Chapter Two: Bullied at School
Chase and Leo walk into their high school, Mission Creek High School Home of the Fighting Dingos', Chase walks over to his locker while Leo walks over to his. Chase puts away his textbooks that he had brought home the day before while getting his English Lit Text and his Anatomy and Physiology textbooks, while Leo got his English Lit and Physics books. They see Adam and Bree enter into the school, walking down the hallway, they slap hands of their friends. They both walk to their lockers while both Chase and Leo walk to their class.
They both enter the classroom and sit in their seats waiting for the teacher Mr. Flynn to arrive. They watch as the other students start filing into the classroom, going to their seats until the teacher shows up. Chase, with his bionic hearing was able to hear the conversation around him, they were mainly talking about him and making fun of him, Chase puts his head down on the desk until he hears his teacher walk into the class. "All right, settle down, stop talking and open your books to unit 3, The Spirit of Individualism. Chase, can you tell me what romanticism and transcendentalism is."
"Romanticism is a noun, it is a style of art and literature during the late 18th and early 19th centuries that emphasized the imagination and emotions, it is also the quality or state of impractical or unrealistic, in other words romantic feeling or ideas. Transcendentalism is a philosophy which says that thought and spiritual things are more real than ordinary human experience and material things."
"Nerd alert, nerd alert, the nerd is speaking again." A student in the back calls out.
"That's enough Shane, you have a detention with me after school, don't be late. Thank you Chase, and that is correct, the more simple definition. We will be learning about both romanticism and transcendentalism for the next couple of weeks. For your in depth homework assignment that will be due in two weeks, I want a five page paper on one of the authors that is in part 1 of the unit along with an analysis of the writing that is showcased in the book." Mr. Flynn lecture about the subject for the next 45 minutes until the bell rings, "your homework for tonight is to define the literary terms from the unit, this is due tomorrow." With that, the students left the classroom, Leo waved goodbye to Chase and they both left the classroom with Leo going to physics, a class he shares with Bree, while Chase walks to his anatomy and physiology classroom.
Chase walks into the classroom and sits at his desk until Ms. Edwards who is the teacher walk into the classroom and sat behind her desk. She looks up and starts speaking, "today we will start on the skeletal system and joints. The skeleton is a lot more than a collection of bone, it forms the framework for your body. The skeleton is composed of bones, cartilages, joints, and ligaments and accounts for about 20 percent of body mass. The adult human skeleton contains 206 bones. Bones make up most of the skeleton while cartilages occur only in isolated and ligaments connect bones and reinforces joints, allowing required movements while restricting motions in other directions. Joints is the junctions between bones and provide for the remarkable mobility of the skeleton. Joints, or articulations is the sites where two or more bones meet. Our joints have two fundamental functions; they give our skeleton mobility and they hold it together. Joints are the weakest parts of the skeleton, nevertheless, their structure resists various forces, such as crushing or tearing, that threaten to force them out of alignment. However, we will discuss joints later, our main lesson for today is on the skeletal system. Chase, what are the two parts of the skeleton and their functions."
"The two parts of the skeleton is the axial skeleton and the appendicular skeleton. The axial skeleton consists of three major regions: the skull, vertebral column and the thoracic cage. This part of the skeleton forms the longitudinal axis of the body, supports the head, neck and trunk, and protects the brain, spinal cord, and the organs in the thorax. The bones of the limbs and their girdles are collectively called the appendicular system because they are appended to the axial skeleton that forms the longitudinal axis of the body. The appendicular skeleton enables us to carry out the movements typical of our lifestyle, like when we take a step, throw a ball, or pop a caramel into our mouth, we are making good use of our appendicular skeleton."
"Well done Chase. We will begin with the axial system and then move onto the appendicular system." Ms. Edwards continues with the lecture, with Chase taking notes on what she is lecturing about, however, halfway through the class period, Chase starts hearing whispers from his classmates. His classmates are whispering about him from what he could tell, calling him names like teacher's pet, nerd, geek, and loser. He could also hear them talking about if he had any friends, too. Apparently the teacher also hears some of the stuff they were talking about and stops the lecture, "Jordan, do you have to something to say."
