Little Miss Babysitter

-- 4 --

"It's not a color."

"Is."

"Not."

"Is!"

"Will you two button your yaps and sit down?!" Mr. Holladay puffed his anger out in the form of constricted pants, and secured the metal on top of his balding potato-of-a-head. "I'm trying to teach you something worthwhile!"

Now, with having a moderate to severe case of Turrets' Syndrome, as well as practically no teeth and a tin-foil cap on top of his shining baldness, to say I was frightened would be the understatement of the century.

In fact, I was petrified. Paralyzed, even. Jason had to yank my sweater down, pulling me into my seat. And, in the process, pulling out a few stitches.

I shot him an irritated glower, of which he countered with his own. This boy can be so infuriating sometimes. If only he wasn't Taya's cousin... IF ONLY...

'What are you doing after school' read the note that was violently kneaded into my grasp somehow. Jason looked away, a guilty smirk playing at the edges of his lips.

Now, see; sometimes I wonder why Jason doesn't have more friends than he does. He's a totally mellow and relaxed guy, but only if you break him out of his shell.

Before I knew him, I didn't notice him. And when I say that, I mean at all. Taya introduced us, and he barely said two words before running off and into the bathroom until I agreed to talk for both of us in the conversation.

Man, how times change. Am I right?

'Babysitting, but i do that in school with u anyways except now i get paid for it. :)' I scribbled neatly, letting the mouth on my smiley dangle dangerously low to the bottom of the page. I passed it to him, feeling his callused fingers beneah mine for a second too long. He paid no heed to it.

'You're gettin 50 right?'

'How's that any business of yours? ;)'

'Any way you want me in on that???'

'Give me back my shirt and we'll see.'

As I'd transferred the note to his side of the purple, 3 ring binder, I awaited his reaction with a pleasant grin toying on my face. He's a cool guy. Other guys put a bad name on the overall status of being a.... 'guy'.

'idk, it's pretty comfy' he wrote, winking at me from underneath his full, chocolate lashes.

"In conclusion, scientists like me," Mr. Holladay flinched every other word, blinking his eyes into deep creases every now and then. "wear these aluminum hats to pick up those government signals. That's why I wear it! I know it's not fashionable, but fashion is something we have to give up, so for class tomorrow, I want you all wearing these hats!"

The groans were most likely audible in some of the classrooms adjacent to ours, across the hall and down a little ways. The excruciating sounds were almost as mortifying as something you might find in an X rated film.

That I caught Jason and Carter watching.

Two weeks ago.

At my house.

I'm mad.

Just as the last of the lagging echoes of my classmates died down, the bell soared through the stilled air around us, signalling a rushed mass of students to pour through the open door, whilst successfully knocking over Mr. Holladay in the process.

"Hey, Ela!" Jason's warm voice called out, and I turned around in surprise. Him? Calling me? In public? "What time you off tonight?"

"Eightish. Why?" I continued back pedaling, bit by bit.