PART TWO - ROLAND'S STORY
TIME: About three in the afternoon.
PLACE: A school in New York City
SCENE: A noisy class full of eight-year-olds.
"Roland Jackson, and Jay Michael. Please come and see me after class." called out Mr. Watt, over the chatter of the class. Roland raised his head briefly when he heard his name then lowered it again.
"What do you think he wants?" asked Sarah, his best friend. She cocked her head to one side and played with her long golden hair. Her blue eyes were filled with anticipation. "I think he's gonna give you some kind of 'Genius Of The Decade' award or something." she smiled.
"Nah, he just probably going to ask me if I'm joining the Science Fair again," replied Roland modestly. His dark skin reddened for a while. Sarah nodded supportively.
"Yeah, and then he's gonna give you the award," she joked. Her eyebrows suddenly became drawn. "But I wonder why he wants Jay as well. I mean, he can only give out one award. Jay is smart and all, but no match for you." Roland thought about it as well, and then shrugged.
"Maybe he wants to find out if Jay is going to be joining the Fair as well." Sarah raised her eyebrows apprehensively.
"Maybe. But I'm still sticking with the theory that he's going to give you an award." Roland chuckled. Her imagination, determination, and loyalty were some of her best qualities, and the things that made them best friends since they were six. Sarah had just came from the more rural parts of New York, and she had a friendly attitude and smile. She made friends quickly, but decided Roland was the nicest, and they became best friends. Roland appreciated the fact she was not racist or prejudiced against him because he was considered 'a Brain'. Just then the school bell rang, indicating that the class, as well as school was over.
"I'll meet you outside class," said Sarah. Roland nodded. "And I want to know everything."
As he watched Sarah leave, her attire etching itself onto his brain (a very striking black and white outfit), he gathered his books and walked to the teacher in front of the class. Jay, he noticed, seemed uncomfortable. Mr. Watt stood up and looked at them seriously.
"Do you know why I wanted to see you two?" he asked sternly. Roland shook his head quickly, and Jay followed suit. Mr. Watt frowned. "I see. I guess I shall have to explain." He removed a sheet from his file. "The both of you managed to attain the highest grade in the class." The blank look on Roland and Jay's face caused him to sigh. "And the both of you also made precisely the same mistakes. With the exact, same answers. On an essay question. Now, may I ask, how that is possible?"
"I'm sorry, sir, I'm afraid I don't know. I thought of that answer by myself." Jay said immediately.
"I don't know either. I answered every single question without outside help," said Roland. Mr. Watt frowned.
"I do not mean to accuse anyone, but I'm afraid I am under the impression that one of you cheated. And unless the guilty party admits his faults, I shall have to fail the both of you in this exam."
Roland walked out dejectedly, in shock. How could Mr. Watt think he would even consider cheating? He saw Sarah leaning against the lockers, talking to some of her other friends. Sarah saw him at the same time and bounded over.
"Well?" she prompted. "Should I wear my new shoes for the presentation? I am invited - " she stopped when she noticed Roland's face. "What's wrong?"
"He thinks I cheated in the exam. Well, either me or Jay." Roland said flatly. He was glad Sarah was there. If anyone could help, she could.
"What?!" Sarah was outraged. "You would never cheat!"
"Tell that to the teacher." Roland replied.
"No…I'll go find Jay…and beat the little stinker up!" Sarah decided. She glanced around fiercely, looking for Jay. When she spotted him, she ran up and grabbed his shirt. "Jay Michael, you little stinker! You are going to tell Mr. Watt the truth. That you cheated and Roland is innocent. You understand?" she snarled. Jay looked at her in terror.
"But I didn't do anything!" he cried. Sarah glared at him with fiery eyes. "Okay, okay, so maybe I copied some answers." Sarah folded her arms in satisfaction.
"Now go and tell him that…or else." she threatened. When he just stood there, she continued. "I am one of the most influential girls in school, and if you don't admit you cheated, I can turn the whole school, including the teachers, against you. So move." Jay held his hands up.
"Okay, okay…" he grumbled. He saw Mr. Watt coming out of the teacher's room and walked up to him, Sarah and Roland hot on his heels. They wanted to be sure that Jay was not going to lie. Jay, knowing that Sarah would do as she said, admitted his guilt and as he did so, Mr. Watt's face turned red with anger and Roland and Sarah smiled in satisfaction. Mr. Watt apologized to Roland, as did Jay, and took Jay into the teacher's room for "a little talk". Roland and Sarah left them and walked off.
