Thanks for the reviews guys. The reviews really make writing worth doing, so thanks. And Sprit-Sprit, Kirsten is my own character. Also, sorry I messed up the breaks in the second chapter. Sorry if it made things hard to read. Now I'll get strait to it…
Chapter 3: Yes, No, Maybe, Yes.
"So, you sure you don't need any help getting to class?" Mr. Hinckley, the vice principal asked as he handed me my time table. "You know, make sure you get there on time." Which, by the way, meant, 'So I know you can't vandalize anything on the way down.' This guy already had zero trust for me. I don't blame him.
"No thanks. I think I'll be able to find my way." I was pretty confident I could too, but Mr. Hinckley wouldn't take it.
"Do you know what Ray? I think I could go for a little walk. I'll come with you just for fun." He did not trust me and what did he mean by fun? It wasn't going to be fun! It was going to be awkward if anything. And do you know what? I was so right.
It was silent for the whole walk. He walked beside me, watching my every move. That or he was counting all the studs and rings in my left ear. Either way, it was awkward… and silent.
Finally, for what seemed like forever, though it was probably only 40 or so seconds, I reached the math room.
"Do you want me to go in and introduce you?" He asked in his soft, dwarf like voice.
I forgot to answer. I was thinking just how much he resembled a garden gnome. I'm serious, if he put on a red, pointed hat and a blue trench coat, all he'd have on the little garden ornament would be a few feet. 3 tops. I choked back a laugh when I remembered the question. Sorry, that was a lie. I remembered there was a question asked, but what the question was, I had no clue. I must say I have the attention span of a goldfish. I really do.
"I'm terribly sorry sir," That was another lie. I wasn't sorry at all. Why should I be? Also don't ask me who I'm trying to sound like by saying, 'I'm terribly sorry sir.' If that freaked you out as much as it did me, I'm, well, 'terribly sorry.' Man, I will try not to do that again until I'm about 80. That is at least, if the poor world is cursed enough to still have me up until then. Okay. Mind wandering. Get back to the screwed up answer I've already half given. But what should I say? 'I'm terribly sorry sir, but I have the attention span of a freakin' goldfish and I was just thinking how much you resembled an old lady's lawn ornament so I completely forgot your question.' I think I'll go for the last bit. "Uhh, I mean sorry, but… uh… what was the question again?" I know this sounded stupid but I had to know.
"Um, no problem," He was a little weirded out by my question. I mean, he just asked me like, 10 seconds ago. How could I have forgotten that quickly? Maybe I should have told him about my goldfish brain. "Do you want me to go in and introduce you?" he asked again.
Oh, so that was the question. "No thanks. I'm a big boy now. I think I can do it on my own."
"Oh, okay then," he said as he backed away from the door. "Have a good day then."
"You too," I said as I disappeared through the door.
"So, do you want to introduce yourself?" Mrs. Arokie asked.
"Not really." The boy said. Kirsten immediately recognized him as the Goth she saw that morning.
"Look," she whispered as she elbowed Max. "It's him."
Max looked up from his paper. "Oh." Then he looked back down at his work.
"You don't care?" she asked.
"No." and she knew there was no use going on. Max didn't care. So, she turned her attention back to the front.
"Oh, come on," coaxed Mrs. Arokie. "Just tell everyone your name and something about yourself." He gave her a, 'Oh, do I really have to?' look and she just nodded and waved him on.
He shrugged then said, "My name is Ray and I don't want to be here." The he turned to Mrs. Arokie and asked with what sounded like a little bit of desperation in his voice, "Can I sit down now, please?"
"Sure," she said a little disappointed by his answer. She gestured to a seat in which he sat down in.
"Now let's get started with the lesson." And she started teaching.
I could not keep my eyes on my work, there was just so much to take in. Being a kid that gets bullied a lot, you have to know who to avoid. I could tell right away. There was a group in the back, just to the right of me. There were 5 of them. One with red hair that looked a lot like wings, another who was very short- way smaller than Andy- and had a rather large nose. The two others were quiet tall- taller than me anyway- and looked like they could kill someone if they wanted to. I would prefer that person not to be me. Note to self: keep a far distance from them. The last looked like more of an outcast then anything. He had dark blue hair that was fairly long and deep brown eyes. He definitely didn't fit. All of them, even the little guy, looked like a pretty big threat. All but him.
I looked away and knew I already had some trouble to deal with. I seriously didn't think they would have peace with me for very long. That was okay though. I hadn't had a good fight in a while. In some ways, that was good.
I looked at the clock, counting the seconds. Why did my minute have 84 seconds in it? Something was wrong with that clock. That or I was just counting too fast. It didn't matter. It felt like time was going slow. Way too slow.
The page in front of me was still untouched by the time the period was about half over. I looked down at the questions. Numbers and squiggles. I would never get math. Knowing this I scratched down some random answers not doing any of the work. Why try if you're just going to get it wrong anyway?
Having my work at least filled in, I had some more time to look around. In that time I was able to roughly figure out who hung out with whom. Cheerleaders, sport fanatics, nerds, jerks, rich people who didn't belong here, and more social rejects. I think I had at least this class figured out.
More time passed by. Man, how much time did these people need to complete this assignment? Way too long for any normal human being. There was a low mumble of whispering and I think that alone was the thing that kept me from going insane. I tried to tune into some of these conversations but they were all too quiet. For the rest of the period I watched the red haired kid I had identified as a bully, try to persuade the outcast of the group to blow spit-balls into the kid in front of themselves' hair.
