This is part 4 of the Fox Lane series. I am different somehow. I don't know what it is. I feel like I have a purpose and know exactly what needs to be done next. I get off the school bus and walk through the commons to see Patty waiting for me. No sweat I think because I expected this. She comes walking up to me and goes to kiss me. I don't move and don't kiss back. She says "I was worried about you, I called everyday but either unc or your mother said you weren't feeling well. Is that true? Or did you just not want to talk to me?" I look her straight in the eyes and my heart slows as I get relaxed. Dropping my gaze and tilting my head I say "You know? I don't think that's any of your business anymore. Look you're a senior and I'm a freshman. Different worlds, different friends why don't you just go back to yours and leave me to mine. No harm no foul." Looking shocked and hurt she started to cry and reaches out for me to hold her. I back up putting my hands in front to keep her from getting close to me. Patty stomps her foot and says loudly "What, you never made a mistake? Come on, I'm sorry o.k.?" I see John coming up behind her and wave him off. To which he shrugs and points to her. I put my palm out and make a stopping motion. Patty turns around and says "Oh great, One of your loser friends to help you lick your wounds? Poor baby! " Turning to John she says "Would you mind?" John put his hands in the air and says " Yo Shultz, Dump this troll and lets roll." He turns walking away and Patty grabs me and pulls me to her saying " What? You want me to beg? " I push her off me and say "Look, I have more important things to do than to argue over anything you have to say. So listen It's the last time I'm going to talk to you. I have to move on for me. It's not about you anymore. So good bye I don't want to be friends, part time lovers or even pen pals. You and me are over for ever. Don't call me, follow me or even think of going near the bowling alley. I warned you. Now I gotta go to class." Patty sniffling say " I know your classes and this isn't over. You love me . I know you do. So don't and try to pretend you don't just cause your feelings got a little hurt.. I 'll be seeing you." I turn and walk away thinking about gymnastics and how much I like it. After biology I see Patty waiting outside for me and I walk by her not saying a word. She follows me for the rest of the day and I'm starting to weaken. I know an instant cure for this. I go outside and around the back of the school to where the smoking area is and just stand there . I Know it won't take long for my plan to work. Some tough guy named Eric Wilsey comes up to me and pushes me hard in my chest saying " Yo freshman meat scram before I take you apart. Stupid punk!" Instead I walk up to him and pop his cigarettes out from his shirt pocket with a little under tap and catch them. I take one out and put it in my mouth and toss them back to him. I say " You don't remember me do you?" Grabbing me he says "No lunch meat refresh my memory as I'm kick your ass." Ducking out from his grip I say " Yo Eric! Your brother said you're cool and help out friends of the Banks clan. I'm Jody, I came out here to get away from this girl who won't leave me alone." Eric squints wondering if I'm telling the truth. I knew the name Banks would grab this bad asses attention. I look over at this girl I have in study hall named Maria and say "Maria, can get a light?" Pulling it out of her bag she tosses me a zippo with an American eagle on top of the flag. I catch it and do the trick Gary Roberts taught me. I take the lighter and hold in my left hand with the eagle facing away. My thumb is on the bottom and my index and middle finger on top. Like snapping my fingers the zippo twists and opens with a clink. With my right hand I toss the the cigarette in my mouth while fanning the flint wheel to light it. I tilt my head and light the cigarette and flick the zippo closed all in one motion. I take a deep drag praying not to choke and start coughing. Hold it in and exhale blowing smoke rings. With the last little bit of smoke I blow a stream through the rings. Lobbing the zippo in the air at Maria I say " Yo Maria heads up" she catches it but with both hands a bit awkwardly. I say "Thanks" She nods. Eric still staring at me says "Why shouldn't I kick your ass?' I say "No particular reason I can think of really. I needed a place to go to get away from Patty." Tipping his chin at me he says " Patty who?" I say "Some senior broad that's playing mind games with me. I figured instead of having my shit all wrenched up again, I would come out here and hang in the one place I know she wouldn't come." Crossing his arms, he takes a small step to spread his legs an"d says "You're damn right she ain't. Yo kid you got any money we're going on a beer run" I say Your welcome to what I got. You'd just take it anyway. Wilsey holds his hand out while I reach and give him the $2.35 I have in my pocket. He goes to grab it and an arm