"Thanks, Sarah. I really appreciate your standing up for me," said Roland.
"No sweat. What else are best friends for?" she smiled.
"You're the nicest person I've ever met."
"Yeah?" Suddenly, she started to sniffle.
"Sarah? What's wrong?" asked Roland concerned.
"I have to leave now."
"So? I have to go too. I have a piano lesson to attend. You know, the one you insisted I take because you said I stunk?" Roland joked. Sarah smiled weakly at that.
"Well, you are no Mozart, that's for sure!" she joked. "But that's not what I meant. I mean I'm leaving, like 'good-bye', 'adios', gone for good."
"What? Why?" asked Roland.
"I have things to do…but I promise we will meet again." With that, she walked away slowly, leaving Roland staring at her in shock.
*****
TIME: 5 am, present time.
PLACE: Roland's bedroom.
Roland turned about, fluffed his pillow, kicked off his blanket and pulled it up to his chin. He was extremely restless since he had awoken from his dream. Why were the thoughts of Sarah coming back again to haunt him? He rarely thought about her, but when he did, he had a lot of questions. Too many questions. That was why he tried not to think about her; it just confused him.
Sarah was so nice, so sweet, and so perfect. If it weren't for her, he would have failed that test and his entire grade point average would have plummeted, he would have given up and let himself become a failure. He had not had any true friends since her until now. Now he had Kylie, Garrett, Eduardo, Janine, Egon, even Slimer. Now he had the Extreme Ghostbusters. He tried not to think about Sarah, instead he thought about his new friends, and soon fell asleep. When he woke up four hours later, he decided to head over to the firehouse.
*****
The same girl that was over Kylie's bed was now over Roland's. She remembered him well. He was a really nice guy, the kind who would not even think or consider taking advantage of a girl. A real gentleman. He was really nice and sweet to her, and she loved him for that. Yet she had to put him through this suffering. She constantly wondered why. Why could she not inflict pain on him? He of all people did not deserve it. She watched him sadly as he went to sleep, thankfully without another dream of her.
TIME: About three in the afternoon.
PLACE: A school in New York City
SCENE: A noisy class full of eight-year-olds.
"Roland Jackson, and Jay Michael. Please come and see me after class." called out Mr. Watt, over the chatter of the class. Roland raised his head briefly when he heard his name then lowered it again.
"What do you think he wants?" asked Sarah, his best friend. She cocked her head to one side and played with her long golden hair. Her blue eyes were filled with anticipation. "I think he's gonna give you some kind of 'Genius Of The Decade' award or something." she smiled.
"Nah, he just probably going to ask me if I'm joining the Science Fair again," replied Roland modestly. His dark skin reddened for a while. Sarah nodded supportively.
"Yeah, and then he's gonna give you the award," she joked. Her eyebrows suddenly became drawn. "But I wonder why he wants Jay as well. I mean, he can only give out one award. Jay is smart and all, but no match for you." Roland thought about it as well, and then shrugged.
"Maybe he wants to find out if Jay is going to be joining the Fair as well." Sarah raised her eyebrows apprehensively.
"Maybe. But I'm still sticking with the theory that he's going to give you an award." Roland chuckled. Her imagination, determination, and loyalty were some of her best qualities, and the things that made them best friends since they were six. Sarah had just came from the more rural parts of New York, and she had a friendly attitude and smile. She made friends quickly, but decided Roland was the nicest, and they became best friends. Roland appreciated the fact she was not racist or prejudiced against him because he was considered 'a Brain'. Just then the school bell rang, indicating that the class, as well as school was over.
"I'll meet you outside class," said Sarah. Roland nodded. "And I want to know everything."
As he watched Sarah leave, her attire etching itself onto his brain (a very striking black and white outfit), he gathered his books and walked to the teacher in front of the class. Jay, he noticed, seemed uncomfortable. Mr. Watt stood up and looked at them seriously.
"Do you know why I wanted to see you two?" he asked sternly. Roland shook his head quickly, and Jay followed suit. Mr. Watt frowned. "I see. I guess I shall have to explain." He removed a sheet from his file. "The both of you managed to attain the highest grade in the class." The blank look on Roland and Jay's face caused him to sigh. "And the both of you also made precisely the same mistakes. With the exact, same answers. On an essay question. Now, may I ask, how that is possible?"
