Corny Jameson (#Wattys2016)

Chapter One

Margaret

I walked into school just as the late bell rang for first period. I sighed before quickly running to my locker and grabbing my stuff for algebra. Although I was good at it, I didn't really like doing it. It wasn't something that I got excited for; especially in the morning. I don't think anyone looked forward to algebra in the morning.

I threw my bag and coat into my locker before slamming it shut and rushing to class. When I opened the door, everyone's attention immediately snapped over to me, making me want to shrink back into the hallway and disappear.

"Miss Anderson, this is the third time this week that you're late to my class. If it happens again, I'm giving you detention. Got it?"

I nodded. "Sorry, Ms. Briggs. It won't happen again."

"Alright, take a seat." She turned back to the chalkboard and began writing a math problem. I started walking to my seat- which was all the way in the back -and I barely made it past the first desk without stumbling. The people who were still looking at me started laughing.

"What a klutz," Noah Park, the bad boy of our school, said. His friends laughed at his statement while I continued to walk to the back of the room. In our school, you sit based on your social status. Since they're the most popular, they get the front of the room. Since I'm barely noticed, I get to sit in the back of the room. But it's not like I can make myself popular, though, so I've always sat in the back. 

When I reached my seat, I sat down, laid my algebra book down in front of me, and opened to the page we were supposed to be on. We discussed a few problems as a class before we had to work on ten questions individually. I finished in no time and turned it in. 

"Your such a nerd," Noah said.

"At least I'm not dumb," I murmured.

"Excuse me?" he said. I ignored him and went back to my seat, where I took out my phone and started playing Angry Birds Go. One good thing about sitting in the back is being able to get on my phone and not get caught. I started a race and got in first, only to have my phone snatched out of my hands.

"Hey!" I exclaimed. I looked up to see Noah with a scowl on his face and his brown eyes flashing with anger. I looked around the classroom and saw that Ms. Briggs had left the room.

"What did you say before?" he demanded. 

"Nothing," I said, reaching for my phone. He lifted it higher into the air, well out of my reach. 

"Tell me or you don't get it back," he said. I contemplated on whether or not I should tell him. He's known for his very short temper, which is why I probably shouldn't have said anything.

"Give it back and I'll tell you," I compromised. He thought for a minute before tossing it back at me. I reacted too late, as it hit the floor. I quickly picked it up and saw there was a crack through the center of the screen. I scowled at the broken screen before looking back up at him. "Thanks a lot, asshole. My fucking phone just cracked because of you," I said showing him the screen. 

He crossed his arms and stared down at me, his face not changing at all. "I'm an asshole?"

"That's what I said," I retorted. 

"I'm an asshole?" he repeated.

I ran a hand down my face. "Did you hear me? That's what I-" I didn't have time to react before he took my phone back out of my hand, slammed it on the ground and stomped on it. I stared at my demolished phone and my mouth dropped open. "What the hell!? Why did you do that?"

"Got a problem with it?" he asked.

"Yes! Of course I have a problem with it! That phone was three hundred bucks!" I said.