Black to the Past

Chapter 10

Back at the school Ms. Hansen, who was good friends with Mr. Geiger, stopped by his room to talk before leaving. "I heard from some students that there was a little thing in your room today with Jalen."

"Yeah, he really pissed me off," Mr. Geiger told her. "I'm getting too old for this Debbie."

"Not yet," she told him. But he looked worse for wear today.

"Jalen's one of the smartest kids I've seen come through my class in a long time. I know he's got it rough. His dad works every day, all day. It's just him. There's no mom. What kind of mom leaves her kids? Jalen takes care of his little brother. He's not able to do what the other kids do. Hell, his clothes look like they're a decade too old. If it wasn't for what Michael sneaks him to school. I just don't know. But the kids got a chip on his shoulder the size of the rock of Gibraltar."

"Yeah, he does. But I think I might have fixed that."

"Uh-oh! I know that look. What did you do?"

"Group assignment. This morning, four kids in my class were all tardy. The looks they were giving each other was like they couldn't stand the sight of one another and I know for a fact that the two girls were inseparable up until the end of last year. Jalen hasn't had a new guy friend in forever. Wilson, he's such a good natured boy and he was looking at Halle like he was lovestruck. So, I'm just giving it all a little push."

"I thought you'd decided to do detention with that group," Mr. Geiger asked her as he finished packing up his briefcase with papers to grade.

"This is even better. I'll keep you posted if I'm successful," Deb Hansen said with a laugh. She'd been a teacher for over twenty years and she enjoyed playing matchmaker with the kids and she loved to make up projects that forced kids to see each other in another light. If a special friendship or two came out of it, so be it.

"I have no doubt in my mind that you will succeed at something. But with Jalen, I don't know, he's a ticking time bomb. He might just explode."

Exploding was exactly what Jalen was doing as he walked with Michael to his Jeep 4x4.

"The worst part is, she didn't even know when Dr. King had been alive. She said the '70's," Michael told him incredulously.

"She's not the brightest highlighter," Michael admitted as he thought of what he knew of Meredith Hall. Meredith was cute with her pale skin, freckles, and long, wavy hair. She was an impeccable dresser. She sang like an angel but intelligence was not her strong suit. "I told you you should have taken APUSH."

Michael reminded him for the fiftieth time that year. APUSH was the advanced placement version of U. S. History.

"And I told you that I don't have time for all that reading," Jalen pushed back. He was tired of the old reminder. He was tired of Michael always acting as if he knew what was best for the both of them.

"You wouldn't be in this predicament if you'd listened to me," Michael said with a superior tone of voice.

"Man, you are unbelievable! I'd be in a worse predicament if I'd listened to you," Jalen wanted to tell him off but he needed a ride home so he bit his tongue.

If Jalen had listened to Michael, he wouldn't have time to play sports or video games with his little brother. He wouldn't have time to cook him a decent meal or help with his homework. Jalen didn't have unlimited amounts of luxury time like Michael did. He didn't have a maid to wash his clothes or clean his home. Jalen shook it off. Someday, he thought to himself, someday I'll have it all. I'll be rich and everyone will see I'm just as good as they are, he thought.

Michael left Jalen alone. He'd pressed too hard, he realized suddenly. It was just a matter of fact that because Jalen had chosen to not take APUSH, they weren't in as many classes together as they would have been. Michael and Jalen had been in all the same classes together since elementary school. He loved that time he had with him each day and couldn't get enough. He wanted to control Jalen's life. He liked that he provided him with money and clothes. That ensured that Jalen would always rely on him. That's what love was, anyway. And Michael really wanted Jalen to love him.