Better Hold Tight

Partnered with Cat

Catarina's POV

Finding out that Bikerdude was in my class put a damper on my mood for at least 2 weeks. All we did was argue and I don't like to argue! I didn't want him in my class. He will totally mellow my whole "singer's vibe". Hehe, what kind of word is mellow? Who created that word? Who created the word "word"? Who says what is a word and what isn't? There should be new words forming everyday! I could start a club that creates new words using Latin roots and French/Spanish bases. I have a word that isn't Latin, French, or Spanish. But it means to work together, or anything else alone those lines. My word is "placifinication". Doesn't that look like a word you would have to know if you were taking the SATs? I actually do have to take the SATs this year. Poo. Anyway, there are other forms of "placifinication". They include: placifinicate, placifinicated, placifinicator. That's smart, right?

Anyway, I'm tired of having him in my class. I pout and squeal whenever he walks into the classroom to tell Ms. Hoppe that I don't like him very much, but I don't think she cares. It makes me really sad because he's a meanie and he doesn't deserve to be in her class.

And get this, he's also been kicked into my Humanities class! That's the only class where I can talk freely about my worries about the children in Ethiopia and the abused puppies in Chicago. But the last time I talked about the puppies, he made fun of me. It makes me sad.

Today, Ms. Jenkins, my Humanities teacher, said she had a surprise for us. Knowing Ms. Jenkins, it's probably another project. I don't mind doing her projects. They're usually really fun and she always partners me with Gabriella. When I ask her why she says, "She's the only one that can handle you, Cat." I don't know what that meant.

I walk into the class with Gabriella and wave goodbye to Jade. She doesn't wave back. She probably didn't see me. Even though she was looking right at me...

We go to our usual table in the second row. We don't sit in the front because we like to give others opportunity to get as much learning as they want. But we don't sit in the back because we still want to learn, too. And we all know people only sit in the back if they have no choice, or because they don't want the teacher to see them not paying attention.

Everyone files into the class, including Bikerdude. I was kind of hoping that he would finally pull a "bad boy" act and skip class today. Why was he considered a bad boy? I've never seen him do anything bad. Sure, he drives a motorcycle. And sure, he wears all black. And sure, he swears like his life depends on it. But other than that, he doesn't seem that bad. There's that whole thing with him being in a gang and massacring a whole town in Philadelphia, but I don't think that's true. He seems to be a good big brother and he gets decent grades. Why was he considered the bad boy?

"What the fuck are you staring at?" he stops in front of me. Why was he always glaring at someone? Sheesh, take a chili pill. That's what people say, right?

"You. Wasn't it obvious?" I thought it was obvious enough. I mean, I was staring directly at him. Maybe I'm getting a lazy eye. Maybe he wasn't sure if I was looking at him. I like people with lazy eyes. It's like they're magical because they can look at 2 things at once without having to move both of their eyes to look at it. Or at least I think that's how it works.

"Why?"

"I thought I made it clear." I've been thinking a lot lately. I don't make anything that I do clear and maybe that's why we fight. I don't make it clear enough that I don't want to fight with him. That would make a large amount of sense. "I like your face." He seemed surprised by this. I saw the look on his face. His eyes were wide and his mouth was slightly open. I cock my head to the side. "What's wrong?"