MS. CEPHAS-JONES | JASIPPA

TWO - EXCUSE ME?

- - - - - 

"BRIELLE. PUT THAT DOWN. We aren't doing arts and crafts today." Jasmine, Ms. Cephas-Jones, shouted at the student. Brielle hurriedly put the safety scissors back where they were and met up with all the other kids on the round table. Jasmine smiled once she sat down, "Thank you. Now, do any of you know how to draw?"

A couple of kids raised their hands which made Jasmine smile wider, "Great! Do any of you like writing?" 

Another bunch of kids raised their hands, "Then this assignment should be easy for all of you then. I want you all to make up a story. It can be about anything you want it to be. I also want a drawing to match your story, okay? I'll hand out the sheets."

Jasmine grabbed the stack of sheets and started passing them out. When she got to Bailey and Brielle, she saw Brielle trying to get Bailey to lift her head up. 

"Ms. Jones, Bailey won't lift her head up. I tried but she's not listening." Brielle told Jasmine. Jasmine sighed and handed Brielle her paper. She walked around to Bailey and kneeled. When she tapped Bailey's shoulder, she saw her lift her head up a little. Jasmine smiled, "Is there something wrong, Bailey?"

Bailey shrugged, "I dunno."

"Is it anything I can help with?"

"I dunno."

Jasmine sighed, "Would you like me to help you with the assignment?"

Bailey shook her head, "No. I got it." Jasmine looked at Bailey a little longer and then handed her the paper. She walked back to her desk and finished signing some papers of her's. The school year was going great so far. They were all on the second week of school and most of the students are excited to learn. Jasmine moved to New York to get away from her past life in England. She didn't make any new friends here but recently befriended the principal and the teacher across from her, Mr. Ramos. When Jasmine finished her markings, she walked around the classroom to see the students progress. When she got to Brielle, she smiled at her drawing. It looked like two people holding hands with a big heart between them.

"What are you drawing, Brielle?" Jasmine asked.

Brielle beamed up at the teacher, "I'm drawing my mommy and my daddy. They're holding hands 'cause they're in love with each other."

Jasmine nodded, "It looks great, Bri. Keep up the good work." Brielle nodded and continued her drawing. Jasmine looked over Brielle to see Bailey still had her head down with the paper under her arms. Jasmine walked over to Bailey and tapped her shoulders again. This time, Bailey kept her head down. Jasmine placed a hand on her back and leaned down to Bailey's level.

She shook her a little bit, "Bailey, come meet me outside." Jasmine was already standing in the doorway when Bailey finally decided to get up. She slugged over to Jasmine and groaned. Jasmine closed the classroom door slightly.

"What's wrong, Bailey? You're usually excited to do your work." Jasmine reminded, "Is everything ok? You can talk to me."

Bailey shuffled her feet a little bit before she decided to speak, "I saw my mommy crying this morning. It made my heart sore to see mommy cry. I'm sad that I couldn't help her."

Jasmine frowned, "I'm sorry that you couldn't help your mommy but I'm sure she's okay."

"No. She isn't. She wouldn't walk me and James in the school like she always do. Ms. Renee had to do it." Bailey stated as tears began to fall out of her eyes, "I don't like seeing my mommy sad 'cause then it makes me sad."

Jasmine's heart panged because of Bailey's emotions. She hugged Bailey and rubbed her back, "It'll be okay, Bailey. I promise."

Bailey pulled away slowly from Jasmine's hug and looked up at her. Bailey held out her pinky to Jasmine, "Pinky promise?"

Jasmine smiled and connected their pinkies together, "Pinky promise."

- - - - - 

Jasmine was eating her Subway sandwich when her room door busted open. There stood Anthony, Mr. Ramos, in all his glory. Jasmine laughed at the stupid smile he had on his face,  "Is there a reason that you had to make that dramatic ass entrance?"

Anthony fake gasp, "Jasmine, watch your mouth! We're in school!"

Jasmine rolled her eyes. All the students were at lunch right now. There are supervisors in the cafeteria to watch them while the teachers eat. Anthony walked over to Jasmine's desk and grabbed a chair to sit, "Anyways, how's it going?"

"Going great. Apart from the fact that one of my students cried their eyes out."

Anthony looked up at Jasmine with a shock expression, "Really? Who was it?"

"Bailey. Bailey Soo." 

Anthony furrowed his eyebrows, "Do they have a brother, by any chance?"

Jasmine looked at him with a brow raised, "Yeah actually. James, I think. Why?"

"'Cause he was crying in my class, too. Something about his mom crying." Anthony answered as he opened his chicken salad, "It must've been bad."

"Why do you think that?" Jasmine questioned, intriguingly.

"Well, he's always quiet in my class. He only talks to Benjamin. Never spoke a word to any other student or me but as soon as I asked him what's wrong, he broke down and asked for a hug." Anthony explained, "So it had to be something bad enough for the quiet kid to ask for a hug."

"Well, I'll have to mention her behavior to her mother. Are you gonna tell her about James?"

Anthony shook his head, "I mean I would if I could which brings me to why I'm here in the first place: can you tell their mother because I have a date afterschool and I wanna go."

Jasmine rolled her eyes and smirk, "Fine. I'll tell her. Who's the lucky person?"

Anthony started to blush, "Uh...her name's Ashley and she's pretty cool."

Jasmine giggled and patted his curls, "Congrats, antman. You finally found a date. Let's hope you don't fuck up this one or else I'll owe Lin 60 dollars."

"You guys made a bet?" 

"Of course we did. It's what friends do." Jasmine smirked.

- - - - -  

Jasmine was outside waiting for Bailey and James' mother, Phillipa. Brielle and Benjamin were also here too but only because their mom told the school that Phillipa was picking them up. They were the only ones left outside of the school. Brielle and James were looking at a caterpillar walk along the sidewalk while Bailey and Benjamin were sitting on either side of Jasmine. Bailey was swinging her feet while Benjamin was reading a book. Soon, a matte black car began to pull up to the roundabout. The kids looked up and smiled when they say it was Phillipa who got out. They hurriedly ran over to her and gave her a hug. It made Jasmine smile when she saw how happy they looked to see her. Phillipa told them to wait so she could come talk to Jasmine.

"I hope they weren't too much trouble while I was away." Phillipa spoke, "Sorry that I'm late. I had some stuff to take care of at work."

Jasmine waved it off and smiled, "It's quite alright. They weren't any trouble at all. Although, James and Bailey had some issues in class today."

Phillipa's face suddenly went from calm to worry, "What happened? Are they in trouble?"

"No, no, no! It seems that they both got really upset about something that happened at home, I assume." Jasmine explained.

"What do you mean?"

"They were upset about seeing their mother cry."

"Excuse me?"