Jane Hansen's Story

Jane was just starting a new school, which didn't bug her, as her dad has just getting his own church, finally. She walked through the halls, looking at her schedule, and trying to find her next class. usually, she was really good at maneuvering through strange places, but this school was much bigger than her last one, and she was really confused and lost. As she looked for her next room, she sighed, running her hand through her hair.

As Jane looked around, she saw another girl, a pretty blonde with blue-ish eyes. She walked up to her, holding out her schedule. "Hi...I don't mean to bug you, but I'm new, and I don't exactly know where I'm supposed to go. I'm looking for room...E18, and I can't really seem to...find it," Jane sighed again, fixing her skirt and her bangs. "I'm really sorry, I don't mean to be a bother..." Jane was really bad at meeting new people, and she always felt weird asking people for help.

The last time Jane had moved schools, she had asked another girl how to get to her room, and the girl had made fun of her skirt and her cross that always hung around her next, and she had had to be home schooled because no one had stopped picking on her. Jane was sensitive, and most people took advantage of that. The bell rang, and Jane jumped. "Oh, I'm so sorry! Now I made you late, too..." Jane looked down at her schedule, and shook her head. "I'm sorry, I'll take the blame for you being late," She tried a small smile, but she was sure she just looked scared.

Samantha heard a voice behind her. A voice she didn't recognize. She turned and saw a pretty blonde girl standing behind her. She was wearing a skirt and a cross around her neck. She spoke about how she was new and she seemed extremely nervous. Samantha smiles at her. She remembered being the new girl. Although, this wasn't since about third grade, but she still knew how it felt. In any case, she could tell the girl needed help even before she asked. And she was so apologetic.

The bell rang.
"Oh, I'm so sorry! Now I made you late, too...I'm sorry, I'll take the blame for you being late,. The girl said. Even though she smiled, Samantha could see the fear and nervousness in her eyes. She smiles sweetly, waving Jane in her direction.
"It's fine. Mr. Landry won't mind that we're late. He's always a few minutes late to his classes anyway." she gives a slight wink to make Jane more comfortable, "Come on, E18 is Mr. Landry's English Class. I'll show you the way. Oh! And my name's Samantha. Everyone just calls me Sam for short." She tilts her head in the direction of the next class, her favorite class, so Jane will follow.

Jane smiled gratefully. "Thank you so muh," se said, looking to where she tilted her head. She walked toward the room, keeping Sam's pace. "So how long have you been at this school?" Jane asked, looking around the halls for the correct room number. She was impressed by the size of the school, even if she was also intimidated. He school was beautifully built, and, she assumed, easy to get around once you knew your way.

Jane looked up from te numbers and saw a handsome hot with dark hair walking down the hall. She smiled shyly at him as he cough her watching him. "Hey, Sam, who's that?" Jane asked once the boy was out of earshot. He had intrigued by te boy with dark hair and olive skin.

"Hey Sam, who's that?" She heard Jane ask her. Following her gaze, she noticed Ryan Lang. Samantha sighs.
"Oh, that's Ryan Lang." she said, "Resident bad-boy. He's actually 19 and a senior. He got held back last year for missing so much school. He's pretty big into drugs and alcohol so...I'd be careful if I were you."

The twp continued walking and Samantha slipped into Eric's class, seeing that he still hadn't shown up. Part of her began to worry where he is and if he were alright like any girlfriend would. The other half, however was staying calm and waiting as to not give anything away.

Addison stayed quiet, waiting until his friend was out of ear shot, before mumbling "You really like to torture me don't you?" Letting out a sigh, he watched the late students walk their way to classes, and to get late slips. But the real question for Addison now was, did he really want to go to class?

Walking up to the doors, he walked in, enjoying the bit of quiet there was from classes going on as he went to his locker. Sliding his guitar off his back, he rested it against the locket next to his as he grabbed his lock, unlocking it with the keys in his pocket. Opening the slender door, he threw his books on the top shelf. Just like any teen, his locker door was decorated. Mostly band logo's, and magazine girls, but underneath the clippings if you looked, you could see a hidden picture of Gabe and himself at a party a few years ago. He could hear foot steps in the same hall as his, looking up to see a new girl, who he hadn't seen before, and Sam. "Skipping today Ladies?"

Jane shrugged, following Sam into the class room. She looked around for an opened seat, seen. One at the back of he room and siting down, looking at the other students. Nine of the other girls were wearing skirts, an suddenly she felt self concious. She looked back at Sam, who was at the front on the other side of the room. Jane also happened to notice a few people stare at her, and she shifted uncomfortably in her seat.

