A Beauty and The Beast

Chapter 5:

"I just don't understand!" Ryan yells and slams his pencil down on the table, "please just do it for me?" He begs giving me puppy dog eyes.

"Ry, I don't know what to tell you, I basically already am..." I trail off with a small laugh, "but you do need to kind of understand how to do it if you're going to pass your test," I pick up his arm and pry open his fist, placing the pencil in his hand once again.

"Gosh, can't you just do that for me too?" Ryan drops his head on the table, making my water shake.

"Sure, no problem, I'm sure Mr. Holloway won't even notice it's me," I reply sarcastically and pop a strawberry into my mouth.

"Shut up," Ryan snaps, his words muffled by the math book he currently has his head in, making me laugh. I finish my strawberries and Ryan lifts his head up, pouting. "Will you let me eat your pie?"

"Sure," I give him a small smile and slide him the tupperware containing a slice of the pie my mom and I finished last night. His eyes light up and he practically breaks the top of, grabbing his fork and taking a huge bite. "Damn, this is good!"

"Thanks," I grin, "it was my Great Grandma's recipe," I grab the fork from his hand and take a small bite before returning it to him.

"She was a smart lady," Ryan says, finishing the last of the slice I gave him less than thirty seconds ago.

"I'll be sure to contact her spirit and let her know," I roll my eyes and take back the tupperware, placing it in my purse.

"Yeah while you're at it can you ask if she has any tips for Geometry?" He groans looking back to his paper.

"She would probably say that you should start studying more than one period before the test," I shrug and Ryan huffs.

"Oh whatever Miss Smart-Pants," Ryan slams his book shut, crumpling the barely written on piece of binder paper between its heavy covers, "I've been busy."

"Yeah I bet your weekend was totally packed with way more important intellectual activities," I agree sarcastically, "like laying in bed and stuffing your face?"

"I'm sorry, I'm a growing boy," Ryan throws his hands up in surrender and I laugh.

"If I could help more, Ry, I really would," I pat his shoulder and pack up the rest of my lunch, "Good luck," I ruffle his hair and he pushes me off before I walk away, slowly making my way through the crowded cafeteria, trying not to bump into anyone. "Gosh, that boy..." I mutter to myself and head off the English class.

************************

"Don't forget to do your reading!" Ms. James yells to the mass of students pushing to get out the door and into the busy hallway. Like them I wanted to get my Monday over with, but I would rather wait until the crowd in the halls died down before trying to get to my locker. "Pages 145 to 196!" She calls after the group of people are already all out of the room. There's only me and Missy Owens left in the room and I'm about to leave when Ms. James calls my name.

"Jane, wait," She calls from her desk and I turn back towards her.Missy slips by me and now it's just Ms. James and I left in the classroom. For a moment I'm confused, but then I remember my paper and realize it's probably something about the writing contest. It's been a little over two weeks since she asked me about it and I had forgotten about it by more, I assumed I had lost.

"Come over here," Ms. James waves me over and I take a couple steps to stand in front of her desk.

"Yes?" I pull my books tighter into the chest and shift between my feet. Not that I really care much about the contest anyways(considering I'm like the least competitive person ever), but it felt good to know that someone thought my writing was good and I'm not that excited to hear about how I had lost.

"So, I went to a town hall meeting this weekend and they were reviewing some of the entries for the Historical Writing Contest I told you about, and a lot of people really liked yours," she grins and I'm taken aback.

"Wow, really?" I question, genuinely surprised.

"Yes, Jane!" Ms. James nods and stands from her old spinning chair, "You really are very good, sweetie."

"Thanks Ms. James," I smile back. 

"Here, this is for you," She opens a drawer on her desk and pulls out a small white envelope, "It's an invitation to a ceremony that the town is having to celebrate New Orleans, its from Mayor Hastings herself" she hands it to me and now I'm really surprised.

"And they want me to come?" I question, no clue why she's giving this to me. Why would the mayor of New Orleans want me at some fancy city hall event.

"Yes," Ms. James grins wide,"it's for the finalists of the competition, they want you all to be there so they can announce the winner onstage!" She exclaims, clearly excited and not catching on to how I'm definitely not.

"On stage?" I repeat, scared.

"Well yeah," Ms. James catches onto my nervousness, "but I'll be there and so will Principal Michaels, and your both parents are invited as well," Ms. James touches my shoulder trying to convince me to go, but clearly she's forgotten that both of my parents can't be there.

"My mom works night shifts, so I'm sure she'll be busy..." I trail off, not really know what else to say. I see the moment Ms. James realizes what she's said, but she pretends like we both didn't notice and squeezes my shoulder. Ms. James knows me better than any other teacher and somehow she knows that I would rather skip over it then hear an apology about how she's sorry for my loss.

"Well, maybe she can take the night off," she suggests with a small smile and drops her hand. "not to threaten you, but I'll drop your grave if you don't come," Ms. James laughs and takes a seat back in her desk chair. I laugh, knowing she's kidding and wouldn't actually do that, but I half agree anyways.

"Sure, I'll try to make it," I tuck the envelope into my binder and head for the door.

"Oh, and by the way," Ms. James calls to me when I'm in the hallway, "it's a fancy thing, so dress nice alright?"

"If I come!" I call out behind me and I hear her laugh. I glance down at the envelope with my name written in fancy lettering.

Dear Miss Jane,

Mayor Hastings of New Orleans, Louisiana invited you to spend the evening with us at the New Orleans Celebration of History and Future Ceremony at the Downtown New Orleans Event Hall. Please join us for an evening of our towns past to honor our history as well as celebrate the bright young youth that will be leading us into the future. We will savor a night of drinks and hors d'oeuvres before the ceremony to remember our towns great history and concurrently share our plans to improve our future. Mayor Hastings hopes to see you there!

134 South 10th St, New Orleans, LA                                                                                                                               Downtown New Orleans Event Hall                                                                                                                               (Black tie required)

Sincerely,                                                                                                                                                                                    The City of New Orleans

Oh gosh, what am I getting into.