I panted hard, my legs aching. I shot a quick glance to the rear. They're closing in. I unclasped my arms from my sides and thrust them out behind me. I leaned down to nearly a ninety degree angle and pushed myself to go faster. I hopped onto the dead tree trunk in front of me and was preparing to jump when a thousand tiny pains pierced my back. Poison needles. My vision began to cloud and everything around me suddenly seemed abstract, like nothing was ever really there. I attempted to scream, but it felt as if the air was being sucked from my lungs and all I managed was a squeak. I fell to the forest floor and vaguely felt a shoe dig into my side. I rolled over and tried to look up. Great. The last thing I saw was the face of the enemy.
I woke in a sweat with a sock jammed in my mouth. I spit out the sock and gloomily recognized it as my older brother's. Gross. I sat up slowly, my sheets sticking to my sweaty legs. I looked over at my clock. 8:15, school begins at 8:30. …Oh, snap! I'm going to be late! I raced to the closet, changed clothes, and was almost instantly downstairs. I grabbed a donut off the counter and flew out the door.
Racing through the streets, I narrowly avoided running into every passing pedestrian, then veered off into an alley and hopped over some fences. I darted into the school building and slid into my seat just before the teacher announced the beginning of class. They should give an accolade for fastest commute to school; I would so win.
"Hello students, welcome to class. Aren't we all so excited it's the first day of school?" Our teacher had a strained grin on his face. A sea of moans and groans and some nerdy "Oh, yeahs!" ensued. "Well I'm sorry to announce that some of you may not be attending this school anymore depending on your scores on this quiz I'm about to hand out." I could see the sweat on my fellow students' faces.
I raised my hand. "Um, I think I misunderstood. Did you just say that some of us will not be attending this school depending on our results on this quiz?"
The teacher tried to grin again. "Actually, you understood almost completely. You see, all of you will be sent to classes depending on how you answer the questions on this quiz. It just happens that some of those classes aren't offered at this school. One lucky student in your grade will be selected to take a class in another country, but don't go telling the younger students about that, because that opportunity will not ever be offered again. You will attend your new classes tomorrow; your results will be emailed to you tonight. Does that answer your question?"
"Well, yes… but, where is this alternate country class, and what is it?" My interests were peaked; I had my curious face on. Keri, my best friend, giggled at my intense look of interest. Well, I couldn't help it if the information about these classes was abstruse.
"I'm afraid I can't tell you that, young lady, because then you'd go and put every answer choice that has to do with the class, and you might end up getting to go instead of the person who really deserved to go. Is that okay?" He had an 'I-really-don't-care-what-you-think-just-let-me-get-this-over-with-and-go-home' look on his face, so I just nodded and sat quietly back in my chair.
"Okay, while I'm handing out this quiz, please sit quietly in your seat. I'll be passing out number two pencils along with your quiz, so please don't go digging through your backpacks and whatnot looking for a pencil. If you already have one out, that's fine." The teacher walked briskly up and down the isles, somehow never having to pause.
At the end of his rounds, the teacher set the remaining quizzes and pencils down on his desk and turned to face the class. "You may begin. Please don't cheat, because cheating will simply place you in the improper class for you and you will be VERY unhappy." I'll bet that's what happened to him. The teacher looked in my direction, his eyes cold. What is wrong with this guy?
I picked up my pencil and write my name and the date. I looked down at the first question. I guess these are all personal opinion questions. They're trying to put you in the class that you would enjoy most.
Seerah Noru 8-25-08
1. What is your favorite elective class?
a) Art
b) Physical Education
c) Music
d) Foreign Language
I suppose that the Foreign Language option is the one that you should pick if you want to go to the other country class, but I'm not going to lie on this quiz, it's important to my happiness that I put the truth. I guess that means I should pick b.
2. What is your favorite part about going to school?
a) Learning
b) Hanging out with my friends
c) Going to and leaving school (I walk to school)
d) I hate school
Well, I really like to run to and from school. I don't like the learning part as much, (although that is probably the answer to get to the other country class) I don't get to hang out with my friends during school, and although I don't necessarily enjoy school, that answer would probably get me put in a class for juvenile delinquents. So, I'm going to go with c.
The rest of the test was much the same. Some of the questions had to do with personal experiences, what kind of extra curricular classes you had taken, things like that.
I completed the final question just before it was time to depart for lunch. I handed in my test and the teacher immediately whipped out his answer key and began to start checking my answers.
During lunch I was nearly abstemious with anxiousness. Keri nearly had to force feed me my lunch because I was so anxious I wouldn't even touch my food.
We got back to class and within five minutes the rest of the class had turned their quizzes in. The teacher left the room to finish grading the quizzes.
The moment the door closed the class was abuzz with excitement over what class they had received. I sat quietly listening to Keri tell me all about what classes she thought there would be and what classes she thought we would be in.
The teacher came back after an hour and laid the quizzes on his desk. He turned around and held his hand up, waiting for the class to become silent. "I've been told that the entire grade has finished their quizzes. The other teachers and I have gone over all the quizzes and emailed the director of the alternate country school. We have decided who the lucky student is who will get to take this out of country class. Before I announce who it is, I'm going to pass back your quizzes. Your results, again, will be emailed to you tonight." The teacher quickly walked about the rows, passing out the quizzes, again, with no hesitation. When he came to my row, the last one, he skipped my desk and went straight back to his desk. I looked back at Keri, who had a worried expression on her face which turned worse when I looked over. I must have that horrible disappointed grimace on my face.
"Okay, students, I am now going to announce the lucky student who will be taking the alternate country class. Drum roll, please!" A weak chorus of differently timed "drum rolls" followed. "I am proud to acclaim that the lucky student who gets to go Japan is… Seerah Noru! Come on down and claim your prize on the quiz of fortune!" That pained grin stretched across his face as the teacher picked up a very large manila folder and awaited my approach. But that couldn't bother me now. I was so excited I was about to scream. I raced down the isle and snatched the folder out of the teacher's hands and spun around in joy. I can't believe I won!
**Disclaimer: I do not own any of the properties of Naruto or the characters. All of the material reguarding the country and characters of Naruto is only owned by Masashi Kishimoto and Shonen Jump.**
