#JAMB Syllabus for History | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

whoimightbe · 7 years

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Crushed.

I’d been dating Marcus Simmons since before either of us were actually allowed to date. We met in first grade when Mrs. Donner’s seating chart placed us next to each other since my last name is Simmons, too. Throughout elementary school we sat next to each other and because boys were eww until 7th grade I barely talked to him. Well, that’s not completely true. I regularly told him to shut up since he teased me relentlessly. As I learned later, teasing is an elementary school boy’s way of flirting. And apparently the more annoyed someone is about the teasing, the more they do it. Needless to say, he teased me a lot.

When junior high came around we moved classes every hour and with the exception of Mr. Gill’s Advanced English class, we didn’t have alphabetical seating charts. I had three classes with Marcus every day but only sat next to him in English and when that class arrived at the end of our first day in the new school I found I was actually excited to see him. I’d missed the familiarity of him being next to me and weirdly, I’d missed his teasing.

“Hey, Monica,” he said as he slid into the seat next to me at the table.

“Marcus, hi!” I knew immediately that I was too excited but if he noticed, he didn’t let on.

“How’s the first day been?”

“Good I guess...weird...you?”

“Same I guess...it’s nice to see a friendly face.”

I smiled and felt warm all over, which was a new feeling that I didn’t know if I liked.

When the first dance of the year arrived a month or so later we’d been talking a lot more, walking together to our lockers after English and doing a lot more flirting than teasing. We met at the gym after being dropped off by our respective parents and danced most of the night together. That’s the night he kissed me for the first time, and while it wasn’t anything to write home about, just a quick peck on the lips, it’s a night I’ll never forget.

We were boyfriend and girlfriend from then on and while there were ups and downs and times we both thought we should call it quits, we actually made it to our senior year. I hadn’t seen Marcus since early in the summer because we both had family vacations and various camps and programs, not to mention jobs, that kept us busy up until the first day of school. Sure, we’d talked on the phone and via text, but I hadn’t seen his face in over two months and I was giddy as I waited by my locker, which I assumed was next to his, as it had been since junior high.

The first bell rang to alert us that class was starting in five minutes, and I couldn’t understand why I hadn't seen him yet. I’d sent him several texts but he hadn’t responded so I figured he’d left his phone at home or in the car, something he’d been doing more and more of late. When the second bell rang I had to sprint through the halls to avoid being late to my first class of the last year of high school.

We’d planned our schedules at the end of the prior year and I knew Marcus wasn’t going to be in my first period History class. I was disappointed that I hadn’t seen him yet but knew he was in second period Calculus with me so I tried to focus and count down the minutes until I saw him.

I said hi to other friends as I got seated, with two full minutes to spare, but noticed that several people were looking at me through their side eye and I couldn’t imagine what was going on. When my best friend Lisa walked in everyone looked at her then me and back at her. I waved at her and pointed to the seat next to me but she looked away and took a seat up front. “Okay, what the hell?” I said, a little too loud. A minute later a stranger walked in and thankfully everyone began staring at him as he walked to the only empty seat in the room, the one next to me.

“Okay, everyone,” Ms. Paul started as she walked in. “Do you like who you’re sitting by? Good. Because that’s your study and project partner for the year.” I’d been looking forward to doing my projects with Lisa but when I tried to get her attention to switch seats she turned away and I sunk down in the chair and tried not to cry.

“Sorry, did you want to sit with someone else?” The stranger’s voice was gentle and soothing as he whispered near my ear. I turned and looked into his eyes, his gorgeous blue eyes that sparkled as I stared. A few seconds passed before I shook my head and wiped a tear that escaped down my cheek. “Are you okay?”

“Fine,” I lied.

“I’m Nick.”

He smiled and put out his hand and I swear his eyes got even brighter as his dimples appeared. “Monica,” I breathed as I took his hand.

“It’s nice to meet you, Monica.”

