Tuesday Morning

Dan stood alone in his classroom before the end of the second period. Readying his notes, he glanced at Rica’s empty seat in the center row before turning away. The bell rang.

They disappear for a day or two, ‘they’re spooky like that,’ is what Tara said.

After a minute students filed into the math class, greeting Dan.

“Good morning, everyone~”

Nicky and Samantha walked in together. Just the two of them, not three. But before sitting down the two girls strolled over to Dan in the front.

“Hi, Mr. Capra, umm, do you know if Rica’s ok?” Nicky asked.

Dan smiled, “I would hope she is. But I wouldn’t know, Nicole. Why? Have you spoken to her?”

Both girls shook their heads. “No, we figured since Ms. Rai is your girlfriend, you’d know,” said Samantha.

Eh? Who told you that? “Oh, I think you misunderstand. Ms. Rai and I are-”

“Right, Mr. Capra,” said Nicky, “But if you see Rica tell her we’re worried about her.”

Dan nodded, acknowledging their concerns. But he couldn’t answer them. Only empathize.

“Have faith ladies. Rica’s a tough one. Now go ahead and take your seats.”

“Yes, Mr. Capra!”

As they walked away Dan’s heart sank. For the past two days he couldn’t get Reyna out of his head. Nor Rica. His eyes lowered, but his sense took over. Dan, snap out of it. He took a breath and smiled, ready to launch the lesson.

“Ok guys, let’s look at the homework questions.”

“Nooooo!” cried the class.

“Heh, heh,” Dan smirked, “Yup, life is hard ladies!”

Wednesday, the Next Day.

The same thing. Dan’s student’s filed in. Good Morning Nicky and Samantha. Empty center row seat.

No Rica today. Deep breath. “Ok guys, let’s go over the homework.”

Later After School

Dan had a full schedule. After visiting Tommy at Bellevue on the east side of Manhattan, he took a cab to a hospital in the Bronx. Carrying a bag of magazines under his arm, he knocked and entered hospital room three-thirteen.

“Good afternoon, gentlemen,” said Dan to Bling and Ian laying on their beds.

The two brutes glanced at the door and their eyes lit up, “Look who came to visit the downtrodden!” Bling cheered.

“It’s fuckin Dan! What are you up to?” Ian growled in a weak voice with an ear to ear smile.

Dan cheered back, but felt a little teary seeing the hardy brutes reduced to mere mortal status. Ian’s leg slung in a cast above him. He spoke in a low tone, but with good spirit. Bling the same with a cast on his arm, smiling through a row of gold teeth.

“I brought you guys some girly magazines,” said Dan, splitting the bag between them.

“Dan’s the man,”Bling said, taking a magazine and flipping through the pages.

“Yeah he is, but I’ll still kick his ass!” teased Ian.

Dan shook his head as all three laughed. They spent the next thirty minutes discussing sports, politics, and hollywood girls.

“I could see myself with a Beverly Hills chick, y’know. That’s my caliber!” said Bling.

More laughter, but after some time Dan prepared to leave.

“What the hell, you just got here. We gotta play some cards,” said Ian.

“Heh, sounds fun, but gentlemen the movers moved me to a new apartment in midtown Manhattan, so I gotta unpack.”

“You got a penthouse?” Ian asked.

“No!” Dan laughed, “You know I’m a modest guy. I keep it simple, but yeah, I moved to a nicer neighborhood in the heart of the city.”

Bling laughed, tapping Ian’s shoulder, “You hear that, E? Sounds like Dan don’t want to live around people like me and you! Ha!”

“Yeah, we lower his property value, heh heh!” said Ian.

Dan pouted, “Am I that obvious, heh heh!” But he paused before adding, “Hey, do you guys mind if I ask umm..have you heard from Rica? I..uh..she hasn’t attended school.”

The brutes looked at each other with smirks, before Bling responded, “Sometimes no news is good news, Dan. But you gotta man up brotha! I can see it in your eyes. Either Little boss or Little boss momma got you turned out!” said Bling in a hard slang. “I do hope for your sake it’s the latter or we’ll have to kill your ass! Hahaha!”

“Nah, B. Dan’s good. He’s just strung out over Reyna, look at his face!” said Ian in a near whisper.

Dan frowned, “No, I’m not strung out, I’m merely concerned-”

Bling squinted at Dan, “Oh yes you are! Well, you just ought to be because that Reyna is a bad girl! But I mean literally, you know-what-I'm-sayin? Haha!”

“Eh!” Dan looked down, “Mmm, well, she’s certainly something.”

“Heh heh, yeah she’s somethin with a sweet ass and hella dangerous. But Dan, she’s real smart, y’know. She ain't got time for hoods like me and Bling. That’s why she likes your pretty taxpayin ass. Hell, that’s why all them gangster bitches like you,” said Ian.

Dan shook his head. “Hi, that is preposterous. None of these girls like me. They’re just having fun with the novelty and teasing me. I think, I dunno,” said Dan.

“Haahahaha! What an idiot! Fuck you, Dan! You get all the chicks!” the brutes laughed teasing him.

But Dan, now exposed, asked a follow-up question. “But just curious. You said criminals aren’t Reyna’s type?”

Bling covered his mouth with a chuckle, “Not hardened criminals. We wouldn't take her shit!”

