Chapter 5: Miss Johnson

Chapter 5: Miss Johnson

"So did you get the–"

"Nope. Rejected me for the seventh time man."

"Damn. That's cold." 

"Yeah, but it's cool. Pretty sure the next one will–"

"That's what you said last time Marcus. And the time before that–" Devon settled into his seat just behind Marcus's. 

"Yeah well it's not like I can be for sure whether or not a platform is gonna accept it. They all have shitty standards." He brought out his books and laid them on his desk.

"Yeah, well after seven tries bro, don't you think the problem isn't the sites?"

"And what's that supposed to mea–"

"Hey guys!" A cheery voice echoed, just beside Devon. Her bob hairstyle drawn back behind her ears were complimented by her intriguing set of blue eyes. She worked those "cat-like" set of glasses, and though she didn't look or dress like a nerd, hanging around with Devon and Marcus was nerd gang territory. It was GIA certified. She was one of them.

"Oh, sup Alicia?"

"Hey Pretty lady" Marcus said, just glancing at her for a second, then turning his attention back to Devon. "Come on, explain yourself. What do you mean by 'don’t you think the problem isn't the sites'?"

"He got rejected again?"

"Seventh time too"

"Okay are you taking his side on this Alicia?" He finally stared at her for longer than a second. 

"What? I just came. I don't even know what 'his side' is."

"Oh, I see, you two planned this who–"

"Settle down now students. Everybody settle down." A stressed-looking teacher dragged himself into the side talk-filled class. Obviously though, telling a group of seventeen and eighteen-year-olds to settle down and expecting them to actually listen was a daft decision. But he didn't care, he went on anyway. 

"So, before we start with today's activities, I want to first introduce a new student to grade 11." Still nobody paid him or whatever he was saying any attention.

"Yeah, just act like I’m not here” he said, noticing absolutely no one was paying him attention. “Umm… Miss Johnson, you can come in now."

"Johnson?" Marcus's attention immediately turned to the character about to walk through the door. His day had already been crazy enough. "Please let it not be her. Please let it not be her" he thought to himself.

Her dyed yellow and black hair was plaited to perfection and dropped just beneath her shoulders. Her lips had no lipstick on, but damn did they steal the show anyway. Her fluttery red eyes complimented by her red sweater was, although simple, made her look like she was the epitome of fashion. She had on dark, tight pants, and her cute little bum was very, very intriguing. If you were juggling fire with a crying baby by your side, and a green-eyed model holding that baby, I dare to say you still wouldn’t be able to draw attention like she was drawing. 

"Ah fuck."

"Class, meet your newest member. Could you do the honors?" He said, still stressed, but forcing a polite tone out of himself anyway. 

Now the whole class that was previously rowdy was now completely overcome by a blanket of silence. Why wouldn't it be? She was beautiful. And if you weren't keeping quiet out of jealousy, then the intrigue would shut you up in a second. 

"Umm Hi. I'm Vanessa. Vanessa Johnson. It's nice to meet you. All of you. Looking forward to spending the best of spring with you guys" she said, with that never-ceasing smile of hers.

"Oh brother" Marcus muttered under his breath. 

"You know her?" Devon whispered.

"Yeah, she's my … um… it's complicated." He couldn't see it. None of them could, but the demeanor of jealousy Alicia had on, was literally palpable. However, she couldn't expose that. At least not right now. It'd make her seem like a cunt or something. 

"Hey there's a free seat here" a voice echoed from the back.

"No here" another voice said, after shoving a student off her seat. 

"Heyyyy!"

The teacher just walked out of the class. “They don’t pay me enough for this shit” he said.

The whole class was now locked in conundrum. Everybody was vying for a spot to seat next to this Aphrodite, but one by one, they were all shut down politely but firmly. 

"No thank you. I don't like sitting in front. I'd much rather be a little forward. I'm claustrophobic." Whose heart didn't she break after just a couple minutes in class.

After the tension and dispute finally settled around where she would sit and who'd be sitting beside her, she finally took her seat, and it was pretty obvious who she was sitting beside. "Hey Marcus" she smiled, Marcus trying his best not to look into her eyes. 

"Hey Vanessa, didn't know you were transferring here."

"Yeah, I was planning on telling you before you dashed out of the house."

"The house?" Alicia thought to herself. "What the fuck?" 

"Hey there" Devon said from the back. 

"Um Hi" she politely replied, turning to the formally dressed 5'9. As soon as their eyes met, he felt his heart skip a beat. 

"I'm Devon. Nice to meet you" he stretched out his shaking hands out for a handshake. 

"Nice to meet you Devon" she shook his hands, and damn her hands were so soft. 

"And umm yeah, that's Alicia" Marcus pointed to the female seated just behind Vanessa. 

"Hey."

"Hi" 

Shortest Convo ever.

"You've become quite the celebrity already" Marcus pointed out the entire class staring at the three geeks who, with Vanessa's addition, suddenly became instant celebrities. The cool celebrities this time. 

"Yeah I guess so" she smiled. "Looks like a pretty cool school too" she finally turned, facing her front. Much to Alicia's relief. 

"Well you've only been here like five minutes."

"Wouldn't judge Phoenix High so quickly if I were you." Devon added.

"Really? Well maybe you can give me a tour of the school sometime." His heart sunk to his stomach faster than an anchor in shallow waters. 

"Umm…yeah…sure" he managed to stutter. 

"Oh, give me a break" Alicia muttered to herself. 

After a couple minutes of silence, and still no teacher in class, Marcus piped up. "So, is it arts or sciences?"

"Huh?" She turned, facing him once again, making him shudder a little.

"Umm like. Are you an Arts or Sc–"

"Commercial."

"Oh… just like your mom, I suppose?"

"Exactly. Exactly like my m–" she'd barely finished her sentence, when a rumpled paper suddenly fell on her desk. 

"Oh brother. Here we go again" Marcus said, and Vanessa heard it.

"What?" She said with an innocent smile, as she picked up the paper and start unraveling it. "Wouldn't hurt to just–"

Immediately she opened the letter, its contents were way to detailed to describe. The "I fell for you the second I saw's" the "You’re very’s", damn the shit was steamy, and Marcus knew all too well about it. Wasn't the first time it was happening. Similar story when they were classmates back in grade seven. 

From the look on her face, Vanessa wasn't bothered the slightest bit. In fact, she seemed to like it. And when she turned back to see who wrote it, Marcus doing so to, the character waving in the back was an all too familiar face. 

"Oh Great. Jeff Meyers."