Little Green Stars

Chapter 16-It's Contagious

The bell between third and fourth-hour rings and I jolt up to switch seats. This is it—my first encounter with Jin at school. I've been preparing my act all day. I googled all the politically incorrect verbiage I could find on Asian people. Still, even I have morals, so I'll probably just stick with a good old fashioned perpetuated stereotypes like driving and whatnot. I wonder how he has prepared for his act? Is it weird that I'm excited to see and make fun of a guy I've known for less than 24 hours as part of some dysfunctional secret club we've formed to stop me from killing him?

"Vel," Dwyer calls.

"Sup?"

"Don't sup me," Dwyer says, rolling over as I move up to my fourth-hour seat. "Want me to make the new guy sit somewhere else?"

"No, I can handle myself."

Dwyer pauses for a moment as if he wants to ask me something but doesn't know how to start.

"What?" I demand while taking out my popcorn.

"Did the office call you down?"

"No," I ask, freezing mid-handful, "Why?"

"About what happened in class yesterday. I heard the video went around."

"Oh, that?" I continue eating, relieved. The last thing I need right now is to find out that I'm in trouble for something my ghosty self did while I was asleep. "Ya, it's fine. No big deal."

"What?" Dwyer asks, annoyed. "How is it okay?"

"Did I complain?"

"I know you're no stranger to it, so this shouldn't come as a shock when I say it, but what happened is considered a form of bullying, Vel. You know the office takes bullying very seriously."

"Again, did I complain?" I emphasize my pronunciation of the word I.

"Well, no, but...."

"No, buts Dwyer, it's 2019. Do you take me as a freaking snowflake? You, the office, or the counselors don't get to tell me I'm a victim."

"Okay then," Dwyer says, throwing his hands up. "Just checking in."

FFS. Typical. Why do adults always think they need to get involved? If teenagers are old enough to drive, then we are old enough to handle our problems. I watch Dwyer's lazy ass roll out into the hallway in his swivel chair, just as Cece Bundt walks in. My head quickly turns as each student enters, watching anxiously for Jin. But, I'm not the only one waiting for Jin's arrival, all the students are buzzing about what the new kid is going to do next.

The voices around me quiet as Jin appears in the doorway with Maverick Kurt—one of the baseball players, better known as Bundty's on-again-off-again fling. Maverick gives Jin an elbow bump then heads to his seat in the back, leaving Jin to sit down beside me.

"Hi," Bundty calls before his butt can even hit the ground. "I'm Cece. Maverick's girlfriend. Nice to meet you," she leans over her desk as she talks, smooshing her small boobs as if trying to make them look bigger. "Jin, right? I added you on Insta last night. Did you get my request?"

Her blonde hair sways over into my personal bubble, and I lean as far away, so I don't catch her plaque.

"Hi, and yeah, for sure," Jin says, awkwardly turning in his chair to face her.

"What's your problem?" Bundty asks, glaring over at me dramatically leaning to the left.

"Just didn't want to catch bitch, I know it's contagious," I respond.

"I'm so sorry Dwyer is making you sit by her," Bundty ignores me and continues. "Yesterday was GOAT. You for real made my whole year!"

"I'm glad," Jin says back, reaching his arm up to hers for an elbow bump. "Oh, Shit."

"What?" Bunty says, concerned.

"I forgot my mask. I thought I better have one when sitting next to this firehog. She might be contagious."

Firehog? Wow. He definitely googled that. It's too originally to have been overhead from any of these idiots.

Cece bursts into laughter, and immediately takes out her phone to start messaging. Soon, the classroom is filled with all the little buzzing sounds followed by quiet snickers.

Since we have everyone's attention and class doesn't start for another minute, I decide now is my chance.

"Are you sure you just can't see it in your backpack?"

Jin looks over at me, and I try not to smile.

"What?"

"Your mask, are you sure you just can't see it in your backpack?" I pause to have a fake epiphany as more students around us begin to eavesdrop. "Oh, it would be your condom that would be too small to see, not your mask. My bad, nevermind."

Small gasps erupt around me.

"Quiet teeny-boppers We got all the stuffs to do today!" Dwyer says, rolling his way back into the room from the hallways.

As everyone's eyes settle on Dwyer, I see Jin, typing away on his phone and soon feel my phone vibrate in my pocket.

That wuz good right?

YASS

BTW...

Wut?

That's a myth

...?

The size thing...

Lol...u dont like my prediction?

We might have to do a formal hypothesis on the matter...

I put my phone away and put my hand over my mouth to try and hide my smile as Jin scoots his chair as far away from me as possible.