𝐮𝐧 𝐩𝐨𝐜𝐨 𝐥𝐨𝐜𝐨 ✾ (𝐣. 𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐨)

FIVE !

UN POCO LOCO !

"Okay, right, partners," our science teacher scrambled to find her papers, "if i could find the list, that'd be great," she rolled her eyes. "oh! here it is."

yet another science project, amazing. three months into the school year must mean three science projects into the school year too, right?

i was shocked to hear my name called first, as i was in the middle when you counted alphabetically. i was even more shocked to hear my partners name. "gwendolyn and johnny."

snickers and giggles were scattered throughout the room. according to ninth graders, it was hilarious that the popular girl was stuck with the weirdest dude in our grade.

i jumped as a loud 'bang' sounded from my left. school shooter? a bag of chips popping? someone falling off of their stool? i could only wish, as i turned my head to see johnny orlando next to me.

"hiya, partner!" he waved at me, as happy as could be. only he would enjoy the beginning of a new- extra hard- project.

"hi, johnny," i mumbled with the least amount of enthusiasm i could.

"you're into pink floyd?" he eyed my shirt up and down.

"not really. it's my dads old shirt, i cropped it."

"why would you destroy a perfectly good band tee? you know, those used to cost a lot back in the day. my aunt said-"

"i'm gonna be honest with you, johnny. i don't really care about the price, and i don't really care about what your aunt said. it's called upcycling, when you make old clothes into something new and stylish," i rolled my eyes, erasing his scribble of names on our paper and writing them neatly.

he squinted, "didn't you just defend me the other day when someone was rude to me? and now you're sassing me. women, am i right?" johnny gave another guy in our class a 'look' when he said the last part, but the dude rejected him and continued to look in his microscope.

"are you dum- i mean, i'm not sassing you. all i said was that-"

"i'm gonna be honest with you, gwen," he mocked in a girly voice, "i don't care if you were sassing me, and i don't care what you said." his words were a little louder than necessary, causing the entire class to hear and laugh.

i looked around the room, sticking my tongue to the inside of my cheek. i tried to look for anyone who wasn't laughing. they were just making fun of john, and now they're laughing at him mocking me. even annie was laughing.

the bell sounded, and kids were out of the room before mrs howe could say, "we'll discuss our projects on monday, class! have a nice weekend!"

i made my way over to the water fountain, fuming. my hand never left my hip, i carried my binder and chromebook carrier in one hand and dropped it all next to alex.

"johnny orlando is gonna get it."