1

Jean's Perspective

The raucous chirping of birds outside my bedroom window roused me from my slumber. Ordinarily, I would have grumbled at the noise, but last night's sleep was so restful that I couldn't bring myself to be annoyed. Glancing at my wristwatch as I rose from bed, I realized with a jolt that it was already 7:40 in the morning.

"Dammit!" I exclaimed aloud. Less than twenty minutes were remaining before school gates closed for good after 8:00 a.m. sharp, and arriving even a minute late meant being locked out for the day. Why hadn't my alarm clock gone off?

Narrator speaking: "Because you threw it out the window yesterday, imbecile!"

With only 20 minutes remaining, I hurried to the bathroom and managed to bathe in just four minutes. Then, I attempted to dress in my uniform within one minute - a challenging task given its numerous pieces including a white shirt with a badge, a navy blue skirt adorned with an additional badge on its side (I wonder why they put it there), a black string bow tie, a dark grey jacket, and white socks. Additionally, I secured my curly brown hair using my purple headband. Grabbing my bag, I rushed over to the dining table for breakfast consisting of cereal which left much to be desired.

After finishing breakfast quickly, I ran straight towards my car and started the engine with only ten minutes remaining before school started. Knowing that it would take me fifteen minutes to reach school by car under normal circumstances made me drive as fast as Flash did in his prime. Unfortunately for me though almost getting pulled over by police was inevitable due to how fast I was driving; however luck favoured me this time around as I arrived at school right before they closed their gates.

Narrator speaking: "Apart from nearly being arrested by law enforcement officials earlier on today she also splashed muddy water onto some lady who then proceeded to curse quite loudly but Side Character had already driven away."

It seemed like today's gate warden wasn't too strict about tardiness since he let many students arrive late without any consequences - perhaps he wasn't paid enough or something else entirely? Once inside campus grounds after parking in the nearest available student spot (thankfully there was an extra space open because usually all spots are full due to other students' vehicles).

I proceeded directly to my classroom, traversing the cafeteria and canteen en route-

Narrator Speaking: To spare you any unnecessary details, let's fast forward to when I arrived at the esteemed Berkeley Hills High School. Picture it as opulent as possible with every conceivable amenity.

There is a strong likelihood that a peripheral character may attempt to expound upon the school's history and its vast student body. However, I shall refrain from allowing her to do so as it would be tedious for you, dear reader. It behoves me as the narrator to provide this information instead of delegating such duties.

Berkeley Hills High boasts one of the largest enrollments in the country with 5,000 students admitted each year out of 1,000 applicants who must pass rigorous entrance exams and interviews. The school permits pupils to personalize their uniforms provided they maintain proper identification badges while prohibiting coloured contact lenses due to security concerns.

The institution comprises six classes subdivided into eight streams: Red, Blue, Purple, Central East, North, South and West - where our protagonist finds herself amidst chaos. Jean's Grade 9 West class consists predominantly of black and coloured students known for being boisterous troublemakers - an observation which I concur with wholeheartedly. This cohort also exhibits flagrant disrespect towards certain teachers which could potentially hinder their prospects.

For an accurate portrayal of your surroundings within Jean's classroom setting; please refer below:



With all pertinent information divulged thus far; we can now proceed with our account without further delay.

After storing my books in the locker, I entered a raucous classroom where my fellow students were scattered about. Some tossed paper aeroplanes chatted with friends, read books, and scribbled oddities on the blackboard. Initially, I struggled to adjust to this class when I first arrived here from Red three months ago. However, after getting to know them better, they proved quite endearing. It was precisely because of West's superior offering in home economics that prompted me to switch from Red's linguistics elective.

I made my way towards the front-row seat next to Philip Trajan -the class captain and my crush- as Ms Forger looked on approvingly. At first blush, I harboured reservations about sitting beside him since interacting with boys wasn't exactly one of my strong suits. But over time we bonded over our shared love for anime and his exceptional talent for drawing became apparent as well. Through Philip, I also got acquainted with Jael Cullen who shares a deep brotherhood with him; their easy rapport impressed me no end. Jael even affectionately calls me "grandma" (due mostly in part to our mutual interest in crochet), which is a testament not only to his sense of humour but also to how comfortable he has become around me.

"Good morning, Phil," I greeted him warmly while waiting for his response. "Good morning," he replied nonchalantly before returning his attention towards sketching within his notebook. I felt elated inside hearing those few words tumble out of his mouth and couldn't help but steal glances at him periodically throughout the class. His towering height (roughly 6ft), jet-black hair, dark eyes, and rich chocolate skin all conspired together making me wish fervently that he would ask me out someday soon...

