Conventional
Six
Most kids my age would say that Monday’s are the worst day of the week. I don’t think that, though. Monday’s are good days for me because I just spent the whole weekend with Alex and I don’t miss him nearly as much as I do by Friday. But that’s just me.
This particular Monday is going really well so far. I got a 100 on my English test, which shocked me because I suck at English and didn’t really study that well for that test. But I’m not going to complain.
When I walk into the cafeteria for lunch, I see my brother Charlie sitting down at one of the tables near the windows. He’s bent over a notebook, probably doing last minute homework, as usual. He’s a sophomore, so he should be doing homework and getting good grades while he can. Junior year was a bitch. I buy my lunch and then head over to sit with him. When I take a seat, he waves slightly and then goes back to punching numbers into his calculator.
“You should probably do homework at home, you know,” I tell him.
“Yeah well…”
He doesn’t finish his sentence, simply goes back to his work. I take a risk and glance to my right, looking for Alex. He’s sitting with Jack at a table across the room, talking animatedly. I smile sadly. I’m not sure how I’m going to get through a whole week without being near him.
*
Today I have gym, and I hate gym. It’s the only bad part about Mondays. I don’t really know anybody in my class so I have no one to talk to, and we’re playing basketball. I stand awkwardly on the sidelines, picked last for a team, as usual. I hate sports, and I’m not very good at them so I don’t particularly blame them for not wanting me on their team. I just screw things up. My brothers are great at sports. I don’t know why that gene had to skip over me.
After being passed to twice, and both times successfully falling, coach decides I should probably wait on the sidelines for the remainder of the class. I think that’s the only good decision he’s made so far today.
In the locker rooms after class ends, I try to get dressed as quickly as possible because I have Art next. Alex is in that class with me. He sits with Jack at the table in front of mine. I pretty much stare at the back of his head the whole class. Sounds creepy, yeah I know.
“Hey, Merrick. What class do you have next?”
I look up from tying my sneakers. It’s Matt Flyzik. He’s friends with Alex. “Art,” I answer and finish with my shoes. I grab my backpack and stand up straight to leave, but Matt pushes me back.
“Do you have your English homework on you?”
I contemplate my answer. I do have my homework with me, but it’s an essay that I’ve been working on for weeks! I can’t just hand it over to him. “No, I don’t… It’s in my locker.”
One of his friends - Oliver, I think his name is – grabs my backpack from my hands and gives it over to Matt. He unzips it, reaches in and pulls out my English notebook. Right inside the cover sits my essay, and he pulls it out and smiles at me. “You shouldn’t really lie, Merrick. It’s not a good habit to get into, is it?”
*
I’m late to Art, of course. And not only am I late, but I’m late and I have a black eye. Fantastic. My day went from good to bad in 5 minutes.
“Zack, you’re late,” Mrs. White scolds me as I walk into the classroom with my head down.
“Yeah, sorry. I got caught up with something…”
“Don’t let it happen again.”
I walk down the aisle to my seat, only looking up when I pass Alex’s desk and put my books down on my own. I notice his eyes widen, and I feel bad. I don’t want him to worry over me.
When I’m finally sitting, Jack turns around and gapes at my black eye. “What the hell happened to you, man?”
This is probably the first time Jack has ever spoken to me. Alex turns around too and he stares at me with worried eyes.
“Nothing… don’t worry about it,” I respond quietly. I don’t want him to get upset over nothing.
*
This particular Monday is going really well so far. I got a 100 on my English test, which shocked me because I suck at English and didn’t really study that well for that test. But I’m not going to complain.
When I walk into the cafeteria for lunch, I see my brother Charlie sitting down at one of the tables near the windows. He’s bent over a notebook, probably doing last minute homework, as usual. He’s a sophomore, so he should be doing homework and getting good grades while he can. Junior year was a bitch. I buy my lunch and then head over to sit with him. When I take a seat, he waves slightly and then goes back to punching numbers into his calculator.
“You should probably do homework at home, you know,” I tell him.
“Yeah well…”
He doesn’t finish his sentence, simply goes back to his work. I take a risk and glance to my right, looking for Alex. He’s sitting with Jack at a table across the room, talking animatedly. I smile sadly. I’m not sure how I’m going to get through a whole week without being near him.
*
Today I have gym, and I hate gym. It’s the only bad part about Mondays. I don’t really know anybody in my class so I have no one to talk to, and we’re playing basketball. I stand awkwardly on the sidelines, picked last for a team, as usual. I hate sports, and I’m not very good at them so I don’t particularly blame them for not wanting me on their team. I just screw things up. My brothers are great at sports. I don’t know why that gene had to skip over me.
After being passed to twice, and both times successfully falling, coach decides I should probably wait on the sidelines for the remainder of the class. I think that’s the only good decision he’s made so far today.
In the locker rooms after class ends, I try to get dressed as quickly as possible because I have Art next. Alex is in that class with me. He sits with Jack at the table in front of mine. I pretty much stare at the back of his head the whole class. Sounds creepy, yeah I know.
“Hey, Merrick. What class do you have next?”
I look up from tying my sneakers. It’s Matt Flyzik. He’s friends with Alex. “Art,” I answer and finish with my shoes. I grab my backpack and stand up straight to leave, but Matt pushes me back.
“Do you have your English homework on you?”
I contemplate my answer. I do have my homework with me, but it’s an essay that I’ve been working on for weeks! I can’t just hand it over to him. “No, I don’t… It’s in my locker.”
One of his friends - Oliver, I think his name is – grabs my backpack from my hands and gives it over to Matt. He unzips it, reaches in and pulls out my English notebook. Right inside the cover sits my essay, and he pulls it out and smiles at me. “You shouldn’t really lie, Merrick. It’s not a good habit to get into, is it?”
*
I’m late to Art, of course. And not only am I late, but I’m late and I have a black eye. Fantastic. My day went from good to bad in 5 minutes.
“Zack, you’re late,” Mrs. White scolds me as I walk into the classroom with my head down.
“Yeah, sorry. I got caught up with something…”
“Don’t let it happen again.”
I walk down the aisle to my seat, only looking up when I pass Alex’s desk and put my books down on my own. I notice his eyes widen, and I feel bad. I don’t want him to worry over me.
When I’m finally sitting, Jack turns around and gapes at my black eye. “What the hell happened to you, man?”
This is probably the first time Jack has ever spoken to me. Alex turns around too and he stares at me with worried eyes.
“Nothing… don’t worry about it,” I respond quietly. I don’t want him to get upset over nothing.
*
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): poor zack .leave comments <33