If you were a part of the African-American community, with African-American parents, you should know that they weren’t really ones to care about school open houses and parent meetings if they weren’t mandatory. They could honestly care less. Whatever needed to know email and they didn’t see the point in spending their gas money to do something that didn’t really need to get done.

Which then leads to miscommunication or certain things being missed out upon. Which is why instead of spending the sunny afternoon I’ve been given to do something I actually wanted to do, I was meeting the Headmaster in her office to discuss things that could’ve been sent in an email. And then she decided that I should take a student tour and interact with students. Like, it’s not like I spent time memorizing the school campus — which was built like a college campus— so I didn’t get lost. Being lost scares me. As well as being late, even though that’s pretty much a stereotypical trait amongst the Black community. In fact, it should honestly not even be a stereotype because it’s true that we’re always late to everything.

At first, the Headmaster volunteered to walk me around the school, but got called to do some Headmaster stuff. Then it was a girl in my class, but she had to leave so she offered up one of her friends to do it. The Headmaster looked like she was debating it, but agreed in the end. So now I’m sitting in front of her desk waiting for my new “friend”.

There was a knock on the door and the Headmaster told a Mr. Atkins to enter the office. He’s probably related to the freshman who won the head classman position. And if it’s her brother, then it must be the boy from earlier. Assuming they’re related.

Sure enough, a tall, dark-haired, and gray-eyed boy walks in the room looking like he wants to see the world burn. And for the second time today, our eyes meet, but instead of the initial shock from before, his eyebrows creased and he looked slightly angry.

Okay, but what the hell did I do to him? Entitled men. So in a battle for dominance, I copy his face and stare right back at him. Feminism and all that. I’d be a dead woman before I shrunk under the gaze of a man. I’m a 5’3 queen. My mother taught me better than that.

He broke eye contact first— winner winner chicken dinner— and looked over to the Headmaster.

“Good morning, Headmaster. You needed me?” he asked her, moving on to ignoring my existence. Jerk.

“Yes. I need you to take this sweet girl on a tour around our school. Show her the important things and where her classes are located,” she answers.

“Harper, this is Dallas Atkins. He’s a junior like you and has been a student here at Pricetown Private since freshman year. He’s well known around this school, mostly thanks to his frequent visits to the detention hall,  so I know you’re in somewhat capable hands. Keyword being somewhat. I can’t promise you much when it comes to him,” she says, completely dissing the boy standing next to me. He just scoffs and rolls his eyes.

“I’m very capable of showing her around. She’s like 5’. Basically a kindergartener,” he replied.

“I am not a kindergartener and I’m actually 5 ‘3 and very well versed in boxing and MMA. Not everyone is built like Slenderman. Don’t get your butt kicked by a kindergartener,” I say before I can catch my attitude.

He just looks down at me and chuckles. “Feisty, huh?” 

“Well when you two are done flirting, we can get back to the task on hand. It’s cute and all, but I’m sure we all have things we’d rather be doing something else. I’ve got to go to this spa thing with my daughter in 30 minutes so I need to be out of the parking lot in the next ten,” the Headmaster interrupts before I can show this waste of space what feisty actually is.

“Finished? Thank you. Dallas, this is Ms. Harper Caddell. Harper moved from Hightown High school down in Texas. I’ll let you in on a little secret that you’ll find out in the next couple of hours. Ms. Harper here is this year’s female junior Head Classman. Congratulations, Harper,” 

What? Heh? What kind of cliche movie is this? This has got to be some kind of joke.

“I can see your confusion, Harper. It turns out you are the most exceptional student in the Junior class. Your grades were top of the charts, you’ve volunteered in many charities, and were exceptional in your extracurriculars. One of the top track athletes in the nation as well as captain of your school and select teams. Debate team captain, book club president, student council vice president, as well as a frequent volunteer in different volunteering programs back in Texas. If anything, you deserve this position more than anyone. To give it to someone else wouldn’t really make sense when we have a student of your caliber,” she explains.

Well damn. I guess I really am like that. It’s hard to notice how far you’ve gone and how great you’ve gotten until someone points it out. Jesus, I do a lot.

“Well dang, okay, princess,” Dallas says sarcastically.

Way to ruin the mood. I swear he wants me to punch him in the nose.

“Okay now that introductions are over, get out of my office. Don’t kill her or scare her off, Atkins. She’s far too exceptional to lose,” 

“I won’t scare her off. This school will do that for me just fine without my help,” he answers and walks out of the office, like he expects me to follow him like some kind of duckling following his mother.

“Good luck, Ms. Caddell. You’ll need it,” Ms. Deladore says when I stand to follow my annoying tour guide.

I nod at her before leaving the office. Whether her well wishing was in heed of Dallas and his terrible attitude and the terrible, terrible  migraine I am bound to recieve by the end of this or this new upcoming school year, I had no idea. I desperately hoped it was the former one. At least I can punch that one in the face and get it over with. It’s easier that way.

“Drop the nickname, you annoying waste of space,” I tell him for the fourth time in the last fifteen minutes.

This school is so big that for the past fifteen minutes, we’ve only been able to cover the bottom floor of the three story building. The floor was dedicated to extracurriculars. There were three basketball courts, three workout gyms, a kitchen for students, a cosmetology lab, two pools, and so much more. More than I can even wrap my head around with my limited public school brain. There was even an indoor track. And apparently they have horses and a farm. They also play polo here. And whatever the hell cricket is.

“Yes, your majesty,” he says sarcastically with an idiotic little bow.

“Jesus, you’re about as useless as a knitted condom. My name is Harper and you know that so stop being a brat and show me some respect,” 

“I’ll give you some credit for that insult. That was funny. But  don’t owe you any respect. You’re a do-it-all Wonder Woman impersonator who’s 5’ and talks too much. You gotta earn your respect here, Princess,”

“I AM 5 ‘3. And you were the one who walked in here judging me like I was the one completely in the wrong. Who the heck are you to judge me? You white-privlidged scum of the earth. You walk around pretending like you own the place when, according to the Headmaster, you’re really just a loser who can’t stay out of trouble. And I bet you go around blaming daddy who didn’t show poor little Dallas enough love. It’s sad,”

I didn’t mean to lose my cool and to anyone else I would never say something like that to, but this man just pisses me off. It’s his energy or something that just makes me want to punch something.

“Well I’ll have you know, Harper, that my dad actually died 3 years ago and I only live with my mother and sisters. Not like that man was home much anyways. So yes, I missed out on that whole daddy’s love part. Thank you very much,”

“Okay now I just feel bad. Anything I’ve said up until now to offend you, I completely meant, but I am sorry for your loss,” 

“Wow. You are bad at apologizing. Now lets go before someone sees me with you and your year gets harder harder than it will be already,”

At my look of confusion he sighs and explains.

“Well, if you’re head classman all these roles and responsibilities are thrown on you. You heard the speech and everything,”

“Yeah, but what do you have to do with it?”

“You heard what the lady said. People know me, people like me, people wanna be me, blah blah blah. If people see you alone with me, well, rich people love to gossip. Next thing you know everyone back at your home will know that greatest scandal of this season. Unless you want to be trending on the internet. I can assure you it would be a hit. ‘Dallas’ New Girlfriend: Who is She?’ on every news headline,”

“I’ll have you know that I’m already trending on the internet with over 50,000 followers on social media. And ew, I don’t want to be lumped in with you. I’d rather drown in a pool of natural apple cider vinegar,” 

“I’m not actually that bad, thank you very much,”

“Many people didn’t think Jefferey Dahmer was all that bad and it turned out he killed and ate people. And those people knew him,”

He looks at me before rolling his eyes and walking away.