Chapter 1: Knowing You then
Year of 1995-English IV
It was Charlie's turn to get up and say his speech for Mrs. Bruce, the funeral speech of Mark Anthony from the story Julius Caesar. Sure Charlie was 13 years-old, but he was a genius. That's why he was so high up in school. All the students watched as he began to start his speech.
"Friends, Romans, Countryman. Lend me your ears."
The start off was good. He had all the words right. That's when people started whispering. He knew that they were talking about him. He tried to tune it out, but they got louder. Soon they were too loud to drown out. I was sick of their mouths. They just didn't know when to shut up. So someone had to tell them.
"Hey! I'm trying to listen! So shut up, and let him talk!" They went silent.
That's when we made eye contact for the first time. We didn't say anything, just stared. I sat back down, and he continued his speech.
"When that the poor have cried, Caesar hath wept. Ambition should be made of sterner stuff. Yet Brutus says he was ambitious; And Brutus is an honorable man. You all did see that on the Lupercal I thrice presented him a kingly crown, which he did thrice refuse. Was this ambition?"
We all listened as he finished the rest of the speech. When it was all said, and done, he went to sit down at his desk. Class went on in silence. When the bell rang, we all moved to go to our next class. On my way to mine, I was stopped at my locker by Charlie.
"Hey. You didn't have to help me back there in class, you know." I smiled.
"Yeah, I know. But I wanted to hear what you had to say without the background noise."
"Oh, well thanks." He said, with an awkward smile.
"No problem." I said, patting him on his back, and walking towards my next class, Algebra III, A class that I couldn't stand. Math was never my favorite subject in school. It never will be, if I could help it.
My name is Don Andrews. I'm a baseball, football, and track jock. I love hanging with my fellow jock friends, and spending time with my family. Light on the partying, and love long walks on the beach. Oh! And I'm gay. Everyone at Marshall High knows it, so there is no need for hiding it. I've been out since my 2nd semester of my freshman year. My family was cool with it, and soon, so was the whole school.
I haven't been in a relationship for the past 3 months, but I do find Charlie Eppes very interesting. People think that he's a geek because he's god with numbers, but there's something about him when he's in that mindset, the mindset of his math. Like he can't stop once he has a problem in his head. He just has to finish it. The way his face lights up at his finished project. Charlie's whole demeanor is very interesting to me. He fascinates me.
Once in my 2nd period class, I had to stop my train of thought about Charlie, and focus on my algebra, Something that since the 7th grade, has got me confused. I mean, what happed to just 10x divided by 5? Now you have theorems, and surface areas. God I hate math!
"Mr. Andrews? Can you answer number 3?" Mr. Wilson asked. I looked at the board.
"Um, X=75?" I said, as more of a question then an answer.
"That is right Mr. Andrews. The answer is 75. Does anyone know why that is?" He asked the class, as he walked through idles of the classroom.
"Because in order to find the degree of the ark, you must divide 2 with 150, because the whole circle is 150."
We all turned to see who said it. Looking at the doorway, we all saw that it was Charlie Eppes himself.
"Ah. Mr. Eppes." Mr. Wilson said, walking towards the doorway.
"To what do we owe this visit?" He said, as he took the pink slip that was in his hand.
"They moved me from you 3rd hour to here." He said, with his awkward smile.
"I see." He said, going to his desk.
"Please take a sit anywhere you please." Mr. Wilson said, making changes to his roll book. Charlie looked around for a second, and it was then that I became aware of the chair that was next to me. Empty. Yes! He tilted his head a little to the side, and took off towards the seat next to mine. He put the few books he had down n top of his desk, and sat down next to me. I didn't say anything to him of sounding stupid. He looked at me and smiled. Not an awkward smile, but a cute small one. I was so taken back by it that I couldn't smile back at first. But then I pulled myself together, and managed to say what's up with the toss up of my head.
"Now back to class everyone!" Mr. Wilson said, closing his roll book.
"Why is it that when the number is n the outside of the circle, it means to divide and not multiply?" People started to raise their hands, but I was no longer listening. The thought of Charles Eppes sitting next to me consumed my every thought.