on the map//spencer 'spider' white

4

"Oh, sweetie, no one's going to sell you that landfill," Darren tells her. "You're the reason they're in SLTs, remember? Come on."

Amerie and I are walking down the hallway. Suddenly she grabs my arm.

"How did you get a slap band?" Amerie asks.

"Spider gave me one," I tell her truthfully.

"Spider gave you one?" Amerie asks.

I nod. "Yeah. This morning when you were talking to Dusty."

"Ri you've got to get me one," Amerie pleads.

"Just ask Ant," I tell her.

Amerie sighs. "Fine."

So apparently it wasn't that simple. I sit with Amerie in the courtyard.

"Ant really wouldn't give you a slap band?" I ask.

"He told me there was no chance since I said that Darren gave him a wristy," Amerie tells me.

"But that's true, isn't it?" I ask.

Amerie nods. "Yeah, but he said I stuffed things up for him. His cousin told his auntie, and she told his grammy, who put it on Facebook. Now his mum found out. She's making him go to church three times more a week because of me apparently."

"That's not very Christian to punish you," I state.

"I know," Amerie agrees. "Then he told me I had to talk to Spider."

"So, talk to Spider," I tell her.

"Why can't you?" Amerie asks. "He already gave you a slap band."

"I'm not some Spider whisperer," I tell her. "I doubt he'll give me one just because I bat my eyelashes at him."

"Have you seen yourself?" Amerie says. "Spider would do so many things if you asked him to. I'm talking legal and otherwise."

I smile slightly. "I don't really think that's true Amerie."

"Just talk to him for me," Amerie says.

I shake my head. "Just tell him you'll pay."

"And if that doesn't work?" Amerie asks.

"I know the back entrances to Dusty's house," I tell her.

Even if SLTs wasn't taking up my free period I still don't think I would hate it any less than I do now. Miss Obah has a video on for us.

"In this demonstration, we learn how to respect people's boundaries."

It's a bunch of strange things involving noodles.

"I don't want your noodles."

"Sure you do. I want everyone to know how great my noodles are."

"I didn't even ask for your noodles."

"Well, maybe I'll put them in someone else's bowl."

"Oh, my God, kill me now," Darren remarks.

"This seems kind of unhygienic," Quinni says.

The woman in the video shoves noodles in her mouth. "See, other people like my noodles. They're so long and salty. Go on. Eat them, Stanley. Eat them all."

"Have you got a spare pen I can borrow?" Quinni asks.

"Nope, sorry," Darren tells her.

Sasha turns around and hands a pen to Quinni. "Here."

"Thanks," Quinni tells her.

"This is my favorite pen to draw with," Sasha says.

Quinni smiles. "Cool."