Here There Be Poetry

A Chapter by Vanessa

Tania rushed out of her car onto the street trying to cross it before she was late to school. For two days she had already been late, thanks to her sister taking forever to get ready. What could a twelve year old, junior high student have to get ready for?

The bell rang just as Tania entered the school building. Well, at least she wouldn’t be locked out but three tardies to the same class; that qualified her for detention. Just my luck, she thought to herself.

She entered her class that was the last door in the hall and everyone turned to look at her.

“Hello there Miss Sanders; it’s nice of you to join us,” Mr. Kirnan said. Behind him was a student from the class that she recognized as Brandon Myers. He wasn’t the best looking guy in the bunch but he did have some good features like his deep sea green eyes and a smile to die for. At 5’11” and with tan skin he wouldn’t be a bad guy to date.

Maybe he could be my new play thing, Tania said to herself, I wonder why I’ve never noticed him before?

“Take a seat Miss Sanders,” Mr. Kirnan said a bit annoyed. She nodded and took her seat in the center of the class. “Mr. Myers, continue reading your poetry assignment. I’m so enticed to see what you have come up with this time,” their teacher said sarcastically.

Brandon looked at the class and began.

Never in my life had I seen such beauty.

Her eyes the color of the night sky

Her hair like the flames of a fire

Her skin like the sand of a beach

Her mouth like a rose just blossoming

All I can do to stay away is to stay hidden

Watch her from a distance where she wouldn’t see me

Knowing that someday she would finally realize

That I was meant for her and her for me

As he finished reading, his eyes landed on Tania and she was taken aback. The red hair, the dark eyes, could he really be talking about her; she was the first to look away as the teacher began talking.

“That was quite impressive. Did you really write it?” he asked Brandon.

A nod came from Brandon as he said, “Yes, I did write it.”

Mr. Kirnan looked unsure as he said, “Take your seat.”

She could hear whispers around the class just fairly high enough for her to understand.

“Was that poem about Tania?”

And

“Why would he write a poem about her?”

A moment later everyone went silent as Mr. Kirnan began writing on the board. She began reading it to herself; it was something about writing an essay but she couldn’t concentrate on what she read. Her mind kept going to the poem and the way he had looked at her after.

The class went by as they wrote their essays; they turned them in as they finished. When class was over

Tania began to put her stuff away. “So, how did you like it?” someone asked beside her.

She looked up and saw it was Brandon. “Oh, it was�"uh, nice,” she said to him.

Brandon smiled and continued talking, “Well, I wanted to talk to you about it.”

Just then Mr. Kirnan said, “Tania, come to the front right now.”

Tania apologized to Brandon and walked over to the teacher. “Yes, Mr. Kirnan?”

“Don’t think I’ve forgotten that this is the third time you’re late to my class. I don’t care to hear any excuses; you are receiving a detention,” he said.

She nodded at him as he wrote her a detention slip for an hour after school. “If you continue to be late we will have to take this up with your parents and the principal.”

“Don’t worry,” Tania said, “this will be the last time.”

“It better be.”

The rest of the day Tania went out of her way to not see Brandon. She wasn’t the kind of girl that stayed with a guy for too long and she wasn’t sure if that’s what he wanted.

When school let out she walked over to her car which Brandon was leaning against. “So, you mind if we talk now?” he asked.

“Uh�"sure,” Tania said.

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