I swear the people who design the timetables are out to murder us. They sit by their computer screens plotting way to make our lives even more miserable. I mean as if Monday morning wasn’t bad enough already they had to make 1st period AP Mathematics with Mr. Jonty (my favorite teacher…not.)
AP Maths first thing on a Monday morning. It’s like a recurring omen; reminding me of how much I hate this place.
I sit down next to Nataka as Mr. Jonty starts his lesson.
When someone gets a homework question wrong he goes off on a tangent, cursing the government and saying that the Mathematics programme in the country is going down the drain because we should have learned this in 9th grade.
Out of the corner of my eye I notice Nataka turn red. A telltale sign that she is holding in her laughter.
“What’s so funny?” I whisper to her.
“Irony. He’s a 9th grade teacher.” She whispers back.
“Not up to your usual standards of wit.”
“Leave me alone…its Monday.”
Nataka has a very dry sense of humor at the worst of times but, when used at the right moments, she can be a real clown.
Suddenly Mr. Jonty stops his venting session and tells us to open our files. I bend down to pull my file out and when I get up Nataka is red again.
“I am on a ROLL.” She laughs at me. I look at her hands; she has somehow managed to pull out all her notes out of her file in one move and is holding them in her hands trying to keep the holes in line. I quickly help her put them back in before she makes an even bigger mess. For a clever girl she is such a klutz.
45 minutes later the lesson finally ends. Nataka is taking forever to pack up and I am waiting for her. She takes so long that the next class actually begins to walk in. It’s another Grade 10 class and who else enters but Ryan.
“Hey …babe.”
Why the hell does he insist on calling me that?
“Since you obviously couldn’t comprehend it the first time…let’s try this Tarzan style. Me, Riley. You, douche.” I say slowly and deliberately as if I am talking to a five year old.
“I understood the first time. Seeing the look on your face when I call you babe is just amusing. Its fun getting under your skin.” Ryan says through his signature smirk. This is the same smirk with which has gotten nearly every girl to do unthinkable things with him.
I suddenly feel infuriated.
“Well you have an unfair advantage, “ I say calmly, “ you can get under my skin easily but it’s difficult for me to get under your coz its so dam dense. You have the thickest skin I have ever seen.”
“We all know you wanna be under more than just my skin.” Ryan says with his smirk increasing more.
“YOU PIG!!!” I am screaming now and Mr. Jonty turns to look at us.
“Thanks for the lesson sir. We will be going now.” Nataka grabs my arm and pulls me out of the class.
“Geez Riley, I know you get irritated easily but did you have to scream? Your lucky I save you.”
“Yes, Nataka. You’re my hero.” I say sarcastically whilst rolling my eyes.
“Well I knew that you’d figure out my secret identity one day. I am really Fantastigo girl.”
“Don’t you mean fantastic-ego girl.” I say casually.
“Riley, don’t try and pun. You suck at it.” I burst out laughing and Nataka follows suit. We laugh all the way to our language elective: French.
YOU ARE READING
Am I still Invisible?
Teen FictionHigh School. That awkward place where everyone is grouped in cliques unless you are invisible. 16 year old Riley walks through school only being noticed by her best friends and people who need her help with their Maths. That is until someone makes h...
