Delinquent Desk Mate

be tiny boy transferred to new senior class
only girl desk left is the delinquent's
tanned skin, short black hair, bike jacket
her hands are always bandaged
everyone says she gets them from fighting
lots of whispering as you quickly jog to her desk at the back window seat
stand at the desk ladder waiting to be picked up, as is customary
seconds tick by and girls audibly gasp as you reluctantly start to climb
delinquent doesn't look at you as you walk to the opposite corner to your desk
teacher hushes the scandalize whispers and starts the day
as a tiny boy you know the feeling when a girl is staring at you
delinquent girls eyes are drilling holes in the back of your head
she always glances away whenever you could possibly see here
as the bell rings she tears out of the room
girl in front of you apologizes for her and offers to get you down
see delinquent girl hope on her motorcycle in the parking lot and take off
decide to climb down, since you're probably going to have to get used to it
others tell you her name is Judy after they realize she was never going to introduce herself
it goes on like this for weeks
including the part where she can't take her eyes off you
one afternoon you're running behind on organizing your stuff
rest of class has emptied out
as you're walking to the ladder a bandaged hand falls in your path
you were so distracted you didn't notice Judy hadn't taken off with the bell
realize suddenly that you two are alone
most girls wouldn't dare do anything unsavory to the boys
but she wasn't most girls and it was really hard for you to read her piercing blue eyes
"We got a problem tiny"
you know she knows your name by now
"Teacher says I have to start helping you with the ladder"
"or else they're going to count off on my attendance for not helping boys and I won't pass"
"don't get me wrong I'm just finishing up school because my dad wanted me to"
"so I can't have you setting me back"
"so just pick me up and put me down, what's the problem?"
you say that as you walk to her hand
she starts to tremble and pulls her hand away quickly
look at her curiously
shes holding the hand like she was shocked
"i get..." she says softly
"i get nervous around boys"
she blushed so deep it showed through her tanned cheeks
"I'm such a klutz" she said rubbing her bandages "i know everyone thinks I fight and stuff"
"but really I just get bruised up working on my bike"
"I mean not when I'm riding it, that's the only time I feel in control"
"but whenever I'm near a boy I'm scared I'm going to hurt him"
"and that makes me more nervous and I lock up"
"I know it scares the boys away, but they're better off not letting me hurt 'em anyways"
"Judy!" you yell just to interrupt her train of thought
she blushes more
"we can work on this, but first we should talk to the teacher so you don't get in trouble"
she smiles and thanks you
it takes some convincing but eventually the teacher believes you
you and Judy do some exposure therapy after class
first just getting her hand close to you without trembling
eventually graduate to just being able to sit in her palm
then she tries walking paces with you even though she wound up just standing around a lot at first
bending with confidence was the hardest hurdle
but eventually she got there
it was quite a shock to everyone the first day she did it in class
even though outside of the ladder thing nothing has changed
she still doesn't say anything to anybody
and you still keep to yourself
Judy does eventually ask you to share lunch
rumors get around
you get a reputation as a badass for "taming the delinquent"
luckily none of the actual tough guys want to test you on that because they're more afraid of her
one day she finally works up the nerve to ask if you want to go for a ride
you two even start hanging out on the weekends
she says her hands don't get as banged up when you're helping her