(The following are refurbished excerpts front the journal of David Petrakis, freshman at Merryweather High)
September 3
The Useless Part of School
The grapevine, the rumor mill, there are many names for gossip. I love school and am excited to be a freshman but with school comes gossip. This years fresh, new gossip occurred over the summer, just recently in fact. Apparently, a new freshman girl named Melinda Sordino had crashed a end-of-summer party.
Personally, I don't see the problem. So what she busted a party. It's not the end of the world. More parties can be organized. So what she called the cops and some people got in trouble with the cops. If they were performing illegal acts at said party, then they deserved. But, because Melinda did those things, everyone at school is shunning her, bad mouthing her, letting her actions grow to absurd, false proportions, ect.
The student body is making fools of themselves by overreacting. It's quite ridiculous.
October 14
Apathy in Biology
So, Melinda Sordino is my partner in biology. She didn't bother me at first, she was quiet, no doubt because of the student body's hatred towards her, and showed signs of intelligence.
Then she almost broke a microscope.
Of course I was furious. I had never believed the rumors for myself but I couldn't say that for a 100% as I had never met Melinda. So, just as she was proving them to be false, she had to show complete incompetency. Does she know how much a microscope costs? Three hundred dollars. And, she doesn't even seem care. I don't know if she was distracted by the horridly vibrant dress Ms. Keen had worn that day but she was very apathetic about it. In fact, Melinda tends to have that demeanor whenever I see her. Hopefully she doesn't act that way all the time. I know that the student body ignores her but acting stoic all the time certainly won't improve her social status with the student body and it can't be healthy.
December 10
Apathy Now Everywhere
Even though winter break is almost upon us, Melinda's attitude hasn't changed. It's probably even worse now that time has passed but because I didn't give her my full attention even when we share so little classes, I was able to compare before and now. Honestly though I didn't process the observation until the day after, much to my embarrassment. In my defense, my mind was too preoccupied to deal with the difficult ways of how the mind works in terms of attitude. Isn't my future more important that how a distant acquaintance acts? I was considering between going into the medical field or law. Both were such good options that took up all my focus.
Ugh, I'm digressing.
I noticed Melinda's lack of change while we were cutting apples in biology. I was so busy with the deliberation of my future that I didn't even process we were cutting apples and therefore didn't complain when I just wanted to start anatomy and dissect frogs. Melinda's apathy made a reappearance when she had decided to take a bite out of the apple. What had she been thinking?! She then shrugged when I scolded her as if it didn't matter. Didn't she understand that she could've gotten in trouble because she messed with the studied subject! Fortunately for her, an apple seed had sprouted, gaining her extra credit points from Ms. Keen.
Even though Melinda's social health is decreasing, I feel as though she enjoyed that biology class.
January 20
The Art of Dissecting Frogs
We finally got to dissecting frogs in biology. No one can comprehend how long I've been waiting for this day, and even though I'm actually leaning more towards law (I find that is very satisfying watching Mr. Neck seethe silently as I bring justice to his class), I still enjoy anatomy. Besides, if law fails me, I can always go back to medical. Dissecting frogs would be good practice.
Melinda reacted strangely when we dissected the frogs though. She has seemed restless in the atmosphere of dead frogs so I had allowed her the honor of the first cut while I held apart the legs. She then fainted and knocked her head on the edge of the table as she fell. Fortunately, she made it to the nurse quickly enough for there to be no permanent damage but it was still a peculiar reaction to me. She hadn't even cut the frog open yet so there was no excuse of "being faint at the sight of blood." There must be something psychologically affecting Melinda for her to behave in such manner.
It is not my business though to interfere on such personal matters.
February 16
Broken Hearts
Two days ago, biology had been so incredibly boring that I struggled at staying awake. It was a review over reproduction due to it being the 14 of February, or Valentine's Day. Of course, I knew this already so I was extremely fatigued by what seemed like a drone to me. Despite this I made a fruitless effort to stay awake as it would be impertinent of me to fall asleep in class.
Anyway, Melinda seemed nervous, but more open, as she had written me a note during class when her thumb had started to bleed (from what I don't want to know). We even exchanged more than one note and started drawing a tree together. I don't know why she had acted like that and my young mind had started racing after class. It was Valentine's Day after all… maybe Melinda liked me?
Lamentably, the next day, on the fifteenth, Melinda was worse than ever, her skin taking on a pallor tone dark shadows under her eyes, and despite my subtle pushing she didn't respond. Then, she didn't even arrive to school today. Unless Melinda is prone to being sick, this would be the second time she skipped school.
