Chapter 13

***

At seven I was seated in class with the others, all waiting for our professor to arrive.

I thought of a way to quickly get a job.

What could I possibly do to to get money? I had nothing. No pocket Money. Nothing. I couldn't buy myself anything and I could only eat food from the school. I needed to find something quick. Really fast. I would ask Megan and Lucas. Maybe they would know where I could find a little job.

*

At breakfast I wasn't hungry and so I didn't go to the cafeteria. I was still worried on the fact that I had not found a means to send money to my mom.

I found a spot where I sat and thought.

Just at that moment, Lucas walked by. He stopped and smiled down at me. I stared at him, amused.

Without waiting for my invitation, he sat close to me.

"What do you want?" I asked, dryly. I didn't want him to start getting fond of me. It was not because I'd spoken to him once or twice that he could speak to me whenever he wanted.

"Why aren't you for breakfast?"

"None of your business."

He looked at me and smiled a little. I had to admit he was very cute.

"Um, in case you haven't noticed, Harlem, I really want to know you."

I stared at him.

"Whut?"

He cleared his throat.

"Lemme put it in a different way." he started, "I'm kind of determined to enter your life."

A mischievous yet cute smile drew itself on his face.

I tried to maintain a stern face but my lips twitched a little and I tried not to laugh.

"Are you nuts?" I managed to say, looking serious, though my voice came out low because of the laughter I was withholding.

"Uh, I hear that often." he chuckled and scratched his head nervously. "What I'm trying to say is, I really want to be your friend. To know you. That is, if you'll allow me."

"And why? Like you'd guessed the first time, I don't really appreciate spoiled brats."

"Harlem, it's not because a person's rich that he or she must forcefully be a spoiled brat. You don't chose the family you're born into."

For a moment I was speechless because he'd succeeded in shutting me up with what he'd just said, which kinda made sense. But I didn't show I was defeated.

"Let me put it this way too, Lulu..." I started, "...we're from totally different classes. We're very different."

"And that's why I wanna know you. One never knows. Our differences can build a great friendship." he smirked and wriggled his brows playfully.

I stared at him, surprised. I remembered that senior had said he was afraid to speak to girls, right? Apparently not really.

I scoffed, got my bag and stood up.

"Dude, you're beginning to creep me out." I said and he chuckled, standing up too. "You have nothing to do with the type of people I walk with. You don't behave like the people from where I come from, and that's enough for me not to want to be your friend."

"Try."

I rolled my eyes in disbelief and turned to leave.

"Harl, wait."

He'd just called me Harl?

That was how my friends back in Brownsville called me, and the people I was used to.

I turned to him.

"What?" I asked, exasperated. He smiled cutely.

"You'll come back. And by then, I'll come up with something for you to accept me."

What? The guy was a clown.

"Come back as in?"

"You'll probably need my help for something these days. Don't worry, I'm always available."

I stared in both disbelief and amusement altogether.

"You think?" I asked, sarcastically.

He reddened.

"I'm not sure. But maybe." he chuckled shyly.

I wanted to smile but I kept my good old stern face on.

"Bye, Lulu." I teased to annoy him and walked away. I was wrong cause I heard him shout in reply,

"Bye, Harl! See you in class. You see? We already give each other nicknames!"

I shook my head in amusement. The school was also full of strange people.

*

That night, our level three was to clean the entire house.

It was stressful because we'd all returned from classes at seven PM, as tired as ever. And to our surprise, we were welcomed with scrubbing brushes, buckets and detergents for cleaning. We had to clean the entire house, supervised by some strict blues.

The blues were stricter than the leaders. They were the ones mostly in charge of making sure we accomplished our tasks and obeyed the rules.

I was in charge of scrubbing and cleaning the kitchen. That is, the floor, walls, sinks and dishes. And it wasn't easy. Not at all.

Most of us finished our chores by eight thirty, meaning we missed supper. But luckily, Blaire decided to cook some noodles for everyone for our hard work. The other girls cried about their hands hurting. We had three more levels to go, I wondered what they'd do.

*

The next day, in class, I wasn't really focused because I was a little worried. My mom back in Brownsville had no money. What could I do? That day after school I'd go searching again.

-

While the professor taught, I wasn't focused. I drew a girl at the back of my note book and signed her a name at the end.

Lucas who was sitting close me again, leaned and whispered,

"Wow. You drew this?" he stared at the drawing.



I nodded.

"Wow. You're talented."

I didn't answer. Then I looked at him. Maybe he could give me an idea on where to find a job.

"Do you know any job I could do around?" I whispered. He looked at me.

"You need money?"

"Yeah."

"Well, you can draw. Make portraits of people for not less than twenty five dollars."

I widened my eyes at him. He was a genius!

"That's a great idea. I never thought of that."

"And don't worry, I'll let people know about your talent. So you get customers." he smiled at me.

"Um. That's– that's nice of you. Thanks."

"But I need your number to let you know about people who would want you to draw them."

I raised a brow amused.

"Smooth. You just want my number." I gave him a knowing look.

He smiled.

"That too."

I rolled my eyes.

"Fine. But call me only when necessary."

"Sure."