Page 184 of Not My Type
I take out a dumpling with gravy, pushing it towards him and he shakes his head no. “A your breakfast.”
“But yuh nuh eat yet either, so yuh might as well tek it,” I reason.
“Chicken that b,” he reminds me
“Ohh,” I bite into it. “Yuh couldn’t buy sup’m fi yuhself?”
“Mi nuh wah that,” he says. “Anyways this evening mi a come fi you and Jordane 3 PM so unuh can deal wid unuh thing at the house.”
I smile at him. “Okay.”
“Arite, mami,” he says, and just like that, my face heats up. I turn my eyes to the buildings rushing past the window, pretending they’re way more interesting than him.
I’ve never felt this many butterflies in my stomach. I can’t stop smiling — love niceeee! My thoughts get cut off when he pulls up at the gate. I slide over to kiss him, but then I pull back, laughing. “The chicken in a mi mouth enuh.” He just grins and grabs me back, sucking on my bottom lip like he don’t care one bit. And yeah… I melt.
“You were saying?” he smirks.
After putting my stuff together I got out of the car blowing him a kiss. “Bye... take care, Nickoi.” He nods. “Say yuh promise,” I press.
“Promise is a comfort to a fool mi fadda would a say,” he jokes and I narrow my eyes at him. “But promise.”
I smile. “Good.” I walk off and he toots the horn, enough to get my attention. I look over my shoulder with my arms clinging to my dark brown tote bag.
“Wah yuh wah from mi likkle bwoy?” I ask, walking back to the car.
“Just a say mi did have sup’m fi yuh but yuh get way,” he bites his lip and I roll my eyes.
You hear that? My subconscious laughs.
“Chro,” I blush, walking away and he blows his horn before he drives off.
I was perfectly fine for my two first classes until it’s finally time for the Grade eleven students. Mi always get nervous when a fi dem time. “Good Afternoon students,” I smile as I walk in.
The class is hot—poorly ventilated. Or maybe it’s just overcrowded. I sigh, trying to focus as they greet me. We aren’t reading for today’s class; I’m giving them a test instead to see how far they are and if they are really learning. The room gets so quiet, yuh could hear a pin drop. When the bell finally rings, I ask a student to collect the papers. Once she’s done, I take them and watch as the students file out, their relief almost visible.
“Hey miss,” Mark says, he’s the class clown. I look at him waiting to hear what he’s coming with this time. Everyday him come with something new. Unuh member him from the first time mi step in a the classroom him a look mi?
Him flirt with me everyday like mi and him a size. Him outa orda bad. Him can mind me?
“Hi,” I say, out of respect. Shouldn’t a’ answer this likkle bwoy but we move.
“Yuh nice and thing... yuh nuh single?” he tries again. Excuse me?
“You know I could write you up though?” my brow up, far from impressed. Write him up... see the paper deh Zara.
I take it up. “A just a question mi a’ ask yuh enuh miss mi nah try fi be rude,” he backs out. Sure..
I look at my watch. 2:04 PM. “Go to your next class,” I simply say and he stares at me. If this likkle bwoy nuh leave mi alone, mi a guh write him up.
“A chuu mi see yuh have a hickey pon you neck,” he says surprising me. Mi have a hickey? Jesus Christ. Me feel so embarrassed, how mi fi nuh notice that!? You were hurrying this morning..
“A that’s why mi ask if yuh have a man,” he continues and I grab my pen and start writing. “Miss mi just a say sup’m enuh,” he panicks and I scribble on the paper. He storms out. Like that a guh stop mi.
I leave the room shortly after to report him for flirting with me. The minute I step into the principal’s office and tell them what happened, both the Principal and Mrs. Adams get furious—like, proper proper mad.
“No manners that young man nuh have enuh!” she speaks angrily.
“Yes that’s too far now mon... I’m going to call his parents because clearly that young man nuh understand himself,” the principal says and I stand at the door. I feel so pleased Mrs. Adams announces his name in the intercom just in time to hear a
