Alvin's Biggest Folly

Chapter 1: The world that turns

It was a warm school day, I was in math, I hated math, but nonetheless, I had a good grade in it, may not as good as Simon, but better than Theodore. Her name was ; she was a bit tall, long brown hair, young, a pretty shirt, pretty knee skirt, and black heels. Mrs. Pudlowski was teaching us multiplication in front of the chalk board, which had what I thought of as useless notes. "Okay, who knows what twenty times thirty is?" Simon, the mathematician he was, gladly raised his hand with a smile.

"Okay Simon, do you know the answer?"

"Yes I do, it is six hundred."

"Correct." Then I showed a pouting face and murmured, "Smarty pants." Then the lunch bell rang. We were walking in the hallways, and everyone was walking up to me and saying hello and other greetings. They were shaking my hand, everyone, the jocks, the nerds, bigger than Simon is, the cheerleaders, the Goths, the "cool" people, the bullies even.

I was like you know who in here. I was apparently popular in here; I liked it, no problems to worry about at this school, except homework. Anyway, I felt sorry for Simon and Theodore, only thing that they get out of this that the bullies don't get a hold of them, it was better than nothing, but still sad. Well, we got our lunch, Theodore had a lot of food on his tray, but some included cookies, chocolate milk, and an apple. Simon had milk, a fruit cup, mashed potatoes, and a chicken sandwich.

I had a chicken sandwich, fruit cup, strawberry milk, and fries. We went to the outside tables, I needed the fresh air. We were sitting near the fence and I turn my face to the fence and I see a poor old woman begging in rags. So I said to my brothers, "I'll be right back." Then I walk to the fence and say, "Excuse me miss."

Then the woman came to the fence and said, "Yes sonny?"

"I want to give this to you."

Then I reached into my pocket and got out five dollars, and gave it to the lady from the other side of the fence. "Thank you very much young man, you will be in my prayers, what is your name?"

"My name is Alvin."

"Well Alvin, bless you and your kind soul."

"It was nothing, really, well, bye miss."

"Bye Alvin." Then I waved goodbye and walked back to the table. I started to pick up my sandwich when Simon said, "Okay Alvin what is going on?"

"What do you mean?"

"Kindness for you is like a loan, you need something in return."

"Oh really? I can't just give something out of the kindness of my heart?"

Then Theodore comes in, "As nice as that would be, it isn't like you."

"Oh Theodore, don't you have faith in me?"

Then Simon started again, "When it comes to this, not really."

"Well fine , you don't have to believe me, but I just gave her five bucks out of the kindness of my heart, I am having a rather good day."

"Okay! Okay! Touchy touchy, no need to growl at us for your bad reputation!" Simon said.

"Oh whatever."

Then we started eating our food before the bell rang to get back into class. In a lunch period, we have only thirty minutes to eat. So about twenty minutes later, we were done eating, and chatting. Theodore said, "Alvin, why were you jealous at class today?"

My voice sort of stressed a bit, "What makes you think I was jealous, and jealous of what? That Simon knows simple multiplication? Not really."

Then Simon readjusted his glasses and said, "That wasn't simple multiplication."

"Yes it was, anyone can multiply by factors divisible by ten." I retorted.

Then Simon smiled and said, "O-oh really… Ok Einstein, what is 30 multiplied by 46?"

I tried thinking for a minute then said, "I have no idea, where did you get such problems?"

The he raised his math worksheet and said, "From this worksheet that gave us before lunch. By the way, the answer is 1,380."

"Ok mister smarty pants, what is 42 times 23 plus 14 divided by two and subtract 16."

It only took him like thirty seconds to answer, " Four-hundred and seventy-four. Any other useless mathematical equations for me to quickly answer?"

Then my face turned sour and I crossed my arms and said, "Ok, fine, you win."

Then proudly said, "I thought so… now enough of this childish bickering over a skill that some people just can't acquire."

Then Theodore said, "I hate it when you two fight. We have been brothers since we were born, and a music group, I don't expect you two to make nice and totally get along, but you two always are in competition with each other, I hate it, can't you two go one week without fighting, please?"

We both sincerely said, "Ok."

"Thank you." Theodore said.