III
This is ridiculous, thought Daniel as he walked onto campus for the first day of school. He had a piece of paper in his hand containing his schedule. He had to meet with the attendance office to get his schedule fixed because they refused to meet with him during even the final days of summer vacation.
“I asked not to be in this class,” said Daniel as he put the paper down on an advisor’s desk. He was incredibly irritated because he had gotten up later than usual when he was supposed to get up earlier than usual, and now he was in a huge rush to get things fixed before the bell would ring in two minutes. However, he spoke politely enough.
“Well, let’s see here,” said the ancient woman, putting on her glasses that were large enough to be windows in a small playhouse. “You told the attendance office you didn’t want to take…government?” she said, looking at him over the rim of her windows.
“No, I said I didn’t want that teacher, I wanted Paaske.”
“Well, dear,” she said, setting the paper down, “there’s nothing I can do.”
“Nothing you can do?” he asked.
“I’m afraid so. It’s a new policy. We can’t change classes just because the student has a problem with the teacher.”
“Ok, so condemn the student to suffer while he tries to learn while dealing with the teacher?” he said. Sure, it was an exaggeration, but it was his only defense.
“You’ll be fine,” she laughed as she moved to her filing cabinet, “he’s a nice guy. What do you have against him?”
“Only about two years worth of students complaining to me everyday about how incompetent he is,” he said plainly.
“He’s a fine man,” she said, “You’ll be fine.”
The bell rang.
“If you could just…”
“I’m sorry, there’s nothing I can do.”
“You’re the head attendance advisor. Unless you simply made the position up and put it on your door to boost your self esteem because your husband has just left you, I’m sure the title means something.”
“What did you just say, young man?” she said harshly. Everything in the room stopped, except Daniel’s adrenaline from his anger.
“I’m sorry you’re getting a divorce, you have my condolences,” he said, half impatiently and half sincerely, “but I just need…”
“Who have you been talking to?” she snapped, moving closer to him, only stopping because a desk separated the two.
“Your wedding ring tan line says more than anyone else
could. It’s fresh, especially since you
just came back from
“How dare you make such accusations!” she said, flabbergasted.
“The Tiki-Man still has the price tag on it, and no woman getting a divorce can afford such a vacation without a little help,” he said, then added sensitively, “I know it can be hard dealing with this, but being hard and stern on others won’t make your grievances any easier, it will only push the ones closest to you further away, and then you’ll truly end up alone.” There was silence as she let this sink in. “Can I have the class change?”
She thought about it and pressed her lips together.
“You may not; it’s school policy. Get to class before you’re late.”
What a shame that would be, he thought as he exited, rolling his eyes. She glared at him as he left, then smiled as a tear ran down her cheek.
- - - - - - - - - - - -
He walked into his classroom fuming. Now I’m stuck with…him.
His teacher, Mr. Bliss, was sitting behind his computer, chewing gum and making a grimacing face that was nothing short of flat-out ugly. Daniel rolled his eyes. He’s heard about this teacher; disorganized, unfair, and completely oblivious to his own incompetence as a teacher and ability to explain things properly. Otherwise, he’s heard he was a nice guy.
He went and found himself a seat near the back. Most of the class was already seated with their books and notebooks. Well, some of them were. Others didn’t even care enough to bring backpacks. Those people always pissed Daniel off.
The bell rang and the principal came on the intercom, welcoming everyone back for another ‘exciting’ year and blah blah blah. They did the salute and again took their seats. So much repetition and so much nonsense. He would be glad to be done with this.
Mr. Bliss went to the front of the class and looked at whatever was on his podium, smiling at nothing. Then his smile faded, and he chuckled a bit.
“Woops, sorry class, it seems I forgot to inform you all about our seating chart.”
Everyone groaned as they prepared all their stuff to move seats. Others laughed at his incompetence. Mr. Bliss laughed as well, though he just figured they were laughing because it was funny and not directly at him. Daniel just rolled his eyes. Fun year already.
After everyone was situated again, Daniel looked around. He knew absolutely NOBODY in this class. He recognized some, but they were just jocks on the football team. Mr. Bliss began handing out the course syllabus when he came to one particularly large boy’s desk.
“Got them whipped into shape this year, MacAfee?” Bliss smiled.
“Oh yeah,” said Brian MacAfee, the football captain. The team had been horrible for two years, but everyone looked forward to the year when he would be captain. Last year’s captain didn’t even want to be captain because he wanted to be lead by MacAfee, but the coach was proud and held onto the traditional Ladder of Power.
“Good,” Bliss smiled. Great, thought Daniel, another jock to get all the benefits of being a teacher’s pet even when he’s a complete idiot.
One boy came in late, huffing and puffing. He had been running. He went and apologized to Mr. Bliss, who frowned, then found him his seat, right next to Daniel. Daniel rolled his eyes. His mood was so bad today thanks to a lousy beginning. He wasn’t normally so angry and irritated by such petty things. But today, everything was a thorn in his side.
Mr. Bliss talked incoherently and digressed many times through the painful 53 minutes, but finally class was over. Daniel rushed to pack his things. As he left his desk, a backpack swung at him and hit him in the face. He dropped all of his books and papers. Laughing ensued.
“Oh!” said the brown haired boy that came in late, “I’m so sorry!”
Daniel shook his head, regaining his vision, “No, I rushed, it was my fault,” he said, keeping calm. He picked up his papers.
