The Touch of Jane Marks

5 (Purity Ring)

Beep. Beep. Beep.

I am startled awake by an alarm clock. I don't remember getting an alarm clock. Slowly I raise my hand and push it off of my nightstand. Hoping that it broke from hitting the floor. My hopes were destroyed when it continued to go off whilst laying on the floor. I lazily crawled out of bed and turned the annoying thing off. After it stopped shouting at me, I forcefully banished it to the realms of the black hole forming under my bed. 

Knock. Knock.

The slight knock on my closed door made me jump. I was really jumpy today, probably because I know that I await my death today. The moment I walk through the school's main doors, Shawn is probably going to be waiting for me.

"Jane are you awake?" asked my dad gently through the door. I looked up at the door and didn't say anything.

"If you don't respond, I will have to come in there myself," he said, but this time in the stern father voice.

"Yeah, yeah. I am up because of your little screaming soldier," I said bitterly towards the now opened door. 

"That 'screaming soldier' did its job well then. I expect to see you downstairs in ten minutes," he said with his arms crossed. After I rolled my eyes at him, he left to go down stairs to read his newspaper.

I got up and decided to wear gray sweats and a white t-shirt. I threw my long hazelnut hair into a sloppy bun. I slid on my black converse and slipped on a dark gray hoodie. I am going to blend in with the crowd and hid as best as possible. I didn't bother with any makeup because I was just going to be lazy today. After sliding on my thick rimmed glasses and grabbing my bag, I descended down the stairs with four minutes to spare. I almost tripped on the last stair, but I made it out without any battle scars. While smiling in victory, I walked into the kitchen and took a bagel off of my father's breakfast plate.

"Why are you smiling like that?" Asked my father as he glanced at me over his newspaper.

"I don't know," I sang back to him. For some reason, I was a little happy today. I couldn't help but smile while I still can. 

"Are you in love?" He asked suspiciously while raising an eyebrow.

"Ew. No! There are not any decent guys at my school. All of them are either pigs or way too immature," I said whilst mentally cringing.

"You are still a virgin, right?" He asked, but this he folded the paper and set it on the table.

I didn't respond. So he gave me the you-better-answer-me-now look while taking a sip of his coffee.

"Yes. I am still a virgin. The purity ring is still on, isn't it?" I said waving my left hand's ring finger at him. 

My dad nodded his head and hummed in approvement. Then he went back to reading his paper, while I stole another bagel from his plate. 

My dad is very protective. When I first started high school, my dad bought me a purity ring and has made me wear it on my left hand's middle finger. He said that he would only allow me to take it off when I lost my virginity. He has had to buy me a new ring every year because they were either breaking or too small. I have kept all of the rings in my jewelry box. He is so protective that I have never had a boyfriend. One time in third grade, I brought home a boy for a play date. My dad told the boy that if he touched me even slightly, he would break the boy's legs. The boy hid in the corner until his mother came to pick him up. 

The drive to school was a little longer than normal due to traffic. After parking the car, I snuck around the back of the school to another entrance. I quickly pulled on the hood of my sweatshirt and pushed through the entrance doors. I looked around anxiously and sped-walked to my locker. Keeping my head down, I finally entered the hall that contains my locker without any confrontations. I glance up at my locker and see the man of my nightmares leaning up against it.

Shawn. 

Guess I will have to go without my books today. I can do this. I will not surrender to a bad boy who can't keep it in his pants for more than 24 hours.

I walk to my first class and take a seat in the back near the window. Normally I would sit in the front, but I can risk it today. I watch as everyone walks in and takes their seat. Then I quickly shift my eyes towards the window, hiding my face. Shawn had walked into the room and sat right behind me.

Tap. Tap.

Oh no. I am so screwed!

I shifted slightly still hiding my face under the hoodie.

"How can I help you, dude?" I asked making my voice a bit deeper.

"Do you know where Jane Marks is today?" Shawn whispered close to my ear.

"Nah, man. Haven't seen her," I said shaking my head slightly and turned forward again. 

Tap. Tap. Tap.

 I turned my head slightly towards him. 

"I know it's you, Jane. You can't fool me," Shawn whispered again.