Firework

School, most people hate it because of work, but not me. I hate it because of the way people treat me. You do well in school and have glasses your classified as a nerd. And once high school claims you, you’re stuck like that forever.

“Miss. Denmark, the answer please,” Mr. Right our history teacher asked me after begging Nathan for an answer.

“July 4, 1776.” I answered loudly.

“You see Nathan, someone will actually pass this class,” He said turning back to Nathan.

“I just don’t see the point in knowing about American’s when we’re Canadian.” Nathan replied.

“In that case you wouldn’t mind telling me the date Canada became and independent country, would you?” Mr. Right smiled at him.

“July first sir.” Nathan smirked.

“What year?” Nathan shrugged his shoulders and Mr. Right looked at me signaling me to answer.

“1867,” I mumbled out.

“Thank you Miss. Denmark. Your homework for tonight is to rewrite the paragraph on page one fifty-three in your textbooks. It will be due tomorrow.” The class groaned and soon enough the bell rang signaling the end of the period. Everyone got up and left and I hurried out the door walking quickly to my locker hoping that no one felt the need to body slam me into the wall.

“Watch where you going red head,” And into the wall I go, this time harder than usual. I looked up to see Nathan standing over me. “Shut your mouth next time, got it?” And he walked away. I got up and practically ran to my locker, quickly spinning the combination open and getting my clothes for gym. Today we were playing volleyball with the boys. I got to the change room, changed and walked into the gym sitting on the bench, waiting to get picked last.

“Okay, today as you know we are playing mixed teams of volleyball, you pick boy, girl, boy, girl. Justin, Sadie, your team captains.” Coach Miller said.

Soon enough there was only two left on the bench, me and Louis, the classic nerd like me. Sadie picked Louis.

“I guess we get Red,” Justin grumbled I stood up awkwardly, considering my lack of balance and walked over to the opposite side of the gym.

“Last person on the bench, I know the drill.” I said walking over and taking a seat. They made their game plan, if everything goes well I won’t be on the court once during the game.

Once the game started Sadie’s team started at a good pace winning all the serves. After a while of this our team started to do well. Don’t get me wrong, we had good players on our team, but they were good playing independently, not as a team. I eventually found myself on just standing knowing even of the ball came towards me, I would get shoved over for someone else to take the pass. Soon the score was twenty-four to twenty-four, next point wins the whole game. Sadie’s team’s eyes were dancing with victory. Justin’s glaring at me. I knew we would win because I had an amazing serve that no one had ever seen before.

“Everybody move forward, if it does make it over the net it won’t go far.” Sadie instructed her team.

I took the ball and bounced it a couple of times, throwing it up in the air for an overhand serve. I heard Justin mumble ‘crap’ under his breath. I smacked the ball with my hand, sending it flying over the court and dropping right before the line, making it in, and us having the point.

“Justin’s team wins!” Coach shouted but everyone was too shocked with the fact that I had just won them the game for them. I shrugged and walked into the change rooms to get changed back into my previous clothes before walking to the cafeteria to buy my food.

“You’re so stupid!” Sadie yelled at me. I turned around to see her and her group of followers. “I was supposed to win you, you. . .” She added lost for words, and raised her hand as if to slap me in front of the gaining crowd. I grabbed her wrist as it was just about to collide with my cheek. She tried with her other hand, but I grabbed that too.

“Slapping me doesn’t change the fact that I beat you, it will only make it look like your jealous.” I said and walked away dropping her wrists.

“Jealous of you? In your dreams giraffe!” She said snickering. I was tall, too tall. Most seventeen year old girls were 5’3, 5’5 if they were lucky. I was 6’2 for crying out load! Women are not usually over six feet tall.

“Hey four eyes!” I heard turning around to see Greg, he was one of the boys on my team in gym. “Nice serve back there, well, you know, for a nerd.” He then walked away, laughing with his friends. Even when I did something normal, they found a way to criticize me for it.

After lunch classes went by as usual, someone getting a question wrong, teacher asks me, I get it right and body checked into lockers on my way to my next class. I was walking to my locker once more to get my homework when I was tripped. Of course I fell and my glasses came tumbling to the floor like I did. I panicked, without my glasses I was basically blind, I had horrible eyesight. I heard laughter and new all the Juniors were there watching me.

“Awww, did the poor giraffe lose her balance and fall?” I heard Justin say above all the laughter, which caused them to laugh harder. “These look like neat glasses. I wonder what happen if somebody lost them.” He chuckled to himself.

“Please just give me my glasses,” I mumbled.

“I’m sorry, did you hear something?” He asked around, earning a few snickers.

“Please give me my glasses.” I said again.

“There it is again. What on earth is making that sound?” I then heard the door open and something fall and break on the floor, my glasses.

“Come here Firework, I’ll bring you to the office and we will call your mother. Justin come with me,” The principal helped me up and brought me to the office, Justin trailing behind.

“I want to know why you felt the need to trip her Justin.” He asked in a serious tone.

“I wasn’t the one who tripped her, that was Sadie.” Justin rushed out of is mouth in a panic.

“Well then why did you feel the need to break her glasses?”

“I didn’t mean to break them, I was just, uh, holding them and when the door opened it scared me so I accidentally dropped them.” Justin replied in an unsure tone.

“This is very serious Justin.”

“How, its just glasses, she can still walk home and get around.” Justin’s voice getting louder.

“Would you like to answer this?” Principal Franklin directed at me, I think.

“I have very bad eyesight. Without my glasses, I see just about as well as a blind person.” I answered.

“Your mom will be here shortly, and Firework,” I looked up to where I assumed his voice was coming from. “I heard you made a good serve, in P.E. today, congratulations. Justin keep her company.” Then I heard the door shut, meaning we were alone. Justin burst out laughing.

“What?” I asked him.

“Why does he call you Firework?”

“Why does he call you Justin?” I asked back.

“Because it’s my name.”

“Then you already know the answer to your question.” He laughed harder.

“Your mom named you Firework?” I nodded. “Why?”

“I was born on July 1, Canada Day, and when my mom was in the hospital the first thing she say after me was a firework out the window. So she named me Firework.” I answered as if it were obvious.

“Really?” He asked.

“Yeah” I answered nodding my head. And then someone came into the room and judging my the click of heels racing towards me I figured it was my mom.

“Honey, are you okay? I have your back up glasses right here in my purse. Are you hurt at all?” She asked franticly kneeling down in front of me.

“I'm fine mom,” I said putting my back up pair on, I could see everything again.

“Well, I can go now, see ya.” Justin said rushing out he door.

“Let’s get you home sweetie,” Mom said helping mw up. We walked outside to see a huge crowd around a car, I turned to my mom.

“You brought the Ferrari?” She shrugged, “Show off,” I muttered and she nudged me. She took out her keys and pressed the button that unlocked the car making everybody step back.

“Sorry, I got to get home.” She said walking up the car and getting in the drivers side, I sat in the passenger, everyone gawking at either the car, or my mom. She backed out and started our drive home. “Mark is coming to visit next week,” She smiled at me and I couldn’t help but grin also.