Atlanta City's Bad Boy

Chapter 37. Back To School

  Jesse's POV

The truth is, I hate school. I hate how people look at me in school like I'm some kind of demon. People in school don't fuck with me. They avoid me at all costs. When I was in 9th grade, seniors were afraid of me. I was always pretty big size for my age, and I think that had a lot to do with it. I look like a football player, but I don't play football. I can play football I mean once in a while the guys and I get together and play for fun.

We'll sometimes play all kinds of sports, volleyball, football, baseball, and basketball for the fun of it, but I'm not all that into sports otherwise. I woke up at 5:30 A.M., and Mia is already out of bed. I'm pretty sure she already showered also. I jump in the shower, trying to hurry. I quickly wash my body and hair. I get out of the shower, dry off and get dressed in a hurry to get some coffee, which I'm sure Mia has already made.

I'm a little nervous about this school year in particular. I mean, everyone treated me like the bad guy. Even teachers were pretty scared of me. I know it will be much worse this year because everyone knows what I did. I don't regret killing Marcus. It isn't like I had a choice. It was him or me. I wasn't going down without taking that mother fucker with me—no way in hell.

The main thing that mattered was Mia was okay. It's crazy to think about the effect she has had on me and the way I feel about her. I've only known her for about three months, and she is already the center of my entire world. Everything is entirely meaningless to me without her. I never want to know what it'd be like to live without her. I never warned her about school and how people act around me. I'm sure it isn't going to surprise her.

Mia knows how people are around me. The ones who don't know me that well. What is weird to me is that Mia never bought into that shit. That is where Mia is different from anyone else I've ever met. She doesn't believe everything people tell her. She isn't Judgmental like most people. I get downstairs, and she is making breakfast. I don't know how she is so uppity in the morning. I need some damn coffee. I start walking toward her until a song comes on the radio, and she starts dancing, still not seeing me. So I just stand there and watch her dance and sing around the kitchen.

Instead of watching her like some creepy stalker, I decide to join her. I spin her around into me and start dancing. She is blushing, and it's so damn cute. "Jess!" She yells as I spin us around the kitchen. I sing the song to her and dance around.

"Good song for us, don't you think?" I ask her once the song ends. She laughs and nods.

"So, are you ready?" She asks me. I stare at her in disbelief as I point towards the coffee pot, and she laughs.

"Well, I kind of figured that," she says.

***

We drive into the parking lot. Our friends are all already there waiting for us. "About damn time, I was growing old waiting for you two," Noah groans in exasperation.

"You are full of shit. You are the slowest one of everyone here," I tell him.

"Am not," He argues. Just then, Jordy grabs him in a headlock and gives him a noogie.

"Are too," I say, laughing.

We make our way into the school. I take Mia to the office. I noticed right away nobody will make eye contact with me, but everyone is staring at Mia. Of course, because she is a new face and they're curious. Everyone gives us plenty of room as we walk through the crowd of kids. One kid ran into a door trying to get as far from me as possible, and I laugh.

Mia looks up at me, curious as to what I'm laughing at. She is completely oblivious. I wait for her to get done with the secretary, watching as other kids come in and out of the office. They're all staring at Mia and staying away from me as far as possible. When Mia is done, we make our way to our lockers, which luckily are side by side, makes things easier.