Much to your dislike
Once the small ceremony ended, the glee club retreated back to the choir room. Smiles and congratulations were exchanged. Surprisingly, despite the fact the club was mostly composed of outcasts, the audience received them very well. For the first time in an excruciatingly long time, they weren't made fun of by their schoolmates.
What was even more interesting was the fact that people began noticing William now that he had stepped into the spotlight. Several of the girls in the glee club overheard cheerleaders gossiping how gorgeous his facial features are or how amazing his hair is.
Left and right, the other member congratulated William. All of them knew how good Brendon was, but they were impressed at how well he performed-almost as good as Brendon they said.
William couldn't help but blush and smile sheepishly. He wasn't used to this kind of attention. He never had this kind of attention before. From a tiny insignificant wallflower, he suddenly bloomed into something completely inconspicuous. And he loved it.
He couldn't help but wonder though...did Sierra's brother get to see him perform?
"Hey!" Someone clapped him on the back. He turned and saw Sierra, grinning madly. He broke into a smile and embraced her tightly.
"You are amazing up there!" she exclaimed "I didn't think you had it in you!"
"So did I," said William chuckling "You really think I did okay?"
"Are you kidding me? The whole school is talking about you! Hey Brendon!" Sierra motioned for Brendon to come over.
Brendon came briskly. "What's up, Sherry?"
Sierra gave him a pointed look. "Funny. Anyway, props to you for giving William the spotlight."
"I know right," agreed Brendon "Wasn't he incredible? For a first timer too!" He rubbed William's shoulder. William's ears became a deep red.
"Hey, where's Ryan?" asked Sierra "I haven't seen him the whole day."
"He's over there. Hey Ryan!" he called out "Come over here for a sec!"
Ryan arrived a few seconds later. Despite the cheerful atmosphere, he seemed quite sullen, and slightly disappointed looking, like he didn't get something he wanted.
"Hey guys," he said, just as gloomily.
"Ryan, what did you think of William's performance?' asked Brendon, putting an arm around William.
"It was okay," replied Ryan. He saw the confusion on Brendon's face and decided to change his tone. "I mean, it was great! Fantastic. Amazing job."
"Thanks," said William, not sure whether to be flattered by the comment or not.
"Anyway," said Ryan "Word on the street is that report cards are out today."
Sierra's eyes grew wide. "You're kidding."
"I hardly ever kid so...yeah it's true."
Brendon placed two fingers at his temple. "This is just great. I finally get the glee club the attention I wanted, and now I have the pleasure of seeing my horrible math grade."
"At least you're not failing it," said Sierra, ruffling her hair in frustration "I'm failing biology!"
"How are you failing Biology?" asked Ryan.
"You don't know what I go through when I'm in that class. Like, they have so many terms, and cycles, and parts, and...and...and...my brain can't take that much information!" Sierra clutched the ends of her long dark hair, ready to rip them out.
"Well, maybe if you explained to your parents that you're having a hard time, maybe they'll understand," said William helpfully.
Sierra laughed spitefully. "You don't know my parents, especially my dad."
~~/~~
"So I heard report cards are out today," said Ryland, as he and the rest of Gabe's group hung around the bleachers next to the football field. Gabe's stomach churned. Everyone else was busy snorting and shaking their heads to notice his expression.
"Well, damn. There goes my weekend," remarked Nate, chugging down the last of his RedBull.
'Yeah like, what the hell am I going to say to my parents?" said Ryland chuckling "Hey mom, I'm sorry I'm failing history because I don't give a crap about the stupid Holocaust."
"Or like, hey dad, I'm failing math cause there's this really hot girl who sits in front of me and like, I couldn't see the blackboard," said Eric, receiving high fives from the rest of the guys.
"If I were you, don't even show them," said Travis "I wouldn't. I'd burn it." He laughed and turned to Gabe, who still looked horrified "What the hell's up with you?"
"I'm failing spanish," he whispered. Travis snorted.
"So? We're at failing at least two subjects."
"Yeah and I thought you liked Latina pop music like...I dunno Ricky Martin," said Ryland.
"You guys don't get it," said Gabe shaking his head "My dad...my dad will kill me."
Travis rolled his eyes. "Listen to me, Gabe. You're almost 18 years old. You're almost a man. And a man does not allow himself to be bossed around by his parents. You're your own boss."
"Hear hear," agreed the rest of the group.
Travis raised his eyebrows. "Kay?"
Gabe smiled weakly. "Okay." But it didn't work that way, not in his family.
~~/~~
"On three," said Alex. The six of them stood on a circle, preparing to open their report cards. All were nervous, with their own expectations and worries.
"One...two...three!" They all flipped their cards open and read the scores.
"Ew," said Jordan, looking at his card in disgust "My english grade sucks."
"I bet you I got lower," said Christofer, looking over at Jordan's card "See, I was right."
"How the hell did I get a D in history?" demanded Brian, looking at his card in disbelief.
