This story took a turn I didn't quite expect this chapter, so I hope ya'll like it. Please review telling me what you think.
XXxSarahxXx- thanks for the consistent reviewing!
Rachel-I'm glad I'm making you like Luis. I'm also glad you like my balance with the other Ducks. I figure even if it is Luis's story, the rest of the Ducks should have a major role.
Chapter 5 Stupid
"Today on the Averman Show, we have the Eden Hall cafeteria," Averman was using his spoon as a microphone. "Oh look, it's Luis. Luis, how was your morning. Difficult teachers? Lots of homework? Cute new girls?" He stuck the spoon in front of my mouth. I decided to play along.
"Teachers weren't too bad. I still believe that homework should not be given on the first day. I didn't notice any girls that caught my eye."
"Ah, what a sad day we seem to have on the ladies front. Is there any hope in tomorrow's forecast?"
"How should I know? I have more on my mind than girls, Averman. Why don't you make your own guesses?" Why does everyone think my life revolves around girls?
"Alright then. Now for the scoop on our volatile couple, Connie and Guy…" I tuned him out as he went to talk to Guy. Stupid Averman. He can be so annoying. I sat down and began eating my lunch.
I was interrupted by a "Hi, Luis" behind me. Oh great. I turned to see my ex-girlfriend Mindy's friend, Whitney. I decided to begin halfway civil.
"Hola, Whitney." She had a friend with her and they both giggled.
"That's so cute how you talk different like that. Sounds so sexy," Whitney replied.
I rolled my eyes. "Who's your friend?"
"This is Leah. She just transferred here from Blake."
"Nice to meet you, Leah." I extended my hand for her to shake. She laid her hand on top of mine and let it slide off. She wouldn't stop giggling. The whole table was listening. Great.
"Leah was wondering if you'd eat with us," said Whitney.
"I don't think so today. I'm going to eat with my teammates." I gestured around the table.
"Oh. But are you sure? Wouldn't you rather eat with us?" She batted her eyelashes. "You could bring Adam."
Adam slunk down in his seat. Wish I could slink out of these conversations. Right now, I just wish I would have never have fallen for Mindy. No, that part was normal. I wish she hadn't liked me back. I certainly never expected her to. She was just going through this Ricky Martin phase and wanted her own Latin Lover. Stupid stereotypes.
"I think Adam and I are good sitting here, right Adam?" He nodded. The girls pouted and went back to their table.
"And on breaking news, Luis turns down the chance to sit with varsity cheerleaders. Is he sick or have aliens taken control of his body?" Averman stated.
Goldberg reached over and touched my forehead. I glared questioningly at him. "No fever. Must be an alien abduction."
"Maybe it's his pain medication," offered Portman.
"Or there's something in his food," said Russ. Guy picked up my milk carton and sniffed it. Checking for 'poisons' I guess. That was when something in me just snapped. Stupid lame jokes. Sometimes these guys can be so irritating.
"Real funny." I grabbed my milk back and slammed it down on my tray, splattering milk all over my food. "I'm just your regular Latin Lover, here to provide soap opera like entertainment. If that's what ya'll really think, there's no reason for me to stick around." I stormed out of the cafeteria.
Is it really necessary to hold the fact that I played into Mindy's stereotypes to get her to go out with me over my head forever? I finally showed her the real me which is the reason she broke up with me. She's graduated, so why can't everybody just leave well enough alone. I honestly did not cheat on her like she let Riley believe when she went crawling back to him. And nobody's bugging Adam about turning down cheerleaders. Anytime I even walk by a cheerleader, I hear wisecracks about being a player. Why has nobody caught on that I'm tired of it? That isn't the real me.
My silent ranting was interrupted when I bumped into something, or rather someone, making me fall. This day keeps getting better and better.
"I'm sorry, Dean Buckley. I wasn't paying attention to where I was going," I stuttered.
"Oh, that's alright. You are actually just the student I needed to talk to." Uh oh. "Let's step in here and talk." I followed him into a nearby empty classroom.
"I've received word from the school board that they are unsatisfied with your scholarship. Since you will not be able to play most of the season, they do not feel the need to uphold your scholarship. Your school in Miami hasn't started yet, so when you fly home, you will have plenty of time to prepare." This is exactly what I was afraid of.
"What about what you said yesterday about none of this being a problem?"
"Well, at the time, I did not believe it would be. The school board unfortunately has final say in matters of this nature. I am powerless to change their mind. I'm sorry." This place is so full of crap, maybe it's a good thing I'm leaving. Though, the reason I ran out of the cafeteria sure seems insignificant now. Oh well, after Wednesday, they'll be out of my lives.