Narrator speaking: Dear readers, the moment we've all been waiting for has arrived. It's time to discuss her crush. I have much to say about this young man, but I'll limit it to three major points of contention. Firstly, his dark brown complexion is so deep that he blends into the night; even the side character herself is quite dark in tone. This raises concerns about their future offspring being too dark-skinned to be discernable at a distance.

Secondly, he's rather average-looking when compared with most book protagonists who tend to have striking features such as cool eyes or unique hairstyles. He does possess some charm with his dimples and height, but beyond these traits lies nothing remarkable or noteworthy - just plain black hair and eyes.

Lastly, he exhibits narcissistic tendencies by failing to acknowledge others properly during greetings (e.g., not using names). Based on my observations, it's clear that dating him would be ill-advised.

Thank you for listening attentively while I shared my three grievances regarding Side Character's crush. Now let us hear what she has to say.

 As fate would have it, while gazing at my crush intently for twenty minutes straight our biology teacher suddenly entered the room causing commotion among classmates scurrying back into their seats and erasing weird things from the blackboard.

Luckily Alvan Wilston was present as our class lookout informing us of upcoming tests and results along with which teachers were arriving promptly each day though sometimes inaccurately predicting test dates which didn't always sit well with students yet still appreciated nonetheless.

After greeting us warmly our teacher began delivering a lengthy lesson lasting one hour and six minutes leaving me feeling bored out of my mind until finally bringing an end to this tedious ordeal.

The subsequent topic of discussion pertained to the English language. During the lesson, Zoe Miller engaged in a dispute with Philip regarding his use of the term 'god'. "Philip, it is inappropriate and irreverent to refer to oneself as God. Such usage is disrespectful towards religious sentiments," Zoe asserted agitatedly. "I merely used the word 'God' to convey that I possess an exceptional talent for artistry. It was never my intention to insinuate that I am responsible for creating art," Philip calmly retorted. The altercation persisted for approximately half an hour until I intervened, taking Zoe's side due to my fondness for her. "As long as you are not implying that you are indeed God, using this term generally should be acceptable. For instance, in Jewish culture some individuals were called Jesus and were considered holy; therefore, Jesus can be viewed as a commonplace name within this community," I explained rationally. Ultimately, Phil emerged victorious from their argument.

At precisely 10:20 a.m., Break time commenced marking the end of our English class session. The so-called 'achievers' hastened out of the classroom immediately after its conclusion. However, the achievers in our class did not excel academically but rather distinguished themselves by being notorious troublemakers. These included Remmy, Ian, Staron, Erick, Brian Joel, and Martin. They earned this moniker because they possessed remarkable skills when it came to making noise and causing disruption. Moreover, this group was infamous for playing pranks on teachers whom they held animosity towards.

I remained in the classroom to await my friend's arrival, so we could proceed to the cafeteria together. "Ladies, may I inquire as to what is taking you so long? If you are not coming with us, kindly let me know, for I am unwilling to wait," I addressed Joy Ruth Owens, Miriam Woods, and Munirrah Williams. Aida Hunter added impatiently: "Come on girls! We only have thirty minutes left and walking from here to the cafeteria will consume considerable time. You are dawdling as though attending a wedding party; however, you shall go nowhere since gentlemen do not fancy your company. Please hurry up." In response, Miriam retorted: "Were you unaware that women tend to take their time when going somewhere?" Jowan Bailey sighed deeply and declared: "Since all of you seem preoccupied discussing how much time it takes for ladies to prepare themselves before leaving this place, I shall depart alone. Enjoy your break while it lasts; if any one of you requires something from the cafeteria upon my return do inform me." Once she said that Jowan walked out of the classroom whilst Aida and I decided to catch up with her instead of waiting around for others who were lagging.

Apart from what was occurring at the present moment, there was an inquiry that had been lingering in my mind; namely why every student in our class had hair coloured differently except for Philip and myself. For instance, Aida has cyan-tinted hair whereas Jowan sports yellow-tinted locks; Mimi flaunts white-tinted tresses while Muni's mane boasts blue hues - even Jael has chosen red-tinting for her coiffure! Strangely enough, I never questioned this trend previously perhaps due in part because our school allows such fashion choices or maybe because they insist that these colours were natural pigmentation among those born within recent years - but then again it is 2082 after all which means futuristic styles ranging anywhere from exotic hairstyles down through eye colour changes are increasingly common occurrences...