"Probably cause you sleep half the period," replied Alex nonchalantly.
"Hey! If they didn't put history in the morning I would've been fine!" said Brian defensively.
"Sure, Brian." Alex looked over at Cassadee's card. She pressed it to her chest quickly.
"Hey!" she said.
"Aw come on Cass," said Alex "We all showed our grades. Don't be selfish."
Cassadee huffed and revealed her card. Everyone else gathered around her and exclaimed loudly.
"WHAT THE HELL ARE THOSE GRADES!" cried Christofer, pointing a finger at the card.
"Are you like some super genius or something?" asked Brian.
"I don't even see you studying at home!" said Jordan incredulously "What is this?"
Cassadee blushed. "Guys...don't overreact. Its embarrassing."
"She's right guys," said Alex "Now Cass, may I take your card home so I may show my mom your grades to pass them as my own?" Cassadee made a face and smacked him with the card.
The only one silent was Sierra. She stared in horror at her card. A large fat red F stared right back at her. Biology. Her ultimate downfall.
"Hey we haven't seen Sierra's yet," said Christofer. He looked over her shoulder at her grades. She didn't even flinch.
"My dad is going to murder me," she said, her voice trembling.
"Let me see that," said Alex, plucking the card from her hands. He examined it and nodded in understanding. "But you've always had a hard time in Bio."
"Yeah but...I've never failed anything."
"Oh yeah. I remember when you got a D in math last year and you called me up at like 10 in the evening," said Christofer, remembering "You sounded like your grandma died or something."
"That's right," said Alex, also remembering "You have tiger dad."
"But...you're not even chinese," said Brian. Cassadee elbowed him.
"You don't have to be chinese to have a tiger dad," she said.
Sierra made no remark. Murder was probably too light in comparison as to what her dad was going to do her when he finds her grades out. She needed to find a way out of this.
Fortunately, she saw Ms. Asher, her biology teacher, walking down the hall. She immediately ran after her, hoping that being the kind and understanding person that she is, she'll reconsider her grades.
"Ms Asher!" she cried. Ms. Asher turned around and waited as Sierra came to a stop in front of her.
"Yes, Sierra?' she asked.
"M-Ms Asher," said Sierra panting "Please...you need to reconsider my grades...I...I can't be really failing Biology, can I?"
Ms. Asher looked at her sympathetically. "Unfortunately, you really are."
"B-but, there must be something I can do raise my grade. I'll do anything!"
Ms. Asher looked at the card and up at Sierra's desperate face. She shook her head. "The grades are final. I'm sorry." She turned and walked away.
Sierra sank to the floor, all hope lost. Her friends circled her and pulled her to her feet.
"It could be worse," said Christofer helpfully. She shook her head.
"I want someone to give me a quick death, right now," she said in a dead tone.
"Hey," said Alex rubbing her shoulder "It's not the end of the world. You'll be fine."
No I wont, thought Sierra, none of you know my father.
~~/~~
Gabe stared at the gigantic red F right next to the word Spanish on his card. He's prayed that this would never happen, but, unfortunately, it did. All his friends were gone, probably burning their cards in the nearest dumpster. He was left alone to mourn his fate.
At that moment, his spanish teacher Mr. Suarez walked briskly by. Gabe watched him and thought He's a nice guy. Maybe he'll reconsider. He decided to run after him.
"Mr. Suarez!" he cried after him. Mr. Suarez turned and waved.
"Si Gabriel," he greeted.
"Um...Mr. Suarez," said Gabe, not sure where to start "I really need you to reconsider my grade. It...I can't have it like this."
Mr. Suarez peered from the top of his glasses at the report card and back up at Gabe. "You want me to change your grade?"
Gabe looked at him hopefully. "Maybe? Please?"
Mr. Suarez raised his eyebrow. "You know I can't do that."
"But...but you're a nice guy!"
"It's not fair to the others who actually try. I don't see you trying Gabe."
"I do try! It's just...I don't understand the difference between El and La and what the hell donde esta la biblioteca means and-"
"Trate de estudiar, entonces entenderás," said Mr. Suarez in reply. He smiled and left a confused Gabe staring at his retreating figure.
"I don't even know what that meant," he said to himself.
~~/~~
Gabe and Sierra were silent on the way home. The sun began to glow brightly in the evening light, the darkness slowly catching up to it. The birds began to chirp their final song. But none of those mattered. They both were too absorbed in their own worries.
Sierra shattered the silence. "I failed Biology."
"I failed Spanish," replied Gabe.
"What do you think dad will do to us?" asked Sierra, trying to keep her voice from trembling.
"The best thing he can do is ground us. I don't want to get the belt."
"Or have him give us the gut-wrenching sermon."
'At least mom's more forgiving."
With heavy hearts, they entered the house and dropped their things. They looked around. Their mother was usually home around this time.
"Mom?" called Gabe "Where are you?"
"I'm in the studio!" their mother called back. Sierra and Gabe looked at each other and proceeded into the small room next to the kitchen.
