Plummet: Act II

The story of Chris Winslow continues. He's made a new friend named Craig, but who is he? Find out in this second chapter. Also some new characters are introduced.

Chris, who is late to his Algebra class, is scolded by the teacher. “Mr. Winslow, you’re late.” The Teacher says.

Chris replies “I got in a fight” and the entire class erupts into laughter.

The teacher replies “Well did you tell a faculty member?”

Chris says “Oh, well no.”

The teacher replies “Hmm, well that’s an unexcused absence now have a seat.”

Chris then says “Yes sir.”

He sits down and turns to the right where he sees Tatianna, one of the most pretty and popular girls in the whole school. While the teacher is talking, Tatianna says to Chris “Hey.” Chris nervously replies, “Oh, hey.” Tatianna asks him “so what happened wit’ you and Mike?”

Chris replies “Oh, it was nothing.”

“Why you keep lettin’ him mess wit’ you?” She asks.

Chris replies, “What am I supposed to do he’s bigger than me.”

Tatianna says, “Just fight back, he won’t do nothin.”

Chris replies, “Well the kid Craig said that he has my back.”

Tatianna replies, “Naw you gotta stick up for yourself, don’t you want people to respect you? Next time Mike steps to you just punch him in the face, I’d like it if you did that.”

 “Really?” Chris asks.

Tatianna replies “Yea, I mean--”

The teacher then clears his throat loudly to get their attention, and they both turn around.

“So not only were you late to my class,” he says, “You want to carry on a conversation back there too?”

Chris replies “Sorry sir.”

The teacher says “Mr. Winslow I’d like to see you after class.”

“Ok” Chris says.

After class, Chris goes to the teacher. He is furious with Chris and begins giving him a stern lecture.

“You wanted to speak to me sir.”

 “Yes I do,” the teacher says, “You were late to my class unexcused and then you were in the back talking.”

“But sir I told you,” Chris replies, “I got beat up.”

“Well I don’t see a scratch on your face,” the teacher replies.

 “Well he didn’t beat me up; he just slapped me around a little bit.”

 “Mhmm,” The teacher replies, “Well I’m letting you off with a warning. Whatever happened don’t let it happen again. If you’re late three more times, I’ll have to count it as an unexcused absence, do I make myself clear?”

 “Yes sir.”

“Good,” the teacher says, “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

As Tatianna is outside in the hall, she approaches Chris

“Sorry about getting you in trouble,” she says.

 “Oh, it’s alright,” Chris replies

 “But remember what I said, okay?”

 “Yea,” Chris replies, “So what class do you have next?”

 “Oh, I have Biology.”

 “I have English.”

“Oh, okay,” she replies.

After an awkward silence, Craig walks up to the two of them.

“What up girl?” Craig asks Tatianna as he hugs her.

 “Hey Craig,” She replies.

Craig sees Chris and asks “Ya’ll know each other?”

 “Yea, he’s in my class,” She replies.

“Well I have to go to class,” she says, “Bye guys.”

Chris replies “Bye Tatianna.”

 “Alright,” Craig says.

“Yo you like her?” Craig asks.

“Yea, she’s so cool and pretty.” Chris replies.

“Yo, you gotta get ya’ swag right if you want her,” Craig says

Chris asks “What does that mean?”

Craig replies “You gotta loosen up, get fresh man.”

Chris says “If only I had some type of job or something, I don’t have any money.”

Craig replies “Yea man you gotta get a job, get some better clothes.”

Craig continues “So what class you have man?”

Chris replies “I have English.”

Craig asks “What floor and room number?”

Chris replies “In Room 205 on the second floor.”

“Yo we got the same class, could you walk me up there ‘cause I don’t know where it is.” Craig says.

Chris, who knew where the room was, says “Yea man sure, follow me.”

Before they walk into the class they see one of Craig’s friends, Cole. Cole yells “Yo’ What up Big C!”

 “What’s good Cole!”

They slap hands and then Craig introduces Chris and Cole to each other.

“Yo Cole this is the little homie Chris he’s wit’ us now.”

“Oh hey, what’s up man,” Chris says.

 “Hey yo,” Cole says, “Wasn’t you the one who Mike beat up? Hey yo C this lame can’t chill wit us man!”

 “Chill yo’ we gonna teach him a thing or two.”

