Chapter 1: Eden Hell
*****
Algebra first period. What sick individual came up with this? I drop into a seat and sigh. Russ is there already, he got caught wandering around during breakfast and they made him go to class early.
"You didn't wait for me," I tell him, pretending to sound hurt. We have identical schedules, and we were planning to walk to class together.
"Yeah well if it meant so much to you, you coulda got caught in the halls?" he suggests. We laugh.
Slowly, the rest of the class begins to come in. All of the Ducks seem to be here. We do a schedule comparison. Most of us have biology, history, and music together. My other classes are completely Duck-less, other than Russ.
I sigh and prepare myself for my first day at Eden Hell.
*****
September 3, 1996
"Don't worry, Kenny. These
prepsies aren't gonna do anything to us."
The quote rings perfectly clear in my mind. I was right, Charlie has no idea what he's talking about. First, there's the Varsity. I've somehow become their favorite target. How does this work? No, on second thought, it makes perfect sense. They better pick on the little Duck, and they better do it in groups. They might get their asses kicked otherwise. I bet I could take one, but the lot of them? No.
But if Eden Hall is Hell and Varsity are the demons, that must make our biology teacher the devil. Every Monday we have a practice quiz, every Wednesday we have a real quiz, every Friday we have an exam, and whenever she feels like it we have a surprise quiz or exam. Plus we're not allowed to use any 'modern calculating devices.' And Russ asked if he could use an abacus, and it got him detention on the first day!
I figured maybe it'd be a good idea if I didn't ask when, or if, we were going to learn the stuff we're being tested over. But it was tempting.
Then she decided to assign us seats. Russ is right in front of her desk, surprise surprise. I feel sorry for him. I'm near the back, next to Banks.
But the worst part of the day was hockey practice. Never thought I'd say that. Our new coach, Coach Orion, makes Mrs. Madigan look tame. (So if she's the devil, what does that make him? No, I don't want to know.) First, he seems to hate Charlie. He even told him he's not captain anymore, which has the whole team out for blood. Second, he told us to stay away from Varsity (like we would've needed any convincing), then decided he'd assign Banks to them (highly counterproductive).
Third, and worst, he yelled at me for figure skating. What's with this? The only reason I'm on the team is because of my skating! What does he expect me to do?
Not that it matters, as he's treating us like we've never played the game before. It's unbearably annoying. We're here on scholarship, remember, we do know what we're doing.
*****
"Kenny, my man! What's up?"
I put my journal under my pillow, I'll finish the interrupted entry later. Russ strides into the room with a huge smile on his face. He just had detention with the most evil teacher in Eden Hall, what's he smiling about?
I'm afraid to ask, but... "How did it go?"
"I was supposed to be writing on the board. I will not mouth off to the teacher, 100 times! But she started to lecture me and I kept answerin' her back and she got so sick of me she let me go at 25."
"Yeah? Cool!" We exchange victorious high-fives. Leave it to Russ to get out of a detention by being obnoxious.
"Start on your homework yet?"
"Nope. I was waiting for you." We'd gotten homework in biology (naturally), algebra, and music. The music homework should be okay. Mrs. Delaney is the nicest teacher here, and it's just a sort of 'get-to-know-you' information sheet. Of course the other classes wouldn't give us anything so easy. Algebra is a review worksheet covering everything we should've done in first through eighth grade math, and then some. 100 problems. I am not in the mood.
Russ's expression tells me that he isn't either. And as for Mrs. Madigan's stuff... "I'm not even gonna look at the biology yet," he announces. "I've had enough of that class to last me the year. Let's do the music work."
"No complaints about that."
We don't need to work on that together, of course. Since he's not paying attention to me, I get out my journal and finish today's entry.
*****
September 3, 1996 (continued)
The only bright spot at this
place might be having all my classes with Russ. I've just got this feeling,
that this year's going to make us into great friends. So far I think I've
been right.
But what if I'm too right? I've got this obsession, it seems like. And it's not good when a guy gets obsessed with another guy.
No way. I do not have a crush on Russ Tyler, and even if I did it wouldn't matter, because what are the chances that he would ever return the feeling? And why have I just now started thinking this way? I know, it's this stupid journal's fault. I regret ever writing in this book. Good night. See if I ever write again.