Hey, Jose!

Chapter 5: Math Demon

Math is usually boring and tiresome, but for 90 minutes Joseph feels eerie and worrisome. The teacher, Mr. Gondry seems like an ok guy. He explains the syllabus with a subtle enthusiasm masked in seriousness. Joseph tries to concentrate on Mr. Gondry's words and not his deep, dark drawl. Joseph forces himself to focus on the slides on the projector and not Mr. Gondry's cold, blue stare. The bell rings and the students quickly scatter out. Before Joseph reaches the door Mr. Gondry puts a callused hand on Joseph's shoulder.

"I need to talk to you Joseph," he says. Mr. Gondry waits for the last student to leave before saying, "Your Powerschool account shows that you've only taken Pre-Algebra and Consumer Math. I don't think you can handle Trig."

"So maybe...I can go to another math class?" Joseph asks hopefully. The man gives him the shivers...He seems so similar to the demon in his dream. Yet Mr. Gondry is white and in his thirties while the dream demon was blue and youthful.

Mr. Gondry smiles a devilishly handsome smile. "It's ok," he says as he puts his hand on Joseph's lower back and rubs him. "I don't mind helping you."

Joseph rushes from Mr. Gondry's touch and runs. He makes it to his bus right before it takes off. Joseph sits next to Tasi and says, "My math teacher is horrible."

Tasi scoffs. "Math is supposed to be horrible."

"No my teacher," Joseph says. "I think he wants me." He explains about the short one-to-one time he had with Mr. Gondry. He doesn't mention that weird Shinto-blue demon dream.

Tasi laughs. "Maybe you misunderstood him. You know how Americans communicate different than us Chamorros. Maybe he was just being friendly."

"A little too friendly."

"I'm sure it was nothing."

"Can I go to your house today?" he asks, intentionally changing the subject. She doesn't believe him and he hates arguing with her, even though he knows he's right.

"Sorry," she apologizes. "I have piano lessons today." She doesn't sound enthusiastic about it. Rather she sounds bored with a hint of dread.

"I know you're only doing piano because your mom," Joseph murmurs, "but you really need to do things for you."

She smiles. "I do. I do poetry and I spend time with you. But she really persists I learn piano. She gets crazy when I tell her no."

Joseph nods. "I know. But you gotta tell her how you feel even if it hurts her feelings..." He knows he's being a hypocrite. He has so many feelings for Tasi, but can't quite tell her. He wants to wait for the right time, but when is the right time? He knows he can't tell her at school. He doesn't want to tell her when she's preoccupied with her mother. I'm just stalling, he realizes.

The bus stops at her area and Tasi gets up. "I'll see you tomorrow," she says. "Pues esta agupa."

"Ok, adios," he says.

The second she walks off the bus Shinto takes her place beside him. "Pues esta," she squeals and bats her eyes in a mock romance. Joseph notices she has dyed her hair light lime. He usually judges crazy colored hair as showing off, but Shinto looks amazing. He kills that thought before it could grow into an idea or a poem. "What do you want Shinto?" he mutters.

She lightly giggles a lovely sound. "I saw the thing with you and Tasi. I read your vibes and you are more mixed than VH1's Top 20 Countdown."

Joseph rolls his eyes. "I'm working on it. I'm not like you. I can't just act out my feelings..."

Shinto puts her arm around him and rubs his shoulder. "It's cool!" she chortles. "Not anyone can be as fly as me." Her uninvited touch makes him feel safe. He welcomes her caress and doesn't attempt to escape like he did with Mr. Gondry. The math creep's touch is dark and odd while Shinto's touch is sweet and exciting.

Joseph forgets himself and admits, "I wish to be as fly as you."

"I can teach you," she suggests. "I don't mind being your Shinto Master."

Joseph chuckles at her pun. "I'll think about it."

Shinto takes her hand off his shoulder and ruffles his hair. "C'mon. It's not like you got anything better to do."

He wants to say something snide, but he's too flustered to disagree. The bus stops at his area and Joseph doesn't get off. "Ok," he says. "I'll let you fix me."