 “Oh alright,” Cole says.

The three of them walk in just before the bell rings and they take their seats, the Teacher hands out the syllabus.

“Okay class,” the Teacher says, “I’m now handing out the syllabus.”

As the teacher is talking, Craig and Cole are in the back laughing and goofing around.

“Yo C?” Cole says.

“What’s up” Craig replies.

 Cole asks “Don’t that girl next to you smell like three cans of back dat a*s up?”

 Craig replies “Hell yea yo, I was wonderin’ what dat smell was.”

Chris starts laughing at their conversation and Cole asks him “Yo, you heard what we said?”

Chris replies “Yea man”.

“Don’t she stink though yo?” Craig asks.

 “Yea,” Chris says.

 “I can smell her dirty a*s all the way back here,” Cole says.

The teacher catches them talking and interrupts them.

“Are you done back there?” She asks.

To which Craig and Cole reply “sorry ma’am”.

 “Very well then,” she replies. “Anyway, I will now pass out your first assignment. You are to write a two-paragraph activity in which you will tell me what your expectations are in this class, and where you are in terms of writing essays.”

 “What if you don’t know what to expect?” Cole asks, “Or how to write essays?” The entire class bursts out in laughter.

 “Well write that down, and explain it in detail.”

The students spend the remainder of the class doing their assignments and they pass them in. When they are done, they give them to the teacher and the bell rings.

“Okay class I’ll see you all tomorrow.”

Everyone leaves and heads to lunch.

 “Hey Chris,” Craig asks, “You tryin’ to come to lunch wit’ us?”

 “Naw man,” Chris asks, “I gotta go to the office for something. I’ll probably see you guys there though.”

Craig and Cole reply “Oh alright yo.”

Chris makes his way to the office to speak with Ms. Applegate.

“Can I see Miss Applegate?” Chris asks the secretary.

 “What’s your name?”

 “Chris Winslow.”

 “Oh, okay Chris she’s been waiting for you.”

Chris walks to the back and enters her office.

“Hey Chris, have a seat” Miss Applegate says. “So Chris, I know what happened this morning between you and Mike.” “I just wanted to let you know that he’s been suspended.”

 “For how long?” Chris asks.

 “Five days,” Miss Applegate says, “That should keep him away from you for a while.”

 “Oh Okay,” Chris replies, “So I made two new friends today. Their names are Craig and Cole.”

Miss Applegate scolds him, saying “No, uh-uh, those two are nothing but trouble!” “They will influence you negatively; I don’t want you hanging out with them, is that understood?” She asks.

“What?” Chris replies, “But they’re the only people in this school who accept me!”

Miss Applegate replies “Honey, I accept you.”

“But you’re the principal!” He says, “It’s your job to accept everyone!” “Craig and Cole, they’re the first kids to treat me like a friend!”

He becomes angry and yells at Miss Applegate, saying:  “Oh, so you just want me to run to you for everything?” “I’m sick of not having friends!” “I’m sick of being picked on and made fun of!” “All I’ve ever wanted was to belong, to be cool, to be accepted!”

Miss Applegate fires back “And you really think this is how you can do that, by becoming one of them?”

Chris becomes silent.

 She continues on and says “Chris, as much as I hate to say this, those boys have no future. But you do, if you hang out with them you’ll go the same way they’re going.”

“I don’t care,” Chris says, “Even if you’re right my life couldn’t get any worse than it is now.”

“Get out of my office.” Miss Applegate says.

“Fine” Chris replies.

“This isn’t going to turn out well for you, and I hope you come to your senses.” Miss Applegate says.

“Whatever,” Chris says.

Chris picks up his book bag and leaves the office, going to lunch. When he walks in, he sees Tatianna and her friends at a table. Long hair, half-Black-half-Dominican, skinny waist, and a pretty face to top it all off; he begins fantasizing about the things he would do to her.

“Hey Chris!” she says, waving at him.

He happily waves back.

 “Yo Chris!” Craig yells.

Chris turns around, sees him, and walks to the table.

“Yo sit down,” Craig says. Chris sits down and looks around at everyone. They are talking about a party and also plotting on how to strike back at Mike’s gang.

“Alright so we was talkin’ about how we could get back at Mike and his gang.” Craig says.

Cole says “Yea, we finna put the pressure on those b"ches.”

