Licorice

Aunice

5 PM make up class, let's-a-we-go?
Towards mane by afterglow, around for another go.
Ahead of me over yonder,
surrounded by jocks and fake louders,
gummy girls leaving seats with pradas behind hunger.
Mhmm,
this time they brought the bright and flashy kind,
I most prefer their subtle line.
But hey, what do I cognize?

Oh goodness,
I sat down.
My girls are coming down.
My mind spoke before my hand wave.
This time a subtle hand wave.
Can't be too big on it anymore,
for the jocks' tease.
Irritating me silly are the ways of them gummy girls' squee.
Remember the first time?
Where they made fun of an outcast from Prine?
Just because she lived by those gray shores,
where nobody no longer dared go?
My girls heard this too many a time,
squinting their eyes, them sneaky lines.
Changing topics without a care,
used to sadden me before I'd cared.

Finally though, six-minutes in,
Ms. Gravy's fast pace comes enterin'.
Her hair's messy per usual,
but only when Mrs. Mash creeps like an unusual
from where I can see her,
a few doors next to where Chefs stir.
Everybody sat down upon her command.
With most leaving a chuckle or whisper beside their wannabe brands.
Most here knew what was up,
they've known of Mrs. Mash and "her stuff".
Their "Mash Up", muh huh.
'tleast those were the rumors piling up.
Unlike, if it were me, not one dared tease her of it, though.
Gravy's a toughy nut.
Pretty as she is messy,
outline of her bra showing.
Them jock's harrowing; g-girls jelly.
Even got me looking... guck..
As Earth Science's rudest queen,
every grade marked here, marked far beneath thee.

Now comes a surprise quiz.
Groans stirred inthrough the enclosed room.
I swear, some could be heard outside of it, too.
But I was ready for that shit.
I think I'm ready for this bit?!

No, family, this ain't it.

What she gave us though, 57 pages of hard shit.
12 questions each turning,
capping it off with short answers,
the real malevolent dysentery.
Do the math, cuz?! Hang on, I'm "over-exaggerating", my girls would say.
Yet their eyes widen far-off like on Clown's Day.
Who the hell thought that was okay?!
Anyway,
she gave not a care, that schizo Gravy.

Big stack of cheapo papers truck-dumped before me.
Each desk stacked with one,
a textbook desk ton.
Notice how some appeared to have shat a big one.
Rude boys and girls acting like angelicals now,
thinking this will cut 'em some slack. How?!
Before the devil though,
son,
fake Heaven's left with a pronounced cleft.
And she knew this!
Passing by the same desks wearing that puckered grin.
She acting grinnier than Han during fighty-fighty time.
Like I said - devil-lle.
Never said evil but might as well be.
Sorry, Japanese content got me.

Okay, the first question -,
"Class,"
what the duck Ms. Gravs?!
"20 minutes, no assistance!"
What the duck! Gravs!
I couldn't complain.
Moans were left on their lowest too.
For if we squeaked a cry,
our score would soar underneath Shaqueefa's hairdo.
She gots-a-lot of hair, though.
Probably takes longer than this class hour to braid, yo.
Why just 20 minutes, h---, ohoh,
almost repeated what the busty-chick behind me croaked.
Ms. Gravy won't tolerate the usual atmosphere, no. We failed her so many times, I see her more than Aunt Cher.
And she lives next door to me.
With her fat cat, Mair.
Not making this up, whoever the hell's out there.
Agh...my brain's condensing.
Am I coming down on something ugly?!
Is there a pandemic I don't know of happening?!
No, think, fool, back on subject.
Wait a second, no, no, no, 7 minutes in already?!
This is not right, Gravy...
is what I wanted to yell,
but my ass clenched the exact moment she stared back, and surprisingly, not at the bell.
Or was that me..?

My eyes lasered to my faux textbook of a quiz.
Dear heavens, what sort of academic punishment is this?!
I've marked below the passing grade way more than barely.
Anymore than this and I could forget seminary.
Not that I'd want it,
more of a momma kinda thing.
For she went where her moms went and where her mother went...
ugh, 10 minutes in, so that's how my time's spent..
nervousness surfing the airwaves.
Sweat-pouring underboobs less than a waterfall.
At least I'm wearing my black sweats.
Compared to my girl, having nothing but navel,
'tleast that's how I see it.
sugthhk, 15 minutes' after and I'm not even halfway.
The nerd in the front though, got his done already,
but watch her grade it right in front of him, rightaway.

And what will you give THAT, woman?! "66," she suddenly called.
Everyone paused looking up.
And he's one of our smartest scholars...
man, feelin' like throwin' up... bomitin, mom would jest.
Same reason why that chad in front had to exit from this nerve silent mess.

Shit, before me, oh my goodness.
At least I was faster than 4 others...
And you know he's not coming back!
The dude gave up just like his father.
Serves him right though, for teasing my hair all that time before.
Aghhh agghh, all this tension got me thinking negatively.
All I could focus on was that chad about to leave his underlings.
And then the door opened for him, woah, he tripped outta there.
More than half of us stood up and chuckled at his short but ruined mare.
But me, my attention was at the boy who opened up.
A new student?! At this hour?! On this day?! Coming right up?!

The one about that strange air...
This one who isn't fazed at the how...
Them intense silvery eyes, gave me those assumptions now...
I knew gray was a thing but WHO birthed that boy... Wow....
And the dark on him was darker than everyone around...
Kinda like you, papa.
Damn, still missin' you dada..
Oh man, not gonna cry, father...
Promise, da....
"Pick up a quiz and take a seat!"
Interrupted, now everyone takes notice.
Wait, as in now? The dude never got his options!
At least give him a pass, shoot, I would have.
But there's no way I'd say that out loud without facing Gravy's wrath.
You're on your own, son. By yourself dude.
All alone, euce. Learn the hard way, moose.
Like the old days, mom loved to praise.
Saying kids got it easy... thinking we in the era of Lazy Days.

Once again, my mind failed to reposition.
And now the 20-minute mark caused a bad situation.
Everyone passed up their booklet and so did I.
I struggled like a thirsty squirrel against a summer's mine.
Thud!!!!!!!!
What the actual shakes was that?!
Did that squirrel explode after such a mishap?!
Shake shake shake my señora clenched my shoulder.
Pointing at the front, at the boy's back, finger air-painting him all over.
That's just how she is but I knew it meant more...
for this kid just gave in a finished - a completed book form?!?!

Every other student paused, passing ahead mostly blank sheets.
They were just as shocked as the chad by the door's window breach.
I don't why but we were all waiting on something.
Her expression, his answer, something, dammit, give me something...!
This was unusual. Never before in memory.
Yet, Ms. Gravy graded it like normal without a shift in personality.
The pages flipped so fast that she was on the last one.
The amount of seconds passed was no different than the nerdy one.
Still, she got up this time, peering deep into his eyes.
I don't know how he didn't piss himself, or maybe that were the other guys?
Maybe mine.
"99,"
a soft voice muttered....?
It was sweet, deep but cottony, something I wouldn't halt to ponder.
And it came from her! Ms. Gravy?! "For real?!" I shuttered.
I think we all overlooked the boy who's got her one number.