The Wrong Brother

A Seat You Won't Get

Tuesday - December 11
7:54 p.m.
Rolani's POV

     "Okay so listen, Ima have to cut practice short today." I said to Ah'Mari and Taiya. "Yes!" They both said in relief. "Not for everyone. I mean me." they rolled their eyes. "I have business to take care of after school so I'll just come in and go over with the girls what y'all will be rehearsing today. I'm leaving both of you in charge but Taiya, I want you run everything alright?" I seen Mari's eyes roll again as we got to my locker. "I want you to make sure everyone understands their separate choreo but I also want you to take enough time to run the team dance with everyone. Although we still got a week to clean I just need memorization done by today so I can work on the pep rally dance tomorrow. Got it?"

Taiya

     The 8:00 bell rung meaning we had 10 minutes to be in class before we were marked tardy or absent. "Hey I gotta run, I gotta meet up with someone before class starts." Mari said backing up. "Alright see ya." Taiya had been the most experienced and the serious dancer I had on the team so when I step down, I always have her step up. After the bell rung, Taiya and I both have 1st period together so we walked to her locker and got to class a bit earlier than normal.

17 Minutes Into Class

     I took out my headphones from my bag as I heard Ms.Love say that we would be writing an essay this class and I then heard a knock on the door assuming it was Redd. Redd's a guy I started dating around the middle of my sophomore year but couldn't stand how cocky and conceited he became after he got a few more social points for dating me so I broke up with him the beginning of my junior year and that year, he got held back. "Oh. Hi." I heard Ms. Love say but it caught my attention because normally she'd tell Redd to go get a pass or not to come to her class. I looked up and seen a tall, chocolate, darkskin male. Real shit he was fine but he looked as if he didnt want to be bothered.

Devantae Cash

     He nodded to Ms. Love as he handed her his schedule. "Mr. Devontae Cash. Well hi. I'm Ms. Love. Would you like to tell us where you've come from." "Um I guess, I just moved out here to Houston from Alabama." "Ok well that's lovely enough, please take a seat. Have you gotten a binder with notebook paper?"  She asked him. I looked diagonally across from me and seen Taiya and a girl named Amani, gushing over him. "Yea, I do." I seen him sit in the desk right behind mine which so happened to be Redd's seat. I know that won't end well.
     "Great. Rolani? Can you catch Mr. Cash up on today's assignment please?" "Sure." I said taking out my earphones, a bit annoyed. "Ok soo," I began as I turned to face him. "All we're doing today is writing a paper. Here, you can have my prompt. It's a Personal Narrative and basically to shorten this bullshit they call a prompt," I heard him chuckle at me without looking up at me. "Your writing about wether or not you think it's ok to help someone in need of saving, although they're being an asshole." He raised his eyebrow at me still laughing. It was the first time we made eye contact and it was strong. His eyes were very intense and dark, kind of familiar but I couldn't find the comparison. "So say there's a snake drowning right?" I say trying to explain it to him. "And you being the good and kind hearted person you are, you pick it up out of the water but it bites you. However you still save the snake regardless by getting a stick and pulling it out. Explain why it's the right thing to do or if you shouldn't have saved the snake."  I looked at him hoping he understood. "Get it?" I asked. "Yea I got it." "Fantastic." I said sarcastically, turning back around.

Redd

     "Mr. Garner, pass?" Ms. Love said to Redd as he walked through the door. He put it on her desk and walked to his seat, seeing the new boy. "I think you got the wrong seat kid." I heard Redd say to the boy as I turned to see his next move. He didn't even look up. Just kept fidgeting with his pen. "This kid deaf or what?" He asked looking around the classroom. Redd bent down to see the boys face. "Get up kid. Now." "Come on Redd. Sit somewhere el-" I begin to say to Redd to leave the kid alone. "Even if I wanted to babygirl, I couldn't." Redd said to me, then attempting to touch my face but I moved his hand. "Don't touch me." I seen the new boy glance up at me as if he were concerned.
     Redd looked back at Ms. Love to see if he had her attention and then moved closer to me. "How about I leave him here and you come to my place after school." I rolled my eyes at him. "Skip practice for me." He insisted again licking his lips. The new boy looked back down at his pen and I heard him blow frustratingly out his nose. "Come on baby, You know you miss me." He started to rub his hand on my thigh and tried to move it upwards but I pushed him back and he caught his balance on the desk behind him. He chuckled and then stood in front of the boy again. He slammed his hand on the desk and I jumped frightened. "Get the FUCK up kid!" Redd yelled at the boy and he immediately stood above him. It was then when I realized how tall he was. "MR. GARNER. WHAT IS THE PROBLEM?"
     Both of the boys ignored her and they stood before one another. Both looked as though they wanted to beat the others face off. I could understand Redd's anger, he couldn't stay away from me. However the new kid, he had fury in his eyes as though he had been wanting to let all of his anger and pain out on Redd for a long time. It scared me to be that close to the both of them and the only one to even witness the anger of both of them. My heart pounded. I felt a lump in my throat but no tears from eyes. I couldn't sit there afraid any longer.
     "EXCUSE ME-" Ms. Love began as I stood on the opposite side of both boys. "Redd please. Just go sit by Zach." He looked me in my eyes and I felt them wander over my body. I felt uncomfortable. Violated. I hated him so bad. "LEAVE." I heard Ms. Love say but Redd held his stare on me and the boys stare on him. "NOW MR. GARNER. BEFORE I CALL DEPUTY HARRIS." Redd finally found his way to my eyes and winked at me before looking at the new boy up and down, and leaving the class.
     Both the new boy and I took our seats and continued working. Surprisingly I actually finished. I couldn't stop thinking about how Redd was looking at me. It didn't turn me on. It made me wanna puke. It made me wanna see him hurt. I actually wanted the guy to beat Redd's ass but my fear took control of me.
     After class, once the bell rang I was shocked to see the new boy trying to talk to me. He seemed as if he would never speak 2 words unless he had to. "Hey. You good?" I kind of hesitated when he asked me this question. There's nothing wrong with me. I was just still a bit shook. "Uh yeah. I'm fine. Thanks." I said and immediately walked out, not realizing how rude I must have seemed.

Whew, chile. THE TENSION.
Are you expecting a fight? Or will the negative energy die down?
Who do you find more attractive, Redd Devantae?
Was Rolani being rude?
How would you have handled the situation?🤔