One Call Away: In Process

Denburg Middle

"Come on, Bart, make your move. You know you like her, I know you like her, and Ali knows you like her. So, make your move, if it doesn't work out, oh well, get over it. It's better to know now than never. So, go." Tabari urged Bart during lunch.

"Seriously, Tabari." Bartolo Neron Sanchez says as his cheeks blush bright red. Bartolo Neron Sanchez is in middle-school at Denburg Middle. He always makes an A on the report card. Ali Thyra Campbell and Tabari Shephley Wilson are in Bartolo's friend group.

They usually play basketball or talk during recess. Today they chose to talk. However, Bartolo likes Marlowe Wynifred Watson, possibly the cutest girl in school. He made the mistake of telling Ali and Tabari about his crush. He's not afraid of either of them telling anyone, he knows they wouldn't do that. On the other hand, he isn't looking forward to the teasing that comes along with telling your friend about your crush.

"I don't like her anymore. I've already told you, she's not the one for me. End of discussion. New subject: What are y'all doing this afternoon?" Bartolo asks, clearly frustrated.

"I don't think I'm doing anything today. I'll see you after school. Both of you can come over if we're not doing anything." Ali says, clearly annoyed at the bickering between the two teenagers.

Ali is the more calm and carefree one of the group. Tabari won't let go of anything easily. Bartolo is the quiet one who knows everything that somebody two years above him should know.

"Yes, you do. And you can't deny it. So just make your move, and be done with it. Sound fair enough?"

"No. Okay? Just let it go. Please don't speak anymore about it." Bartolo is blushing so much now that his cheeks are beet red. To hide it he buries himself in his lunch.

"Hey, I'm sorry. Didn't mean to make you all insecure about it. It's just that, you really should tell her, man." Tabari eggs him on.

"Would you two just stop. If Bart says stop, then stop. How hard is it to understand that?" Ali says. "I'm done listening to you two bicker about it. Now, thank you."

"Sorry, mother." Tabari snaps back.

"So, what are you doing today, Tabari?" Ali asks.

"Oh, nothing. Just playing around the house with nothing to do. If we can't go to your house, my house will most likely be open." Tabari answered her.

All three friends lived in the same neighborhood, so it was easy for them to go to each others house.

"Bart would have something to do if he got Marlowe's number to text her."

"Tabari..." Ali gave him the death stare.

"Ok. Ok. Ok." Tabari mumbled.

The bell rung.

"See you in sixth hour." The group said in unison.

Bartolo looked over at Marlowe's friend group, which consisted of Ilene Rosemary Bell, Amelia Nicole Murphy, Mandy Louella Cook, and, of course, Marlowe Wynifred Watson. They were getting up, but no one seemed to notice Bartolo.

He was headed to Algebra, the class he shared with Ilene.

He made it through class with no trouble.

After class, he asked Ilene if she was able to talk later.

"Yeah, sure. Is after school good?"

"Yes, thank you. It would be greatly appreciated."

"Yeah, no problem."

Time flies by, and before he knew it, it was sixth hour, life science. Life Science was his worst subject. He shared this class with Ali, Tabari, and Marlowe. He sits behind Marlowe and beside Ali and Tabari. He, Ali, and Tabari cut up all the time in sixth hour.

Today in Life Science they were studying Osteichthyes fish. This was Bartolo's strong subject in science because he liked to fish. When he caught a fish he had to filet the fish himself, so he knew everything about the bones.

He finished that class with ease. After class, he and Ilene met up.

"Hey, Ilene."

"Yeah, what's up?"

"It's just that I need some advice."

"Oh, girl problems, eh?"

"Not really, but yes at the same time. I like Marlowe and..."

"Woah, good luck buddy." Ilene says with a mix of a laugh, trying to stop herself from laughing.

"I know it's possible. I just need a few tips on how to get her."

"Yeah. It's just that Marlowe's pretty hard to get, and you're in for a treat."

"I'm still going to do it. I know I need to; better now than never, right?"

"Yeah, go for it." Ilene hands Bartolo a piece of paper with her number on it. "I can't talk anymore. Text me when you get home, we will talk more then."

"Ok, bye."

Osmar Tony Roberts walks by. Osmar is one of those people that is very annoying, but you can stand and talk to, and he makes you laugh. "What's up geek? Having a little talk with your girlfriend? Ooooh. How cute."

"She's not my girlfriend Osmar. I'm too young. Couldn't they have kept you in detention for 2 more minutes?"

"Ok, just because I flung that tuna into Mr. Sullivan's hair, doesn't mean I should be in detention for as long as I was."

"You were only in there for 1 hour."

"And, that's the least I've ever gotten. Can you believe it!?"

"Alright," Bartolo said stifling a laugh, "Goodbye, Osmar. Have a good day. I've got to go."

"Okay, bye, nerd."

Bartolo's mom, Mariola Christine Sanchez, came to pick him up.

"Hey, Bart! How was your day, boo?"

"Mom, please don't call me boo. It was just like any other average day."

"Okay, whatevs."

"Mom..." Bartolo gave his mother the death stare.

"Okay. Can I not be as cool as you teens?"

"Mom, that's not cool. I don't even do it!"

"I'm pretty sure I've heard you use it before."

"That was once, and that was only so Ali and Tabari could see how stupid it is. I'm never saying it again."

"Ok, whatever. We still have to go and pick up Majondra. Okay? Just hold tight."

Bartolo grumbled. He and his sister, Majondra Everly Sanchez, didn't get along so well. They had regular sibling-to-sibling battles.

"Hey, don't give me an attitude."

"It's not an attitude."

"Sure sounds like it."

Bartolo finally made it home.

Ali - 3:52 - Yeah, we're not doing anything tonight, you can come over if you want. Tabari said he's not going to be able to make it. He says his mom is on a cleaning rampage, lol.

Bartolo - 4:04 - Ok, I'll be there!

"Hey mom, I'm headed over to Ali's house. I'll be back for dinner."

"Ok, make sure to be back for dinner at, oh, 7:00."

"Yes ma'am."

Bartolo made it there in record time.

"I saw you with Ilene after school today. What was that about?"

"Oh, it was nothing."

"Okay, that's your business. But if you ever need to talk to me, I'm here."

"Yeah, I know. And I'm here for you, if you need me."

Ali helped Bartolo on Science, and Bartolo helped Ali on Math.

For the rest of the time they just talked. They talked about unimportant things, like what the weather would be and a whole bunch of what-if scenarios. They enjoyed themselves.