Dan squinted, “What? That's bull-crap. When Reyna came strutting out of my building that morning when you two goons were gonna kidnap me, and don't think I forgot about that, but when you two seen Reyna you damn near pissed your pants!” He pointed at them, calling their bull.

Bling and Ian lost it laughing, “Haha! What’s wrong with you Dan, we ain't crazy. We just wanted you to come with us real quick, we weren’t tryna cross Reyna Rai, that bitch is a villain!”

“Yeah, and she's fast!” said Ian.

“Real fast!” said Bling.

“Hunh!” Dan nodded. He wasn’t sure how he got to this conversation but found it amusing that two hard, pipe hitting thugs, Bling and Ian, were gossiping about Reyna with him. And they were afraid of her.

“Aaah, anyway we’re messin with you, Dan! We’re glad you came to see us, brotha. But unfortunately, we don’t give interviews!” said Bling.

“Yeah!” whispered Ian, “So don’t ask us no questions about nobody’s whereabouts or who we heard from, you dig?”

Dan nodded and smirked, “Right. I got you.”

Bling smiled, “You may got us brotha, but that don’t mean we can’t give you no advice.”

“Advice?” Dan mulled it and smiled, “Alright, I’d like to hear the mindblowing wisdom of two goons.”

The brutes chuckled. Bling spoke first. “Danny, them Rifle Girls, they move at their own pleasure, you feel me?”

“I think so...Do you mean...I may never see them again?” Dan asked.

“Nah, what he’s saying Dan, is if you ever see those two girls again it’ll be on their terms,” said Ian.

“I see.”

“But Dan, it doesn’t have to be that way. That’s why you need to man-up! If you see them chicks...don’t let them bow you down, my dude. And I’m only telling you this because you proved to me that you boss material the way you quarterbacked that whole little operation. But my dude, you still walk lame, nah mean? Like a square!”

“Lame? Like a square?” Dan asked.

“Swag, my brotha!” Bling growled, “You proved you got it, now use it. And don’t apologize for the moves you make around them bitches, cause they feed off of that, you heard?”

Dan nodded, “I think so.”

“Yeah Dan, don’t chase them bitches. Let them come to you, on your terms. And when they do man up!” rasped Ian.

“Yeah,” Dan understood clearly. The brutes provide a different perspective of the power dynamic of dealing with the Rifle Girls.

Basically, don’t be an asshole, but own the situation and man up already.

Don’t be a square, Dan, heh heh!

Thursday Second Period Math

Rica didn’t attend school Thursday either. Deep breath, It’s ok, another busy day. Meet Rob, go over the new hires for the charity. Get home to the new apartment, draw up lesson plans, get some sleep. A good night’s sleep for Friday.

Friday

Dan arrived at school feeling good. Feeling productive. He attended an early teacher meeting and prepared his lesson plan for class. The bell rang for the second period. Dan checked his notes by the whiteboard while Nicky, Samantha, and the rest of the students entered the room. Still no Rica. Her seat remained empty in the center row, absent again. 

Dan smiled, “Alright ladies, let’s start in our workbooks-”

“Mr. Capra?” Nicky called with her hand up.

Dan looked up, “Hm, Yes, Nicole?”

She grinned and pointed at the doorway, and there stood Rica.

With her back against the entrance and one foot up behind her, eating an apple. “Yo Mr. Capra. Chomp! nyom, nyom, nyom. I got a late pass! Hee!”

“Hmph!” Dan pouted.

But there she was in all her bad little girl glory. Wearing knee-high stocking, long bangs, and red ribbon twin tails. And as she stood there, a throbbing pain in Dan’s heart that he lied to himself about for days, went away. And when Rica, looked in his eyes, he warmed.

“Ms. Reyes,” he deadpanned.

“That’s me!” she winked.

He blushed.

“OMG! Rica where you been?” the class cried.

“Who knows~hee hee.” She waved, still eating her apple.

Dan shook his head, “Ahem! Excusing your disruptive entrance, I assume you have apples for-”

“These are Fuji apples, Mr. Capra!” said Rica, “And yes, I brought some for everyone!” she pulled out a shopping bag full of fresh Fuji apples.

“Yaaay!” cried the class.

Rica strutted in and passed the bag to the class, all the while smiling at Dan. Who hid his own feelings. But she didn’t sit down right away. She beelined to the front and handed Dan an apple, one she chose herself.

“This is a good one!” she smiled.

Dan narrowed his eyes, “Mhm, gimme your late pass, mumble grumble I don’t see you for a week and then you come and disrupt my class!” He took the apple, “Then try to bribe me with!” Oh my, this apple smells good! He smiled.

“I missed you too, Mr. Capra,” Rica whispered. “More than you know~”

Dan squinted his eyes, “Hmph!”

“Heh heh, we’ll talk during fifth period!” Rica flipped her twin tails and ran to her seat, gossipping with the girls as fast as she could.

“Hi!” cried the girls.

“Hi, right back at you!” Rica beamed.

When she settled down the entire class sat in front of Dan eating Fuji apples staring at him.

Dan frowned at his class, then took a bite of that apple.

“Yaaaay!” cheered everyone.

He smiled, digging the vibe, giddy. Oh well, It’s Friday.

And damn, this apple’s good!

...