shoots out grabbing Erics wrist twisting it behind him and with a quick shove with the other arm. Pushing his face against the wall John Lawler says " Whose smoking area is this Wilsey?" before he can answer John throws him to the ground saying "You riding on your brothers rep and he ain't backing you. Isn't that right Eric?" Wilsey looks at him and nods. "He also owes me for fixing the carberator on that foreign piece of shit he drives. So I think instead,you gonna pay me the $175. That alright with you? Because if you want to negotiate nows the time." Wilsey gets up and hands John the wallet that's on a chain. John pulls real hard snapping a belt loop of his pants. John says "I'll just hold on to this until we square." Turning his head to me he smiles the biggest grin I've seen from him. Not that I see him grin a lot. I take the cigarette and offer it to him. He slaps it out of my hand and grabs me throwing me sideways. As I stumble he kicks me in the ass and I go down hard smacking the asphalt with my forearms and face. I scramble to get up to run as he strutting towards me. I'm really scared shitless because of the look I see in his eyes. I stop and surrender.I keep my head down and he grabs my left hand and slaps something in my palm saying There's $4 there 2 are mine get me Camels and bring them to practice or else. Don't make me come looking for you. You wouldn't like that, now go." As I walk away he kicks me hard in my ass lifting me off the ground. I go around to the lunch entrance and go back inside to a sea of people who are definitely not freshman. I turn to go out and am grabbed again. This time by Todd Reed who if I would describe him would say he looks like Sargent Carter from Gomer Pyle. Anyway he pulls me close and says in a sarcastic happy voice " Helllllooo wit. Now which one are you 1/4 or 1/2 ?" Thinking holy shit her we go again I say " Neither , what do you want?" Dropping his smile he pulls me so close to his face I can see his pores and feel the heat coming off of him. He says "I know you didn't just back talk me. You weren't back talking me were you wit? Besides where the hell have you been? Your brother wit has been playing dodge ball all alone. I'll deal with you at practice Don't even think of skipping out. Now get the hell out of here. this is the upper classmans cafeteria. He pushes me hard and I fall into this girl she say" Hey what's your problem?" I say " Look I'm sorry I was just leaving ."She makes a face and says " Jeez what a nerve a freaking freshman talking to me and touches me. eeyuckk!!" I double step it to the door and hear my name " Jody, I've been looking for you." I turn to see Patty all smile and giggles like nothing ever happened. She says " You're not allowed in here, come on I'll walk out with you." I step back and trip falling into somebodys' leg. All of a sudden I feel hands on me, big black hands. I get yanked up off the ground and carried through the door and thrown into the hall. Sliding on the polished tile I look up to see Mr. Mergardt. He bends down and gives me a hand saying " We missed you at practice the last 2 days. Miss 1 more and don't bother coming anymore." Brrrrrrrring I hear the bell. Time to go to English with my favorite teacher Mr. Plessinger. We're studying Shakespeare. The Merchant of Venice to be more accurate. I hear "Shultz would you be so kind to give us an example of iambic petameter?" Completely adrift I can hear him but it takes a moment for me to answer. I am tired of being pushed, yanked, threatened and stalked. I say in my best exaggerated Brooklyn accent " Shoe waa(sure) Missta pee (Mr. p)" The following will be phonetic so do yor best to keep up." It woot to be an absolute pri- vah-lidge" He responds while the class is laughing. " O.k. wise guy come to the front of the class and recite a passage from memory." I say again in the accent " Yo Ime ona my way holda youra horsies." Thinking quickly, the perfect passage comes to mind. I say "Hey youwa ready or a what?" He smiles and says " Proceed".k. yuz the followin be an sample of it. " I cough clearing my throat and getting ready. Holding up 1 finger for every 2 syllables I say " In Sooth-I know- not why- I am- so sad. Tada." I bow and everyone applauds. I go to sit down and Mr. Plessinger says " Well played Shultz. Yes that was an excellent example of iambic pentameter while simultaneously being both sarcastic and witty. Tell us Jody, just how do you do it? Don't answer it was rhetorical "Brrrrrrrring! Over the bell he say read act 2 for tomorrow." I walk out to find Patty waiting against the lockers. In as big gestures as I can make. People turn to watch. I yell "Can't you see I'm not interested.? I 'm a freshman you're a senior move on!!" She turned and left I never saw her again. I did hear things , but that's a different story. I went to practice and was ignored by everyone except Lawler. Lawler!Oh Shit! I forgot the cigarettes. Part 5 tomorrow Thanks Jody
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