3 Years Later

2. Verbal Warning

I studied the wall of my second period English class.
Classroom Discipline Policies
1. Verbal Warning
2. Detention
3. Parent Phone Call
4. Office Write Up
For some reason, reading classroom discipline policies gave me a fulfillment. It was my drug, to some extent. I loved picturing the things you could do so repeatedly that a teacher would need to take 4 written out steps in order to correct it. As a critically acclaimed "goody-goody," (my critics being my parents and Sheila) I have yet to experience anything further than step 2 on Mrs. Gold's list.

"Hamilton, Valenica?" An artistically deep female's voice beckoned my name. "Your Locker Letter Assignment?"

I stood up and cleared my throat.

"Your door hit a *deserving peasant* in the head when *they* tried flirting with me.
You were the vault of ugly jackets and bobby pins. For these things, I can't thank you enough.
Your grocery store stickers and random pencil shavings will forever hold a special place in my heart.
Don't think this is goodbye.
You're metal. I doubt you think anything.
Love, Valencia."
I did a small bow for comedic effect.

"That seemed quite nostalgic. Thank you for sharing." Mrs. Gold critiqued. I smiled in acknowledgment and folded my letter back up. I was proud of my mediocre response.

My phone vibrated in my lap. I was not sure how long it was going to take before Sheila realized that I was never going to play her back in Cup Pong during class. I opened the notification in order to leave a passive aggressive read receipt, however, the message was not from Sheila.

Holly
V- I need you to come in tonight for 2 hours. Asher got a little fever 🤒and if you could cover for him it'll show on your next paycheck. Be here at 4? Thanks sweetheart.☺️🤗

Holly, my boss, was a huge fan of emojis. I grew to love this trait of hers not long after I started working for her. Waiting tables at The Salty Dragon drew in enough cash for me to burn holes in my pockets. The true payoff was listening to old people's gossip, whose personal storylines outsold any novel Mrs. Gold could potentially throw at me.

You know I'll be there. I'm sorry to hear about Asher..

I shut off my phone and tuned back into the classroom's goings-on. Many classmates shared their locker poetry while Mrs. Gold replied with "Fantastic," or "Very intriguing," with a blank stare. She used a feathery red pen to write a score in her grade book, one that matched the red and golden banners and posters that adorned her classroom. A red rug that looked like it belonged in a Gucci bathroom rather than a 12th grade English class lay elegantly near a small bookshelf.

After all of the assignments were presented, Mrs. Gold said, "You may work on your nightly journal assignment until the bell rings." As I didn't want my teacher to employ her 4 disciplinary actions upon me, I followed through with her instructions.

9/21/18
Valencia Hamilton
Dear journal,
Today I'm going to work. Hopefully, nobody will order the fajitas because it gives me so much stress to serve those. My favorite thing about work is that I get to interact with the customers and hear their wise stories. After work I will most likely go home and sleep. If I say that I will go home and start applying to colleges, that wouldn't be truthful. That's tomorrow's problem.
Sincerely, V

"Wise stories." This probably will make me sound like the most boring person Mrs. Gold has ever read the journal of. Is the Gucci Bathroom Rug Woman really worth impressing? Maybe for my grade's sake.

The bell rang and I gathered my things. As I exited the classroom into the hallway, two male figures I recognized headed my way. 

"Hey Vale," A pair of green eyes met mine slyly.
"According to Holly, you have a fever, so this information conflicts with your current existence in this room right now," I pressed my lips together.
"Well, Andrew and I had some plans tonight that conflicted with my hypothetical future existence at work tonight." Asher smiled genuinely with his words. "I want you to join us."

Join a coworker and Andrew Karl at any venue, let alone a mysterious one seemed quite questionable.

"I'll text you, maybe." I began walking away as I felt Andrew's eyes on me. Walk away, get away.

"Hey, you know she doesn't like you like that," I heard Asher say in the distance. Bless him.

As I began to head to my last class, I noticed the locker letter still in my hand, which I decided need to be gone.

"Here you go," I thought as I placed my letter in an empty locker. 743. It would've felt a little more right to put the letter in the locker it was actually meant for, but, being a sucker for irony I was content in throwing it into a locker whose number was my number, but backwards. I reached an internal consensus and walked away.

With the only question left burning in my mind, I inquired Asher, with no intent of actually participating.

Me: What were your plans, anyway?

He responded almost instantly.

Asher: I'm going to Java at 4, that new milkshake place. I needed a break from work and decided that I wanted to talk to you about something.

Talk to me about something? I hadn't been close with Asher since we worked the same shift which had to have been at least 6 months before.

Me: Holly, I'm very sorry to cancel but I have an appointment that I can't miss tonight.