Read Online Ex-girl to the Next Girl by Daaimah S. Poole - Free Book Online

mind she thought she was doing the greatest thing by hurrying through her assignment. Half of it was wrong. I circled half of the page and told her to take her time and do it over. She sat back down.
    â€œMs. Clark, I need you now.” I walked to the door to see what Mrs. Meyers, the nosey science teacher, wanted.
    â€œYes, Mrs. Meyers. What’s the emergency?”
    â€œOkay, we have a definite problem.”
    â€œWhat’s that?” I asked as I stepped out of the door.
    â€œMrs. Ramos quit.”
    â€œWhat? Did you tell Mr. Mitchell?”
    â€œYes.”
    â€œSo why are you here?”
    â€œWe have to split the kids.”
    â€œSplit what kids?” I asked in disbelief.
    â€œHer class for the rest of the day. Only for today—Mr. Mitchell has a sub coming in tomorrow.” Just what I needed: twelve more students to add to my twenty-eight. Mrs. Ramos’s students dragged their desks into my classroom. It was thirty minutes before lunch. Friday, please hurry up and come.
    Â 
    Â 
    Friday was here. Hallelujah! I stopped and grabbed a big tea. I had a feeling that Mr. Mitchell wasn’t going to find a substitute, and I was going to have twelve extra students in my room. I walked into my classroom and my assumption was right. It was crowded. Students were popping gum, standing on their chairs, and playing Game Boys and listening to Walkmans.
    â€œEverybody put everything away. Pull out your social studies workbook,” I shouted. All of my students except for one put their Walkmans away. I walked over to the lanky boy and said, “Tyreek, give me the Walkman.” I put my hand out to reach for it.
    â€œI’m going to put it away, Ms. Clark,” he said as he put the Walkman in his desk.
    â€œEverybody turn to page 284.”
    Again, everybody was doing what he or she was told, except for Tyreek. He was now playing with Yugioh cards and letting the Walkman play under his desk. I crept up on him and snatched the Walkman. He tried to jump back and said, “Yo, man, you better give me my Walkman back.”
    â€œAnd if I don’t?” I asked as I lifted the Walkman high enough so that he couldn’t reach it. Tyreek was pouting as he sat down. I tried to begin the class again. Before I could get turned to the right page, I heard Tyreek at it again.
    â€œWhat are you looking at?” he screamed at Dana.
    So then Dana said, “I’m looking at you, you black monkey.”
    Tyreek jumped up and tried to hit Dana. Before he could reach her, I grabbed him, guiding him back to his seat, and said again, “Now turn to page 284.”
    â€œI’ll bang you, bitch. Keep playing with me,” Tyreek said while cracking his knuckles at Dana.
    â€œYou will bang who?” I had had enough of Tyreek for one day.
    â€œI’ll bang her and you,” he yelled as he walked out of the classroom. I made a call to the office. The secretary answered the telephone.
    â€œOffice—this is Mrs. Tuner, how may I help you?”
    â€œWhere is Mr. Mitchell? Tell him that Tyreek Freeman walked out of my classroom.”
    â€œDo you know where he is?”
    â€œNo.”
    â€œOkay, I’ll tell Mr. Mitchell.”
    I hung up and went on with my lesson. “Start reading, Aniya,” I said. As she began reading and the class somewhat got in order, the phone rang.
    â€œHello,” I answered.
    â€œI need to speak to Ms. Clark,” a voice shouted.
    â€œYes, who’s speaking? This is she.”
    â€œThis is Tyreek Freeman’s mother. All I want to know is, did you put your hands on my child?” The woman caught me by surprise. I told her to hold and took the call outside the classroom. I stretched the phone cord as far as I could out the door.
    â€œHello?”
    â€œYeah, I asked you a question. Did you put your hands on my child?” I could see her neck snapping and going side to side through the