Jane let her mind wander back to the bad boy Sam had told her to wath out for. She couldn't help but think that, even of Sam said he was into drugs and sch, that might have only been rumors. Jane liked to the and see the best in everyone, even if there really wasn't a best to see. Jane sighed, those piercing eyes hat had watched her watch him still fresh in her mind, as if they were still watching her.

Jane looked back to her guide, Sam, and smiled. The girl was sweet and Jane hoped bathe two could be friends. Of course, she'd eventually have to explain why she never wore jeans or pants, and why she was exempt from gym class, and many other things people usually called her weird and strange for. As Jane was thinking, she noticed the teacher come in. For an older guy, he was good looking. Not good looking like Ryan, but decently attractive.

Elijah was glad to hear the bell ring. He was also, not that excited for it to be second period. He had English, and as much as he liked Mr. Landry, he hated English. He made it to the classroom, finding it merely from habit. Walking to the room everyday, he didn't even have to look anymore to find the door that he knew said E18 on it. He saw many other students who seemed to not really be in a rush to second period, but then again it was Monday, so who was really excited to be here on a Monday morning. He walked into English and sat in his usual seat towards the back.

Once in the seat he noticed more people filing into the classroom. As he sat there he thought about how odd it was that he hadn't seen Esther yet today. Sure he was nearly late this morning, but it still seemed odd to him that he had yet to see her, if she was sick she would have told him. The only time she missed school was if she was so sick that she actually could not leave home. He pushed it from his mind . She's probably just busy.

"Hey Sam, who's the new girl?" He asked seeing a new blonde haired girl bobbing along beside Samantha. He figured he should at least try to be decently friendly to a new comer to their school. He new she would probably be stressed out enough on her first day and couldn't be hurt by having people try to make her feel more comfortable. That and Eli tried to at least be friendly to everyone, his parents always told him, even though you may not necessarily be friends with everyone, even just having some sort of a relationship with people is a good idea. He offered the new girl a smile, trying to make her feel more comfortable.

Ryan strolled through the hallway, despite the fact that the bell had already rung, with absolutely nothing with him. No backpack, no books... nothing. He was only here because it was his only way to stay out of trouble. Not that he was over 18, the truancy officer couldn't get to him, but juvy was out of the question. Next stop: prison. Not that he cared, but he wasn't going to give up without a fight. What he did care about was finding a place to light up. Stress did that; made him want to smoke until he couldn't breathe anymore, and God was he stressed. Not only was the constant threat of being arrested hanging over him, but Sophia had found his hiding place yesterday and she didn't have school today. The thought of an 8th grader messing with E was appalling even for him.

Just as he was about to go into the bathroom; a final resort, Ryan noticed her. He had no idea who she was, but she was looking at him. He flashed her a sly smile and opened the door, his gaze lingering on hers for a few moments before he closed it. She was very attractive, and he did know her friend (Samantha McKarthy... also hot). The first thing that came to his mind was what he would do if he saw her again. And quite frankly, none of these things were very gentlemanly.

Jane smiled politely and looked at the boy who had asked her name. "I'm Jane. I just moved here from up north a bit, and Sam was kind enough to help me find my classroom. And you are?" she asked, holding his gaze and smiling slightly. She was growing more mfortable wih every passing minute, and the possibility of seeig Ryan kept her smiling a little. Sure, if the rumors were true he definitely wasn't the type of guy Jane would normally go for, nor would her parents approve, but lately she had been defying her parents. At her age, what kid didn't defy his or her parents a bit? Of course, Jane wouldn't really dry him(her father) but she would like to get to know this boy with the amazing eyes...Ryan...his name played through her head like some kind of silly song.

Bee smiled at Beth when the girl said "Well, I was actually looking for you. I... well, I just felt like seeing you before second period is all." "Well thats good because I was coming to find you" she said with a smile on her face. Then she heard Beth ask about the detention "oh this, this is a weeks worth of detention" she said as she put her arm around Beth's shoulder and started walking them towards second period "I got caught smoking in the girls bathroom...and was taken to the principal where he talked my ear off for fifteen minutes then gave me the detentions," she laughed and as soon as they got to their second period room she already noticed people there. Some she was friends with some she could stand and some she just wasn't sociable with.

