Aden
So it looks like I got friend zoned, which is cool. April would probably make a great friend and it's not like I was expecting something. Not really.
I try not to feel too disappointed. I've always hated the fvckboys who get mad when a girl says she just wants to be friend. Worst is the ones who immediately proclaim what a nice guy they are afterwords. Like hello a$$hole the world doesn't owe you anything just because you say a few nice words. Honestly, they make the rest of us look bad.
I don't consider myself to be a nice or a bad guy. Like most people I'm somewhere in between. So I guess if April is willing to put up with my sometimes moody loner guy ways and be friends that's a good thing.
I move through my classes without anything spectacular happening. I do see Jamal in the hallway. The heated glare he gives me tells me that unlike his brother he still hates my guts.
I'm still not sure how I feel about Keith. The guy tormented me for most of my high school life. I accepted his apology because even fake nice Keith would be better than the Keith that wants to strangle me. I just have to keep my eye on him.
I see Regina in the hallway as I walk to bio. I wave at her. She smiles back.
"We still on for lunch?" She asks.
"Yup."
"Alright see you there. Try not to get in anymore high speed chases."
I smile. Regina and I continue down our opposite directions. Over all this week hasn't been so bad. I've got people to sit with at lunch and a somewhat awkward friendship with April Robinson. Both are two things I thought would never happen.
I'm sitting at my desk when April walks into the room. She smiles at me but it isn't her usual bright smile. She looks a little troubled.
"Are you okay?" I ask.
"Yeah, I'm good. Just dealing with some stuff."
It isn't a really descriptive answer but I don't want to pry. I don't know if we're on that level yet. My thumbs drum on the desk as I try to think of something else to say.
"Did you finish your list?" I ask.
"Yup. I was able to at least accomplish that."
April hands over her sheet of paper. I glance over her list. Most of the things listed are personality traits. The only physical trait that was listed is tall. I look back at her.
"You do know that even Sasquatch would meet your requirements of attractiveness." I say.
April shrugs her shoulders. "What can I say. I'm not picky."
She's probably only saying that for my benefit. Everyone has their preferences. She probably just doesn't want to make me feel bad by pointing out I was the opposite of what she normal consider attractive. I let it go, though. At least I do have that tall thing going for me, even if my hight is more of awkward lanky type of hight.
I pull out another sheet of paper to write the combined list down.
"Are you going to let me see your paper." April asks.
"Hmm?"
I pretend I didn't hear her. It's not like I have a problem showing her my work. It's just that my list is basically a description of her. I didn't even realize how much April had in common with my ideal girl until I started writing my list down. Showing her that now might make things very awkward for our new budding friendship. I didn't want her to think I was attracted to her and I certainly didn't want her to think I was creepy.
"Seriously? You talked about my list but I can't even see yours?" April asked.
I sigh and hand her my list. She takes it with a smile on her face and the look of victory in her eyes. April glanced over the list. I mentally prepare myself for the worst. She looks up at me and smiles.
"So you like the adorkable type." She says.
"The a-what-able type?"
"You know, adorkable. Kind of dorky but adorable at the same time."
"Where does it say that?" I ask looking over at my sheet.
"Well it doesn't say that exactly but when you add it all up that's what you get. Smart, sweet, funny, and cute, the basic recipe for adorkability." April said handing the piece of paper back to me.
"Okay?" I say taking the paper back. I can't tell if she didn't notice or wasn't paying attention but either way I think I'm off the hook. It's a good thing I put the personality traits at the top and not the physical. April doesn't know that I'm attracted to her and it's a secret I can take with me to the grave.
Ms. Carter walks into the class a few minutes after the bell rings. In her hands she carries a bag of candy. She sets it down on the table and looks back at us.
"Alright class I hope you completed your assignment and have thought over the reasoning to the traits you listed. Raise your hand and tell me some of the things you wrote down. I'll compile a list for both male and female." Ms. Carter says. She walks over to the board and writes the words 'male' and 'female'.
Ms. Carter turned back around and pointed towards one of the students.
"Strong" said one of the girls.
"Nice abs." Said another.
"Big tits." Yell one of the male students.
The class room burst into giggles. Ms. Carter turned back around and glared at them.
"Please try to be mature about this." Ms. Carter said turning back around. She wrote the word 'breast' under female.
"Slim waist." Said another student.
"Good hair" yelled another.
"Light skin and pretty eyes."
I frowned. The list was looking more and more like the stereotypical American version of beauty. It's so annoying how shallow people can be some times. I was already against this project but I'm starting to like it even less.
"Dark skin is just as beautiful as light. Y'all better recognize." Argued one of the girl siting in the back.
"Yeah and just cause a girl not a size two with a D-cup don't mean she not pretty. Guys need to stop putting all this pressure on women" Said the girl siting behind me.
"Seriously? Y'all do the same thing. If a guy got a little weight on him and some acne y'all act like he to ugly to even think about dating." Argued one of the guys in the center of the room.
Ms. Carter smiled watching the argument develop. Soon everyone seemed to have an opinion of the matter. Ms. Carter held out her hand quitting the class.
"Alright, alright. It's good to see you all fired up. We can all get very defensive when the things we desire come under question. This is what I wanted to bring to your attention. Despite what everyone would have you believe beauty can vary from person to person. What is important to this class is why what we find attractive, to be attractive."
I stare at her. I guess in a weird way it kind of made since. Still I have a feeling there could have been a better way to go about it.
Ms. Carter smile. "Okay now who want to give the reasoning behind one of the traits on the list. Erick, why don't you give it a go."
Erick looked up so surprised to have his name called. He stared at the list. He probably had been zoned out for most of the class.
"I guess girls like strong men because biologically they're weaker than us. They need a strong man to control them and keep them in check. That's why girls prefer the alpha male over push over nerdy guys." Erick said looking over at me. I ignore him. It's no surprise that he sees me as his lesser.
Just because I don't treat woman like their expendable doesn't make me a push over. But if what Erick said is true that girls like a$$hole type, then I guess I'll just be single because that not me. I want the girl I'm with to be someone I can see as an equal.
"Good job, Erick. Perhaps it could have been worded better but you precent a clear stance on the subject." Ms. Carter said tossing him a piece of candy. She looked back at the class. "Now who wants to argue him."
April's hand is the first to shoot up in the air.
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Authors note:
What do you guys think April is going to say?
What did you think of the class exercise? One of my classes did something similar and things got heated quick.