"No ma'am."
"Then I suggest that you listen to the lecture and take notes, you'll need it for the test." Ms. Edwards went back to the lecture. Right before the bell rings, Ms. Edwards look up and passed out a worksheet, "your homework for tonight is to name the bones in the first figure, which is the basic structure of the human skeleton and bones of the skull, both anterior and posterior, the bones of the mandible and the vertebral column. This is due tomorrow." The bell rings and the students file out of the classroom. Chase takes his time packing up his notes and book into his book bag and left the classroom. He goes to his locker and put his stuff in while getting history and his trigonometry book form his locker. He meet Leo at his locker since they have the next two classes together. Leo finished gathering his stuff and they both walk to their next class.
They walk into the classroom and sees Mr. Andrews already at his desk, writing stuff on the blackboard. Chase and Leo takes their sits and then Mr. Andrews start speaking, "as you all know, you have a paper that paper is due at the end of semester and counts for 25 percent of your grade. The paper is supposed to be no less than 12 pages, using 12 font and having it double spaced. It will be in MLA format, if it's not, then you will lose 15 points, you are also supposed to have a minimum of eight sources, of not then you will lose 5 points. The cover page and the bibliography page does not count towards the 12 pages, if it is less than 12 pages than you will lose 15 points. For everyday it is late, that will be another 10 points off each day it is late. The paper will be worth 250 points, so you all better out forth your best effort. Now onto the lesson for the day. We are finishing the last chapter of unit three which you should have already red, you will have a test on Friday on the unit. For the past few weeks, you have learned about the American reform from 1897 to 1920. Can anyone explain how urbanization, mechanization, scientific agriculture and federal aid affected and changed farm life in the years from 1900 to 1920?" Chase is the only that raises his hand, "yes, Chase."
"Urbanization is the process in which towns and cities are formed and become larger as more and more people begin living and working in central areas. Between 1900 and 1920 the urban population increased by about 24 million, while the rural population only increased by about 6 million. The growing urban population meant more mouths to feed and a growing demand for farm products. Mechanization is when products are produce by or as if by a machine instead of by people or animals. By the 1920s, farmers were using trucks and tractors, and with the new sources of power such as gasoline and electricity, farmers were using power driven machinery. Scientific agriculture is the application of soil and plant science to land management and crop production. Chemists discovered the secrets of the soil, biologists improved the life span and productivity of livestock, plants, grains, and fruits, and bacteriologists discovered ways to check blights and diseases in both plants and animals. Scientists also began to develop new grains and fruits resistance to disease and better adapted to varying climatic conditions. And much of the new research and experimentation was carried on by the federal government or in state institutions created with the aid of federal grants. For example, The Hatch Act of 1887 provided money for agricultural experiment stations and farms in each state."
"Thank you Chase, a very well thought out and detail answer that is also correct. With these improvements and many and many others including..." Mr. Andrews continues his lecture, until the bell rang, he calls out, "for homework, do the first two section survey of the chapter and tomorrow we will finish the chapter." With that, Chase and Leo gather up their materials and goes up to the teachers desk, "what can I do for the two of you?"
"We were wondering of Leo could do a comparison paper and combining two elements?"
"What two elements were you think of combining?"
"Well for history I would write about War World 2 and the second element would be a literary reference, and use Harry Potter, comparing Adolf Hitler and his persecution of Jews in War World 2 and Tom Riddle from Harry Potter and his persecution of what is referenced to as muggles and muggle-borns."
"I like the idea, I approve of the idea and I am looking forward to reading the paper."
"Thank you." With that the to of them leave the classroom heading for their pre-calculus/trigonometry class.
