You're Just a Boy Who's Afraid of the Dark
Hotshot, grab on to something.
“Gabriel, you have two options: Summer school or peer tutoring. Otherwise, you’ll be held back. You can not continue to fail English and History.” Ms. Hensley, the school’s prim and stuffy guidance counselor, shuffled her papers and picked up a pen, ready to write the boy’s response.
“Ugh,” he groaned, leaning back in his chair. There was no way he’d give up his entire summer for school. So tutoring it was. He tugged on his hoodie’s drawstrings, deep in thought. “Fine,” Gabe said, “Tutoring.”
“Lovely!” said Ms Hensley, as if Gabe had just divulged to her the meaning of life. “We’ll start you off tomorrow. I want you at the library at 4, after school. A student from the tutoring program will be there.”
Gabe, long and gangly, stood and walked out the door of the office, Ms. Hensley calling a “Don’t forget!” after him.
He proceeded to walk all the way to his locker. It had been a long day. His mom and dad were fighting again this morning and his younger brother, Ricky, was sick with the flu, so Gabe had to make sure he was fed and had his medicine. Being signed up for this stupid tutoring system definitely wasn’t making things any better.
And besides, he could pass English and History if he wanted to. Gabe was actually pretty smart. But with everything else on his mind, he had a lot of diffuculty figuring out his priorities, especially school.
Gabe quickly dialed the combination to his locker. A big, brawny guy with a mop of brown hair came and slapped him on the back in greeting.
“Hey, hey, Gabe!” he called, continuing on his way down the hallway.
“Hey, Rob,” Gabe said, halfheartedly. He had a reputation as a bad boy to maintain at school. Someone that all the guys wanted to be friends with, someone that all the girls pined after. He was good looking, witty, ‘exotic’ (he was born in Uruguay) and a good dancer. What more could they ask for?
So even when things were bad, Gabe couldn’t let his unhappiness show. He had to put on airs for the rest of the school, lest he be taken from his high-and-mighty position as the school’s resident cool/hot Spanish kid. His life was constant pretending. Because if not, he would be nothing.
And though he’d never admit it, Gabe was more scared of that than anything else.
“Ugh,” he groaned, leaning back in his chair. There was no way he’d give up his entire summer for school. So tutoring it was. He tugged on his hoodie’s drawstrings, deep in thought. “Fine,” Gabe said, “Tutoring.”
“Lovely!” said Ms Hensley, as if Gabe had just divulged to her the meaning of life. “We’ll start you off tomorrow. I want you at the library at 4, after school. A student from the tutoring program will be there.”
Gabe, long and gangly, stood and walked out the door of the office, Ms. Hensley calling a “Don’t forget!” after him.
He proceeded to walk all the way to his locker. It had been a long day. His mom and dad were fighting again this morning and his younger brother, Ricky, was sick with the flu, so Gabe had to make sure he was fed and had his medicine. Being signed up for this stupid tutoring system definitely wasn’t making things any better.
And besides, he could pass English and History if he wanted to. Gabe was actually pretty smart. But with everything else on his mind, he had a lot of diffuculty figuring out his priorities, especially school.
Gabe quickly dialed the combination to his locker. A big, brawny guy with a mop of brown hair came and slapped him on the back in greeting.
“Hey, hey, Gabe!” he called, continuing on his way down the hallway.
“Hey, Rob,” Gabe said, halfheartedly. He had a reputation as a bad boy to maintain at school. Someone that all the guys wanted to be friends with, someone that all the girls pined after. He was good looking, witty, ‘exotic’ (he was born in Uruguay) and a good dancer. What more could they ask for?
So even when things were bad, Gabe couldn’t let his unhappiness show. He had to put on airs for the rest of the school, lest he be taken from his high-and-mighty position as the school’s resident cool/hot Spanish kid. His life was constant pretending. Because if not, he would be nothing.
And though he’d never admit it, Gabe was more scared of that than anything else.
♠ ♠ ♠
Short, but the story will develop soon. :]Comments, please! :3