Jordan has an eventful first day at High School.
Jordan – The First Day
It had been a long time since anyone had hit me – well outside of competition anyway – so the blow came as somewhat of a surprise. My parents had enrolled me for karate years ago when I was being bullied and it was something that I had taken to; I had the trophies to prove it. No one had dared pick on me since I had broken two of Calvin’s fingers.
The punch was a surprise in so many ways that I was having trouble taking in what had just happened. Firstly its intensity – I had barely felt it – it had taken some time to register that it had even been a punch. Secondly there was the deliverer – the kid was barely my height and no where near my build. He looked terrified. I couldn’t be sure, but I think the kid was about to cry. And the place – the first day at high school, the bell for first Home Room had only just gone, and we had been in the room no more than a minute. Then what the kid had said “Arthur told me to hit you”. I look in the direction the kid was pointing and see a bigger kid bearing down on us.
“You didn’t hit him hard enough. This is how you do it!” growls the bigger kid that I presumed was Arthur.
He draws back his fist to strike, snapping me out of my trance. I give him my best jab to the abdomen. The thud as he hits the floor freezes the rest of the class which up to then had been oblivious to the unfolding drama. All eyes are on me as I place the heel of my shoe on Arthur’s out stretched hand and transfer my weight to that foot.
“You’re hurting me!” Arthur pleads looking up from the floor, his demeanor now taking that of the victim.
Looking Arthur in the eyes and in my calmest voice.
“Nah, I’m not. This is just a friendly warning. If I ever hear that you’ve been picking on people, I will mess you up. Do you understand?”
Arthur, looking pitiful and dumbfounded by the turn of events, says nothing. I transfer some more weight and asked again, this time more forcefully.
“Do. You. Under-stand?”
Arthur finally gets the message.
“Yes! Yes! I get it!”
I release his hand.
“Find a seat before I change my mind.”
Arthur, not needing to be told again, scrabbles for the nearest chair. I survey the rest of the class who were still transfixed by the sudden violent turn of events.
“Don’t just stand there. Find a seat before the teacher arrives.” I was used to giving commands.
There is a rush as everyone tries to sit down at once. I’m not expecting any more trouble.
***
Later in Maths class David passes his workbook across as if to ask me something about a problem.
“The red head opposite is watching us.”
The classroom was arranged so that the tables were in a horse-shoe shape with everyone looking into the middle, and a desk and board at the front for the teacher. This arrangement also had the benefit of being able to sign messages to the other kids when the teacher wasn’t looking.
“I know. Ignore her. We’ll talk to her later.”
The red head – more a strawberry blonde really – and her two friends – a dark brunette and a medium brown – on the other side of the room had been in discussion for some time and it is obvious from their glances that we are the topic of conversation. My mates David and Luke, and myself, liked girls. We weren’t sure what to do with them yet, but we knew we liked them.
At the end of the class we go to leave and find our way blocked by the girls.
“Hi! I’m Suze.” says the red head. “And this is Simone and Lisa.” referring respectively to the medium brown and brunette either side of her. It was clear that Suze was the queen bee of the trio.
“Hi. I’m Jordan. And this is David and Luke.”
I was directly in front of Suze and my gaze took her in. The first thing that I noticed was that she was tall – her eyes were level with mine – and her body was lean with a slim build. She was obviously wearing a bra under her taut school dress – and even more obviously, I had her full attention. From the corner of my eye I could see that Luke and Simone had hit it off; David and Lisa less so.
“What you did was awesome!” gushed Suze. “Arthur is such a dick. He used to pick on everybody at our old school. A real loser.”
This topic of conversation is of no interest to me. As far as I’m concerned, the incident was already forgotten. I keep silent while holding eye contact with Suze. The other boys follow my lead. The lengthening silence brings on some nervous glances among the girls as they try to decide what to do next. I finally break the silence.
Giving them my most charming smile. “You girls look like you’re pretty cool. We’ve found the best place to eat lunch. Come with us.” This provokes a chorus of giggles and coquettish glances from the girls. It was clearly more than they had hoped for.
“Sure!” says Suze somewhat over enthusiastically.
Lunch was a lot of fun as we teased and flirted with the girls. At the bell we all went to our respective classes, but not before the girls had agreed to meet us after school so that we could walk them home.
***
They were waiting at the main gate after the last bell and our approach brings on a fresh round of giggles and glances from them. We are all about to walk off when Suze stops me.
“My mum is going to pick me up. Will you wait with me?”
“Okay. We’ll see you guys tomorrow.”
Watching them walk away I can’t help noticing that Luke is holding Simone’s hand, and David is holding Lisa’s. I’m just thinking that I should be holding Suze’s hand, when she slips her arm through mine and moves in close to me.
“Let’s wait in the park.” she coos in my ear as if the idea has only just occurred to her.
The park was adjacent to the school and during school hours was strictly forbidden, but as school was over for the day, it would not be a problem. We walk arm-in-arm to the park and sit on the bench overlooking the playground. It would have been fun to go for a spin on the round-a-about, but the council had removed it. And we would have been too big for the slide. Before I can suggest the swing, Suze has an idea.
“Let’s play the Truth Game. I’ll start. What was something that you did for which you blamed someone else?”
I laugh. “I’ve never done that.”
“What? Never?”
I shake my head.
“You must have done something bad; at least once.” she says and looks at me doubtfully.
“Oh. I didn’t say I haven’t done bad things; just I’ve never blamed anyone else for it. And isn’t it my turn? What’s the most insane thing you’ve ever done?”
“Got drunk and wrapped my principle’s house in toilet paper for a prank on last day of school. We were so drunk we didn’t care that we also wrote our names in chalk on his driveway.”
I can just see her doing that too. It’s her turn again.
“What’s the most evil thing you’ve ever done?”
“Tied a kid to a tree and left him there.”
She’s shocked. “That’s mean. Why?”
“He was picking on people. I taught him a lesson.”
“And did he get the message?”
“Dun know. Never saw him again. He could still be there for all I know.” He’s not – his family moved interstate.
She goes quite while she takes that in. It’s my turn anyway.
“What would you do with $100?”
“Wow. That’s a lot.” She pauses to think about this. “I would take my Mum and Gran out for a meal somewhere nice for a change.”
So I add “What would you do for $100?”
She gives me a really wicked grin and replies “Anything.”
“Really? Anything?” I say raising my eyebrows.
“Yeah. Who do you want killed?”
I laugh; but in a way I wouldn’t be surprised if she did. I pick a long blade of grass and try to tickle her ear.
“Hey! Stop that.” and she laughs.
“What? I’m not doing anything.” and give her a look of faux innocence; then try to tickle her again.
She leans over and grabs my hand. “I said stop.” but there is excitement in her eyes.
Our faces – only inches apart – eyes locked as we lean in. Lips meet. I smell her perfume – it’s a sort of fruity mix of Granny Smith apples, jasmine and bamboo. Her tongue makes the first tentative advances; mine meets and matches hers. One hand is in her hair; the other at her waist. This feels… amazing.
We had been making out for awhile and my hand on her back had just found her bra strap. I could feel it though the thin material of her school dress and I was just thinking about the implications, when there’s a honk of a car horn. We both look up and there is a women in a car waving at us.
“It’s mum. I’ve got to go.”
She jumps up, grabs her school bag and takes several steps before turning round and hurrying back.
“Thanks for waiting with me.” she says and gives me another quick kiss – with tongue.
She runs over to her mum – who is looking on with a smile – and gets in the car. Suze gives me a wave as they drive away.
Great first day. I wonder how the boys got on?
***
All people, places and events depicted are real, just not in this universe.
© Paul Shipley