Of a Boy Named Jack

Class seemed to drag on through out the day, as teachers droned on about things I would forget within the next three years or the next three minutes. I clicked my pencil hard against the desk, waking up the guy that was sitting next to me. He nodded thanks and stared back at the board with droopy eyes. I smiled and went on scribbling on the desk.

My favorite hobby in school. Desk art. I smiled down at the creation below me and blew the last eraser bits off of my desk. It was just about then I noticed that sneers and giggles had replaced the monotone voice of Mr. Hartman. I saw him at his desk writing on a small pink sheet of paper and groaned.

"I'll be seeing you after school Alice, again." He said, giving his aid the pink paper to send to the office. I gave him a smart aleck smile and covered up my doodle with my books. This wasn't the first time I had been sent to ASD (after school "decision", aka detention) for defacing school property.

The bell rang minutes later and I rushed out into the jungles of the hallway. Fellow students crammed themselves along the walls, trying to shuffle their way towards their small lockers and back to class before the bell rang.

I finally found myself in front of my locker and sighed. I looked behind me before I gave it a good hard kick, making sure I didn't hit anyone. It swung open and I caught it before it hit the squirrely boy next to me. He glared at me as he always did as I shoved my school books into the little space and slammed it shut, rejoining the slow moving stampede of cattle in the hall.



I must have dozed off in my anatomy class because I woke up with a jolt as the final bell rang. I dabbed the corners of my mouth, wiping off the slight slobber that had collected during my light nap and quickly grabbed my things before I got the "Dozing off again?" lecture.

The hallways were packed with students armed with heavy backpacks and all of them seemed to rush for the door. I took my time walking to my locker, not really happy with the thought of spending the beginning of my weekend with Mr. Hartman and the other misfits that ended up in detention.

Collecting my things from my locker, I shoved my books into my book bag and slowly scooted to the ASD room, not particularly excited to be hit on by Jared, a mousy short guy with black baggy clothes and crappily done piercings that he proudly bragged about doing himself every time he had the chance to.

I walked into the ASD room but wasn't greeted by the usual sneers. It was completely empty. I sat down at my desk, puzzled, and pulled out my note book.

Mr. Hartman's voice faintly rang through the closet door. I smiled as I thought of the poor kid that was in there getting the "Closet Talk", a thing Mr. Hartman took pleasure in by giving us the "you're a good kid, you just are not trying hard enough" talk with every kid that ended up in ASD, every time that they were in there.

The closet door opened and a tall blond guy tumbled out with a smile plastered on his face, quickly followed by a not so happy red faced Mr. Hartman, who made his way to his desk and pretended to make himself busy while the blond took the desk right in front of his and stared at him with that smile.

I sat there and watched Mr. Hartman with glee, who didn't know what to do with the smart ass’s stare. Just when it looked like Mr. Hartman was going to say something, he was interrupted.

"Mr. Hartman? You have a call from your wife, it’s urgent." The intercom buzzed in from above and clicked out before the poor teacher could say anything. Puzzled, he left the room without a word, and a worried face replaced his red one. As soon as the door closed, we both started to laugh.

"Well I don't think I have ever seen Mr. Hartman so red faced." I said, my laugh morphing into a wide silent smile. The boy turned around, showing me that his smile was still plastered on his face.

"I have a certain charm with teachers. He'll learn to love me," he said, moving back to a desk right next to mine.

"I'm Jack," he stated, holding out his hand. I grabbed his wrist and shook it. "Alice."

Jack looked at me in a puzzled way but shook his head and his smile returned. It was a common elvish greeting, but people just thought that I was weird.

"So wha'cha in here for?" I asked Jack, letting go of his arm and leaning back in my chair. He leaned back in his chair.

"I guess you can't smoke ANYTHING on school property, even if it is legal and isn't tobacco, but they gave me a 'break' and sent me here instead of suspending me for two days." He said. I laughed.

"What were you smoking? K2?" I asked.

"Nah, nothing to get high. Just cleansing herbs, rose petals and elm tree bark wrapped in flower petals," he said. I sat up a little bit, surprised. Wood changelings made those to cleanse the soul, and made them as special gifts. I shook my head and leaned back. He must have bought it unknowing what it was at an elvish herb shop.

"So what did you do?" he asked, pulling a knitted grey hat out from his back pocket.

"Defacing school property." I said, showing him the artwork on the desk that I had done hours before. He smiled wide, enough to show perfect white teeth.

"Jack, Alice, I'm letting you go for the day, my wife is ill and needs me home. I'm expecting you both to be here Monday after school." Mr. Hartman’s voice boomed over the intercom.

I looked at Jack. He shrugged and stood up, collecting his things from the front of the room and started walking for the door.

"I guess I'll be seeing you around?" Jack asked, pulling open the door. I smiled and nodded.

"Yeah."

He nodded and waved good-bye and disappeared out the door. I sighed, smile leaving my face and collected my things and soon left the room too.