Status: Active. (Based on the novel by Laurie Halse Anderson.)
Twisted
Sixteen
Homeroom sucked, because Sean wasn’t there. I figured he was still fighting with his mom.
On the bright side, Kelsey wasn’t there, either.
I had forgotten to look for my schedule before we left the house, so as soon as the Pledge was over, I asked Mr. Irwin if he had an extra copy. He rolled his eyes, but he had been a homeroom teacher for one hundred and twenty years, so he was prepared.
He pulled a piece of paper from a pile on his desk. “Here you are, McCready,” he said. “Enjoy.”
I looked at it once.
Twice. My head hurt.
Cruel and Unusual Punishment
(AKA My Schedule)
Calculus
Gym
AP English
Lunch
Spanish IV
Study Hall
AP Art History
AP US Government and Politics
Yes, I had agreed to do this. But in my defense, we put my schedule together after my first week working at Pirelli’s and the blisters on my hands had all popped open and I was so tired I couldn’t even remember my name. Mom and Dad were both happy with the schedule. I do remember that part. Signing me up for indentured servitude made their eyes sparkle.
It seemed like such a good idea at the time.
---
So Calc baffled me within ten minutes. First period = waste.
In gym, they lectured us about not leaving valuables in the locker room and lectured us about proper footwear and lectured us and lectured us and lectured us…
After glass, I plowed my way down the hall, feeling the eyes, trying to take Aaron’s advice and play his game of, "Hey, I Don’t Give a Rat’s Ass About Any of This", and "You Should Be a Little Afraid of Me, Just to Be Safe". It was harder than it sounded, walking like a rebellious tough girl and keeping my arms flexed and pretending this was natural.
I tripped over a lot of freshmen.
And then I walked into my AP English class.
Oh, the humanity.
On the board, Mr. Salvatore had listed the books and the play I was supposed to have read over the summer.
Who does that anymore, anyway?
I looked around at my classmates, who had, of course, done the readings, highlighted their favorite lines, and written essays about characters and motivation. For fun.
Try-hards.
I picked up one of the books and flipped through it. Don’t get me wrong, I like reading. But some books should come with warning labels: Caution: contains characters and plots guaranteed to induce sleepiness. Do not attempt to drive or operate heavy machinery after ingesting more than one chapter. Has been known to cause blindness, seizures, and a terminal loathing of literature. Should only be taken under the supervision of a highly trained English teacher. Preferably one who grades on the curve.
I talked to Mr. Salvatore after class and explained a few things about my summer. He gave me a week to catch up, in light of my special circumstances, then nodded seriously and said it was time for me to “buckle down”.
I almost asked him if I was on thin ice yet, but I didn’t want to be put on the short leash the first day of school.
---
Spanish was kind of a blur- fifty ways to ask for a loaf of bread. My study hall was filled with sophomores who reeked of lip gloss and hair dye and fake nails and perfume. Art History, well, at least that’d be somewhat interesting.
AP US Government and Politics was a different story. The teacher went into gory detail about battlefield conditions during the Revolutionary War and explained the best way to kill an opponent with a bayonet. It was cool right up to the moment when he assigned an essay (using three primary sources) due the next day.
---
On the bus home, I borrowed Aaron’s calculator. I had a minimum of six hours of homework, and it was only the first day of school. Six hours of homework a day x 180 days until finals = way too much work.
Welcome to senior year. Bam- face through windshield.
I didn’t have a choice. I would have to face the dragon.
I’d do it after dinner, when she was bloated on the works with cheese-stuffed crust.
---
On the bright side, Kelsey wasn’t there, either.
I had forgotten to look for my schedule before we left the house, so as soon as the Pledge was over, I asked Mr. Irwin if he had an extra copy. He rolled his eyes, but he had been a homeroom teacher for one hundred and twenty years, so he was prepared.
He pulled a piece of paper from a pile on his desk. “Here you are, McCready,” he said. “Enjoy.”
I looked at it once.
Twice. My head hurt.
Cruel and Unusual Punishment
(AKA My Schedule)
Calculus
Gym
AP English
Lunch
Spanish IV
Study Hall
AP Art History
AP US Government and Politics
Yes, I had agreed to do this. But in my defense, we put my schedule together after my first week working at Pirelli’s and the blisters on my hands had all popped open and I was so tired I couldn’t even remember my name. Mom and Dad were both happy with the schedule. I do remember that part. Signing me up for indentured servitude made their eyes sparkle.
It seemed like such a good idea at the time.
---
So Calc baffled me within ten minutes. First period = waste.
In gym, they lectured us about not leaving valuables in the locker room and lectured us about proper footwear and lectured us and lectured us and lectured us…
After glass, I plowed my way down the hall, feeling the eyes, trying to take Aaron’s advice and play his game of, "Hey, I Don’t Give a Rat’s Ass About Any of This", and "You Should Be a Little Afraid of Me, Just to Be Safe". It was harder than it sounded, walking like a rebellious tough girl and keeping my arms flexed and pretending this was natural.
I tripped over a lot of freshmen.
And then I walked into my AP English class.
Oh, the humanity.
On the board, Mr. Salvatore had listed the books and the play I was supposed to have read over the summer.
Who does that anymore, anyway?
I looked around at my classmates, who had, of course, done the readings, highlighted their favorite lines, and written essays about characters and motivation. For fun.
Try-hards.
I picked up one of the books and flipped through it. Don’t get me wrong, I like reading. But some books should come with warning labels: Caution: contains characters and plots guaranteed to induce sleepiness. Do not attempt to drive or operate heavy machinery after ingesting more than one chapter. Has been known to cause blindness, seizures, and a terminal loathing of literature. Should only be taken under the supervision of a highly trained English teacher. Preferably one who grades on the curve.
I talked to Mr. Salvatore after class and explained a few things about my summer. He gave me a week to catch up, in light of my special circumstances, then nodded seriously and said it was time for me to “buckle down”.
I almost asked him if I was on thin ice yet, but I didn’t want to be put on the short leash the first day of school.
---
Spanish was kind of a blur- fifty ways to ask for a loaf of bread. My study hall was filled with sophomores who reeked of lip gloss and hair dye and fake nails and perfume. Art History, well, at least that’d be somewhat interesting.
AP US Government and Politics was a different story. The teacher went into gory detail about battlefield conditions during the Revolutionary War and explained the best way to kill an opponent with a bayonet. It was cool right up to the moment when he assigned an essay (using three primary sources) due the next day.
---
On the bus home, I borrowed Aaron’s calculator. I had a minimum of six hours of homework, and it was only the first day of school. Six hours of homework a day x 180 days until finals = way too much work.
Welcome to senior year. Bam- face through windshield.
I didn’t have a choice. I would have to face the dragon.
I’d do it after dinner, when she was bloated on the works with cheese-stuffed crust.
---
♠ ♠ ♠
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