Bloodfang

Ricky Vera

Present Day

Ricky

"Ricky Vera!"

A young boy looked up at his teacher with a dreamy, unfocused expression on his thin, tan face. Ricky Vera was a teenager. Fourteen years old to be exact. He had light brown skin, short, spiky jet black hair, and chocolate brown eyes. Despite being the shortest boy in his class, he was just shy of average height and a touch on the skinny side. He was wearing a red-and-white shirt, well-worn blue jeans, and red sneakers. It was clear that he was of Latino decent. He was, in actual fact, Mexican-American though there was no accent as he spoke up politely if somewhat dazedly in response to the call of his name.

"Yes, Ms. Montgomery?"

Ms. Charlene Montgomery was a tall imposing African-American woman. She wore a starchy white blouse with a red pencil slim skirt cinched in at the waste with a black leather belt. Her hair was military short, tight to her head, drawing attention to her prominent cheek bones and proud nose. Most of the kids felt that Ms. Montgomery was pretty fair but she was also known for being very strict. She looked very strict right now, Ricky noted.

"Mind telling me what you find so interesting outside the window that you have spent the last five minutes staring out instead of paying attention to me?"

Ricky felt his cheeks and ears warm with embarrassment. "Uh... nothing ma'am," he mumbled. He hated being the center of attention.

He heard a few students snicker behind him. It made him feel even more conspicuous than he already did. His cheeks and ears warmed even more.

"Daydreaming again are we?" she asked, raising her eyebrows at him when he did not answer her question immediately.

"Uh....yes," he admitted sheepishly, lowering his eyes to the desk. More snickers could be heard around the room. He resisted the very real desire to squirm in his chair. He lifted his eyes back up to hers though when she starting speaking to him again, knowing that one thing Ms. Montgomery did not tolerate was bad manners. Not making eye contact with someone when they spoke to you was definitely at the top of her list of what she considered bad manners.

"I know that you along with all of your classmates are ready for summer vacation. But just because it's the last day doesn't mean you don't have to listen to me."

"Sorry ma'am. I know. It's a bad habit but I am working on it," he promised, nodding his head at her trying to convey his apology for what most of his teachers considered to be one of his best, but also his worst traits... his imagination. It usually got him into some kind of trouble. It had definitely earned him a few lectures.

She nodded with a small smile, letting him know she considered his famous imagination to be invaluable but that he must really get a hold of it. As his mother once told him, there is a time and place for everything. Right now was not the time to let his mind wander while Ms. Montgomery talked to the class.

All, Ms. Montgomery actually said though was, "Good," before she then walked back to the front of the class to resume talking.

Behind him Ricky heard the sounds of chuckles and huffs, and sighs. He also heard the whispers that were being exchanged.

"He'll never stop."

"What's wrong with him?"

"He's probably waiting for the alien mothership to come take him home."

Ricky rolled his eyes but his face belied his eye rolling gesture of, 'who cares.' Though he was used to this, used to the stupid, lame, and more often than not totally predictable questions that the kids would jokingly make about him. He did not think he would ever get used to the singling out that it often times evoked. He hated being the sole attention of a room full of people, and did not think he would ever get used to that.