Finally the end of the morning bell sounded and my first recess here began. I gathered my stuff and was one of the first ones out of the class. I was so glad to get out of that hell-hole. I needed to get some air. I jammed my stuff into the locker I was assigned and turned to leave. Well, I guess that is what I would have done if I didn't bump into someone, but I did so I was stuck inside for a little while longer.
"Sorry," I said as I bent down to pick up the books I had made the person drop.
"It's okay." It was a girl voice and I looked up to see the same brunette I had made eye contact and smiled to this morning.
"Oh, hi." I said as I gave her back her books.
"Hi," she said eyeing my pierced eyebrow, "You're in my math class."
"Oh, I didn't know that." I said as I straightened up.
"Do you live around here?" she asked.
Innocent enough question, so I answered, "Ya, just a few blocks away." I scratched my head. Was it actually itchy? No. Why I did it then, I have no clue.
Her gaze followed my hand down to my side then said, "I don't want to sound nosy, or anything but why are you warring a locket around your wrist?"
There were two things I wanted to do at that moment. No, actually three. One was I wanted to start swearing and curse. No one was supposed to see the locket. Secondly, I wanted to snap at her. It wasn't her business to know. The last bit wanted to tell her everything.
"Oh, it isn't mine, it's my mom's. She died when I was little. I have this to remind me of her." Now I wanted to inflict pain on myself for blurting this out. Now most likely she was going to feel sorry for me. Being patronized was something I hated.
"I'm sorry." She said, looking ashamed that she made me bring it up. It wasn't her fault I couldn't keep my mouth shut.
"It's totally okay. It wasn't your fault and besides, I'm over it." Yeah, I wish. Was there was anything I was less over. I was just saying it to make her feel better. Or maybe I said it to make myself believe I was over it. Maybe if I just said it enough times I would forgive the world for letting this happen. For tearing apart my family-no, my life. Yeah, like that was going to happen.
She could tell I was stressed. "Do you want to know something about me? You know, because you told me something you probably didn't want me to hear."
"Sure, why not?" I said.
"Then come with me."
She led me outside and behind a big tree. The same tree she was sitting at that morning. She walked behind it and signaled me to follow.
Once I was behind the tree, she sighed and said, "A little while ago I found out that I had cancer in my leg. Bone cancer. It's the same disease a Canadian guy, Terry Fox had. You know, the guy who tried to run across Canada on one good leg?"
I nodded.
"Well, he died after he had to stop more than half way across the country after he figured out that the cancer in his leg had spread to his lungs."
I nodded again. I knew the story. "Are you dying of cancer?" I asked gently. I felt so bad and was relived to hear her say no.
"No. I'm not dying. I just always add his story to mine to add to the drama. No, I'm finished with cancer now and all its treatments. Only problem is it left me bald."
Now I was confused. How could she be bald when she had a whole head of hair on her head? Then I realized it. "Is that a wig?" I said as I pointed.
"Yep. Pretty good isn't it?" she asked with a smile.
"Ya, I had no clue it was fake." One thing still bothered me though. Did she still have her leg?
She saw the worried look on my face and her smile grew. "If you're wondering, I still have my leg."
"Really? How? I mean… how does that- why could they save your leg and not Terry's?"
"Science has learned a lot more about cancer then it had all those years ago. They could save my leg because of a bone transplant. That's why I still have two."
"Wow, that's amazing." I said, "Thanks for sharing that with me."
"I don't tell that to many people but I feel I smuggled that information out of you and it just didn't seem fair."
"We're even now." I said. "And thanks for the company. I can only imagine how this might affect your social standing."
"What social standing? I hang out with people any normal person would be embarrassed to even stand next to."
"Really? So you don't care at all that you are standing next to the biggest social reject in the world right now?"
"No," she said shaking her head, "And if you are the biggest social reject in the world, then I'm hanging around some of the biggest social rejects in the whole universe!"
"I'd like to see that." I said shaking my head, seriously doubting what she was saying.
"You can hang out with us if you want." She said smiling.
"Could I?" I asked surprised. Was she actually inviting me, the Goth boy, to be friends with her and her group? This wasn't possible. I closed my eyes and shook my head to make sure I was awake. It seemed like I was.
"Ya, of course! They would love you!" she looked down at her watch. "The recess is ending in about a minute so there is no use trying to find them now, but if you still want to, you can meet me here next recess."
"I'd like that." I said. This was an understatement if I ever said one. I could do back flips I was so happy. I was getting a friend! The first one since my mom died. Oh, there I go ruining the greatest moment today. I had to bring this up again.
Suddenly the bell rang, saving me from myself.
"So I'll see you at recess," she said as she sprinted away. Then she stopped and turned around to face me. "That is, unless you're just too embarrassed to show up."
"Oh whatever!" I said, "I'll be there."
She smiled. "I like that. Well, see ya!" and she turned back around and ran for the door.
As I walked to the door I couldn't help but smile. I had a friend. I pinched myself just to prove once and for all that I wasn't sleeping. I was most definitely not sleeping…Yay!
So that was the third chapter. Well, I hope you enjoyed it. Sorry if the end was a bit, well, rushed. Sorry if this chapter wasn't the quality you may have liked. But PLEASE! Review! It means so much to a writer. It's the reason I do this! So review! Please, please, please, please, please! And I don't know if I have to but…
Disclaimer: As you might already know, Terry Fox is his own person. I don't own him.