I finished my classes for the day without really paying attention to my teachers' lectures or my friends concerned questions. They kept trying to tell me how sorry they were. I really didn't care. It would be easier to leave this way. I just wanted to leave as soon as possible.
At the end of the day, I went straight back to my dorm and began packing. I ignored Jesse's pleas to come watch practice like I was supposed to. Why should I watch when I'm not going to be on the team? Packing was slow going because of my arm. A couple hours later, I listened to Charlie, Dwayne, and probably the rest of the team banging on my door, wanting to talk. They couldn't take the hint that I had locked the door for a reason. Unfortunately, I heard everyone quiet down. Coach Orion ordered me to open the door. Then the door began to creak open. It opened to reveal a smug Jesse. Stupid Jesse, remembering his keys.
"Good job, Hall. Now all of you go get started on your homework. I need to talk to Mendoza." The team groaned, but obeyed. "Conway, stay and shut the door."
Charlie looked surprised by the request. He shut the door and began apologizing. "Luis, we're all real sorry about what was said at lunch. We were just joking around." His eyes drifted to my half-packed suitcase lying on the bed. "Wait! Why are you packing? Don't tell me you're leaving us 'cause of a few jokes?"
"Don't worry about it Charlie. We're cool. I'm just leaving, alright. And there's nothing you can do about it."
"Hold up, Mendoza. Are you seriously going to give up like this? Make everyone think it's their fault, when really it's yours, since you're giving up without a fight?" Orion asked.
Charlie was still confused. "What are you talking about, Coach? Why is Luis packing?"
I kept ignoring them both. "You've never appeared to be the quitting type, Mendoza. Don't prove me wrong," Orion continued. They just can't leave me alone. I snapped on them.
"What do you want me to do?" I yelled. "I'm breaking the contract. I'm too poor to even attempt paying tuition! I never really belonged here in the first place! Nobody in my family's ever graduated from high school! Why should I break the trend? I hate this cold artic wasteland, as it is. Not that I could stop the snobs if I wanted to. What else can I do?!"
"You don't think we can come up with something? Have you so little faith that you can't lean on your friends to help fight this? Or at least enough trust to tell them the truth about what's wrong?"
"It's just easier this way Coach. I can have a flight home tomorrow. There's nothing that can be done, anyway."
"Done for what? What happened? Can one of you please fill me in?" Charlie begged. "What happened after you left the cafeteria?"
"I talked to Dean Buckley. I can't play hockey right now, so the school board can't pay my tuition right now." I stared at Coach Orion. "Happy now?"
"Hold up," Charlie interrupted our glaring match. "Coach, they can't do that, can they? I thought we proved they couldn't last year."
"Unfortunately, Conway, they found a loophole. There's nothing we can do to change that. What we need now is to find our own loophole to keep Mendoza here. I've done what I could by speaking with the Dean. Mendoza can stay until next Thursday. We have until then to come up with a plan. So start thinking, Captain." With that, Coach left the room.
"Luis, I promise you we will find that loophole."
"Don't make promises you can't keep, Charlie. If you let me go, maybe they'll leave the rest of you alone."
"Now you know that's a bunch of crap. You leave, they'll think they can kick out the rest of us. The Ducks are finally all back together, something that hasn't happened since we left LA. Don't think I'm going to let a bunch of snobs tear us apart again. Don't order a plane ticket yet."
"I can't just stay here without being a student. I have to go home, Charlie." Why can't he just leave me alone?
"Coach Orion got you a week. Let's use it. If I don't have a plan by Wednesday, everybody will help you pack."
Packing was going slow. There really isn't a reason to rush home. "Alright, we have a deal. I'll expect everybody's help after dinner on Wednesday."
"Oh ye of little faith. I'll find a way for you to stay. Have I ever let you down before?" I glared knowingly at him. Stupid question. "Minus walking out last year when I wasn't myself." Understatement.
"Whatever. We have a deal now, so you can leave me alone until it's time to pack, because there's no way the board will change their mind. I know you must have homework to do instead of bugging me."
Charlie let out a frustrated sigh and left. It's not my fault the truth hurts. I slid my suitcase off my bed. The case banged on the hardwood. The messily folded clothes dumped out onto the floor.
I had a second hour study hall with Ken, so my homework could wait. I really didn't see the need to worry about my first hour history assignment. Wait, dang it. Why do I care? I shouldn't care at all, since I'm leaving. Darn it. Charlie just had to give me some false hope.
Stupid Charlie. Stupid Coach. Stupid arm. Stupid plans. Stupid scholarships. Stupid school board. Stupid school. Stupid dreams. Stupid arm.
I took another pill and laid down on my bed. I didn't even change. I didn't hear Jesse come in. I just cried myself to a dreamless sleep.