90s Love

Chapter 1

1993

The hall was packed with students going back and forth trying to make it to class, or just chilling around like what my group of friends and I were doing.

That day, all of us crowded around Kaylen's locker to talk about how our history teacher got so mad during the period before that she started crying and up and left.

"I think she's gonna quit," Raquel said. "No, I know she's gonna quit."

I couldn't help but feel bad at the situation, Mrs. Pate wasn't a horrible teacher, she just had to deal with us, and we weren't easy to handle. "I hope she doesn't, I like her," I said.

"It's just the boys, like Leon and Aaron, that hype her up. They're always testing her patience," Kaylen explained, letting out a sigh. "They even started laughing when she started crying," slamming her locker shut she turned to face us.

"Bet you 5 dollars she won't be here tomorrow." Will smiled as she looked at the three of us. She was the only one of us that actually found the situation funny.

I still managed to smile at her words though. "Will, come on."

"Is that a yes?" She tested. "You know nobody sticks around here. She doesn't know this type of life. This may be Cali, but it ain't Hollywood."

Kaylen held up her hand for a high five. "Preach 'bout it." Will slapped her hand against hers with a smile.

"Why are all of y'all still in the hallway?!" The authoritative voice of Principal Watson filled the area.

At that time, already a year plus into my stay at Jameson High School, I quickly learned that he was not a man to be messed with. Everyone instantly scattered out of the hallway as the final bell rang, signaling for the official start of class.

"10 bucks she's not here for the rest of the week," I suggested with a smile looking at Will as I started walking backward in the direction of my class.

"Bet," Will replied. I just let out a chuckle, turning around and making my journey to my English class. A relieved breath escaped my lips as I appeared at the door, seeing one of the permanent building substitutes, knowing my tardiness would be excused.

"Hey, Mr. Garrison." I greeted cheerfully with a smile as I walked into the room.

The man looked a bit unimpressed by my warm welcome, "you're late, Janae."

I glanced behind me, seeing I wasn't the only one just getting in. "So is Devonte," I told him before taking my usual seat in the middle row, two seats from the back.

"Nae!" Devonte called out outraged.

"Ain't nobody in trouble," I playfully snapped to him before I turned my attention to the front of the room, listening to Mr. Garrison do the usual routine. He started out with attendance, followed by telling us our assignment for the day and writing it out on the chalkboard.

The room was filled with loud chatter as everyone messed around, not taking the assignment all that seriously. But I opened up my textbook and got to work knowing I would score an easy A if I wrote something instead of nothing. Able to keep it simple and finish it all within ten minutes, leaving me all the time to catch up with the other students around me.

"What did you get for number two?" Shana, a girl who sat to my left, asked me. I simply looked at her book, pointing out the answers to her before we got swept into a group discussion about the latest gossip.

The rumor was that Mrs. Towns, our actual English teacher, was pregnant. Multiple students were saying she was putting on weight, and the only assumed logical explanation for her absence was that she was going through morning sickness. That then propelled Shana and me to talk about an upperclassman who was actually pregnant and was starting to show.