Once a week, my class would go to art. Every time Itzel would sit next to the "annoying boys" and talk her heart out. While Ms. Nicholas passed out papers and paintings, they would shove each other and laugh so loud and raucously that Ms. Nicholas had to stop whatever she was doing to go over and shush them. I would sit a table over staring at Wayne with a blazing fire in my throat and my essence of being stone hard with rage. He ticked me off. He ticked all the girls off. I was usually next to Serena or Kate, but one day, after being dismissed to work, Kate went to the asphalt to sit next to Itzel, Wayne, and others acquainted with him. I went with Serena and Jasper to the far back table in the art room and stood, fuming at Wayne for taking away my two best friends. "Next thing I know, Jean will be sitting with him, too. Along with Heather and Jasper, of course, who already likes Brian," I muttered under my breath.

    "What was that?" Shelby Deerings asked in her matter-of-fact voice. "Oh, nothing," I replied, slinking into my chair. "Just that Kate and Itzel always sit with that idiot of a boy, Wayne." Ife leaned closer in her seat, ready for juicy gossip. "Well," I say, "It's just that he always takes my friends away." I knew I was a vain little girl, and thought that the world revolved around me, but I hated that he always sat next to them. It drove me mad. Shelby waved her hand at me like it was a fickle matter. "The best thing to do is to not talk to them." Hearing this, everyone at the table who wasn't paying attention before, looked at me with wide eyes. I sucked in a breath. "Fine. I'll do it," I said. Right when I thought this conversation couldn't lead anywhere worse, Paris piped up, "You owe me a cookie if I see you talking to either of them." Her voice was low and steady, scaring me even more than it should've. I nodded, the easiest way of confirming something without letting others know what you're feeling. 

A few minutes later, when it was time to clean up, I spotted Itzel by the bathrooms, where we were to line up. "Hey," she said, approaching me. I turned away from her. "Did you hear me, Nyako?" she said louder. I started to move away from her silently to the back of the line, but she pulled me suddenly by the waist and dragged me into the bathroom, cupping my mouth with her open hand. She let go and pushed me forward. I cowered into the back of the restroom, taking sanctuary under my arms. Itzel stepped towards me and growled, "What is going on with you, lady?" Her voice was a harsh whisper and I could feel her hot breath on my forehead. I lifted myself up and she backed away. Putting my hands in front of me, I scooted to the exit, but she grabbed me before I could get any closer to the door. A muffled, "help" escaped from my lips as she wrapped her arm around my face. Luckily, Ms. Nicholas heard me and came storming into the bathroom. "What in the name- Itzel! WHAT ARE YOU DOING!?" she roared. Itzel quickly let go of me and stepped backwards. "Ms. Nicholas, I can explain. I was just splashing water on Nyako's face to get some marker off," she replied promptly.    "Yeah!" I said, playing along, "I had gotten a smudge of marker on my nose, and Itzy was just..." 

"What?" snapped Ms. Nicholas, before I could finish. "-rubbing it off with her coat sleeve. See? it's rough!"  I rubbed her coat. In turn, Itzel gave her signature tongue click and flicked a thumbs up. Ms. Nicholas grunted and lead us out the bathroom and into line. Other kids were still chatting, so we weren't noticed and we quickly escaped any more scolding.