Where is Your Heart? // Jason McCann

Chapter 10

Autumn

It was the middle of first period and Ms. Brown had just finished a long lecture about how we need to be more focused and how history is important, even though we don't think it is. "Now, take out your textbooks and turn to page 334." Ms. Brown said.

Everyone silently did as they were told. When I got to the page there was writing all over it. I rolled my eyes and took out an eraser, erasing the writing. Luckily, it was in pencil and not pen. I erased a little too hard though and the page ripped a little, it sounded like a sonic boom in the silent classroom. I squeezed my eyes shut, hoping no one was paying any attention, but when I opened them everyone was staring at me.

"Ms. Jones," Ms. Brown began. "Did you just rip the page in the textbook?"

"No!" I quickly said. "I mean, yes, but not intentionally. I-" I stammered and tripped over my words in a nervous frenzy, all the while Jason was chuckling quietly beside me. I took a deep breath before continuing. "There was writing on the page and I was trying to erase it, but when I did the page ripped." She nodded understandingly. "Sorry."

"It's alright, it was an accident." I sighed in relief. "But you can't leave the page like that. Come up here and get the tape so you can fix it."

I nodded and sheepishly walked up to the front of the class, grabbing the tape off her desk. All eyes were on me and it made me feel very uncomfortable. Jason was watching me with an amused smirk on his face as I made my way back to my seat, tripping over someone's backpack along the way. When I was finally safe in my seat I began fixing the page I accidentally ripped, praying everyone had looked away and forgotten about me.

Ms. Brown read aloud the text on the page as everyone silently followed along. Suddenly something hit my foot, I assumed Jason just accidentally kicked my foot, so I ignored it.

Then it happened again. I looked over at Jason, he was looking down at his textbook, pretending to follow along. He looked up at me and sent me an innocent smile before looking back at his book. I rolled my eyes and continued to follow Ms. Brown's reading.

He kicked my foot again and I sent him a glare, he just smirked in amusement.

"Would you please stop kicking my foot?" I whispered to him.

"Ms. Jones is there something you'd like to share with the class?" Ms. Brown suddenly asked me, making he while class look at me again.

I blushed in embarrassment and said, "No Ms. Brown. I just-"

"I don't want to hear it now Ms. Jones, just be quiet while I'm reading." she interrupted me.

"Yeah Autumn, be quiet." Jason whispered to me.

"You too Mr. McCann."

He rolled his eyes, looking down at his textbook as she continued reading. Then he kicked my foot again.

"Jason seriously, please stop." I whispered.

"Ms. Jones, I thought I asked you to stop talking." Ms. Brown said.

"But he-"

"I don't want to hear it, Ms. Jones." she said. "Detention."

"No! Please Ms. Brown!" I pleaded. "Let me-"

"Do you want another day added?" she asked. I shook my head no. "Then I suggest you get quiet."

Jason snickered quietly He continued to kick my foot and I did my best to ignore it.

Finally I had enough of his kicking, so I kicked him back as hard as I could.

"Ow!" he yelled. "Damn."