When the coast was clear, we started our payment tradition. Rachel closed the door while Rick kept a lookout for any potential danger. I sat on the teacher's table and pulled the sleeve of my sweater.
"Nikki, $7. Donald, $5. Tom, $10. Jackie, $13. Ronald, $4. Nathan, $25. That's the class record of the day."
"I only have a fifty," he handed me a crisp 50 bucks.
"Tell you what. I'll keep everything and you won't have to pay for English," I bargained.
"I speak English, Jade. I think I'm fine," he narrowed his eyes.
"Yea, but do you speak Shakespeare?"
"Fair enough, Atherton," he shoved the bill into my palm before walking off with his clique of fabulous rich kids.
It was definitely a fortunate coincidence that the ones that own the most money were also the ones that owed me the most. Sometimes they wouldn't have cash on hand and offered me favors or materials instead.
"Next please!"
I spent half an hour managing the change and collecting everyone's money. The class became more and more quiet as pupils started to leave. Rachel and Rick left with the last of my customer as I counted the money I have collected.
I rolled up my sleeve and rubbed my vanilla-scented hand sanitizer to wash off the ink on my arm. I tied the bundle of cash with my spare hairband and walked over to the window.
It was still raining. My heart sank at the thought of me new shoes being submerged in murky water. Maybe I should just walk barefoot through the puddles and potholes.
The hallway was loud with echoes of students screaming and chattering that I hadn't noticed that someone had opened the classroom door and watched me zone out.
I almost screamed and jumped in shock when a firm hand tapped my shoulder. I thought a staff member had caught me red handed with a stack of my hard-earned money.
"Jesus f*cking Christ! Couldn't you have knocked? How long have you been standing there?" I crossed my arm.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you," he was looking at my uncovered forearm.
"Who are you anyway? Aren't you too old to hang around here?"
He looked at his own reflection on the tinted window, 'I lost a bet to Jake and he told me to run an errand for him. Didn't realize he meant babysitting."
"Are you fucking kidding me? You're one of Jake's vampire friend?" I pretended to look at the ceiling.
"They're goths. I just play drums for their band. I'm Julian," he held out a hand.
I extended my hand to shake his when he suddenly gripped it and took a closer look at my hand.
"I thought that was an unfinished sleeve tattoo. So that's how you cheated for today's exam, huh? Pretty smart. But I didn't think you out of all people would need to cheat."
"What?"
"Oh. I'm not implying that you aren't smart enough to pass without a help," he tightened his fist.
"What's that in your hand?" I eyed him suspiciously.
"Oh, yeah… I found a piece of physics note on the floor on my way here. I figured one of the kids in this class must've dropped it. No one owned up to it so far– "
"You asked everyone if it was their note?"
"Yea, then this chick said that it was your handwriting. So, I just wanted to give it back. Nice handwriting by the way. Too bad no one get to cheat off this paper."
"Well, buddy. I did write that note, but I didn't cheat on a physics exam, ok?' I snatched the note.
"Ooh, feisty. Didn't know Jake's secret sister is a genius," he teased.
I rolled down my sleeve and walked out the classroom with a bitch resting face, leaving the stranger behind. I stuffed my binder and books inside my bag before slamming the locker door to reveal my stalker standing behind it.
"Hey, c'mon. I'm just tryna be friendly. Jake's gonna kill me if you get home soaked or sick or kidnapped or– "
"Okay, fine. Just shut up, I'm only letting you cos I don't wanna get my shoes wet. Try anything and you'll end up in jail," I walked towards the parking lot.
Julian snagged my bag off my shoulder and put his index finger over his lips to prevent me from protesting, "Jake's order."
We walked over to the lobby to collect my drying umbrella. The weirdo told me to wait while he played valet and walked to his car with my umbrella and bag. Was this Jake's least creepy friend, I wondered. Stella walked over to me with her blond curls hanging over her cashmere cardigan.
"Was that your hot brother?" she swooned as she pressed her chest on my left shoulder to whisper the statement.
"If Jake tans, is two inches taller, has a good sense of fashion, and smells decent? Then yea," I said sarcastically.
"Oh, so is he single?" she furrowed her perfect eyebrows curiously.
"No clue, Stella. Aren't you dating that college guy anyway?" I leaned away.
"Well, you know me. I like to keep my options open before anything serious," she unbuttoned her cardigan to expose more skin.
"That doesn't answer anything, but ok."
"Introduce me to him. I'll give you another $40," she handed me the cash.
Remember that cheerleader that paid me to help her finish a personality quiz? Yeah, that was her. Our parents used to make us hang out with each other when we were younger.
We made a decent pair, don't get me wrong. She would offer me her lunch if I would make her sound smarter in front of her crush. Then I would sell her lunch to one of the many overweight school bullies.
I made good business out of everything. I helped out everyone so much that no one would dare snitch on me. But that meant I still didn't have any actual friends. It was merely transactional.
"Sure, should I talk about your t*ts or *ss this time?" I pocketed her money.
"Actually, I just got this new expensive haircut," she brushed through her curls that looked exactly the same since she was nine.
"Yeah, I saw that," I said as I texted Jake to remind him how much I wanted to baptize him in our pool in the backyard.