Jonadel Aguirre was trying to finish her schoolwork. But observably, her seat partner, Paolo Baito, wouldn't let her. He was too busy talking.
"Paolo, be quiet so I can finish my work," Jonadel spurred him.
"You mean you haven't finished it yet? That was simple! Look, see I'm already done." Paolo jostled his completed paper beneath her nose.
Jonadel crumpled her nose. His writing was horrifically messy and he had somehow managed to blotch pencil.
"I don't care," she said prudishly, giving his paper back to him. "Your handwriting looks unattractive." Although Jonadel was only halfway through with her paper, at least hers was tidy and organised, every letter and number written accurately.
Jonadel went back to doing her maths work, and trying to pay no heed to Paolo. He was always trying to get her to talk to him when they weren't supposed to be talking and she just wanted to be left alone. Paolo was just so aggravating! She had wanted to sit with her best friend, May Mart, but of course her teacher Mrs Boglosa had put her with Paolo.
It had seemed Paolo had soon got bored with just watching Jonadel do her work. "Aren't you finished now?"
"No! Go away."
He did for a little while before having to bother Jonadel again. This time instead of trying to talk to her he just began messing with the paper on her desk. Jonadel ignored him. This time he to mess with her clothes, but she still trudged on writing each number completely.
Nothing was getting her attention! Desperate times called for desperate measures, and Paolo was ready to go further than was necessary to get Jonadel to talk to him. So, he resorted to his last measure. He jerked on her black hair.
When Jonadel felt the tug on her hair she was suddenly mad. 'He did not just touch my hair,' she thought. Her big sister Wella had done her hair this morning because Jonadel had been begging for weeks. One piece of her hair was braided and then it was all pulled back into a ponytail tied with a ribbon. Her hairstyle was the same with Jerlyn's today, and no one was messing it up, specially not Paolo Baito, of all people.
"Don't do that another time!" she said frantically, and Paolo felt himself get excited. If this was what got her attention he was going to do it again for sure.
Surprisingly, Jonadel whirled about and slapped him. Smack! That was not part of the plan. Paolo put his hand to his cheek and felt the burning skin there. Their teacher, Mrs Boglosa, rushed over to their chairs.
"Jonadel Aguirre! Why did you do that?" Mrs Boglosa demanded. She couldn't understand this, usually Jonadel was the perfect student. That's why she had put her with Paolo, to even things out.
"He messed up my hair and I told him not to!"Jonadel's eyes were filled with tears now. She didn't want to get going under.
"Well, you still have to go to the principal's office and look for Mr Botavara. And Paolo, well, you need to go to Ms Biboso and get some ice. You need to learn to leave Jonadel alone. Do you understand?" Paolo nodded seriously.
Jonadel paced to the principal's office thinking that smacking Paolo had certainly been worth it.
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