The Crossover

How Do You Spell Trouble?

During the vocabulary test

JB passes me a folded note

to give to

Miss Sweet Tea,

who sits at the desk

in front of me

and who looks

pretty tight

in her pink denim capris

and matching sneaks.

Someone cracks a window.

A cold breeze whistles.

Her hair dances to its own song.

In this moment I forget

about the test

and the note

until JB hits me in the head with his No. 2.

Somewhere between

camaraderie and imbecile

I tap her beige bare shoulder

with the note.

At that exact moment

the teacher’s head creeps

up from his desk, his eyes directly on me.

I’m a fly caught in a web.

What do I do?

Hand over the note, embarrass JB;

or hide the note, take the heat.

I look at my brother,

his forehead a factory of sweat.

Miss Sweet Tea smiles,

gorgeous pink lips and all.

I know what I have to do.