Narrator speaking: Once again, I am here to provide insight into why Jean Autumn Hathaway is a secondary character rather than the protagonist, who I believe to be her namesake, Aida Autumn Hunter.

a) Protagonists often possess unique hair colours such as gold or magenta. In contrast, Aida's cyan-tinted locks are particularly striking and set her apart from other characters - in stark contrast to the plain brown hue of our side character.

b) The ability of protagonists to maintain emotional control is a key trait that sets them apart from supporting characters; they remain grounded even when faced with harsh realities. Aida embodies this quality naturally while the emotions of our secondary character tend to run rampant.

c) Leadership qualities are another defining characteristic of the main characters. After studying Aida through the lens of Jean's perspective, it became clear that she possesses strong leadership potential - exemplified by her dream of becoming America's first female president. By comparison, our side character has aspirations limited solely to crocheting and fashion design - an unlikely path towards success.

In conclusion, I firmly believe that Aida is indeed the primary focus of this book- if given the chance to speak with its writer directly, I would request permission to narrate her story instead of being stuck following around a lesser character for what remains of their literary life span! But alas- such dreams may never come true... let us return now to whatever thoughts were on Jean Hathaway's mind before we began this tangent...

After visiting the cafeteria and procuring refreshments, we returned to class only to be greeted by the sounds of a physical altercation. "Keith, you contemptible individual! I explicitly instructed you to refrain from interfering with Shakira as she is under my jurisdiction. Who permitted you to lay your grubby hands on her? She was mine first, after all, and now you're violating her personal space?" Adrian Myers, our esteemed class counselor exclaimed while throwing a punch at his confidant Keith Sanchez, who skillfully evaded it.

"Adrian, I cannot be held responsible for your Bitch's attraction to me. She persistently requests my company, but it is not within my control if she does not share the same interest in you," Keith retorted with a smug grin. Adrian retaliated with a series of punches and sternly warned, "Do not dare refer to Shakira as a bitch - she is an exquisite being on this planet."

After witnessing the tense situation between Adrian and Keith and observing the girl they were fighting for, I noticed a hint of distress on her face. It was evident that she desired a resolution to the conflict and sought Patrick's assistance. Meanwhile, Maria Campbell, known for her questionable behaviour, recorded the entire fight.

The culmination of the fight occurred when Patrick Torres intervened and addressed both friends with compassion. He exclaimed, "My Homies, why are you fighting? You two are my closest friends, and I cannot bear to see you drift apart because of a girl." Patrick positioned himself between the two friends and gently caught their fists. "Keith, I urge you to apologize to Adrian. It was unfair to belittle Shakira in front of him. And Adrian, there's no need to resort to violence just because Keith talked to your girlfriend. It could have been a misunderstanding, so please find it in your heart to forgive him, alright?" Moved by Patrick's words, the two friends reconciled, and the onlookers decided to return to their seats, eagerly anticipating the start of the next lesson.

During the Geography lesson, the teacher entered the classroom accompanied by Joy Ruth, who was assisting her with her belongings. It became clear to me that Joy Ruth had been with the teacher instead of joining us in the cafeteria earlier. It was evident that she held the teacher in high regard, possibly because the teacher was the director of studies.

For this lesson, Jael decided to sit in the same row as me, Philip, and Zoe. As the lesson progressed, Jael brought up the topic of the latest episode of One Piece, remarking on the humour present in the show despite it having 3058 episodes and still ongoing. Just like Phil, Jael was an avid anime fan.

"Man, it was so exciting! But have you seen the latest episode of Attack on Titan?" Philip responded, snickering. "They're on the twentieth instalment of the final season, and it's part five. I wonder if it will ever come to an end. They should wrap things up already."

"I hope it concludes soon too," I chimed in, focusing on taking notes from the teacher. "But knowing us crazy fans, it's likely to continue indefinitely."

Matthew Newton interrupted our conversation, requesting that we keep quiet and pay attention to the teacher to avoid getting in trouble with Ms. Joyeria. "And make sure you guys are copying down the notes," Hashim Hughes added, turning his attention back to his note-taking. "I know you, Jael and Philip, never write anything down from what the teachers say."

With that, we decided to comply and remained silent for the remainder of the lesson, diligently jotting down everything the teacher explained. 