She took as seat in the back of the classroom and waited for Beth to take the seat next to her. She noticed Elijah near them and gave him a smile and nodded toward him then looked to see Sam and a new girl "hey who is that" she asked Elijah, "the girl was pretty but not as pretty as beth" she thought to herself then was cursing herself out "Bee you can't be thinking that way, c'mon you know your dad will not be happy" she sighed and leaned in her chair waiting for Elijah's answer.

Beth shook her head as she heard about the detention. She looked up at Bee and was about to change the topic. Then the other girl mentioned smoking. She hated the fact that Bee smoked. It upset her more then she let on. It was hard, she didn't want to be condescending or annoying, but she didn't want to be dismissive either. She cared about Bee, and to Beth, smoking (Especially at 17) was a slow suicide. Then again, she did have an 8th grade education opinion on the topic. Under taught and over taught at the same time, she reminded most people of a child when it came to drugs, smoking and alcohol. She knew next to nothing about real world application of the topics.

When the two got to the classroom, Beth slid into the seat next to Bee. She wanted to lecture her step-sister on the dangers of smoking, something that she had done before, but she wouldn't. She swore to herself that she wouldn't. Instead she took out her notebook and listened Bee speak. Yea, it was just a bit creepy, but she loved her voice. It was so... pretty and soft. Maybe her feelings for the other girl where a bit unhealthy after all. And after hearing Bee say "Hey who is that," she knew that her feelings were unhealthy. The sudden quickening of her heartbeat, how she tried to make her breathign quieter so that she could hear who the new girl was.

It was jealousy; plain and simple. The new girl was beautiful (not Beth's type, but beautiful) and Beth was jealous. After all, what chance did Beth have with Bee? Her own stepsister... Mom wouldn't like this... not at all

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"Fuck," Ryan muttered to himself as he walked into his second period class. So, he had class with Finley (who he really didn't mind too much), that lesbian chick (again, he didn't really care about her either, but the whole lesbian thing disappointed him... not that it stopped him from trying), that weirdo who tended to talk to himself, a few of his past 'girlfriends,' and the girl who he had seen earlier... the hot one. He didn't know, nor care to know, any of the other students in the room. Hell, he didn't even know the teacher, and he was fairly sure that he had had him before. The thing was, he hadn't expected to see that girl again until he could mess with her. Like a child, he found messing with pretty girls to be one of the funnest activities that were legal in America. But class would have to do.

He walked over to the seat next to the new girl, making sure to stare her down while walking over to his new spot in class. He didn't usually sit n the back of class; the teacher always watched the kids in the back, it was just too cliché. But this time he would, for her. You see, Ryan didn't have a very long attention span, and his game just wouldn't wait, it couldn't wait. "Hey sweetheart," he said, his voice low and almost devious. He sat down and leaned a bit in her direction, "I don't know if you've noticed, but you see that boy over there?" He pointed to a red haired boy who had glanced over at the new girl. "He keeps looking at you." Ryan leaned further towards her. "I mean, who can blame him?" He looked her up and down as if she were nothing but a picture in a magazine, "But I thought you should know."

Immediately after he had spoken, Ryan moved away from her, looking up at the whiteboard as if he hadn't spoken to her in the first place. It was a cruel game; make a girl feel attractive and otherwise worthless, sleep with them, and then leave. But he loved it, and she was his new victim. He had done it to at least five girls in this class alone, and he was good at it. Very, very good at it. Hell, perhaps too good at it.

Jane smiled. "Well it's nice to see you again, although we weren't properly introduced," Jane knew this game all to well, and was just as good at it as boys were. Jane had been played like a game before, so she had spent a year playing games with guys like they had played her. Step one; your worthless and attractive. Counter attack? Keep the conversation rolling. Guys hated that, and it made her smile that she could pick the one thing that really bothered them.

"I'm Jane by the way, and I heard your name was Ryan," Jane smiled, pushing a curl behind her ear and buying her bottom lip in an extremely sexy 'come hither' way. It was another thing she had learned in her year long experiment. Jane tilted her head to the side, givin him a clear shot of the perfect spot on her neck to leave a hickie, also giving her a shot (if only a small one) of her clevage.

