Chapter 26: Education
While David and Kayla were busy keeping order in San Fierro, Jessica was trying to get her life in order. She still stripped to make money, and she was starting her first class at night school. She was working towards her GED, and planned to go onto college. She didn't know what she wanted to be yet, she thought of taking criminal justice and a paralegal class. But she also thought of business management, she was stuck on what to take. But one thing is for sure, she wanted better than to be a stripper. She signed up for night school and GED classes at San Fierro Community College, she hadn't told David yet. She was in her bedroom getting dressed and ready to go, she put on her blue skinny jeans, black open toed heels and a halter top. She grabbed her coat and walked out of the bedroom, she walked into the living room and grabbed her house keys. Jessica walked into the kitchen and grabbed a beer out of the fridge, she opened the bottle and chugged the beer. She threw the bottle in the garbage, she then walked out of the house.
She got out if the taxi cab in front of the college building, she walked to the door and entered. The place was empty but lively, there sat rows of chairs against each side of the wall. On the right above a row of chairs was a plasma screen playing elevator music and had stuff about the college displayed over top of the weather forecast. Jessica walked to an open section to the left of the TV, there was an elevator there. She pushed the button and the elevator opened up, she walked in and pushed the 2 button. The elevator door closed and started going up, the elevator made creaking noises as it made it's way upstairs. The elevator stopped and the doors opened, Jessica stepped out and turned left. She walked down the hallway and found her room on the right, she walked in the room. There were a few people there, she looked around at everyone. A young man who looked about 24 looked up at her, he had long black hair and a beard, his arms were covered in tattoo sleeves. Jessica smiled and sat next to him.
The teacher walked in, he was a short balding man who was 46 he wore a white shirt and a green sweater vest, he had giant framed glasses with thick lenses. He wrote his name on the board, his name was Mr. Goldstein, he turned around and looked at his class. "I'm your teacher, this class is less lectures and notes and more about work. You people want your GED you're going to have to study, your packets are on my desk. Grab your packet and do a section, you will do one section each class until the packet is finished. When you are done with your packet, you will do a test on the computer." He said pointing to a line of computers against the wall. "After that you can try for your GED, if you fail you'll have to go back to step one and work your way back to taking the test. You are not children, if you have to go to the bathroom, or go outside to smoke just get up and go." He told the class. They all nodded, Jessica and the rest of the class stood up, they walked to the desk and grabbed their respective packets. Jessica and the long haired boy were the last to grab theirs, they say back down and started working. Jessica made it through half of the math section in ten minutes, she stood up and walked out. The long haired boy followed her.
Jessica walked outside, she grabbed her pack of Redwoods and her lighter out of her coat. She put a cigarette in her mouth and tried to light it, the lighter was dead. "Can I help you with that?" The boy asked flicking his zippo and lighting Jessica's cigarette. She took a drag and exhaled, she smiled at the boy. "Thank you." She told him. "You're welcome cutie." He replied. He lit a cigarette himself and looked at her, he stared up and down at her body. "I'm Cole Tackett, what's your name?" He asked her. "Jessica Springer." Jessica replied. Cole smiled and smoked his cigarette, Jessica looked at him. "So what are you doing here?" She asked him. "Part of my probation, I got to get my GED. Pointless bullshit." Cole replied. "I'm here to get my GED because I want better, I strip for a living and I want something more than just flaunting my body for a paycheck." Jessica told him. "I could tell you were some kind of dancer, you got the body." Cole replied. "You were looking at my body?" She asked him. "You were checking me out too." Cole replied. They finished their cigarettes and walked back inside, they didn't say anything else to each other the rest of the class, but Jessica knew they were attracted to each other.