Disclaimer: I snuck into the Disney files and stole the rights to High School Musical. (that's believable.)
I Trust You- Chapter FourPOV- Ryan
After homeroom I hurried off to my next class- gym. I can't stand this class. Coach Bolton makes the last two people out of the changing rooms run 5 laps. I'm always last; I don't want anyone to see the bruises. I always wear a long sleeve t-shirt and pants, even when it's warm. My least favorite is Free Choice Fridays. Since most of the people in my class are on the basketball team, we always play basketball. Coach Bolton picks two guys to be captain and then lets them pick teammates. I'm always picked last. And it's not exactly being picked. Whoever is picking says "You can have Ryan." Then they argue over who has to take me till Coach Bolton makes them do rock paper scissors. I think he does that on purpose, to humiliate me even more. Anyway, today, being our last day, Coach let us pick what to play. Of course, by majority rules, we played basketball. Of course they fought over who had to take me. Of course everyone ignored me, no one ever threw me the ball, and I simply walked up and down the court like I always did.
My next class was my most favorite class of the day: Choir. Unfortunately, all we did was watch a movie. It wasn't even a musical. Everyone voted on some stupid movie that had no singing in it. I sat in the back and drew pictures in my notebook.
Then, my least favorite and most dreaded class of the day: English. I heard some kids talking in choir about how boring English was going to be. They said that Ms. Snider had picked out a lame book to read from, and then, for the rest of the period, had each person read a chapter. My heart nearly stopped when I heard that.
Ever since I was little, reading had been very difficult for me. They said something like I had dyslexia or something, but all I know is that it's very hard, and embarrassing for me to read out loud, especially in front of my classmates. It was less embarrassing when I was really little, because everyone was sounding out letters and having difficulties with reading. But now I'm sixteen, and it still is difficult.
The bell rings and I head to my seat in English. I watch as Chad and most of the other basketball boys come in and sit circled around my desk. They enjoy sitting near me. Without Sharpay's protection, they're free to taunt and ridicule me all they want.
Before the tardy bell rings (and with the absence of a teacher), I feel a painful flick on my ear. I jump, but try to ignore it. Chad reaches out and flicks my ear again. It sort of hurts, but I pretend not to notice. Suddenly a hand collides with the back of my head and my hat flies off and across the floor. There's a sudden burst of giggles as Chad and his friends exchange high fives. I reach down and pick up my hat just as the bell rings. Ms. Snider comes in and instantly begins to pass out books. As soon as I get mine, I thumb through it. The chapters look short. Everyone will get a turn to read. I chew my nails nervously as Ms. Snider starts reading.
I try to follow along, but it makes no sense. Instead, I simply sit there, stare at the open book in front of me, and flip the pages when everyone else does. I always do that when Ms. Snider reads out loud. She never makes us read. I feel sort of like a normal kid when I do this. It looks like I'm reading.
I feel a sharp pain in my back suddenly. I already hurt there when Dad threw a book at me this morning. I turned around and saw Chad with his pencil. When I turned back he jabbed it into my back again.
"Would you stop please?" I whispered. He and his friends just laughed quietly. I turned back at the sound of someone speaking in front of me. Suddenly my heart began to pound. It was almost my turn to read. The sharp pain returned, and I spun around and snatched Chad's pencil and snapped it in two. Chad and his friends laughed again as I turned around, my vision blurring up. I wiped my eyes quickly. If I started crying in front of them, I would die of shame.
Suddenly I became aware of the silence in the room. I looked up and saw everyone staring at me.
"Mr. Evans, it's your turn."
I stared at Ms. Snider. Few people knew I was dyslexic. I began to panic. I didn't want to sound like an idiot, trying to pronounce each and every word. Suddenly, without any warning, I slammed my book shut.
"No."
There was a sharp intake of breath. My classmates looked from me to Ms. Snider.
"W-what?" She seemed stunned.
"I said no. I don't want to read this. Or any of the lame books you pick" I was shocked at what I was saying.
"Please continue with chapter-"
"NO!" I screamed. Her eyes widened in surprise and she jumped. So did the rest of the class. "I said I don't want to!" I took the book and threw it as hard as I could, using all the pent up anger and hatred I had towards normal people, like Chad, who could read. The book flew across the room and landed on Ms. Snider's desk, scattering her papers, pens, books, and cup of coffee everywhere.
"Mr. Evans I will see you after school!" She shrieked in her old-woman voice. "Go to the principal's office! NOW!" Everyone jumped. No one had ever seen her so upset before.
I suddenly realized the intensity of what I just did. I was ashamed that I had been so disrespectful and rude. I grabbed my stuff and left without another word.
I walked down the hallway towards the office. At least I saved myself from the humiliation of trying to read.
Ok. I would like to say that the whole Ryan being dyslexic thing was done in another fanfic by Spice of Life. She wrote a really beatiful (definitely went on my favorite stories list!). It's called Scripts and Skyscrapers, I suggest you go read it. I loved it!