“No, I should have…well,” he couldn’t think of anything to say and decided the better of it and helped pick up the papers.
“Thanks,” said Daniel as he got his stuff together.
Daniel left the room in a hurry to meet up with Aiden in the hall and tell him of his great misfortune. He talked to him after the incident in the mall and simply told him that he forgot to take clothes out of the dryer and his dad would be furious if he came home to wrinkled clothes. Aiden didn’t seem convinced, but he took the bait. Anything to get him off his back and slow things down a bit. Actually, things had come around quite nicely, he hadn’t even thought about the dream for a few days now.
“Hey!” called a voice from behind. Daniel recognized it. Please don’t let him annoy all year, he said as he rolled his eyes and turned around.
“I think this is yours,” said the kid. He handed him a piece of paper he had been drawing on in class. It had a ladder leading up to an incompletely drawn loft. Did Daniel draw this? Oh, he remembered, I had been! I didn’t even realize! He quickly seized it and stuffed it into his binder.
“Oh,” he said, flushed, “I…yeah, that’s mine. Uh, thanks.” He forced a smile, then quickly looked away.
“Anytime,” said the kid. They began walking. Oh great, said Daniel, he will annoy me for the rest of his life.
It didn’t take long before the kid started talking, annoying Daniel even more.
“So, what class do you have next?”
“Physics,” said Daniel flatly.
“Oh, I took that last year,” said the kid, “It’s a pretty easy class except for the tests. You’ll start with a pre-test that you’ll take at the end of the year. Don’t worry, it will seem hard now, and all the tests in between now and the final are killer, but the final is really easy. That’s just how the teacher is, he’s…”
Will somebody please punch him in the face for me, thought Daniel painfully. With each passer-by, he waited for the wonderful sound of fist-against-face, but it never came. This kid just went on and on. He was obviously smart, but he was annoying.
“Look,” Daniel blurted out in his anger. The kid stopped, taken aback. Hell, Daniel wanted to be taken aback as well. He had never snapped liked that before at anyone, but there was no stopping it now, “Thanks for helping me pick up my papers, but you WERE the one that caused it. So now I think we should just go to our separate classes and stop talking.”
The boy looked hurt, but then covered it up quickly. “I agree, then. Seems like the best, since you’re too pompous to even talk to anyone. Have a great day,” he finished sarcastically. He didn’t sound hurt, simply proud. His pride was hurt by Daniel and he went off sounding like he was the one disrespecting Daniel instead of the other way around. Daniel watched him go, half remorseful about his outburst, but today was just not his day. He went off to meet with Aiden.
The rest of the day passed by uneventfully. Classes with syllabi that were forced to be signed and teachers that went over the classroom rules which were all the same, save late work policy and food and drink policy. Finally the day ended and he was walking home.
Then he began remembering the dream.
Everything was sunny and warm when he thought about the dream, despite the chilling wind passing by. He smiled at the sky as he walked and fell into hypnotic state. He could remember everything about the boy; the fair skin, the blonde hair, the bluest eyes, and most of all, the smile. Oh, the smile! The smile that radiated warmth from miles away. If only this boy were real, and if only he had this feeling with another boy.
Oh goodness, thought Daniel as he rounded the corner to his house. So this is what it has come to; now I want it with a boy. I want the warm touch and the feeling that everything is right and nothing can ever hurt us. I want that love.
- - - - - - - - - - -
Daniel avoided the subject in his mind for the rest of the night. After dinner, he went to Staples to get whatever supplies his teachers requested of him. This year, all the teachers wanted each student to have a binder for that specific class, which was ridiculous, but whatever. Normally he just had a mid-sized binder for two classes. Now he would have to carry multiple binders at once and make frequent trips to his locker. Gotta love senior year!
Daniel was grabbing a stack of binders that were on sale for .59 cents each when he turned around and bumped into an employee and dropped all the binders.
“Oh, I’m so sorry!” apologized Daniel instinctively. He went down to pick them up. The employee helped too.
“No, I am, I wasn’t paying attention…” the voice broke off. Daniel looked up. It was that kid. After a moment of surprised expressions, their faces hardened.
“Maybe you should watch where you’re going next time, Edge.”
“How do you know my name?” asked Daniel accusingly. They left the pile of debris to itself as they had their confrontation.
“It was all over your papers,” he said coldly. “You know, the ones I helped you pick up.”
“And the ones you helped me drop,” reputed Daniel.
“So then we should be even,” spat the kid. His tag read Mark.
“Not after this!” exclaimed Daniel, pointing at the floor.
“That was your own fault, Edge. Look before you turn next time.”
“Versetti!” called an older voice. Mark turned to see an older employee. “You’re on clean up, right? They need you in aisle 5.” With that, the man left.
“You’re lucky I’m needed elsewhere,” said Mark coldly. “Have a nice day, sir,” he said with the most disrespect he could muster, which played off wonderfully. Daniel just watched him walk off haughtily.
What a brat, thought Daniel. What an egotistical prick. Yet as Daniel watched Mark walk off, there was something pleasing about his figure. And even though he was a cold person, it was kind of hot. What am I thinking, he suddenly retorted, almost aloud.
He picked up his binders and looked around. Then, he pushed over a large box full of binders which spread everywhere, creating a big mess.
“Clean up on aisle 3!” Daniel called out, then left.
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