Leave the World Behind

I was leaning back in my chair, having finished my geometry quiz.
“It's been over two hours since I've posted, and he hasn't commented. He hasn't even liked it. You saw it.” Bethany, a popular girl in school, whine next to me as she face time someone. She and I was classroom friend. We talk and were friendly while we were inside this class, but outside we made like we didn’t know each other. It was a mutual understand consider we ran in different social groups, me with the nerds and her with the in crowd. Since Fussfeld had a huge crush on her, I was happy to make like I didn’t know her. I didn’t need him bothering me for information on her.
She was actually pleasant to talk to if you kept the topic off her. But, since she was obsessed with herself it was a difficult task that I only accomplish two times before. I’ve been sitting next to her all year.
“Yeah, gorge. I don't know what his problem is.” By the nasally voice I assume that was Lucinda, her best friend.
“Thank you. It's not like I post all the time, just enough to stay relevant. But it's cute enough for Noah to…” She smiles, happy that her friend saw her point.
“Hey, there's some rando behind you.” She cut her off.
“Hi.” She turns around to smiles at Mrs. Clark.
“Hi.” The teacher said sarcastically back. “Bethany, did you just make a call during a quiz?”
“Yeah, but I finished my quiz already.” She shrugs like it was no big deal.
“Oh, okay. Well, have you noticed that other people haven't?” She glares at the teenager.
“So?” She looks genuinely confused. I shook my head, I couldn’t tell if she was really that clueless or just inconsiderate.
“Oh, I'm sorry. Let me backup. You're aware there are other people in the world, right?” Mrs. Clark got fed up with her princess attitude. She had the decency to look a little ashamed, while the students around us chuckled.
“Look, um, you know, I'm dealing with something right now, and I'm no happier about it than you are. I'm having a crisis and Lucinda, I mean, she's supporting me as a woman, and it feels like maybe you should too.” She tried to get the teacher on her side. But, even Lucinda was raising an eyebrow at the sad attempt. An ex boyfriend not liking a picture is not what I would call a crisis.
“Just hang up the phone.” Mrs. Clark waves her hand, wanting to be done with the girl.
“Okay, I'll wrap it up.” She nods her head, going back to her phone.
“Bethany, hang it up now.” She hisses. If Bethany wasn’t such a spoiled brat she would see that Mrs. Clark was giving her a second chance.
“Two minutes and we're done.” She told her like she was the authority figure with the last say.
“And that's detention.” She smiles, happy to take her down a peg. Everyone else including myself was snickering at the girl’s misery.

I was in my last class of the day, biology. Mr. Walker was talking about the different parts of a cell when I felt two hands reach around me to grab my tits. “Damn girl, why do you hang around with that nerd when you got a rack like this?” Jason, a linebacker that had more muscles then brains licked my ear.
I ball up my fist and whip around to punch him in the nose. He screams and let me go to hold his nose that was gushing out blood.
Mr. Walker ran over to check on the jock. “Ms. Green, detention.” He points a finger at me.
“He grabbed my tits. He deserved to get one too.” I stood up from my seat.
“I didn’t.” He cried.
“You fucking liar!” I move to get to him, but Mr. Walker was quick to get in between us.
“Ms. Green stops acting like an animal. He said he didn’t do it. I didn’t see him do it. Did anyone see him?” He addresses the class. Everyone all of sudden came interested in reading their textbooks. He motioned for me to follow him as he walked over to his desk to grab a detention slip. He fills it out and signs it before handing it over to me. “Go to the office right now.” He points to the door.
I went back to my desk. “I said office now!” He yells at my back.
“I have to get my bag.” I yelled over my shoulder, shutting him up. It was humiliating to feel all these judgmental eyes on me as I shove my things inside my bag before throwing it over my shoulder. I stomp to the door. “Fuck this class!” I yell while I slam the door on my way out.
I throw open the office door to give my slip to the office lady. “You can sit over there with the other delinquents.” She points to the chairs against the window. I knew I would be with Bethany, but I was surprised to see Martha, a girl Spencer had a crush on, Spencer, and Fridge there.
I took the only seat left that was in between Fridge and Spencer. “What happened?” I whisper to my friend.
“Look. I'm sorry, okay?” He looks past me to our old friend.
“No, no, it's not okay. What the hell, man? You got me kicked off the team.” He snaps.
“Yeah, well, you could've gotten me expelled. It's not like you're the only one who's living dangerously.” He spat back on him. If I wasn’t trying to piece together what happened I would have pats him on the back for finally standing up for himself.
“Living dangerously?” I lean back as Fridge lean across to hiss at him.
“Yes. This is the most dangerous thing I've ever done in my life and now look at me. I'm paying the price.” He leaned across to make his point that he was suffering also. They both let out a sigh and face forward.
I tug on Spencer’s sleeve to remind him I was still there. “I may have recycled an old history essay.” He whispers to me.
“But you have the same history teacher.” I point out to him. There was no way she wouldn’t notice that she read the same essay in the same year.
“Exactly,” Fridge glare at him.
“No exactly, you should have done your own essay.” I turn towards him to correct him.
“He shouldn’t have said he was going to do it, if he wasn’t going to.” He points at Spencer.
“Please, you knew he wouldn’t be able to say no that’s why you ask him.” I snob him, turning back to Spencer who eyes were darting back and forth between us.
“How come you’re here?” Spence asks me in his gentle manner.
“Yeah, what the hell did you do?” Fridge nods in agreement, wanting to know.
“Enough talking,” The office lady snaps at us. We sat in silence waiting for detention to start.