Samantha kept her eyes on Jane as she watched Ryan. This kid was bad news. He could be decent at times, but that's when he wasn't drunk or on some sort of drug. And when he was in school, which was a rare occasion. However, he seemed to show up a lot more this semester than the last. School had just started for the year and she thought maybe he had improved. She never could be sure though. She hears Addison talking to her from behind,
"Skipping today, ladies?"
Samantha laughs slightly, "Nah, I was just showing our new girl to her next class. E18, English Composition Honors IV. But you know Mr. Landry, always late. As long as we don't get caught walking in a few seconds after the bell by another teacher we should be fine." For some reason, Samantha never had a problem calling Eric by his professional name. She never had a slip up before. Probably because she had a really good hold on her thought process on the matter. Can't reveal anything, so just think really hard about what you're doing.

"Hey Sam, who's the new girl?" Elijah's says to her as she sits down in front of him. She turns to speak,
"Well according to her schedule, her name is Jane." she says with a slight laugh. She places her books and things neatly on her desk, placing her purse in the small basket underneath her chair before she turns back to Elijah to speak again. She looks around to make sure no one is listening.
"It seems she's got an eye on our resident bad-boy." she sighs worriedly, "I know she's new, but you know me worrying about everyone. I just hope he doesn't get her wrapped up in all that stuff he does. She doesn't seem like that type of girl, especially with the cross around her neck."

Samantha turns to the door briefly, looking for Eric. It had only been a few minutes, but she still worried. Did he get in a car accident? Was he hurt? Dead? Did someone find out about the two of them and take him away? As her heart pounded in her chest, she took a breath, hiding her fear from Elijah. Again, she turns back to him.
"Mr. Landry's late again I guess?" she says. With a small laugh, she speaks again, "I shouldn't be asking, he's always late."

Addison grabbed his note book, closing and locking up his locker. Slinging the guitar case back over his shoulder, he followed them into English, the new girl proving a good distraction for now. "Nice. New girl blood. Hope she doesn't get bitten too hard." Addison replied, weaving through students until he took his usual seat by the window, directly in the back.
Addison rested his guitar up against the wall beside him and took a seat, placing his note book on top, then threw his legs on the top of the desk and leaned back in his chair as he usually did, gazing around the class room. He could see Sam was unusually twitchy. "Did you over do it on the coffee this morning Sam?" He commented. He had heard the rumors a while back that were circulating. Many had a black and white view on the situation. To Addison, the thought creeped him out about someone that old dating someone that young, but at the same time, who was he to talk? He didn't seem to listen to rumors too much, and after all, it wouldn't be high school without the gossip and rumors.

Elijah looked to the new girl, Jane as she told him her name. "Elijah. " He answered simply.
When he hear another feminine voice on his other side he turned to see Baylee. "Oh um, Jane apparently." He explained. "New girl..." He answered propping his feet up on the basket underneath Sam's chair.He was glad she had chose to sit near him, he liked her. But then again there weren't many people that he truly didn't like. And it beat sitting beside a stranger or someone who was too weird. Although, some people might have considered the lesbian with a smoking habit weird, but when you knew someone for years weird quirks no longer seemed so weird.

He hadn't really been paying too much attention to what had been going on until he noticed Sam spin around in her seat again. Her comment caused him to turn his head to see Jane and Ryan in a conversation, that seemed to be somewhat of a game of chess made of flirting. "It's seems that she does. It seems that he has interest in her too." It wasn't until she mentioned the cross around the girl's neck that he noticed it. Another religious"Hmm, well maybe she'll rub off on him." He offered trying to make Sam feel better, she was always worrying about everyone else. "Probably, he's probably just running late. That or we have a sub who has the wrong room number or got lost again or something." He told her trying to make her stop worrying.

"Eric... Eric!"

Sharply, the English teacher's head shot upward, his body jolting itself awake as his glasses fell heavily down from somewhere up by his forehead to half-way down his nose. He blinked twice, mind still trying to catch up with the rest of him. Wasn't he just... where was he? He stared around. White walls... spotted tile... the scent of day-old coffee...: It was the teacher's lounge. He was at school. Instantly, Eric's fingers snatched the reading glasses away from his face as his eyes widened up toward the large clock on the wall that was half-blocked by the head of Ms. Pembrook, one of the school's most elder teachers and a woman who was known to take her job as an educator very, very seriously. Deep down, her forehead was scrunched over her harsh brown glare.

"Aren't you supposed to be in class?!"

