Teenage Crime

Chapter 3 - Curiosity Killed the Cat

I sat in class wondering whatever Rachel meant about him being involved in teenage crime. The title itself just sounds like a group of elder people having hatred for teenagers just simply being teenagers.

"Have you ever read Animal Farm?" Rachel questioned me.

I snapped back to reality and turned to face her. Her eyebrows lifted as she waited for a reply. She was starting to look so familiar. All of these people are starting to look familiar. But that didn't make any sense. Am I going crazy?

"Yeah. Um, It totally hits the spot with the Totalitarianism allegory." I answered, clearing my throat.

She studied me for a minute before nodding and going back to filling out a worksheet. My eyes wandered around the classroom before settling on a Gandhi poster.

"So Rachel, I see you've met Virginia." Bartie appeared with his hands on my shoulders.

Rachel rolled her eyes and turned to face him. My face began to burn at the contact of skin.

"Leave her alone, Bartie. You cause enough trouble as it is." She hissed.

"Give it a break, Rachel." His dark eyes narrowed.

The bell interrupted their argument. I don't know if I was relieved or sad. I shrugged it off as I packed my bag. Bartie grabbed my arm and locked it with his.

"Wait, Rachel!" I called behind me as I tried to escape his grasp.

He refused to let go of my arm and eventually pulled me out of the classroom.

"It's time for lunch." He smiled down at me.

"But Rachel.." I repeated.

He simply shook his head. Humming a tune as he grinned, staring at the hallway in front of them. I stared at his face trying to analyze it. There was so much I wanted to ask him but I didn't know how.

"You can sit with us, this isn't like mean girls. But first we must go get lunch!" He looked back at me as we entered the cafeteria.

I followed him to the lunch line and observed my surroundings. I settled on a salad with juice for lunch.

"Follow me." He called over his shoulder.

I paused once I realized who he was referring to. It was the kids from the bus stop. Bartie realized I wasn't following him and walked back to me.

"C'monn." He stretched the N.

I reluctantly let him pull me to the table.

"Associates, We have a new addition to the table." He made a lopsided smile at them.

They eyed me before Kuki pulled a chair away from the table to let me sit.

"You can sit here, Virginia." She patted the empty chair next to her.

Her smile was inviting but I just couldn't bring myself to sit down. She seemed genuinely sweet but I just couldn't trust it.

"No no, you don't have to do that. I'll find another place to sit." I stuttered, back tracking.

"It's fine! Come sit." Kuki went on before she lifted up her fork full of grapes and placed it in her mouth.

I glanced at Bartie, who seemed to be studying me intensely. I cleared my throat and slowly sat down next to Kuki. She smiled hugely at me. I shot a lip tight smile back at her. I looked around and behind me trying to spot Rachel. I felt horrible for leaving her, but I had no control. Or maybe I did..

"So Virginia, where did you use to go to school at?" The dark skinned girl, whose name I believe is Abby, asked me.

I turned my head to look back at the table and smiled at her.

"In New York." I answered.

The look in her eyes said that she already knew that. But how is that even possible?

"What part of New York?" She furthered.

"Upper East Side of Manhattan." I took a bite of my salad.

"What about you, have you lived here your entire lives?" I now questioned them, with a slightly raised eyebrow.

It was my attempt to draw the attention away from me. I hated being the center of attention.

"I use to live in Australia, but that was years ago." The messy blond haired boy informed me.

It was noticeable that was his culture. He spoke with a strong accent.

"And no, I didn't have a Kangaroo as a pet." He added on staring directly at me.

"I didn't think you did..?" I raised an eyebrow confused.

Abby shook her head and slapped the boy on his arm.

"Abby thinks you are just a fool." She rolled her eyes.

I let out a little laugh at her actions but remained silent. The rest of lunch gradually went on. I was lost in my thoughts when the bell rung. The crowds of kids rushed to get to their next class through the glass double doors.

"I'm guessing your next class is Civics." Bartie looked down at me.

I nodded my head slowly and paused for a moment. Here goes nothing ...

"Bartie?"

"Hmm?"

"What's teenage crime?" I let the words slip off my lips.

He stopped in his tracks and turned around the face me. His eyebrows knitted together as he studied me.