“He got suspended so now we can get back at them easier, wit’ out getting’ in trouble,” Craig says. “There’s gonna be a party tomorrow night after the basketball game, and he’s definitely gonna be there.”

Everyone nods their heads in agreement.

“True, True,” Cole says, “But yo C, how we gonna do this? We prolly won’t even make the party, you know how coach be givin’ them long a*s speeches.”

“Damn,” Craig says, “You right, but yo’ we gonna make that party, no matter what.”

“Can I come to this party?” Chris asks.

“Yea man, you can come,” Craig says. “That’s the whole point, I wanna help you get your reputation up in this school.”

 “But yo Chris,” Cole adds, “We gotta get you some new clothes forreal. You can’t be a part of our crew lookin’ like a broke boy.”

“He’s right,” Craig says. “Ride our bus today, we gonna give you a makeover.”

Chris replies “Thanks guys.”

Cole adds again, “And you gotta stop talkin’ like that man.”

            

            Everyone laughs.

            

            “Yo Chill, he’ll learn,” Craig says.

            

              After a few more class periods, the school day ended. Chris, on his way out of school runs into Tatianna again. She waves at him, and he waves back. “I want to make her mine”, Chris thinks to himself. He checks his phone to see what Craig’s bus number was, “755” he says to himself. Upon finding the number, he walks onto the bus where he sees Craig and Cole in the back and sits down.

            

              Craig stands up says to everyone in the back, “Yo this is my homie Chris, if anyone messes wit’ him we gonna have some problems!”

            

             “Yea alright!” Someone yells.

            

            Craig replies, “Hey yo, who said that?”

            

            There was silence.

            

            “Oh alright,” Craig says, “Like I was saying, Chris is down wit us now. If any of ya’ll mess wit’ him you gonna have me to deal with.”

           

            He sits back down and begins joking around with everyone in the back.

            

           A kid named Tavon asks, “Yo ya’ll know that girl Tatianna?”

           

           Cole replies “Who doesn’t know her dumbass.”

           

           Tavon replies “Yo she can get it, she hella thick!”

           

           Chris replies “I’m tryin’ to get with her too.”

           

           Tavon laughs and says “Boy shut up, she ain’t lookin’ at you!”

           

            “Hey yo don’t come at my boy like that.” Craig says.

            

            “Yea yo, what the hell’s wrong wit’ you?” Cole says

            

            “Yo chill, I was just messin wit’ him,” Tavon says, “Go ahead yo, you can talk to her, but you better pass her over to me when you done.”

            

             The bus finally stops at Craig and Cole’s neighborhood, Park Crescent, one of the most dangerous parts of Edgewood. They all begin walking until they get to Craig’s house, once they get in his house: Craig pulls out his keychain and opens the door; he turns on his TV and tunes to BET where his favorite Meek Mill song is playing.

            

            “Yo Meek Mill is da truth!” Craig says, “Dude be goin’ off!”

            

            “He ain’t better than 2 Chainz though!” Cole says.

            

             “Hell no”, Craig says. “That dude’s garbage, Meek Mill is the nicest rapper out right now.”

            

             “You guys should listen to Immortal Technique and Lupe Fiasco.” Chris says.

            

             “Hell naw, they be on that political bulls"t,” Cole says, “2 Chainz be goin off.”

            

             Chris replies, “I don’t know, I’m not really into mainstream rap.”

            

“I feel you Chris.” Craig says. “Anyway, I got some clothes upstairs in my room.” “I want you to have them, after that Imma introduce you to a few people around the neighborhood.”

         

So Chris, Craig, and Cole all go upstairs to give Chris the clothes the clothes that Craig promised he would give him.

        

         “Here’s a couple Polos and some jeans.” Craig says, “Try ‘em on.”

            

“Yea they’re cool” Chris says, “I like ‘em.”

            

“What’chu think Cole?” Craig says.

            

Cole replies, “Yea, he lookin’ fresh. But you still gotta find da swag to go wit it, you feel me?”

            

“Yea” Chris says. “I really appreciate this though.”

“Don’t mention it man,” Craig and Cole collectively reply.

"Let’s go outside so I can introduce you to the big homies around here,” Craig says

         

“Who are they?” Chris asks.

        

“You’ll find out yo,” Craig says.

To be continued in Act 3…