The man's voice didn't answer, but his physicality certainly did: hands grasping about frantically as he scooped about in the chaos of three-hole punched, college-ruled, handwritten scribbles of notes. No; she never liked Eric very much, her right toe tapping as she just stood there and watched him in his panic. Somehow, she sensed that he wasn't truly "one of them"... wasn't truly a "proper" teacher. She wasn't necessarily wrong. Certainly, he was far less responsible as an educator than he had ever been as a student. In fact, he didn't recall ever being late as an attendee, but now as the one in charge, his tardiness had become something of a running joke amongst his students. It was, frankly, rather humiliating--the entire ordeal--but even after all this time, the thought of lecturing did nothing but fill the man with an irrational sense of dread. It was an unending cycle: spend forever attempting to craft the perfect lecture, exhaust himself, pass out, end up late, get there nervous... deliver it horribly... become determined to plan a better one next time and so forth... Cramming all of the papers down into this briefcase, Eric didn't even bother to say anything to his judging-colleague as he skidded out into the hallway, half-sprinting down through the rows and rows of lockers. There was nothing he could say to change her mind, anyway.

He was a mess. Which period was it again? Truly, this was pathetic... but waking up so suddenly had really thrown his mental faculties for a loop. (Really, he should have been used to it by now, but...) Suddenly, the man felt his stomach clench. That's right. This class had, by far, his best record for timeliness, but even then, it was all relative... he was still late quite a lot. Honestly, the man always tried to be prompt, but, in particular, he worked for this one. After all, it was Sam's class. Instantly, Eric's lungs hissed aloud, and as he rounded the final corner, he gave himself a mental kick in the backside. He really had to stop thinking of it in those terms. She wasn't the only student in there. It was just hard to remember that sometimes. She was just--He kicked himself again. Honestly? This was not the time...

Outside the small window in the classroom's door, the man seem to slide past them--as if he had missed the room entirely--but then there was a loud clatter as his hand caught itself on the door handle, his body's forward momentum yanking the door open as "Mr. Landry" pulled himself around it and, with a start, into the classroom.

"Yes, yes... I apologize. Late. I know," he breathed out heavily, hands pushing down at the sides of his dark gray sport jacket to try and smooth out some of its wrinkles. He had... limited success and seemed to be fully conscious of his potentially-disheveled appearance. Not making any eye contact with them, he instead moved straight to his desk and unlatched his case, only to release a jumble of papers everywhere, including onto the floor. "Ummm... so..." Mr. Landry tried to ignore it, as if not acknowledging that just happened would make it nonexistent. Instead, he only grabbed up the notes closest to him and stepped in front of his students, taking out his copy of Inferno (appropriate...) and holding it up toward his chest with the crinkled notes draped on top of it. "I think it was page 78... where we left off last time... Will someone volunteer to read from the top?"

For the first time, his eyes looked up to them, waiting for someone else to get to say something instead of him. The man meant to stare broadly throughout the entire room, but for a split, largely-undetectable second, they seemed to gravitate toward that one familiar seat before yanking themselves away. Oh, gosh... "...Anyone?" he coughed, as if trying to make his voice project farther. Again, the man had only limited success. "...I don't want to call on someone."

The door opened and Samantha's attention shot to it. There he was, the man she loved, looking disheveled and panicked, but that added to his charm. She hid her smile as she breathed in a sigh of relief that he was now in class. He seemed nervous, as he always was in class. She knew why, of course, but she kept it to herself as she watched him hurry to the front of the class. He seemed tired. Did he just wake up? She would have to ask later.

Samantha grabs her books from the pile, remembering exactly what they did in the last class. She was good at that. Even if it wasn't Eric's class, she remembered where they left off the day before, or even the week before if it was a Friday or a vacation week. She made sure to not only remember things from Eric's class to keep herself on the down-low.

The Inferno by Dante. One of her favorites. She had already read it through a few times after she was given the book. Samantha loved the pattern of speech they used in the old books. Shakespeare, Dante, Homer, some of her favorites. She had read many of their books and plays even before Eric's class. Before High School even. The Odyssey had been on her bookshelf at home since 7th grade. She had only read it once through, however, due to it's length. Though this didn't cause her to like it any less. But right now, the focus was The Inferno. She opens her book right up before Eric even asks, removing her bookmark from the page.

