What's Wrong With A Little Color?

Chapter 4: Do You Think You Can Compete With 'Them'?

Arlisha’s POV

After we wrote all the terms and definitions she had wrote on the board, we spent the rest of the class watching ‘The Great Debaters’. I loved that movie, especially Denzel Washington. But I barely watched it because my mind kept thinking about Jeremy. He had slid his arm around my waist and pulled me towards him in the middle of the movie. I just let him not really thinking about it, but the whole time I could feel him sneaking glances at me.

I was sort of relieved when the bell had rang. I grabbed my papers and just as I was bout to grab my bag, Jeremy had got it for me. I don’t know why but I just thought of it as a friendly move and forced a smile. We both left the classroom and was walking through the hallway when the teacher called him back in.

“I’ll be right back.” He said and I nodded. I stood by the lockers in front of the class when I saw Drew walking out. He looked at me and I smiled but he just turned away.

“Hey Drew!” I called after him making him stop in place. He slowly turned around with his hands in his pockets. He looked both ways as if looking for somebody then came over to me.

“Yes?” He asked sounding bored.

“So what’d you have to get from the store?” I asked raising my eyebrow as I remembered him kicking me out his car.

“Oh yeah, sorry about this morning but I really needed to get some….pens?” He said more in a questionable tone. I shook my head.

“So you kicked me out of your car because you needed some pens?” I asked folding my arms over my chest. He was looking everywhere except for at my eyes.

“That’s ridiculous.” I said. He shrugged his shoulders as if he didn’t care.

“So who’s the new boyfriend?” He asked me. I looked at him with confusion plastered on my face.

“What ‘new boyfriend’?” I asked him. That’s when I felt a presence beside me. I looked to see Jeremy standing there with my bag in his hand. He was looking at Drew with a glare already and wrapped his arm around my waist in a protective way. The tension between the two of them felt like they had a past history of beef. I gave him a quick smile and Drew scoffed.

“This boyfriend, I’m really not surprised in you but come on, you could do a whole lot better.” He said with a humorous smirk while he folded his arms over his chest and looked at Jeremy’s arm around me. I could feel Jeremy start to tense as he glared at Drew even harder. I knew I had to do something before he did.

“First of all he isn’t my boyfriend but if he was why do you care?” I asked.

“Actually, I really don’t. I could care less who or what your doing on your first day. Like I said, I’m not surprised.” He said blankly. I cant believe he just said that to me. That was truly disrespectful.

“Well like I said he’s not my boyfriend and I’m ‘doing’ anything with anyone. You are so disrespectful, and second of all what do you mean ‘you’re not surprised’?” I asked with attitude thick in my voice.

“I’m just saying that your kind gets around kick if you know what I mean?” He spat. My eyes went wide in shock. I knew he went over the top with Jeremy. I looked at him to see his reaction and to my surprise the same black boys from earlier was behind him with flexed muscles looking just as angry by his comments.

 Before anyone could do anything or speak, a group of students walked up behind Drew. There were three white girls that looked like stuck up rich models and two black girls that looked like stuck up rich white Oreos.  The same with the two white boys and two black guys; they all looked like Barbie’s and Ken dolls. A girl that looked as if she was the leader with her strawberry blonde hair, short mini skirt, and a button up blouse that showed a whole lot of cleavage went and wrapped her arms around Drew’s neck.