Chapter 4
"I expect this assignment to be in the day you come back from the winter holidays," Mr. Crenshaw, the 8th grade history teacher, said handing out papers to each student. The entire class let out a groan at once. "Homework on the holidays, okay Crenshaw's lost it," I thought looking over the requirements of the essay. I rolled my eyes when I saw that I was to pick the topic. I hated when teachers did that-now I would have to think about which topic as well as how to write about it.
"Now I would like for you all to pick a topic that you think will be the topic on midterms," Mr. Crenshaw said, "This way you can double your chances of acing those tests. Yes Sir?" I looked up and saw who Mr. Crenshaw was talking to; it was Gabriel Mills. "What if we pick the wrong topic?" he asked, "I mean if we pick the wrong topic we've wasted all our valuable time studying the wrong thing." There were murmurs and inputs of agreement.
"Well then, uh," I could tell Mr. Crenshaw was thinking the assignment over because he shifted from one foot to the other and paused. After a brief moment Mr. Crenshaw said, "Okay, fine, I expect a three page essay on chapter 17 in my hand when you come back from the holidays. This assignment will have nothing to do with finals but you should treat it as it is important." "Aren't we suppose to treat every assignment as if it were important," Gabriel said with the same cocky grin he always played on his face. I rolled me eyes again, expecting Mr. Crenshaw's words any moment. "Mr. Mills," Mr. Crenshaw said sternly, "I will not tolerate any disruptions in this classroom and you can think about that this afternoon in detention." "And there is." I looked at Gabriel, the smile was gone from his face and there was no doubt in my mind it wouldn't be returning, at least not today.
The weird sickness that overcame Alex the day of my birthday was gone. When I got home that day he was out on the sidewalk skate boarding with Carter Wilson and Juanita Mendez. I greeted the three with a wave and continued inside.
Rosalina hadn't walked home with me that day because her dad had come to pick her up from school. She asked if I wanted to ride with them, but I had turned it down. Now that I think back on it that was a pretty stupid idea, right? I had turned down a ride home that could have saved me about twenty minutes of my time.
I went upstairs to my room without a single interception from my parents. They were obviously somewhere around because they would never leave Alex home alone even if he did have friends over-wait, especially if he had friends over. I dumped my backpack full of books on the floor and went straight to my computer to check my e-mail.
I found I only had one message and it was from Billy Mason. It read: "The party last weekend was so sick! I can't believe you missed it. I hope you can make the next big one :)." "Yeah, me to," I thought to myself, "and I hope my parents won't get in the way of it." I logged out of my account then turned off my computer. (I wasn't supposed to be on it yet anyways. I was still grounded until next Monday.) I grabbed my algebra book out of my backpack and sat down on the floor with it, two sheets of paper, a pencil, and my clipboard. I then opened the textbook up to page 158 and set to work on the problems.
I went upstairs after dinner at about 8:00. My dad had told me he had asked for a vacation next weekend and they could all go to a theme park or something. I'm betting its Six Flags-we always go there.
I went up to the study room. I switched on the light as I entered the room. I went over to the bookcase and located 'To Kill A Mockingbird' which I needed for Literature Class the next day. I had to read the next four chapters for the night's homework. (Oh, gee so fun). We had so far only read part of chapter 1 and you guys already know how books are at the very beginning: jammed packed with background information about the characters and very little action at all.
With the book in hand I returned to my room. My math textbook and various sheets of papers, that needed to be picked up, littered the floor. I tossed my book onto my bed. I knew I would go to sleep reading that and I didn't want mom mad at me for leaving my room a mess so I began to pick up my school materials and dumped them back into my backpack. Then I placed my backpack in my closet and sat down on my bed.
I remember opening my book and beginning to read but after that nothing I can remember is that clear. I can remember the feeling of impatience coursing through me and a want to run as fast and as hard as I could and never stop.
I woke up the next morning with 'To Kill A Mockingbird' lying open on my face. The farthest I had gotten was page 10. Dang it! The assignment was to read to page 43. Now I would definably have to read in spare class time instead of talking with my friends.