Chapter 14

We spent most of the rest of class just copying down text from the textbooks—my absolute most hated thing to do. I could never fathom why just reading from, or studying the text wasn't good enough. Nevertheless, my high spirits persisted throughout and I charged ahead with hand-copying the pages we were instructed to onto my notebook.

Afterward, the teacher was feeling merciful for once so she allowed us to spend the last ten minutes of class chilling out. I decided to make the most out of that time by once again listlessly gazing out the window. While I was thoroughly enjoying myself, however, I felt a quick tap on my shoulder. I uttered a curious hum and turned around to see who had poked me.

It was Tamara. One seat back in the adjacent aisle of desks, she was one of the girls I was actually on friendly terms with. Usually, the black girls in school wouldn't even give me the time of day but Tamara was different—and she was super cute to boot.

"Hey, Anthony," she greeted me with a tiny smile on her face.

"Oh, hey, Tamara," I replied as I spun myself around to face her. "What's up?"

She shrugged. "Not much. I noticed you, like, totally spacing out though. I bet you know how many holes are in the ceiling tiles now, huh?"

"I guess it's just one of those days," I answered with a soft chuckle.

"Yeah, I know that feeling," she replied with a sigh, "Sometimes I just feel like," she shuddered, "'yuck' and don't want to do any work. But I noticed you doing work for a change."

"As I said, it's just one of those days."

Her lips curled into an amused smile. "Nice job on that little pop question. I swear, our teacher makes it her mission to get us to slip up."

I replied rather nonchalantly, "Hey, someone has to stand up for us."

She chuckled and grinned. "You're funny...by the way, it's good to see you paying attention in class. You're pretty smart. I know everyone else in class doesn't see it, but I do. So, don't worry—I got your back."

"Hey, thanks," I replied, humbled by the remark. The two of us shared a brief moment just smiling at one another. She always had such a remarkably pretty smile that made me completely enamored with her.

Then, like the mighty buzz kill, it was, the bell to end class rang. The rest of our classmates and I all simultaneously started getting to our feet, stretching and increasing the chatter as we put our books and pens away.

"Well, see you tomorrow, Tamara," I said to her as I slung my backpack over my shoulders, watching her still put her belongings away.

"See you later, Anthony," she replied just before I quickly started to make my way out of the room.

While at that point I suppose I could've just frozen time and started weaving around people as I did before, there was a student jam stretching far out the door. I sighed in frustration as people began to pile up in front and behind me. Great!

As if things couldn't get worse, a couple of guys in front of me started joking around and play-fighting with each other. They unsurprisingly neglected to notice there was someone behind them and bumped into me, hard. It caused me to stumble back and hit people behind me as well.

I groaned in frustration. "What the hell, dude?" I spoke up, causing them to quickly turn their attention to me.

However, my complaint was immediately overshadowed by a much louder, shriller one.

"Boy, you better watch where you're going!"

I turned around in a panic to see none other than my fiery Latin classmate herself, Elizabeth. She and I not only shared Algebra, but she was also one of my Biology classmates, too.

My head was reeling from her very sudden, very loud yelling as I tried to muster up a reply.

"Uh, ...sorry," I quietly said before calmly turning back around. She humped angrily and started chatting with one of her friends behind me.

Elizabeth may have been short-tempered, but she was so adorably pretty behind that quick-tempered persona. I found her quite cute, given how she was shorter than most other girls in school, although I would never admit that to her face.

Luckily, the line got moving right after and I quickly fled from any further interactions with Elizabeth’s wrath. Just down the hall was Spanish, my next class. I slipped inside before most of my classmates did and took my seat which was in the very front row. Not long after, another one of my female friends, Jordan entered the room.

"Hey there, Anthony," Jordan said with a smile, heading past me to take her seat a couple of places behind mine.

"Hey," I replied, watching her as she passed by. "So, where's Sarah?" I asked whilst turning around as she set down her backpack and took a seat.

"Uhh, she's somewhere," Jordan idly replied as she dug through her backpack, "I don't know where. We don't have the same second period." She then looked up at me with a playful smirk. "Why? You can't wait to flirt and crush on her like you always do?"

I broke out into a chuckle. "I do not have a crush on her," I insistently replied, “Okay, I may have had a tiny little crush on Sarah. A microscopic crush—really.”

She then perked up as she looked over my head and pointed.

"There she is," she said. I quickly turned around to see Sarah walking into the room. Her long, shiny, blonde hair bounced as she headed towards me. A smile spread across my lips, doing my usual admiring as to how lovely she was. I unconsciously breathed deeply and puffed out my chest at the very sight of her.

"Hey Sarah," I greeted her just before she walked past.

"Hey Anthony," she replied, taking note of my smiling face and responding with a small laugh. She took her seat just behind mine and in front of Jordan.

I loved to listen to Sarah speak. She had a lovely Southern accent that just added to how down-to-earth she was.

"So, what's going on?" I asked Sarah as she started to take out her notebook and place it on her desk.

"Oh, same as usual," she replied as she glanced up at me with a smile for just a second before reaching back into her backpack for a pen.

"That bad, huh?" I remarked with a grin, causing her to laugh and shake her head in amusement. From behind her, Jordan peered out and started making kissing faces at me while pointing at Sarah. I rolled my eyes just as the bell for class to start stifled any further conversation.

"Hola, class," our teacher spoke just as the bell stopped. I turned around to face the teacher.

"Hola, Ms. Adanna," most of us replied as I was busy getting out my notebook and pen from my backpack.

"How was your weekend?" she asked. Her question was replied with a smattering of various mumblings and mutterings, followed by a growing raucous of laughter. She smiled happily. "Well then, hopefully, I can make up for your weekends by giving your some easy work today, okay?"

She turned around; marker in hand as she began to write down a brief explanation and examples of conjugating Spanish verbs—something we'd already gone over before. Once she finished writing, she began to talk to us in Spanish and have us speak along with her.

As we did, I couldn't help but smile. Ms. Adanna was so beautiful; lovely, African-American woman in her early 30's. She was always kind and patient with us, always giving us things to keep us engaged in class rather than sitting around being bored, and man, did she have a nice body.

Soon after, she turned around and began to erase the board to write on it again. At the same time, I found myself lowering my gaze down to her full, round butt which shook ever so slightly as she put her body into her writing. It was such a mesmerizing turn-on and something I couldn't help but notice throughout the entire school year.