ABOVE THE INFLUENCE
Week 1
"It's going to be ok. It's going too. It's going to be ok." I tell myself as I walk along the concrete blocks that serve as a sidewalk.
"Gwen? Your not hyperventilating are you?" Stephanie, my best friend, looks at my face with concern. Her coffee eyes staring.
"Nah. Just worried about Knowles's test; that is if I get a test."
"Don't worry. We'll both get one. But we got to hurry to sit in the front." She says grabbing my wrist, and dragging me toward the school. I glance down at her feet, thinking how she can run in those heels. Looking down at my own feet; combat boots.
Lincoln High School. If ever a Hell, this would be it. Broken windows, barely any text books, (if you have one you better hold on to it), horrible plumbing and electricity. However, the worst part about this Hell, is that no one listens. Not to our opinions or voice. No. The teachers only listen to themselves. Except Knowles. He's the only one.
For Me…I can't believe that I been going here for four years. I'm so thankful I'm going to collage next year… if my foster mom, or I can pay for it.
There it is. An enormous brick building. Four windows, space, four windows, ect, until they all go across the front. I count them as we make our way through the blue double doors. Down the bitter hall toward our lockers, I pull my woolen overcoat closer to my body, and ignore the 398 faces around me. Ignoring is the best way to avoid having a conflict, or worst getting a knife thrown on you.
7.2.3. I turn my lock. Click. I quickly grab it and throw it in my pocket before anyone could grab it. Stephanie gives a small chuckle and smiles. (Her lock was stolen yesterday.) I look into the mirror in my locker, and grunt.
I pull my ski hat down further, and mess with the curls in my brunette chest length hair. "Damn."
"Bad hair day?"
"No, there's little circles forming under my eyes." I turn around to face her, pulling the skin down with my finger. She only rolls her eyes "We should get to class." I snatch my social studies book, and slam my locker. One of the hinges comes clashing to the floor. Stephanie smirks, as she puts her compact powder into her skirt pocket.
"Was sup Ladies?" I twirl around and sure enough it's that dim-witted con man Rivers. "Can I interest you in a lock?" He holds out a silver lock with yellow mildew all over it right in front of my face. "We'll say five."
"Five bucks for that contaminated thing. Your joking right?"
"Bargainers. All right. How about two bucks and a date." He whispers to me, as he pulls a hand through his dirty blond hair. At this point, I just want to poke him in his eyes. That would take the shine out of the brown.
"Already have one." I hold my lock in front of his face.
"Oh." Turning from me, he holds it up to Stephanie. "How 'bout you?"
"Don't even tempt me Rivers."
"Come on Step." I grasp her arm, before Rivers could trap us between our lockers. I drag her behind me as we make our way to Knowles's room.
"Want something else? Cell phone, jewelry, pager? RENT TICKETS?" He shouts behind us. Stephanie and I look at each other, rolling our eyes. As we pass Mrs. Reeds's room, I put a hand over my nose to plug out the mold, and mildew smell. The hall is covered with it, but this is where it reeks the most.
Room 13. Sounds like a bad omen doesn't? Whatever.
Thud. I sit in the middle of the first row, a decent place. Not so close to the window where you can freeze your ass off, and not so close to the door that you get sprayed by leaking pipes. Taking out my lock I begin doing the combination over and over.
"This is crap. They think we can get a proper education with these conditions?" Stephanie whines as she slides beside me, picking up her text book.
"Dido. This school is like a circus on crack. Or the clowns in it."
"Will you two shut up?" I twist around in the chair and stare at a mop of cheery hair.
"Lynn you ok?" Raising her hand with rings on all fingers, she sticks up the middle one. I turn back around and mess with my lock again, as people begin to stagger in.
"Ladies." Stephanie nudges my arm as Lester walks in. If there is one person she doesn't like to talk to, it's him. I mean she will, but she rather I do the talking, because she has a huge crush on him.
"Hey Lester."
"Hi." He gives me only a smile, then focuses on Stephanie. "So. Ya know that my basketball game is Friday right."
"Yeah."
"Ya going?"
"Gwen and I."
"Oh. See ya there then? The both of ya?"
"Sure." She grips my hand as Lester makes his way to the third row. "He is so perfect, and looks so much like Usher." She squeals, her face turning rosey.
"I think he can pass as his twin." We both look at each other giggling. Smack! A paper ball hits the back of my head. I open it up. Shut the hell up.
"Good morning. I trust that everyone wore something warm? It's flu season." Mr. Knowles asks as he throws his scratched up leather satchel on the desk covered in graffiti. Sitting on top of it he pushes up his rounded glasses. "Those of you that have text books, please take them out." As if on cue, the trash bag that "was" covering the window for "installation" comes flying off, landing on the people sitting next to it. Tiny snow flakes begin to fill the windowsill. "Damn it. Someone go get the janitor."
"He quit yesterday. Said he was getting sick of the smell." Lester spoke, shielding the cold air with his jacket.
"We can burn some books?" Lynn says raising her head.
"There aren't enough to keep us warm." Stephanie groans, flipping through the pages of her text book. Lynn glimpses at her, then lays her head back down.
"Here's what we'll do. We will have class in the second story library. You can use any books to help you with your test." Knowels shouts over the moans of the class. "If you can find any." He mumbles silently to himself.
So this is what it was like for the rest of the week. Shuffling from classroom to classroom in the bitter cold hallway, having trash bags pop from the windows. Today (Friday), Mr. Davis the science teacher couldn't stand these conditions and quit on the spot, so we got to leave early. At least it would be warm in the gym. All that body heat.
After school was over the bell buzzed, and everyone ran to the gym. Except us. Stephanie had to go "check" herself.
"You think that this bronze matches my chocolate skin?"
"I don't understand. Why are you making a big deal?" I start fixing the blue scarf wrapped around my head.
"Gwen, it's Lester!"
"It's Lester!" I try mimicking her. She only glares at me, then fixes the clip in her jet-black hair. "You look fine. I'll go the gym to get seats." I begin to leave when she yells, "WAIT." Lynn walks past in a hurry as we make our way out the door. She looks awful, like she is going to barf all over herself.
Before the game begins, Principle Armstrong comes out with a microphone. "Students of Lincoln High. Standing next to me is your new patrol officer, Jackson." Indeed there is some bulky figure standing next to him. His head so bald, the lights are shinning off of it. Armstrong keeps blabbing about Jackson and the NYPD. I swear some of the students are falling asleep.
After forever, the game finally starts. The score 2-5 (us winning by 3 thanks to Lester), "Mamma" shows up.
"Gwen. I know you want to stay, but I really need help with the kids. Maybe some other time you can stay for the whole game?" She mumbles playing with a piece of string from her pink wool sweater, then moving toward the curls in her graying black hair. "May I steal her Stephanie honey?"
"Sure Mrs. Cadly." Mamma commits a weak smile to her. A big gap between her teeth. Turning to me," Get what you need this weekend. I'll be in the car." Patting my arm, she tries not to make any noise as she tumbles down the bleachers.