Just Knowing You

Chapter 2: Genevieve

"Genevieve." Mr. J calls, and I look up and make eye contact while slightly raising my hand, once he sees me he checks something on his paper and repeats the motion going down the list of other people.

Because this is a class only available to upperclassmen, there are only Juniors and Seniors scattered along the gym floor and I recognized a couple people sitting in groups whispering to each other.

The class had just started and already I had pulled out my book because I was bored. My thoughts kept drifting in and out, making it hard to focus with all of the conversations going on around me.

I probably read the same line 10 times before the doors slammed open and closed making me jump but not willing to look up because I really wanted to finish the page and get to the next chapter before closing the book.

"Hey Otis, sit wherever, but you're late don't let it happen again" Mr. J announces with a 'I'm a cool guy who just happens to be your teacher' while I hear footsteps along the wooden floor.

Stuff drops on the floor near me and I'm not surprised that he picked the spot next to me because when I finally look up I realize I picked a spot in the corner and most of his friends chose to sit on one side of me, and he followed suit, because who wouldn't want to sit with there friends... Duh Genevieve, jeez.

I try my best to ignore the conversations and open my book starting on the chapter I had finally started before being rudely interrupted.

***

Well gym was uneventful, ugh I'm really glad but also it was painfully boring so hopefully, someone does something to spice it up.

My next class being choir leads me across the school to the decent-sized room with stair-like things in the middle for everyone to stand and sing.

I don't sing in this class actually, I do love to sing, but only by myself when I have music drowning me out.

I play piano for them, their teacher is also the choir 'directer' he has to give them signals all the time, and he can't do that while he's playing piano, so he asked me and said I would get the credits for doing it, so I graciously accepted.

It wasn't too bad the pieces they had me play were things I had played a few years before, my fingers taking over through muscle memory and gliding down the keys smoothly without fail. One after the other notes poured from the machine I was using while the choir sang beautifully (most of the time because it was only the first day, and they sounded a little rough around the edges).

Nevertheless, it felt amazing to just be free with the pieces I played and not constantly being hovered by a parent making me play some snooty artist from 2,000 years ago to show their friends how 'talented and amazing' their daughter came out, subtly and not-so-subtly taking jabs at the other parents' kids for 'not being as amazing as me'.

I know it's messed up, but they actually do that, I'm not making it up.

Anyways, so choir was fine but approaching quickly was math, which is always a fun one. I'm not gonna lie, I like Algebra, but Geometry was not really up my alley if I'm gonna be honest. Shapes aren't really my forte.

I walk in to see the seats aren't assigned. A shy kid's WORST NIGHTMARE. I don't have friends in this class, and the best option I can think of is to sit on the right side of the room, near the back so I don't draw attention to myself by being in the middle of everything.

I got to class early and right now it's just me in the room, so I pull out my book. The quiet doesn't last long, however, because in the blink of an eye a group of rowdy guys walk through the door and take the seats around me followed by a couple of small, scattered groups entering and finding every other open seat.