Chasing White [Draft 1]

Chapter 30: Blood Rushes to Your Cheeks to Create Blush

Belmont High. August 22, 2016.

My keys clang against my chest as I march to my first class of the semester. A group of students stand, waiting for my classroom door to be unlocked. A few stand in groups, already making friends with either old or new faces while there are the few standing off to the side who haven't met their group yet.

I grab the room key from around my neck and insert it in the brown metal door's lock. Some kids take a step forward, wanting to get into the classroom, but I block the door as I make sure that it will stay unlocked. I prop open the door with my back and smile at the newest herd of freshmen that I will be tormenting this year.

"Alright, everybody in!" The crowd surges in, careful to avoid eye contact.

When the last of the freshmen are in, I make my way over to my podium.

"Okay. My name is Mrs. Bryant. This is your science class and your house. Take out your agendas, you already have homework."

There's a grunt as kids shuffle around to find their brand-new agendas.

"Bring a composition notebook by next class and only a composition notebook because I don't want to be walking to my car with a stack of one hundred and forty notebooks when it's pouring rain and end up dropping half of them because they're different sizes."

This earned me a few chuckles.

"Now, I'm going to go around and take role. Talk quietly amongst yourselves while I," I make an odd motion with my hands, gesturing to the students in front of me, "walk around."

Conversation quickly starts as I grab ahold of my attendance sheet.

I go through all seven tables figuring out how to say everyone's name or nickname. Moving to the last table, I set my elbows on the head of the table that only has three girls.

"Okay, so..." Looking down at my paper, I find the first unmarked name. "Melanie Cortez?"

"Oh, uh, me." The Latina girl to my right sits up. "That's me. But I- uh- go by Jazz."

I give her a small smile. "Alright. Jazz it is."

I write it down next to her name.

"Then... Zoë?"

"That's me!" A tanned girl gives me an awkward smile, shifting in her seat on my right.

"Great! So Zoë Vasquez is here..." I check off her name. "And then..." My brow furrows. "Victoria Shepherd."

I glance down at the final girl next to Zoë who seems to be asleep. She perks up glaring at me.

"Are you my mother, Mrs. Bryant?"

My eyebrows shoot up and the girls next to me seem equally as shocked.

"What are you—" Zoë starts but the fiery- headed girl interrupts her.

"I'll ask again, Mrs. Bryant. Are you my mother?"

"No, I—"

"Only my mother calls me Victoria. I prefer Tori. Or bitch. Whatever floats your fancy."

My jaw works as I try my best not to slap the girl in front of me.

"I feel like Tori's fine with me." My voice shakes with anger.

"Great. Now, can you do me a favor and pull that teacher thing where you put in a stupid movie so I can fall asleep?"

"I'll get her to stop talking." Zoë says quickly.

"Please do." I try to keep the anger out of my voice, it's works but my voice cracks at the end. I push myself away from the table, ignoring the twisted feeling in my gut of having said something wrong.