""Ummm... so...I think it was page 78... where we left off last time... Will someone volunteer to read from the top?" Eric asks as he looks up to the class. She can tell he's trying to keep his eyes from falling on her too often. Samantha takes a look around the room. Everyone either looks up with a blank stare or has their heads down so they don't have to make eye contact. Desperately, Eric speaks again.
"...Anyone?...I don't want to call on someone." But still, no one speaks. With a small sigh, Samantha begins reading with such passion, you'd think she were acting on a stage in front of a million people.
"From his dire food the grisly felon raised
His gore-dyed lips, which on the clottered locks
Of the half-devoured head he wiped, and thus
Began: `Would'st thou revive the deep despair,
The anguish, that, unuttered, natheless wrings
My inmost heart? Yet if the telling may
Beget the traitor's infamy, whom thus
I ceaseless gnaw insatiate, thou shalt see me
At once give loose to utterance and to tears."

Bee leaned back in the chair and put her feet up on the desk "new girl...huh" she said to Elijah, looking at the new girl, then she saw Ryan go sit by Jane and she shook her head "of course" she whispered. Ryan would go for any pretty girl and has tried to get her multiple times but everytime she would just shoot him down, that doesn't mean they don't get along. She actually thinks hes pretty cool for a guy. Bee looked at the clock and chuckled to herself, she was usually the run running late and this time it is the teacher. "I wonder if I could leave the classroom before the..." just as she was talking she Mr.Landry walk through the door, and he looked like he just woke up. It was quite amusing to Bee.

"I think it was page 78... where we left off last time... Will someone volunteer to read from the top?" she just shook her head, it was not like she was going to volunteer, she hasn't even done the notes for the last chapter. She looked to Beth then mouthed to her "Did you do the notes?" she doesn't even think she brought her book this time. She shrugged and was glad when Sam spoke up so Mr.Landry didn't have to choose. She drastically sighed hearing Sam read "this is so boring" she thought to herself, she just wanted the school day to be over with so she can just hangout with Beth.

When Mr. Landry came through the door, Beth had to restrain herself from finding his appearance funny (though she should have known that restraining your feelings is fairly impossible). Not only did he look a bit silly, but the concept of the teacher who was always late and the students who actually seemed to care was entertaining in her eyes. It was just... not normal.. She had always found it odd that Samantha, someone who she didn't know to well even after half a year, cared if Mr. Landry was late. Hell, she loved it when he was late. It gave her time to talk with Bee and daydream. Her current daydream was about a young girl who had a terrible life. You know, the whole horrible boyfriend (who sometimes was a girlfriend) and neglectful family. Of course it would get better for Emily (the name of the young character), but not for a very long time. And she would hate it when things got better. The story would end and she would have to come up with another one.

"No, why would I?" Beth mouthed back with a crooked smile. Seriously, she wasn't at all the type to do notes. They were just so silly and passive. If she had learned anything at all in this class it was be how to get away with passing notes, not taking them. In fact, at that moment, she was in the middle of writing one.

"Hey, wanna see a movie or something later? ^-^ Mom's out till seven. What about your dad?"

After that last word, Beth folded the note and passed it over towards Bee.

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Ryan laughed good-naturedly at her response and moved smiled, something that he didn't usually do. She seemed to know this game all too well though, and it was best to throw her off. "Well you've heard right Jane. It's very nice to meet you." He let his eyes wander for a moment and then looked back up into her eyes. She did have very pretty eyes. "so Jane... I like your name by the way, have you heard anything else about me?" He said it as suggestively as possible, raising his eyebrows after his sentence was complete. "Because to be perfectly honest, I've heard next to nothing about you."

He knew what she was trying to do; bother him. And it didn't bother him that she was acting intelligent, but that she thought that would bother him. He could tell from one look at that pretty little neck of hers that she was religious, and honestly, that only intrigued him. He had been with a few Jesus-freaks in his time, and it had never ended well. But Jane seemed different. Maybe she just dressed this way for her mommy and daddy. That would be precious; a little Christian girl in the middle of a rebellious streak. One thing was for sure: she was NOT going to rub off on him. No, he wasn't deaf. He actually had fairly good hearing and knew perfectly well what others said about their little repartee.

Honestly, he found it hilarious.

Samantha continues to read into the second paragraph. Still reading with the same feeling as before. Often, she did this when she was alone or when she was just with Eric. Perhaps that's why she did it now. Because the man she loved stood in front of her, watching her with his soft gaze. English was how the two of them got together. It was also one of the moments when they were the only two in the world.

As Samantha read, she had forgotten about everyone else in the room. She and Eric were the only two people in the classroom, no, in the world. She could feel him watching her and she began to smile slightly as she continued her reading of the Inferno. She would only continue a few more lines, however, so that perhaps another student could have a chance to read.