Their mother seemed to be busy making another one of her large-scale artworks. The floor was a complete mess. Tubes of glue, paint, wax, sheets of paper, plastic and cardboard, cutters, scissors, any kind of art material, you name it. Everything was scattered around. At the center of the mess was a gigantic paper mache-type sculpture of a lady wearing a gas-mask. It was 6 feet tall, around as tall as Gabe.
It wasn't an unusual sight. Their mother was a professional artists, making art everyday, selling them to galleries, and earning lots of money. Practically every gallery had her name. Lindsay Way.
"Hey guys!" she greeted them "What's up?"
"How much will that one cost?' asked Sierra, staring up at the towering sculpture.
"Oh I dunno," said Lindsay "I havent worked that out yet. All I know is that I'm selling it for more than 500 dollars." She gingerly lined a piece of cardboard with glue-gun wax.
"But enough about me, how's school?"
Gabe and Sierra looked at each other. Their mother sensed their uneasiness and stopped working. She removed her gloves.
"What is it?"
"It's report card week," said Gabe. Their mother understood immediately.
"What's the damage?" she asked. Gabe and Sierra exchanged glances again.
"What time will dad be home?" asked Sierra.
Suddenly, they heard the door slam and keys rattling. From outside, they heard a voice call "Lindsay!". Lindsay looked at them sympathetically.
"You better go," she said, leaving the room ahead of them. Cautiously, they followed after.
They found their father in the kitchen, taking lasagna out of the oven. He gave their mother a look while removing his mittens.
"You almost burnt this," he said.
"I did not," said Lindsay "It's not even 30 minutes. See, look. It's not even that cooked yet."
"I know you," he said "You wouldn't have heard the timer."
"Okay, okay, Gerard, I concede," she said, kissing him lightly "How was work?"
Gerard sighed deeply. "I've had worse days." He saw his kids standing timidly near the door. "Hey kids. Haven't seen you all day. How's school?"
They swallowed. Answering that question from their father was a different story.
Lindsay sensed this and stepped in. "Come on, dinner's ready. I don't want my half-cooked lasagna to get cold."
"It's practically overcooked Linds," said Gerard, following her out of the kitchen. Gabe and Sierra sighed with relief. Thank God for mom.
It was quiet at the dinner table. Gabe and Sierra silently ate their lasagna, while tightly crossing their fingers, hoping that their dad didn't bring up the subject of their report cards.
"What happened at work, hon?" asked Lindsay.
Gerard sighed deeply again. "Well, you remember the Robot Monkey cartoon we were supposed to put out? Well we were going to sell it to the producer today, but the guy I instructed to keep the funds lost half of it, and I don't even know where the hell it went. The idiot probably spent it all, freaking dirtbag. Now we have to start all over again. Plus we're behind schedule for Meteor Boy, so today is not a good day for me." Gerard was practically stabbing his pasta as he said it.
Gabe and Sierra kept quiet. On a regular day, their father would be monstrous with bad grades. But when he's got problems with his animation company? Thats something else entirely.
"Oh by the way kids," said Gerard, turning toward them "I was talking with my colleague whose son goes to your school and told me that he's been failing english. Said today was report card day."
Gabe and Sierra squeezed their eyes shut. Fantastic. The one time they hoped their dad would be too overwhelmed with work, he decides to see their failing grades.
"Where are they?"
Gabe and Sierra exchanged uneasy glances. Their mother kept silent. Gerard looked at their expressions.
"Is there something you aren't telling me?" he said. The room suddenly dropped fifty degrees.
Gabe and Sierra slowly took their cards from their pockets and handed it to their father. He snatched it from them and read. Gabe and Sierra watched fearfully as his eyes narrowed into slits.
"What the hell are these?" he demanded, slamming the cards on the table. The plates, silverware, and the rest of the table's occupants jumped in response.
"This is disgusting," he went on, his voice as hard as granita "Look at this. Your other grades don't even make up for it. Are you proud of this? Would you flaunt this to everyone in school?" He waved the cards. Gabe and Sierra shook their heads silently.
"Then why is this here? If you aren't proud of it, this this should even be here." His voice became menacing. "You aren't slacking off, are you?"
Gabe and Sierra shook their heads.
"Good. Because you know what happens to people who slack off. They end up on the streets, begging for food. Do you want to end up on the streets?"
And again.
Gerard looked at the cards again. "I didn't think so. These aren't because of your friends, are they? Are they keeping you from studying?"
And again.
Gerard crumpled the cards and tossed them away. He got up and pointed at them. "I want those grades up next term. Or else." He stalked away, leaving the rest of his family stunned.
Gabe and Sierra couldn't move. He'd given the same speech to them before, but this time, he spat out the words like they were poison. He called their grades disgusting. It was like calling them disgusting.
Lindsay got up and wrapped her arms around her horrified children. "At least he didn't hit you. That would've been worse"
Gabe and Sierra couldn't do anything but swallow. No...but it was almost like he did.