In the next Physical Education lesson, the teacher gathered the students and enthusiastically announced, "Good afternoon, my dear students! It's time for some gym activities. Please grab your tracksuits and let's head over to the gym." As the class made their way to their lockers to retrieve their tracksuits, I turned to Cinnamon Roll, hoping she would accompany me to the gym. "Hey, Cinnamon Roll, would you like to join me?" I asked, eagerly awaiting her response. To my delight, she replied in a cheerful tone, "Yes, I will!" It's worth mentioning that Cinnamon Roll, whose real name is Solome Markos and hails from Ethiopia, earned her nickname due to her sweet and kind nature. She's always smiling and reminds me of a delightful anime character known as "Pink Cheeks." On the other hand, Ruth, one of the affluent girls in our class, is also regarded as the class tomboy. Her passion for football and interest in ICT garner respect from the boys. Just like Jael, she affectionately refers to me as "nanny" and sees me as her grandmother. Interestingly, Ruth is related to Aaron Norman and Jael, making our classroom dynamics akin to a quirky family.

Suddenly, Campbell, known for her attention-seeking behaviour, approached us with a lipstick-covered smile and asked, "Mind if I join you guys? Please say yes, as I don't want to come off as unpleasant." Ruth, with a sarcastic tone and a fake smile, replied, "Sure, you can come with us." Campbell's treatment is a consequence of her actions, and while she may not realize it, the entire class seems to be united against her. Even Cinnamon Roll isn't particularly fond of her, but we all maintain a level of civility out of concern for her well-being. With our group expanded, we proceeded to the gym, ready for an eventful Physical Education session.

On arriving at the gym, the teacher told us to warm up and get ready for the game of dodgeball. The atmosphere was tense as the teacher announced, "OK, you guys are going to split into two teams, girls against boys. Whoever wins will receive extra points added to their final grade." The anticipation was palpable as the teacher signalled the start of the game. The chaos ensued as the boys targeted the girls, particularly focusing on Leticia Foster. She dashed through the gym, hilariously evading the balls. It became a fierce competition where everyone fought for themselves. However, the game ended in a draw, leaving the class disappointed and agitated.

Once the gym class ended, it was time for lunch. I was contemplating whether to go grab lunch or stay in the classroom to crochet. Eventually, I decided to approach one of my good friends, Cyrus Mikaelson. Despite his eating habits resembling that of a pig, he was a nice guy. It was intriguing how his closest friend was Alvan, possibly due to their shared brilliance in our class.

We spent the entire period engrossed in a conversation about superheroes, though I never obtained an explanation for Cyrus' eating habits. The next lesson was Home Economics, where we were assigned the task of baking a simple apple pie in groups of four. I chose to team up with Samuel ColdStone, Ineza Jonathan, and Joyce Jackson. Samuel expressed some doubt about his cooking skills, but Ineza reassured him, stating that he could learn from the rest of us while we baked. With a determined fist raised in the air, Joyce exclaimed, "We can do this!"

And indeed, we succeeded. Our apple pie turned out to be incredibly delicious, earning us a B+ from the teacher.

After Home Economics, it was time for our respective clubs, which lasted until 4:30 p.m. I held the position of club president for the ninth graders in the Clothing and Textile Club. The club's patron approached me with a request, "President, it seems that the new members are struggling with the first concept of crochet. Could you help teach them?" I willingly offered my assistance but suggested involving other experienced members as well, as I couldn't teach them all on my own. Equipped with my crochet hook kit, I began guiding the new members through the basic steps of crochet. It took some time, but eventually, all the newcomers grasped the fundamentals.

As the clock struck at 4.35 PM, I decided to end the club activities for the day and head home early. On my way to the car, I noticed Ciara Freeman and Edith walking towards the gate. It seemed like they were also leaving. Seizing the opportunity, I offered them a lift home. "Hey guys, do you want a ride?" I called out, walking towards them. Ciara hesitated, responding, "We appreciate the offer, but we don't want to trouble you. We'll just walk home." Edith, eager to change Ciara's mind, chimed in, "Come on, Bestie. It's a free ride. How can we say no?" Finally, Ciara agreed, and I couldn't contain my joy. Together, we walked towards my car and hopped in. I started the engine and drove us out of the school premises. After dropping off Edith and Ciara at their respective places, I made my way back home.

Narrator speaking

I'm not going to let Side character tell you about her family and the drive back home. So, I'll stop Chapter 1 at this point. To those who have read this far. You're free to drop this book if it's already boring. If you're going to continue this book, then I'll see you in Chapter 2. Goodbye, my beloved readers.