In terms of health, it was if she had taken one step forward and then ten steps back.
April 9
Indecisive Thoughts That Bounce Like Basketballs
Usually I don't like sports but considering I had avoided going to all the other games and this was the last of the season, I agreed to go with my friends. Soon, I was swept up in the excitement as our poor basketball team actually seemed to start winning. I was then shouting and cheering with the rest of the student body. I suppose it's acceptable to relax every now and then. I am only fourteen.
Anyway, we won against the Coatesville Cougars 51-50 and we exploded with joy. For some reason though, I saw Melinda. It surprised me to see her as every since Valentine's Day it seemed she had been avoiding people even more. On impulse, I asked her to join me and my family at our celebratory party. Her reaction was peculiar. She seemed to be between surprised, scared, and longing as she mumbled out numerous half excuses. I didn't want to push her though if she didn't want to come. I did believe it would benefit her to have fun though.
And… personally, I did want her to come.
April 27
The Silence Plan
Melinda had been increasingly distant, it growing as the year progressed. So, it surprised me that she decided to step out of her comfort zone and approach me. Apparently she had to present her project and wanted my assistance on… not presenting her project?
She explained her objective to me and from what I understand, Mr. Neck was making Melinda present her project but she wanted my help her present her project in a way that made it so she didn't have to really present it. Her essay was very good and we formulated a plan based on it. She would give each classmate a copy of her essay for them to read and then had a large sign explaining what she was doing. While they would read, she would stand in front of the class as if she was presenting, when really she wasn't. It was a smart plan… but it was a wrong method. You can't speak up for your right to be silent.
Why was she so determined to be silent?
April 28
The Silence Plan's Aftermath
Dear, God, why did I say that? "Only the ones I like." had slipped out! How embarrassing!- it if it was true.
Let me start at the beginning, because of Melinda's method, she got in trouble, like how I predicted. Right after her presentation, Mr. Neck immediately sent her to MISS. Even though I knew Melina's way was wrong, I felt the reaction was unjust. Mr. Neck had never specified the method of presentation and therefore didn't say she couldn't do what she had did. And even though I am now leaning towards being a quantum- physics scientist when I grow up, I can still learn law and declare what Mr. Neck had done, unjust. Unfortunately, I am a mere freshman and therefore, to the adults, have no say in how they run their class.
So, yesterday, as soon as I got home from school, I typed Melinda a letter to inform her that I was on her "side" per say and knew what Mr. Neck had done was wrong. It's regretful that her parents don't hire a lawyer to defend her. If that had happened, maybe finally the principal will fire Mr. Neck in the presence of two lawyers and replace him with someone with actual competency.
Anyway, after class, Melinda informed me of her 'D.' I was relieved she was talking more, but it was because she was furious she had received such a grade as her report had been fantastic, but she missed the main point of the essay's topic. While she didn't deserve MISS, the suffrages were all about making themselves known. You can't do that with only written out words and not speaking up. The same goes for Melinda- she didn't want to present, but she can't defend herself if she just doesn't speak.
After that, I said the line, "Only the ones I like." and immediately felt a stab of panic but no regret because it was true.
May 20
An Observation Amidst the Chaos
The school was in chaos which was highly inappropriate. I understand that people at school have lives and irrelevant drama but the student body is literally freaking out over what had happened last night at prom. One of the main stories is senior Andy Evans started acting inappropriately with his freshman date Rachel Bruin (why on earth is a freshman at a senior prom anyway?) and she got angry and left him.
Apparently it's such good gossip because a freshman had blew off a popular senior.
School that day was a complete waste of time. I could've spent it better by studying physics. The only good that came out was an observation I made on Melinda. Contrasting her now against her in the beginning of the year you can see a stark difference. She seems much more lively, not in a hyper way but in her demeanor.
I don't know what caused such change but I'm pleased it's happening. She certainly looks much happier.
June 14
Revelation From Some Not-So-Foolish Gossip
I learned today why Melinda was so unhealthy for most of the year. That party she had crashed last summer… at it she had been raped.
When I first heard about it, my mind short-circuited. Melinda? Melinda Sordino? Had been raped? And by none other than the popular Andy Evans? After my mind recovered, I felt guilty. I spent the entire school year, sharing two periods with her every day, and didn't help her at all. I should've interfered when I'd felt something wrong when we'd dissected the frog.
It's just shocking to me that such a cruel act could live without punishment for nearly a year. And that no one had ever noticed she was hurt nor helped her.
But being with her, seeing how well she's doing even after what she went through… It's truly amazing. Nothing no science could ever explain.