Miss Jefferson

Chapter 7

"Crap, crap, crap, crap," Anthony muttered, running down the hallway.

"Language!" I scolded him.

"Shut up!" He shot back, running past me.

He turned the corner, just as Lin came running after him, shouting, "You're dead, Ramos!"

I laughed, but it was cut short. Someone grabbed my arm and dragged me down the hallway at a similar speed to the first two. "Help me hide!" Oak pleaded.

"This entire prank war was a terrible idea!" I said. "Here," I pulled him to a stop outside of a broom closet. "Inside,"
We hurried into the small, dark space, cracking the door nearly closed behind us. "Who'd you pull one on?"

"Jasmine." He said, his voice shaking.

I turned to look at him with wide eyes. "Do you want us to die?" I asked, whispering loudly.

"Not really!" He snapped. "I didn't realize it'd be this bad until after I'd done it-" he lowered his voice to silence.

"Oak!" Someone yelled down the hallway, near the door. I peeked through the crack. Jasmine stormed past the door, thankfully unaware of our hiding spot.

"I am so dead." Oak whispered.

"You are so dead." I agreed, sticking my hand out of the closet and grabbing Daveed by the sleeve as he ran by.

He let out a short shriek as I pulled him inside.

"Shut up!" Oak hissed.

"Sorry!" He whispered loudly. "I'm running from Alysha."

"You pranked Alysha?" I asked incredulously.

He nodded.

"Why are you both so stupid?"

"I don't know!" He yelled, distressed.

My phone suddenly began to ring.
I checked the caller.

Jasmine Cephas Jones

"Shoot!" I said, stepping out of the closet and closing the door behind me. "Stay inside." I whispered to the boys before answering.

"Jada."

"Hey, Jazzy."

"Have you seen Oak?"

"No, why are you asking me?"

"Cause he practically follows you around like a lovesick puppy."

I felt the heat creep up the back of my neck and brush my ears. "What makes you say that?"

"The fact that I have eyes, Jada." She said sarcastically. I could almost see her expression. "Seriously. So, have you seen him?"

"No, I haven't." I repeated, my face still burning.

"What about Daveed?"

I opened my mouth to tell her I hadn't, but then an image of Daveed making fun of my messy hair popped into my head, and I smirked. "Yeah, I've seen him."

"What?!" A muffled voice from behind the closet door exclaimed.

"Was that him in the background?"

"Yes."

"Jada!" Daveed busted out of the closet and bolted down the hallway.

"He's on the move, headed in the direction of Anthony's dressing room." I told her.

"Okay. Thanks."

"No problem." I said before hanging up.

Oak poked his head out of the door. "Thank you."

I shook my head, averting my eyes and faking a smile. "Yeah."

He tilted his head. "Is something wrong?"

"Wait, you mean you didn't hear..." I trailed off, gesturing to my phone.

He shook his head, his face contorted with confusion. "Hear what?"

"Nothing, nothing." I slipped the phone into my pocket. "I guess I'm just overreacting, that's all."

He nodded, the strange expression never leaving. "Okay. I'm gonna go get something to drink. Do you want anything?"

"That's okay, I'll just go get something later."

"I'm going now." He stuck his thumb over his shoulder and stepping out of the closet. "Do you just wanna go with me?"

"Uh, yeah, sure." I relented, trying to act normal.

"So," he asked nonchalantly as we walked down to his and Anthony's room, "what did you do before this?"

"I was a thespian engineer at this studio in lower Manhattan." I said with a light laugh.

"You're an engineer?"

I nodded.

"Huh. I always thought it'd be cool to know how to do that kinda thing."

"I could show you how someday, maybe."

"That'd be fun." He agreed, knocking on the door. "Ant?"

"Yeah," I heard his voice from inside. Oak opened the door and showed me in.
Jasmine, sitting on the couch next to Anthony, eyed Oak as he walked by.

Oak ducked his head and opened the door to the small fridge, pulling out two cans of soda.

"Here," he handed one to me.

"Thank you." I said quietly, accepting it. I then cleared my throat. "Jazzy, can I talk to you?"

She nodded, casting Anthony a side glance.
He took the hint and showed Oak and himself out of the room.

I sat next to her on the couch, opening the can.

"You guys are so cute." Jasmine said, propping her head against her knuckles.

I covered my eyes with my hands. "Jasmine, shut up." I groaned.

"What?" She laughed. "You are!"

"I don't understand! I don't see anything!" I said.

She rolled her eyes. "You're blind. It never works when you're involved in it. Only outsider geniuses like me can notice." She teased with a flip of her hair.

"What on earth are you noticing? We're just friends!"

"Good friends?"

I nodded eagerly. "Very good friends!"

She sighed. "Ah, I love it when it starts like that." She said dreamily.

I shook my head. "What are you even suggesting?"

"That he likes you, and knows it. You like him, but you don't know it yet. That's all." She finished innocently.

"Well," I took a sip from the can of soda. "You are tragically mistaken."