degenerate - bja

03

september 4, 1989 cont.

                       SECOND, THEN THIRD period rolled around. The teacher was incredibly laid back, so i sat next to rose. i told here about how i sat next to mike in history, how there are two more new kids and how i invited to sit with us at lunch.

"tsk, ya know coop, this guy could be real boyfriend material."

i snorted, making the people in front of us look over their shoulders. "yeah right! he went to school before this y'know? he probably already has a girlfriend. besides, i'm fine with being single. always have been."

"you're such a snooze! plus i feel bad that you always have to third wheel." rose playfully pouted, she was about to say something else when the bell rang for dismissal.

i headed out and to my fourth period, math. mr. l, the teacher, was strict i guess but that didn't stop anyone from being rowdy.

i saw angelina come through the door, and i beckoned for her to come sit next to me.

someone slumped aggressively into the chair in front of angie. a boy who didn't look much taller than me, with shaggy black hair that fell in his eyes. green eyes. and then it clicked, this was one of the new kids. billie or tre i didn't know, but he was mike's friend.

before i could consciously realize what i was doing, i scribbled down on a piece of paper: new kid in front of u. and showed angelina. she cocked her head towards him as if to say 'him?'

how do you know? she wrote.

-

it's a long story, i'll tell you at lunch

☆

the class went by very slowly. every now and then, i would look up at the kid's notebook. it looked like he was writing something? seemed like a fucking essay. he would write down a sentence, then maybe cross it out, and write something else under it. i could make out a title at the top though, it said 'road to pasalcqua'

the bell rang, the same way it had 6 times already. but this time it was for lunch, the best part of the day. i got up with my backpack, dragging my friend behind me. once we were out in the hallway, she asked me: "okay so how the fuck do you know new kid?"

i let out a hearty sigh. "so basically, i sit next to one of them in history, his name's mike. he told me that his two friends are also here, so it's like a trio. long story short i invited them to eat lunch with us."

her eyes widened in disbelief. well, i guess that's  dramatic but it's true. "oh my god!" a laugh left her lips, and she slowed her place to keep up with me. "this could be good or bad, depending on what they're like. so we have to make a good impression.."

i tuned her out, as i usually did when she went on her little ventures of first impressions and possible new friends. i didn't really care much for first impressions. if the person doesn't like me, they don't have to hang with me again. if they do like me, they're welcome to stick around. as for new friends, i'm fine with how many i have now. being lonely kinda sucked, in my first few years of middle school. after my dad, y'know, died. but the solitude was nice sometimes.

rose joined us down the hall, we laughed about some kid who shit their pants in 7th grade, who's really hot now. the squeaking of shoes echoed off the lofty ceilings, and we got in line to buy the school lunch. today macaroni and cheese was on the menu, probably a first-day-of-school treat. since the usual menu was processed fish sticks and stale muffins. angelina and i never really got the school lunch, but we would wait in line with rose. i ate in the morning, smoked during pe/break sometimes, and ate when i got home.