." Jacob groaned.
"She's just fucking with the freshman. This baby needs to be able to take a joke." Another girl chimed in. She was shorter than Angela, darkskinned, with a short black bob.
"Yeah, princess. Can you take a joke?" The third girl mocked me, gripping my cheeks and making my lips poke out. She looked exotic. She had an afro of light brown curls, and freckles.
"Aw, you wanna fuck my friends." I smiled.

She stepped back. Her face looked kind of shocked.

"What did you say?" She asked, getting in my face.
I didn't respond so she repeated herself even closer to my face. "I said, what did you fucking say?"

I narrowed my eyes and before she knew what was happening I had already slapped her across the fucking face. Ain't no bitch about to punk me cause I'm little. She lunged toward me, getting ready to fight me but Jacob stepped in instead.

"Hey, okay back the fuck up. She's a freshman. What do you look like getting all in her face? You look like a bully. She hadn't spoken a word to you, or any of you in general. She barely breathed in your direction. You start picking on her for no reason and expect her not to retaliate? Damn she already doesn't want to be here. Stop picking on younger kids just cause you can. If I catch any of you three in her face again you can bet I'll let her loose and you don't wanna fuck with this little hurricane." He lectured the girls. He turned his attention to me. "And you can't just swing on people like that, Kiddo. I don't wanna find out you're getting into any more fights, okay?"
"...Okay, Spiderman."
"Good. Now let me walk you to your homeroom. And I'll pick you up after to take you to class."

Jacob always looked out for me. He took the best care of me. He always was protective of me. He started treating me a little older in my sophomore year and we would playfully flirt all the time. His friends thought he was in love with me all through school. Those rumors only grew stronger and deeper as years went on until his acting career took off and he went on to London.