"I'm sorry, sir, I'm afraid I don't know. I thought of that answer by myself." Jay said immediately.
"I don't know either. I answered every single question without outside help," said Roland. Mr. Watt frowned.
"I do not mean to accuse anyone, but I'm afraid I am under the impression that one of you cheated. And unless the guilty party admits his faults, I shall have to fail the both of you in this exam."
Roland walked out dejectedly, in shock. How could Mr. Watt think he would even consider cheating? He saw Sarah leaning against the lockers, talking to some of her other friends. Sarah saw him at the same time and bounded over.
"Well?" she prompted. "Should I wear my new shoes for the presentation? I am invited - " she stopped when she noticed Roland's face. "What's wrong?"
"He thinks I cheated in the exam. Well, either me or Jay." Roland said flatly. He was glad Sarah was there. If anyone could help, she could.
"What?!" Sarah was outraged. "You would never cheat!"
"Tell that to the teacher." Roland replied.
"No…I'll go find Jay…and beat the little stinker up!" Sarah decided. She glanced around fiercely, looking for Jay. When she spotted him, she ran up and grabbed his shirt. "Jay Michael, you little stinker! You are going to tell Mr. Watt the truth. That you cheated and Roland is innocent. You understand?" she snarled. Jay looked at her in terror.
"But I didn't do anything!" he cried. Sarah glared at him with fiery eyes. "Okay, okay, so maybe I copied some answers." Sarah folded her arms in satisfaction.
"Now go and tell him that…or else." she threatened. When he just stood there, she continued. "I am one of the most influential girls in school, and if you don't admit you cheated, I can turn the whole school, including the teachers, against you. So move." Jay held his hands up.
"Okay, okay…" he grumbled. He saw Mr. Watt coming out of the teacher's room and walked up to him, Sarah and Roland hot on his heels. They wanted to be sure that Jay was not going to lie. Jay, knowing that Sarah would do as she said, admitted his guilt and as he did so, Mr. Watt's face turned red with anger and Roland and Sarah smiled in satisfaction. Mr. Watt apologized to Roland, as did Jay, and took Jay into the teacher's room for "a little talk". Roland and Sarah left them and walked off.
"Thanks, Sarah. I really appreciate your standing up for me," said Roland.
"No sweat. What else are best friends for?" she smiled.
"You're the nicest person I've ever met."
"Yeah?" Suddenly, she started to sniffle.
"Sarah? What's wrong?" asked Roland concerned.
"I have to leave now."
"So? I have to go too. I have a piano lesson to attend. You know, the one you insisted I take because you said I stunk?" Roland joked. Sarah smiled weakly at that.
"Well, you are no Mozart, that's for sure!" she joked. "But that's not what I meant. I mean I'm leaving, like 'good-bye', 'adios', gone for good."
"What? Why?" asked Roland.
"I have things to do…but I promise we will meet again." With that, she walked away slowly, leaving Roland staring at her in shock.
*****
TIME: 5 am, present time.
PLACE: Roland's bedroom.
Roland turned about, fluffed his pillow, kicked off his blanket and pulled it up to his chin. He was extremely restless since he had awoken from his dream. Why were the thoughts of Sarah coming back again to haunt him? He rarely thought about her, but when he did, he had a lot of questions. Too many questions. That was why he tried not to think about her; it just confused him.
Sarah was so nice, so sweet, and so perfect. If it weren't for her, he would have failed that test and his entire grade point average would have plummeted, he would have given up and let himself become a failure. He had not had any true friends since her until now. Now he had Kylie, Garrett, Eduardo, Janine, Egon, even Slimer. Now he had the Extreme Ghostbusters. He tried not to think about Sarah, instead he thought about his new friends, and soon fell asleep. When he woke up four hours later, he decided to head over to the firehouse.
*****
The same girl that was over Kylie's bed was now over Roland's. She remembered him well. He was a really nice guy, the kind who would not even think or consider taking advantage of a girl. A real gentleman. He was really nice and sweet to her, and she loved him for that. Yet she had to put him through this suffering. She constantly wondered why. Why could she not inflict pain on him? He of all people did not deserve it. She watched him sadly as he went to sleep, thankfully without another dream of her.
