How Jesse Got His Karma

eighteen

We walked into class the next day and dropped our papers into the homework bin on the front of Mrs.Warren's desk.

I was sifting through my pink pencil bag looking for one of my inkjoy pens so I can be prepared for whatever notes that we're about to write.

I feel something hit the leg of the desk and I look up to see Jesse with his hoodie on his head walking in front of me towards the seat behind me. The seats in our school have these baskets underneath where you can put your books so as I'm trying to place mine inside...it's not going in.

I stick my hand below and try to figure out if something is stuck there. I start feeling around and my hand grips onto something hard. I try to pull it out and it's not budging for some reason, so I pull harder, and it's still not giving.

"You keep pulling on my foot like that, you're gonna make me lose a limb." I hear a raspy low voice say behind me and I quickly turn around to look at Jesse as he leans back in his chair placing his hands in the pockets of his hoodie, staring at me with an eyebrow raised.

Realizing I'm still holding his foot I quickly retract my hand and turn back around facing the board as I hear him chuckle behind me.

Mrs.Warren comes into the classroom with her reading glasses sitting on her nose as she's sorting through papers. She looks up at the class and smiles as says, "Good morning, my literary disciples!" she walks down the aisles of the classroom throwing pieces of paper on our desks and I'm guessing it's the aptitude tests.

Ryan is the first to speak and raises his hand without waiting for her to acknowledge him, "So like, Mrs.W, if you wanted to hook us up with our classmates you could've just said that. I mean..I'm already taken and I would like to stay faithful--" he pauses when Paola turns to look at him and he sends her a wink, "--but I'm looking at this test and these questions are kinda making me go--ow! What the hell?" I turn to see Ryan holding the back of his head as he looks at Jesse whos facing forward shaking his head

"Mr.Simpson, this is not a dating questionnaire. I explained last class that when you answer these questions based on your reading capability and interests. I will pair you with your partner for the upcoming assignments. So with that being said, flip your paper over and start working on your aptitude test."

I flip my paper over and I look at the first question, as the first question asks about the first things I take into account when analyzing a story.

One by one, people get up to turn in their questionnaire. Paola and I are the second to last to finish as I go to turn in her paper for her at the front of Mrs.W's desk.

When we all finish she claps loudly and tells us that we have the rest of the period to do what we want so she can grade papers.

I'm scrolling through Twitter on my phone when I feel my desk shake and I look down to see that Jesse's feet are shaking as he bounces his knee. I turn to look at him and he just waves at me with two fingers and goes back to looking through his phone. I call his name quietly, "Jesse."

Finally looking up at me he raises both eyebrows silently telling me to continue

"Can you not do that?"

"Do what, Karma?" he says tilting his head to the side as he chews on a piece of gum

"You're shaking the hell out of my table with your foot and I need you to stop."

He stops moving his foot and says, "Ok. I'll calm down, my bad."

I nod my head in achievement and turn around feeling a bit proud of myself that I handled that situation and he didn't even snap at me or make one sarcastic remark.

Progress.

Out of nowhere my table starts to shake harder and my pencils and binder fall on the ground to my left. I'm quick to turn around and look at who obviously did it glaring at him when I see the look on his face. As people around me stared at the situation at hand

Jesse grins at me as he's still chewing on his gum.

We're both still looking at each other when we hear someone say from behind him, "Ooh! Lovers Quarrel perhaps?"

Jesse stops smirking at me for a second and turns to stare at the guy who said it.

Not looking up from the papers, Mrs.Warren says "I told you guys that I am not Tinder. I'm simply trying to give you an assignment."

"Well you might not be Tinder, but I definitely swiped right," Ryan says tapping Paola and smiling as she shakes her head and faces forward giggling.

Mrs.Warren does not look but shakes her head and continues grading.

Jesse's staring match causes the guy who said it to shrink into his seat and raise his hands in surrender, "I'm kidding bro! It was a joke."

"Do you see me fucking laughing?" he says as his back is still turned to me. I turn back around to face the front because I do not wanna be on the other end of the look that he's giving that dude.

"Ok, Disciples. I'm writing a list of people who matched. I'll post it on the door before the bell rings. I'll call you based on alphabetical order and you'll come up to look at who you're partnered with for all of these assignments."

Of course, my name is towards the end of the alphabet so I'm not in a rush to get up.

When Jesse's name is called he sighs from behind me and stands up removing his hood off of his head. He walks to the door and looks at it for a few seconds and tilts his head with a passive look on his face.

I got up a little while after him and saw that my partner was a guy named Jules Montana. I've known Jules since elementary, we've never been that cool but I wouldn't mind getting to know him I guess.

Later on, Paola goes to check and she smiles widely giggling and rushing back to her seat looking at Ryan behind her, "Babe, you don't even need to get up. How you doing, partner?" she holds her hand out to him as he grins and shakes her hand

Cyrus gets up and comes back to his seat upset about who he's partnered with based on the expression on his face but he says to Jesse, "it's not like I'm doing any of this shit."

I hear a girl named Justine whos seated next to Ryan on his right and she quickly looks back at him, "Um you're most definitely gonna do it if your scrub ass wants to graduate."

Ok, I'm guessing that's his partner.

When the bell rings everyone is quick to get up. I look at Jules from across the room and wave at him holding one finger telling him to hold on so we can trade information.

Naveah Mills walks towards me and rubs my shoulder saying a quick 'Hi' that I return. She's quick to walk behind me near Jesse's table and I almost want to laugh at the bored look on his face.

"Hey, Jesse! So apparently we're partners! I'm Naveah--" she gives him her hand to shake and he looks at it before looking at her again with a blank look. She retracts her hand and smiles wide

"it's nice to meet you! So I already have some ideas on how we can meet up. If you wanna exchange numbers---" she cuts herself as Jesse stands up from his seat and walks right past her and out the door as she stares at him in awe.

I look at her to see what she's gonna do next and as if she feels me looking at her she grins and says, "Oh it's ok. It probably takes him a while to warm up to new people." She laughs a little and runs out of the room trying to catch up to him

Cyrus chuckles and gets up, "He's about to put her through a ringer." As he's about to leave class, Justine is quick to call him

"Justin, Cyrus--whatever your little friends call you--reverse and park yourself right in front of me so I can get your info. What did you think this was?" she scoffs as he sucks his teeth and turns back around.

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Thanks for reading! I care about you all <3