My hand fit perfectly in his but I pulled it away quickly as it seemed like I was feeling far too much about a person I didn’t know and as far as I knew, I was still very much in a relationship with Marcus.

“Um, nice to meet you, too,” I rambled.

“Okay, so I’m passing around the syllabus and by the end of the week I want to know the topic of your first project, which will be due in six weeks.” A collective groan rose throughout the room but it was shut down quickly by Ms. Paul when she told us to pull out our books then started lecturing.

I felt another tear find its way out of the corner of my eye and just as I was wiping it away, Nick glanced over. I turned quickly but a few seconds later he pushed his notebook toward me and tapped it with his pen. I looked down and saw that he’d written Are you okay? then put Yes and No check boxes underneath. I couldn’t help but smile as I picked up my own pen and added another box underneath. I’m not sure but it’s sweet of you to ask. I drew a happy face then pushed the notebook back to him. He smiled then wrote something else.

I’m a pretty good listener...

We’re in class...

We could walk to our next class together...I’ve got calc, you?

I turned and tilted my head as I looked at him. He raised his eyebrows and shrugged his shoulders, as if to ask me what my deal was.

Okay.

I pushed the notebook back then refocused on Ms. Paul and jotted down some brief notes before the end of class. It wasn’t easy, as all I was thinking about was what was going on with Lisa and why everyone had been looking at me with weird faces. I was also still trying to figure out why I hadn’t seen or heard from Marcus.

When class ended I tried to get to Lisa but she moved quickly and when I realized I couldn’t reach her I sat down and shook my head. Nick sat down across from me and that’s when I felt my phone vibrate. “Marcus,” I whispered as I pulled it from my pocket. I smiled when I saw his name.

Marcus: We need to talk.

Me: Where were you this morning? I thought we were meeting?

Marcus: Couldn’t. Meet you by the gym at lunch.

Me: I can talk now, before calc.

Marcus: Schedule changed. Lunch.

Me: What? Why? What’s going on?

Marcus: Lunch, okay?

Me: Okay.

“We should probably go.” I looked up and saw Nick standing next to me with my bag in his hand. I felt like I was in some sort of shock. I nodded as I stood then took my bag and slung it across my body. “At the risk of sounding redundant, are you okay?”

I blinked my eyes and shook my head as the tears fell.

“Good listener, remember?” He smiled as he pointed toward his chest and I smiled as more tears fell.

The next period’s students started coming in so I started walking and Nick followed quickly. I didn’t say anything because why was I going to bare my soul to a complete stranger. He didn’t push, which I appreciated, and it was actually nice to have someone to walk with since everyone was still staring at me and very few people were saying hi. Their eyes looked at me with sadness or something that I could only define as pity.

The next two periods moved slower than the calendar when Christmas is getting close and I was actually thankful that Nick was in both the Calculus and Chemistry classes with me. During Chem I told him that I had to meet someone for lunch then gave him my number so we could check in later about our History project. He shared his number as well and I thanked him for being so nice. We’d already figured out that with the exception of choir in the afternoon we had the same schedule. I had a free period where I worked in the office when he would be singing tenor with our award-winning choir.

As soon as Chemistry ended I bolted toward the gym so I could figure out what was going on with Marcus and maybe figure out what was up with Lisa at the same time. When I got to the gym they were huddled together looking a little bit too cozy for two people who weren’t dating. I watched for a few seconds before I cleared my throat and startled both of them. It was so cliche, my boyfriend and my best friend betraying me together.

“We didn’t mean for it to happen,” Lisa explained. “But you know, we were in that program and...”

“And you just felt like you could betray me by hooking up with the only guy I’ve ever loved?”

“It wasn’t like that,” Marcus interjected.

“Says the cheater,” I snapped and crossed my arms in front of my body.

“We didn’t mean to hurt you,” he continued.

“Oh well, since you didn’t mean to hurt me...” I took a few deep breaths as I glared at them then continued. “Neither of you speak to me ever again.”

