Perfect Chemistry

Oh, this is rich. Peterson and Aguirre on one side of Aguirre’s office, Little Miss Perfecta and her dickhead boyfriend on the other . . . and me standing by myself. Nobody on my side, that’s for sure.

Aguirre clears his throat. “Alex, this is the second time in two weeks you’re in my office.”

Yep, that about sums it up. The guy is an absolute genius.

“Sir,” I say, playing the game because I’m sick of Little Miss Perfecta and her boyfriend controlling the entire fucking school. “There was a little mishap during lunch involving grease and my pants. Instead of missin’ class, I had a friend get me these as a replacement.” I gesture to my current jeans Paco managed to snatch from my house. “Mrs. Peterson,” I say, turning to my chem teacher, “I wouldn’t let a little stain keep me from your brilliant lecture.”

“Don’t placate me, Alex,” Peterson says with a snort. “I’ve had it up to here with your antics,” she says, her hand waving above her head. She glares at Brittany and Colin. I think she’s going to let them bitch at me until I hear her say, “And don’t think you two are any better.”

Brittany seems stunned at the scolding. Oh, but she was perfectly content watching Mrs. P. bitch me out.

“I can’t be partners with him,” Little Miss Perfecta blurts out.

Colin steps forward. “She can partner up with me and Darlene.”

I almost smile when Mrs. P.’s eyebrows rise so high I think they’re about to run up her forehead and never stop. “And what makes you two so special you think you can change my class structure?”

Go, Peterson!

“Nadine, I’ll take it from here,” Aguirre says to Mrs. P., then points to a picture of our school framed on the wall. He doesn’t let the two north siders answer Mrs. P.’s question before he says, “Our motto at Fairfield High is Diversity Breeds Knowledge, guys. If you ever forget, it’s etched into the stones at the front entrance, so the next time you pass by it take a minute to think about what those words mean. Let me assure you as your new principal my goal is to bridge any gap in the school culture that negates that motto.”

Okay, so diversity breeds knowledge. But I’ve also seen it breed hatred and ignorance. I’m not about to taint Aguirre’s rosy picture of our motto, because I’m starting to believe our principal actually believes the crap he’s spouting.

“Dr. Aguirre and I are on the same page. In light of that . . .” Peterson fires me a fierce look—one so convincing she probably practices it in front of a mirror. “Alex, stop goading Brittany.” She fires the same look to the two on the other side of the room. “Brittany, stop acting like a diva. And Colin . . . I don’t even know what you have to do with this.”

“I’m her boyfriend.”

“I’d appreciate it if you’d keep your relationship out of my classroom.”

“But—,” Colin starts.

Peterson cuts him off with a wave of her hand. “Enough. We’re done here and so are all of you.”

Colin grabs the diva’s hand and they both file out of the room.

After I walk out of Aguirre’s office, Peterson puts a hand on my elbow. “Alex?”

I stop and look at her. Into her eyes, which have sympathy written all over them. It doesn’t sit well in my gut. “Yeah?”

“I see right through you, you know.”

I need to wipe that sympathy off her face. The last time a teacher looked at me like that, it was in first grade right after my dad was shot. “It’s the second week of school, Nadine. You might want to wait a month or two before you make a statement like that.”

She chuckles and says, “I haven’t been teaching that long, but I’ve already seen more Alex Fuenteses in my classroom than a lot of teachers will see in a lifetime.”

“And I thought I was unique.” I put my hands over my heart. “You wound me, Nadine.”

“You want to make yourself unique, Alex? Finish school and graduate without dropping out.”

“That’s the plan,” I tell her, although I’ve never admitted it to anyone before. I know my mom wants me to graduate, but we’ve never discussed it. And, to be honest, I don’t know if she actually expects it.

“I’m told they all say that at first.” She opens her purse and pulls out my bandanna. “Don’t let your life outside of school dictate your future,” she says, getting all serious on me.

I shove the bandanna into my back pocket. She has no clue how much my life outside of school leaks into the life I lead inside of school. A redbrick building can’t shield me from the outside world. Hell, I couldn’t hide in here even if I wanted to. “I know what you’re gonna say next . . . if you ever need a friend, Alex, I’m here.”

“Wrong. I’m not your friend. If I were, you wouldn’t be a gang member. But I’ve seen your test scores. You’re a smart kid who can succeed if you take school seriously.”

Succeed. Success. It’s all relative, now, isn’t it? “Can I go to class now?” I ask, because I have no comeback to that. I’m ready to accept that my chem teacher and new principal might not be on my side . . . but I’m not sure they’re on the other side, either. Kinda blows my theories out of the water.

“Yeah, go to class, Alex.”

I’m still thinking about what Peterson said when I hear her call after me, “And if you call me Nadine again, you’ll have the plea sure of getting another detention slip and writing an essay on respect. Remember, I’m not your friend.”

As I walk into the hallway, I smile to myself. That woman sure does wield those blue detention slips and threats of essays like weapons.