JoJo 14.2; Meanwhile....

Meanwhile...On a cold February day, Jane, Debra, and Alan had saved seats for JoJo and Samantha at their usual spot in the cafeteria. Samantha arrived two minutes before JoJo.

Alan practically yelled, "Samantha, over here!"
"Oh. Hey y'all."
Debra siad, "I like your blouse. Blue is a good color for you!"
Samantha was so grateful for Mrs. Smith at that moment.
"Thanks, Debra. Jane, I like your outfit."
Jane had a killer 70s outfit! She had matching jean jacket and pants. It radiated COOL.
"Thanks, Samantha! Where's JoJo?"
"He should be here..."
Just then JoJo was aimlessly wandering around the lunchroom.
Once again, Alan practically yelled, "JoJo, join us!"
"Oh, hey guys!"
The four in unison said, "Hey JoJo."
Jane turned to JoJo and said, "What's up?"
"Nothing much. I have learned so much today!!"
Silence....
JoJo said, "Uh, Sarcasm y'all."
Everyone laughed and the conversation continued.
Strangely, JoJo couldn't keep his eyes off of Samantha.
She could see him out of the corner of her eye. Her lack of confidence led her to believe something was wrong with her appearance, the words she was using, or maybe she smelled. But none of that was true. JoJo found her really cute. He had not seen her cuteness before. He didn't stop to wonder why.
After lunch, the sophomores went their way, and JoJo expected to walk with Samantha to class. However, she split. She practically ran from JoJo. He started to call out for her to stop. But he was speechless. His mouth would not move.
That night JoJo called Samantha 3 times, before she finally answered.
"Bout time."
Silence...
"Samantha??"
"I am here."
"Why did you leave so fast after lunch today?"
"What was wrong with me during lunch? And, why didn't you let me know? I felt embarrassed in front of the sophomores!"
JoJo was clueless. "What the heck are you talking about, Girl?"
"You stared at me the entire lunch!!"
OH CRAP! JoJo thought to himself. "Uhhh. I was?"
"You know darn well you were! Why!!" Samantha was tearing up.
JoJo had to think fast. He couldn't tell her the truth.
"Samantha, there was NOTHING wrong with you at lunch today."
"Really"--as she choked back tears.
"NO!"
"Then why the heck were you staring?"
"I dunno."
Then it hit Samantha...He thought I was cute. Hmmmm
"I'm sorry. Sometimes, I get paranoid."
Neither one of them would let on what really happened, so they went back to normal conversation.
"Wow, did you see Mr. Ruler bust his head on the cabinet today?"
"I think everyone did, JoJo."
"I guess so. But, it was great!"
"Do you hate teachers?"
"No, I don't hate them. I just feel we are at war."
"Really?"
"Yes! They tell us one thing and do another."
"Like what? When?"
"Like last week. Old Lady Right told us to study Chapters 1 & 2 for our test."
"And..."
"I studied them for three days. On the test, there was material from the first 4 chapters. I made a 70!'
"That is raunchy. What else?'
"Well...Early this semester, Mr. Quiz told me I had a big mouth."
"Uh Huh...you do."
JoJo laughed. "True. But, then he said he was going to close it for me. And the entire class laughed at me.'"
"That is pretty rotten."
"Anyway. They are not as perfect as they want us to be."