“Monica,” Lisa pleaded, but I’d already turned around and started walking away.

“Let her go.” His whisper made me cringe and while I knew I shouldn’t have looked back I couldn’t help myself. He’d pulled her into his arms and was comforting her as she cried.

“Unbelievable!” I cried. “You could at least wait ‘till I’m out of sight.” I wasn’t paying attention as I walked sideways and backward and ran right into the door jamb, which made my nose bleed and my head hurt like crazy. “Perfect,” I grumbled and didn’t wait for them to get to me even though I heard them both ask if I was okay.

I ran to the nurse’s office and nearly knocked Nick over in the hall. “Hey, are you...?”

“If you ask me if I’m okay one more time...” I turned to him and his wide eyes told me just how bad I looked.

“Oh god, Monica, what happened?”

As I stared at him I started to feel woozy and a moment or two later I was falling toward him. When I came to in the nurse’s office, thanks to some old-fashioned smelling salts, Nick was sitting next to me and the nurse was calling my mom.

“No, I’m not okay,” I said even though he hadn’t asked me again.

“I can see that. How can I help?”

“I just need to get home.”

He nodded but didn’t make any kind of move to leave. “Did you get any lunch?” I shook my head and he reached into his backpack and pulled out an apple. “An apple a day, right?”

He smiled and I couldn’t help but do the same as I took the fruit from his hands. “Thanks.” I took a bite and honesty, it was the best apple I’d ever tasted in my life. “Why are you being so nice to me?”

“I’m a nice guy,” he grinned and I was going to continue the conversation but the nurse turned back toward us.

“Right, so your mum is on her way, love, and you can rest here until she arrives.” Nurse Lynn was more like a British nanny than a nurse, which is why I adored her. “Now, young man, are you staying or going?” Nick looked at me and I shrugged my shoulders, not knowing what more to do.

“Staying? I think?”

“Right, so I’ll get you a pass into your class once Miss Simmons’ mum arrives. Now I have to go to a quick meeting with the vice principal; can I trust you two to behave?”

“Yes, ma’am,” Nick answered and I nodded as I felt that same warm and fuzzy feeling come over me again.

Once she was gone Nick looked at me and smiled. “No pressure, but like I said...” He put his hand on his chest. “Good listener.”

I sighed and nodded my head. “Fine.” He was clearly pleased with himself based on how his smile got bigger. “Apparently I’m a complete fool. My best friend - the girl from History this morning...” He nodded. “She's apparently been hooking up with my boyfriend all summer and I was the very last person in the entire school to know.”

“Well that’s not entirely true,” he said, his eyes filled with the same pity I’d seen in my friends earlier. “I mean I didn’t know.”

“Very funny.”

“I’m just saying, if you’re going to throw out things like ‘entire school’ you just need to be clear.” He was funny and I needed to laugh more than he probably knew.

“Who are you and how did you happen to cross my path today?”

“I am Nicholas Vance Young, Junior, son of Nicholas Vance Young, Senior and Marilyn Louise Atkinson Young. I have one older sister who lives in France and twin cousins who share my birthday. We moved here because of my dad taking over Western Bank, and being the new kid in senior year absolutely sucked until I saw you.” I felt the blush on my cheeks and wondered if he was some sort of angel. “And you are?”

“Monica Louise Simmons.” We both turned as my mother walked in, grinning as if she’d walked in on something. Nick stood up and walked toward her then introduced himself and shook her hand.

“I better get back to class,” he said as he turned back toward me. “Can I call you later?”

“I’d like that.” He nodded and winked. “And thanks again.”

“My pleasure.”

He seemed like an angel, someone God purposely put in all my classes to save me from the pain of being cheated on by the boy I thought was my soulmate. I didn’t know what future was out there for me, for Nick, for me and Nick, but I knew it was a little brighter because he was in it.

#story #short story #love story #writing #creative writing #young adult #ya

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