Run

Where your real friends at?...

Tahari

Benjamin Franklin High School
2001 Leon C. Simon Drive
New Orleans, Louisiana 70122

AP Calculus II

3:30 pm...

The final bell rang and with that my classmates gathered their belongings and dispersed into the crowded halls, tuning out the reminder that Mr. Robinson was giving on our homework assignment. I heard him loud and clear amongst the uproar that was going on in the hallway and the small chatter that was going on with a few of my classmates who weren't quick to leave the classroom. I gathered my belongings before sliding out of my seat. I stood to my feet and swung the strap of my purse over my shoulder before resting my floral binder and calculus book against my chest. As I walked the the now empty classroom aside from Mr. Robinson who was dry erasing the board, I spoke. "See you tomorrow Mr. Robinson, enjoy the rest of your day.", I cooed and with that he slightly turned around and smiled.

"Thank you Ms. Campbell, I hope the same for you. See you tomorrow.", he said in response and with that I opened the classroom door and made my way into the hallway.

Tuning out my surroundings, I made my way to my locker. I did my combination and opened it. I set my books and purse inside as I grabbed my denim jacket. As I put it on, I couldn't help but see Briana talking amongst a few girls, the few who always made fun of me. The same ones she claimed to dislike because of the way that they would treat me, the ones she has become close friends with once she became intimate with Devin. She appeared to be so comfortable with conversing with the bunch. I brought my attention back onto what I was doing. I grabbed my purse, my floral binder and my calculus book before closing my locker. I swung the strap over my shoulder before making my way over towards Briana and her friends. Briana had gotten upset with me early this morning and before I could state my peace, she ended the conversation and walked away. I searched for her in between classes and lunch period but she was nowhere to be found. I texted her as well but I figured that she was ignoring me.

As I walked over to the group, they were in depth with their conversation. Laugher was brewing and as I approached them, my heart sunk into the pit of my stomach once the smiles that once covered their small faces slowly but surely disappeared. The conversation that they were having came to a complete halt as the girls sized me up. Briana on the other hand had given me such a gaze that made me even more uncomfortable than the lingering stares from the girls who made the bunch. I pressed my lips together before speaking. "Hello everyone.", I greeted, some responded nonchalantly and some didn't speak at all. I tucked my lips due to the awkwardness amongst the bunch. The tension in the bubble seemed to be so thick that you could cut it with a knife. Placing my full attention on Briana as the others burned a hole into my face, I spoke. "Hey, do you have a minute? There was a misunderstanding this morning and I wanted to state my peace.", I spoke softly trying to ignore the snide stares.

She folded her arms. "I don't have a minute, we were discussing something at the moment but I'll talk to you when I can.", she said in an indignant tone.

One of the girls rolled their eyes before flipping her hair over her shoulders. She gazed at me with slightly furrowed eyebrows. "Could you move along, you said what you had to say. We need to finish what we were talking about.", she said snidely as the rest gazed at me.

I turned and walked away from the bunch. I didn't understand what that was about but I did sense more than animosity. I walked the hallway as embarrassment flushed my being. Once I made it to the exit, I walked to the bus and boarded it with my peers. I took a seat and slid towards the window. I leaned on it as I gazed out of it and watched other students board their buses. After a while of waiting for the bus students to get on, the buses were off. As the buses aligned slowly, I couldn't help but see Briana and her friends walking through the student parking lot towards a SUV, conversing and laughing like there was no tomorrow.