Status: Ongoing
Ain't Love Grand?
A Childhood Memory
His name was Ektor, and he'd always hated it. He insisted on being called by his middle name, Alex, for as long as I could remember. He was half-Greek, which explained the name that embarrassed him so much. I never really understood why he didn't like it. I was quite fond of it, myself. It was cute. It was unique. I wouldn't dare address him by it, though.
Alex had been one of my best friends since Kindergarten. We lived on the same block and his parents and mine were good friends, so we pretty much grew up together.
Since as far back as the second grade, teachers had learned not to call him by his real name. He had quite the temper and it really riled him up. Somebody forgot to pass on the memo to a supply teacher in the fifth grade, though, and all hell broke loose.
"Ektor, can you continue reading from page sixteen, please?" The teacher had asked during a group reading session. Alex completely ignored him and the class gave a collective gasp.
"Ektor," the stand-in repeated, stepping closer to the desk the young boy was seated at. "Page sixteen."
Alex's head snapped up and he gave the teacher a menacing glare, eyes narrowed in anger. "My name is Alex," he told him, relatively calmly given the expression he wore.
The teacher looked down at the class register. "I see no Alex on my list," he said, raising his eyebrows as he looked back at the young student.
"Alex," the kid repeated. "And you're not even pronouncing it right anyways. It's "Hector", not "Ekter"."
A few giggles passed through the classroom, as was standard whenever somebody gave backchat to a teacher. The tutor promptly shushed them and slammed his hand down onto the corner of Alex's desk. "I don't appreciate your attitude, young man!"
Alex wasn't fazed. He'd always fancied himself as a "bad boy", even at such a young age. He loved getting attention and knew that at that moment in time, all eyes were on him. He shrugged his shoulders with a slight smirk crossing his lips. "I don't appreciate you screwing up my name," he retorted.
An "oooh" rang out through the classroom and Alex smirked as the teacher stepped back, surprised that the kid hadn't backed down like most other children he taught did. Alex looked pleased with himself and leaned back on his chair cockily. "I don't wanna read your stupid book," he stated, slamming said book shut and then swiping it from his desk onto the ground.
"ALEX!" The teacher bellowed, choosing to address the youngster by his chosen name. "Pick that book up right now and continue reading from page sixteen!"
"Make me."
I cringed as the rest of the class giggled quietly, mumbling amongst themselves. I knew he was going to get himself into more trouble if I didn't do something. I cleared my throat and looked down at the book in front of me. "I'll do it, sir," I voiced and before he or anybody else could say anything further, I proceeded to read the first line. I glanced over to Alex who was looking at me with a small smile, an amused, mischievous twinkle in his eye as he collected his book from the floor and opened it, allowing the class to go back to normal.
Alex had been one of my best friends since Kindergarten. We lived on the same block and his parents and mine were good friends, so we pretty much grew up together.
Since as far back as the second grade, teachers had learned not to call him by his real name. He had quite the temper and it really riled him up. Somebody forgot to pass on the memo to a supply teacher in the fifth grade, though, and all hell broke loose.
"Ektor, can you continue reading from page sixteen, please?" The teacher had asked during a group reading session. Alex completely ignored him and the class gave a collective gasp.
"Ektor," the stand-in repeated, stepping closer to the desk the young boy was seated at. "Page sixteen."
Alex's head snapped up and he gave the teacher a menacing glare, eyes narrowed in anger. "My name is Alex," he told him, relatively calmly given the expression he wore.
The teacher looked down at the class register. "I see no Alex on my list," he said, raising his eyebrows as he looked back at the young student.
"Alex," the kid repeated. "And you're not even pronouncing it right anyways. It's "Hector", not "Ekter"."
A few giggles passed through the classroom, as was standard whenever somebody gave backchat to a teacher. The tutor promptly shushed them and slammed his hand down onto the corner of Alex's desk. "I don't appreciate your attitude, young man!"
Alex wasn't fazed. He'd always fancied himself as a "bad boy", even at such a young age. He loved getting attention and knew that at that moment in time, all eyes were on him. He shrugged his shoulders with a slight smirk crossing his lips. "I don't appreciate you screwing up my name," he retorted.
An "oooh" rang out through the classroom and Alex smirked as the teacher stepped back, surprised that the kid hadn't backed down like most other children he taught did. Alex looked pleased with himself and leaned back on his chair cockily. "I don't wanna read your stupid book," he stated, slamming said book shut and then swiping it from his desk onto the ground.
"ALEX!" The teacher bellowed, choosing to address the youngster by his chosen name. "Pick that book up right now and continue reading from page sixteen!"
"Make me."
I cringed as the rest of the class giggled quietly, mumbling amongst themselves. I knew he was going to get himself into more trouble if I didn't do something. I cleared my throat and looked down at the book in front of me. "I'll do it, sir," I voiced and before he or anybody else could say anything further, I proceeded to read the first line. I glanced over to Alex who was looking at me with a small smile, an amused, mischievous twinkle in his eye as he collected his book from the floor and opened it, allowing the class to go back to normal.