Chase and Leo walk into their class, and sit at their desks, only taking out a piece of paper, pencil and their calculators as they have a test in the class. They wait for their teacher, Mr. Burrows to show up to the classroom, until then Chase and Leo chat about the upcoming test. As the bell rings Mr. Burrows walks into the classroom, puts his briefcase on the desk, he takes out the test from his briefcase and sits them on the desk, "as you all know, you have a test today and I do hope you all studied for it. You have 45 minutes to finish the 25 questions. Your time starts when the last person gets their test sheet, keep them facing down until I says so." Mr. Burrows grabs the test and start handing them out, face down, "when you done, grab the worksheet on my desk and start working on it. It is a preview of the next chapter in your textbook and your homework for tonight." Mr. Burrows finished handing the test out to the class and walk back up to his desk, "you may begin." Mr. Burrows goes to his chair behind his desk and sits down, watching his students and making sure no one cheats. Chase gets up from his chair, already done with his test after 25 minutes and walk up to the desk and hand his test to Mr. Burrows, he grabs the math worksheet and goes back to his desk and started working on it. Another ten minutes goes by when the next student gets done, Leo gets done with about five minutes left. When everyone turns in their test, they pick up the worksheet, most of them putting it into their binders or folders and into their book bag. The bell rings and everyone hurries out, with Chase and Leo being the last to leave. They walk to their lockers and put their stuff in there and Chase heads to the cafeteria while Leo heads in the opposite direction looking for Janelle.
Chase walks into the cafeteria and heads towards the food line to get his lunch. He picks up turkey and gravy, an apple, a pudding and a milk, and start walking towards the table he sits at with his siblings. However, before he gets there, he slips and falls after Trent spills his soda in his path. Chase falls, landing hard on his back, looking up he sees his lunch tray falling down on him, covering him in food. He wipes some gravy off of his face and looks up, only to see the other kids, including his siblings laughing and pointing their fingers at him. Chase stands up and walks out of the cafeteria towards his locker and opens it, putting away his book bag and grabbing the bag of clothes he has stashed. After closing his locker, he goes to the closest bathroom and enters the biggest stall in it. He changes out his dirty clothes and into the clean clothes that is in the bag which is a black V-neck shirt and khaki pants, then he leans against the wall and slides down, sitting down on the floor. He pulls his legs up to his chest and put his head down on his knees, sitting in the stall by himself.
A couple minutes after Chase left the cafeteria, Leo walks in with Janelle and looks towards the lunch ladies cleaning up a mess. He walks over to the table where Adam and Bree are sitting and asks, "where's Chase, he came in before me." Bree answers him, "don't know, and I really don't care. You should have seen this prank that Trent played on Chase though."
"Why?"
"Because Chase got schooled. It was so funny and all Trent had to do was spill his soda on floor where Chase was walking and Chase did the rest."
"What happened?" Leo ask concern, "well, like I said, Trent spilled some soda on the floor and Chase slipped and fell, landing on his back, but was so funny was that Chase already had gotten his food, so while he was on the floor, the food came down, splatting him with it."
"What happened after that?"
"Chase got up and walked out, actually he just left, you might be able to catch up with him." Leo and Janelle leaves the cafeteria to look for Chase. After about fifteen minutes Janelle says, "Leo, maybe we should go back to the cafeteria, Chase might be there."
"I doubt it. Chase probably felt humiliated so he wouldn't go back in, I just don't know where he would have gone to."
"Maybe a bathroom to change."
"Yea, but I already checked the bathrooms, he wasn't in them."
"Are you sure?"
"What do you mean?"
"You said Chase most likely felt humiliated, that is why he is hiding. So, going with that theory, do you believe that he would answer you if you did go to the correct bathroom?"
"Your right, he probably wouldn't have since he would have wanted to be alone."
"Besides, you'll be seeing him this afternoon at home, you can check up on him."
"Ok, I'm just worried. It isn't like Chase to miss a meal."
"But it won't kill him, he can just get a snack when he gets home."
"Ok, let's head back to the cafeteria, I am hungry." Leo and Janelle walk back to the cafeteria for lunch before heading off to their next class.
Chase wakes up from his nap in the bathroom, his back hurting from the way he was sitting, he looks at his watch and sees that he missed the rest of his classes. He gets up and walks out of the bathroom and goes to his locker, he gets out his textbooks for the classes he has to do homework in and leaves the school. He walks home and goes down to the lab where he sees Mr. Davenport, Adam and Bree training. Mr. Davenport looks up and notices Chase, "Chase, I would like to talk to you."