"We have to get to class, Virginia. Don't want to be late on your first day." He changed to subject, lacing our fingers together.

He completely ignored my question and changed the subject. My mouth gaped a bit but I followed him. If anything I didn't want to be late to class. I sped up my pace to keep up with him. He didn't look at me the rest of the short walk to Civics. I couldn't tell if he was mad or aggravated. I also couldn't tell why it was bothering me so much.

"Take a seat everyone." A middle aged man ordered, his back facing the class as everyone walked in.

From the degrees on the wall his name had to be Mr. Zungia Bartie grabbed my hand and lead me to two desk pushed together in the back. He sat down and gestured to me to sit down next to him. I hesitated but against my better judgement, I sat down. The teacher turned around and stood up from his desk chair.

"Today we will be continuing last week's topic of Civil Rights." He spoke sharply, flashing a quick smile.

Groans of complaints filled the room. It was pretty obvious no one was interested in the topic. It surprised me actually; Every citizen should know their rights. I took the class last year at Constance Billard School for Girls. It was located on the Upper East Side of Manhattan, where I used to live. It was a pretty boring class but it was an easy A.

"But Mr. Z that's the most boring topic!" A boy from the left side called out.

The teacher simply chuckled and grinned at him.

"I know you think that right now as a Sophomore in high school, but soon you'll understand why they are very important." He tapped his pen on the desk.

"Civil Rights have no value once teenage crime is involved." A ditzy blonde girl stated, raising an eyebrow at the teacher.

The class went silent immediately. It was the quietest I've heard the school since I had gotten there. I glanced over at Bartie to see what his reaction was to find that his eyes had darkened. The soft brown now cold and dangerous.

Mr. Zuniga sighed before speaking, "Teenage crime is a very controversial topic that I do not get paid enough to discuss with you. Crimes are crimes."

I watched Bartie exchange glances with a black haired boy named Patton who was sitting with Fanny. Oh God, was he in it too? What about Fanny? Her too? My head was beginning to hurt. I pressed the palm of my hand against my forehead.

"Hey, are you alright?" Bartie placed a hand on my shoulder.

Concern filled his voice but I shook his hand off. I snapped my head up and narrowed my eyes at him.

"Why won't you tell me if you know anything about teenage crime?" I hissed.

He looked taken back by my sudden outburst. He opened his mouth to speak but closed it again.

"Virginia. Ah yes, the new girl. Could you tell us what the 19th amendment is?" The teacher called both of them back to reality.

"The 19th amendment prohibits the denial of voting based on sex. Basically, they can't tell a girl she can't vote." I answered without missing a beat.

The teacher seemed impressed. Guess that expensive private school education actually paid off.

"You are correct." He spoke, beginning to write it on the board behind him.

Majority of the class looked back at me and studied me.

"Alright Bartie, you got you a smart one." A boy with messy hair smirked and laughed with his friends.

"Shut up." Bartie hissed and gripped the side of the desk on one side so hard his hand began to turn a ghostly white.

I grabbed the hand and pulled it away from the desk, taking it in my own. I studied his face as he turned towards me. He sighed and relaxed his muscles. By then the class had turned back around to face the front.

"Thanks." He muttered burying his head in his hands.

I stared at him before turning my attention to the teacher. I listened to the lesson for 30 minutes before Bartie picked up his head and turned to me. I waited a minute before meeting his gaze.

"Either you tell me about how teenage crime or I'll go ask him." I pointed to the boy who had made the comment about me earlier.

Bartie looked into my eyes for a few seconds before sighing in defeat.

"You have biology next right?" He rubbed his eye.

I nodded reluctantly and waited. He tapped on the desk before continuing.

"After biology we're going to walk to a nearby ice cream place where I am going to explain to you what it is. Alright?" He looked exasperated.

"Alright. I'll tell my parents I'll be home a little late." I agreed.

We resumed what we were doing before. But my mind began to wonder about what was going to happen after school. If you would have asked me two weeks ago to go eat ice cream with a boy she met 8 hours ago who is supposedly involved in crime, I would have ran away. However now I just can't stop. I had to figure it out. Even if it meant eating ice cream with a delinquent.