Despite All Obstacles Part II

Normal D(A)ys...

BARBARA'S STORY

Friday, September 7th

This morning.

Sigh. Another Day A....No Patt, no Shortcake, no bro. Just me. I see them during breaks and bump into Shortcake after my lunch. And Terrell was right about hearing the same welcomes the next day by every teacher.

Days like this takes me back to Inglewood Heights and St. John's Youth. I already re-experienced Heaven's Sunshines with the cheerleaders. Unfortunately, each of them are in my classes on Day A's.

Kimberleigh Le is in my U.S. Government class. She's the star student and everybody else loves her. Even the big Hispanic girl from both of my lunches loves her. This class is so boring. Nothing in this class interests me. I nearly fell asleep, then some jerk threw a paper ball to keep me awake. Everybody laughs, even Mr. Harvey.

"Thank you for helping her stay up," the mean teacher thanks that student. The class laughs even louder. I turn around and couldn't figure who it was and then I see a familiar face.

"Back in the line, fatty." I remember that face saying to me. Oooo, it gotta be him.

Both Natalie Polland and Natasha Battlefield are in my S.A.T. Prep class. They act like disruptive twins like Zack and Cody and this class is the Tipton Hotel. They talk too much and carelessly disrupt the class. Ms. Dawn has to separate them, but they would text and send social cues to each other from across the room. They even cheat off the smartest students here. Ms. Dawn would give them only one warning and then put them out after that.

Robyn Robinson is in my English 10 Honors class. I know how I write is code-switching from how I talk. She's very smart and polite, but she's also mean to everybody, even to Mrs. Walkowitz. How's everybody in this class respecting her if she sticks her nose up at everybody?

On Wednesday, we left English, and she tripped me. Today, she bumps, grabs my arm and whispers in my ear. "Stay....away from my man. Precious," she threatens me.

She calls me Precious, as in Clareece "Precious" Jones from the book and movie. She pushes my arm and gives me the death glare while stomping off. Is she talking about Patt?

At Lunch A, I sit with the big teens again. Seems like we all have the same lunch times. Today is All-You-Can-Eat Friday, which means there's a variety of food to pick and choose from the kitchen. According to my schedule, I have Lunch A before both halves of advisory. I paid the cashier my $3.50-debt. I remember when I paid for that pie, there's no tax.

"See? I told y'all she's left-handed," the big girl comments to the big guy beside her, holding her burger while I eat my mac n' cheese. "Sweetheart, what's your name?"

"Barbara." "I'm Chastity. Grade eleven." "Ten."

"You seem cool. I see you in U.S. Gov. You don't really talk much, do you?"

I shake my head. "No. I don't really talk much. I'm an only child, which could be why."

"Do you talk to your mama?"

I nod. "Yes. Almost every day." I chew on my sloppy joe. Better than Obama's sloppy joe.

When Lunch A is finally over, I walk with Chastity and her friend as Lunch B starts. I spot Shortcake with the mafia crew. Two boys and two girls, including her.