"Ok." Chase outs down his book bag and follow Mr. Davenport out of the lab and up to the living room, "Chase, please down at the table." Chase sits down at the table with Mr. Davenport sitting across from him. "Chase, I got a call from the school telling me that you skipped your last three classes. Do you want to explain to me why the son who loves school would skip three classes?" Chase stays silent, looking down at his fingers. "Come on Chase, there has to be reason why you would skip."
"Can I go?"
"No, I want an explanation as to why you skipped classes."
"Well, you're not getting one so lay off of me." Chase gets up from the table, Mr. Davenport says, "fine, you won't tell me that's ok, but you're grounded for three days." Chase turns around sharply and exclaims, "what, why?"
"You skipped three classes without an explanation. Now, if you want to explain why you skipped those classes then I can amend the grounding."
"Ugh," Chase turns around and goes to a spare bedroom and lays down on the bed.
Mr. Davenport signs and runs his hand through his hair, his wife Tasha comes into the living room and hug him around the waist, "he'll tell you eventually honey."
"I doubt that."
"Have you thought about asking the other kids? Maybe they know why."
"Ok." Mr. Davenport takes the elevator down to the lab and sees Leo at his mission specialist desk working on homework, while Adam and Bree were laughing about something. When they see Mr. Davenport come back into the lab, they stop laughing. Mr. Davenport asks the kids, "Do you know why Chase would skip his last three classes of the day."
"Nope." Both Adam and Bree answers at the same time and go back to sparring like they were doing before Mr. Davenport left to talk with Chase. However, Mr. Davenport notices the frown on Leo's face and walks over to him, "Leo, do you know why Chase skipped his classes?" Leo gets up from the chair and walks over to the elevator with Mr. Davenport following him. They take the elevator back up to the living room and Leo goes over to the couch and start talking, "all I know is that Chase got pranked at lunch, he got his lunch on him and I would guess he went to a bathroom to change. I don't know why Chase didn't go, you would have to ask Chase why he didn't go."
"I did, he didn't say anything."
"Janelle and I went looking for him after I was told what had happened but we couldn't find him so I don't know what he did when he left the cafeteria."
"Thanks Leo. Why don't you help your mom with dinner?"
"Ok. Do you know what we are having for dinner?"
"Chicken and macaroni and cheese."
"Good. Oh, do you know if Chase got a snack. With what happened at lunch, his lunch falling on him and all, he didn't have anything to eat since this morning."
"I don't think so, but I can ask Eddy. Eddy, did Chase get a snack when he came in." Eddy, the Davenports smart home system answers from the wall, "no he did not."
"Thanks." Leo goes into the kitchen to help his mom finish dinner while Mr. Davenport start going back down to the lab, "hey, Big D."
"Yea Leo."
"You might want to ask Adam and Bree what happened at lunch since they were there and thought the prank was funny."
"Ok." Mr. Davenport continues down to the lab via the elevator.
Leo and Tasha finishes dinner and calls the others to the dinner table, however, Chase did not reply back so Leo goes into the bedroom that Chase had gone into after the talk with Mr. Davenport. Leo sees Chase laying underneath the covers, Leo says, "Chase, dinner is ready."
"Not hungry," Chase mumbles under the covers, "leave me alone Leo."
"You need to eat something."
"I told you I am not hungry, please go away." Leo stays for a couple of seconds before going back to the kitchen, he grabs a plate and put a piece of chicken and a scoop of the mac and cheese onto it, he goes into the fridge a grab the ice tea and pours some into a glass. He grabs the plate and glass and brings it up to Chase, where Chase is in the same spot as when he had left. Leo sits the plate and glass on the nightstand, "if you do decide that you are hungry, I brought up a plate for you." Chase doesn't say anything, Leo turns around and left, pausing a few seconds in the doorway, turning around, he sees that Chase hasn't moved, he signs and goes back down to the dinner table and start eating himself.
Chase gets out of the bed, getting up he still sees the plate of chicken and mac and cheese on the table, he grabs the plate and glass and take it down to the kitchen, putting them on the counter by the sink, he goes down to the lab and goes into his capsule as he see his siblings already in their own. He changes out of his clothes and into the black nightclothes and he falls asleep.