Little Oakland, chapter 3
I sat next to her at lunch. Justin and Stella seemed to be getting along really well. I really wanted to ask her what she meant in english but I didn't. She was laughing. Her laugh was cute, it was all chippy and stuff. I smiled at her. She looked at me and smiled back. She had the most pretty smile ever. Her teeth were really white and perfectly straight. "Do you take band?" Justin asked. I looked at her hoping she would say yes because all 6th graders took band together because not very many people are in band. I've been in band for about 4 years now. She held up one finger to tell us to hold on while she swallowed what was in her mouth. "Yes. Do you guys?" I nodded. I was so happy she took band. That's what class I have next.
***In band***
I walked in between Stella and Justin to the band room. The teacher was sitting at his desk. He was a big guy with a white beard and hair growing from his ears. There was only about 14 kids in the room. "Hello," said the teacher. "I'm Mr. Apperson. I will be teaching band this year. Now, first I will call roll and get you placed in seats according to instruments."
After he called roll, he started getting us in our sections. "Percussion over there," he said as 3 kids got up. "Do I have any trombones in here?" Justin and another boy raised their hands. He pointed to a spot for them to sit. Justin picked up his bag and walked over there. "Flutes?" 3 girls and 2 boys raised their hands. They sat where they needed to." Any clarinets?" Stella and another girl raised their hands. I could picture Stella playing clarinet. "Trumpets?" Nobody raised there hands. The only people not in sections were me, a really mean looking girl, and a boy who looked really dumb. "Skay saxes?" Me and the other two rasied our hands. We got seated and Mr. Apperson started talking. "I will not tolerate any misbehavior. My percussionists, you will have have to learn everything, not just drums." I stopped paying attention after that. I looked over at the clarinet section. From the way we were seated, I could only see the side of her face. She had a clear complexion which was weird because most girls had pimples. I stared at her during that whole class.
*** after class***
Band was my last class so me, Justin, and Stella walked to the busses. We climbed the stairs of the bus and I sat next to Stella while Justin sat behind us. It was real quiet. I wanted to say somthing but I couldn't think of anything. She got off four stops later and mine was next. Her neighborhood was right next to mine. In fact, if I went through the woods at the end of my street, I'd be in her neighborhood. "Bye Trevor. Bye Justin," she said.
"Bye," Justin replied. I waved. When we got to my stop, I got off and started walking home. I was thinking of Stella. She was so pretty and stuff. She was smart, polite, sweet, funny, and cool. Just my type. Whoa, I didnt know I even had a type.
***At home**
When I got home mom wasnt there. I wasn't surprised. Ever since my mom and dad broke up, my mom worked two jobs and worked late lots of nights. I walked through the kitchen, grabbing a cherry coke and then headed upstairs to my room. I flopped onto my bed. Stella came to my mind. Her long brown hair and beautiful smile. I shook the thought off my mind and started playing Tony Hawk's American Wasteland on my GameCube.
After about 30 minutes of that, I decided I'd go outside and play basketball. I picked up my glow-in-the-dark basketball and walked outside. I shot and it hit the backboard and missed. I shot again and made it. "Swish," I said smiling. I shot again and made it. I shot another and made it. By the time my mom got home and said dinner was ready, I had made 22 times and missed 26. I had thought about Stella the whole time. I thought about her at dinner too. And while I was watching Family Guy. And while I was taking a shower. And while I was in bed. Then I dreamed about her.
I dreamt I was walking and she came up and hugged me. That was the dream. Us hugging. And when I woke up, the more I thought about it, the more I wanted it to come true.
***In band***
I walked in between Stella and Justin to the band room. The teacher was sitting at his desk. He was a big guy with a white beard and hair growing from his ears. There was only about 14 kids in the room. "Hello," said the teacher. "I'm Mr. Apperson. I will be teaching band this year. Now, first I will call roll and get you placed in seats according to instruments."
After he called roll, he started getting us in our sections. "Percussion over there," he said as 3 kids got up. "Do I have any trombones in here?" Justin and another boy raised their hands. He pointed to a spot for them to sit. Justin picked up his bag and walked over there. "Flutes?" 3 girls and 2 boys raised their hands. They sat where they needed to." Any clarinets?" Stella and another girl raised their hands. I could picture Stella playing clarinet. "Trumpets?" Nobody raised there hands. The only people not in sections were me, a really mean looking girl, and a boy who looked really dumb. "Skay saxes?" Me and the other two rasied our hands. We got seated and Mr. Apperson started talking. "I will not tolerate any misbehavior. My percussionists, you will have have to learn everything, not just drums." I stopped paying attention after that. I looked over at the clarinet section. From the way we were seated, I could only see the side of her face. She had a clear complexion which was weird because most girls had pimples. I stared at her during that whole class.
*** after class***
Band was my last class so me, Justin, and Stella walked to the busses. We climbed the stairs of the bus and I sat next to Stella while Justin sat behind us. It was real quiet. I wanted to say somthing but I couldn't think of anything. She got off four stops later and mine was next. Her neighborhood was right next to mine. In fact, if I went through the woods at the end of my street, I'd be in her neighborhood. "Bye Trevor. Bye Justin," she said.
"Bye," Justin replied. I waved. When we got to my stop, I got off and started walking home. I was thinking of Stella. She was so pretty and stuff. She was smart, polite, sweet, funny, and cool. Just my type. Whoa, I didnt know I even had a type.
***At home**
When I got home mom wasnt there. I wasn't surprised. Ever since my mom and dad broke up, my mom worked two jobs and worked late lots of nights. I walked through the kitchen, grabbing a cherry coke and then headed upstairs to my room. I flopped onto my bed. Stella came to my mind. Her long brown hair and beautiful smile. I shook the thought off my mind and started playing Tony Hawk's American Wasteland on my GameCube.
After about 30 minutes of that, I decided I'd go outside and play basketball. I picked up my glow-in-the-dark basketball and walked outside. I shot and it hit the backboard and missed. I shot again and made it. "Swish," I said smiling. I shot again and made it. I shot another and made it. By the time my mom got home and said dinner was ready, I had made 22 times and missed 26. I had thought about Stella the whole time. I thought about her at dinner too. And while I was watching Family Guy. And while I was taking a shower. And while I was in bed. Then I dreamed about her.
I dreamt I was walking and she came up and hugged me. That was the dream. Us hugging. And when I woke up, the more I thought about it, the more I wanted it to come true.
