Rise.

4

"It's an apple"

By now almost all of the rest of the class were there now, with some with apples and most without, slight giggles were released from the obvious answer. Mr. Escalante had gotten everyone's attention beforehand by cutting one with a butcher knife in front of the class. "How much", he questioned. " What do you mean?"

"What you got?", Escalante asked the other girl that Rosa was pretty sure didn't know of her existence. She looked down at the apple on her desk, "Half" she said while shrugging her shoulders. "Good, excuse me my german accent", he continue to strut down the room towards where Ana and Rose was sitting. "What you got", Escalante referred to Ana who also had an apple on her desk.

"Missing 25 percent", Ana said in a small voice. Mr. Escalante waddled over to her to get close enough to say, "What?". "Its missing 25 percent". she said louder this time while he turned the apple by the steam to turn it around to yet reveal to the rest of the class. "Yes that's right, missing 25 percent, is it true intelligent people make better lovers", he said to her before turning around to go to the front of the class again with more laughs going around the room

Rosa gave Ana a little nudge, "You know it's true", she said while wiggling her eyebrows slightly followed by Ana giving a little smile looking down blushing. Rosa zoned out for the rest of the few minutes and pulled out the math textbook with the rest of the class as the laughter died down to start learning more about multiplying fractions and percentages. Before she noticed a familiar figure with sun glasses passed by her. Chuco who Rosa was familiarize with because of Angel started to taunt Mr. Escalante, but the teacher simply responded asking for their late pass slips.

"Okay you'll have to stand in the back until I get another desk, You sit right here", Mr. Escalante motioned to both Angel and Chuco where they would be for the rest of the class. As Angel walked down the aisle he met the eyes of Rosario Mirasol Heaven De Los Reyes. He felt a shiver go down his spine just by her looking at him and knew he did something again to meet her rage. Angel finally got to the back of the class after feeling stuck in forever from Rosa's death stare. While everyone was busy fussing over what Mr. Escalante was hovering over Chuco for, Rosa turned around to face Angel.

"What", he mouthed to her, while she gave him a sickeningly sweet smile. "Read your hands", she whispered, he did as he told and remembered what was on them. The permanent ink on his knuckled spelled out fuck you. When Angel rose Rosa was still smiling at him but this time pulled the middle finger at him before she gathered her stuff as the bell ran. This thought ran through his head, I messed up again didn't I. He hit his head on the wall before leaving the classroom himself, but already knowing he will go back in a few minutes.

"Thank you again, see you tomorrow Mr. Escalante", Rosa gave him a genuine smile.

"Rosario is that net head bothering you?", the interaction between the two teens didn't go unnoticed by the teacher.

"No that's just my best friend"

-

Even the library at the school seemed a bit chaotic. But never the less people still respected it to a point it was quiet. Rosa was finishing repairing the last of the books that were nearly falling apart. She placed them back on the rolling cart then walked to whichever genre shelf to get started.

"Dear someone is asking for you outside, I can do the rest go home now before its dark", Ms Kitty who was the librarian stopped Rosa. 

"Are you sure it"s just a few more to do", there were only about 10 books left to be brought back to their proper homes. "Yes you see I'm still a tough lady. Who is 64 definitely not me! I'm forever 21. Anyways better not keep that boy waiting", Ms. Kitty flexed her arm and started to push escort Rosa out of the library. 

"Have a nice day Ms. Kitty" "You too dear"

Rosa closed the door behind her and sighed looking at who was against the wall waiting for her. She immediately started walking the opposite way he was. 

"Mari wait up", Angel was balancing a piece of paper with a pen when he saw she came out of the room. "What's wrong with you huh, do I need to beat up anyone for putting you in such a bad mood", Angel caught up to her and now had a goofy smile on his face to attempt to cheer her up.

"If you can beat yourself up maybe, but I like you better when you're not hurt", she continued to give him a cold act. Angel face scrunched up trying to think what he did wrong this time. "You serious don't even remember what I asked you the other day if we go to the office"

"No I kept up our agreement over that. I went with you to the office"

They stopped at the last level of the staircase Angel was still at the top step while Rosa was at the ground floor. Both of them were facing each other now while some roars were staring to grow louder. 

"I asked if you can stay with me, but I turned around and you were just gone", Rosa turned away from him. All honesty both of them had an attachment problems and so many more in between. She heard a few bangs behind her before Angel went to hug from behind. 

"I'm sorry Mira. I haven't been that good of a best friend recently have I" Angel buried his head on her back, remembering the countless times since they entered high school that he broke promises to her and both of their feelings. 

But every time

"It's okay Angel" 

she forgave him.

"Angel there is a fight going down with Chuco", someone from the upper level of the school yelled out before running past them. Angel instincts just told him to go so he ran towards the quad yard too. 

"Dumbass always trying to get into a fight", Rosa muttered before chasing where Angel went.

When she got to the yard she was surprised to not see Angel fighting but instead being held back by Mr. Escalante. The police were cuffing the other kids who couldn't run after the fight was stopped. Angel was still thrashing as others kept calling for him to help.

"Stop trying to get into fights", Rosa was trying to catch her breathe now she was in front of Angel and Mr. Escalante. But Angel kept his focus on the other teenagers getting arrested.  "Chill out dude", she pressed her hand against his face where it was slightly red because he banged his head himself a few moments earlier. 

"Why are your hands so cold ARGh", Angel now tried to get his face away from her but Rosa caught his ear. "Stop picking fights and that could be the day my hands will be warm"

"I'm sorry Mr. Escalante for the trouble and don't report me please his mom gave me full right to do whatever to keep him out of trouble. Stop trying to jump into fights. Say you're sorry too Angel", Rosa was softly pulling his ear to her height but knew how sensitive they were for him. 

"AY ay Ay I'm sorry" Angel said before Rosa let go of his ear and instead held his elbow. "Sorry again Mr. Escalante, see you in class", Rosa held her iron grip on him just incase he tried to jump back into the fight and they walked off to the bus stop.

"Strange kids", Mr. Escalante said while watching them walk off while they were bickering with each other.

But that is just how their dynamic worked.