The bell rang. The principal came out and lean against the office desk. “Well… isn't this a fun group? Welcome to detention. Yes, Spencer?” He addresses the teenager raising his hand.
“I want to say that I'm sorry.” He said. I was going to make him an unnecessary I’m sorry jar.
“Thank you.” Bentley gave him a nod.
“Principle Bentley, all I did was make...” Bethany tried to reason, but he cut her off to my disappointment. I was hoping to hear how she was going to spin it.
“Bethany, please. You're all here for a reason. You know what it is. But, this is what you should be thinking about: Who you are in this moment in time, and who you want to be. You get one life. You decide how you're going to spend it. Fortunately, there is no better place for self-reflection than detention. Get up, everybody. Let's go.” He nods his head towards the door as he got up. Spencer, my sad best friend, pop up quickly to follow him out as the rest of us drag ourselves after them.
He led us to a classroom that was always locked. He opens it and switch on the light. I step in the room to see that they have been using it for storage. “We are turning this into a new computer center. But before we do, it has to be cleaned out. These old magazines are bound for the recycling plant. But, they have to be prepped before they go. It seems all the staples must be removed. Whatever you don't finish today, you finish tomorrow.” He explains our task. It sounds simple, but seeing huge pile of magazine show that it wasn’t.
“Tomorrow's Saturday,” Fridge told the man like he didn’t know the days of the week.
“Because I wouldn't play?” Martha scoffs.
“I don't think that'll work.” Bethany shook her head.
“Why can’t we do it on Monday?” I tried to reason.
“That's fair.” Spence nod his head.
“Shut up.” Fridge pulls him back by his backpack.
“If you don’t want to be here tomorrow, I suggest you get started. Choose your weapons.” He held out a basket of stapler remover.
“Damn you Bentley, I love your dry sense of humor.” I took one from him. After we all had one, he left us to our work. Martha, Spencer, and I started removing staples. Fridge was wandering around while Bethany sat there on her phone.
“What the hell do they need with a bowling ball?” Fridge held it up.
Bethany let out a loud groan as she held her phone in the air, “Seriously, no reception? Okay, can my today get any worse?” She whines.
“Are you going to help? Or are you too pretty?” Martha turns to snap at her.
“I'm too pretty.” She said smugly.
“You’re really not, so you better get the hell up or I’m going to make you.” I took a threatening step towards the girl.
“I would listen to her if I were you. I’ve seen her make people double her size do what she wants.” Spencer warns her. She meets my glare and let out a groan. She stood up and grabs a few magazines before sitting back down.
“Hey. I was watching you with Coach Web today. I wasn't watching you. I was but not, like, in a weird way. I just…” Spencer tried to talk to Martha.
I took my magazine and move to behind the shelves not wanting to by that awkward mess. But, that meant I was by Fridge. “I don’t know what worst having to listen to him attempt to talk to her or you.” I side eyes him as he snoop through another box.
“Oh, so now you want to have a civil conversation with me.” He mockingly points at his chest.
“I figured it was okay, since none of your friends are around.” I look around as if I was checking to make sure.
“Well, look like your boy isn’t doing too bad.” He nodded over to Spencer who actually had Martha blushing and smiling at him.
“They’re so cute together.” I join my hands together to make a heart shape and put it around them.
“Yeah, I can see that.” Fridge put his hands on my hips and his head on my shoulder to look through my hand shaped heart.
I felt my breath cut short as I was about to become a blubbering mess like Spence. “D-Did you look in that box?” I clear my throat to speak and points over to a box labeled donate. “You probably could take something from there and no one would care.”
“No, not yet,” He went over to look in it. “Yo. What's this?” He pulls out some type of game console. We look over at Spencer figuring this was his area of expertise.
“I don't know.” He came over to us.
“What is it like some type of old-school Nintendo or something?” He moves it around to get a better look at it.
“I don't think so. I don't recognize it.” He took it from him.
“Maybe I student built it.” I suggested. I look around the room, figuring a storage area would have those TVs that teacher roll into the classroom. “Hey guys.” I point to what I was looking for. My heart drowned in nostalgia as the three of us share a look of mischief.
Fridge and I watch as Spencer hooks it up to the TV. It went from static to a clear picture. It was leaves with a circle in the middle, “A game for those who seek to find a way to leave their world behind, Jumanji.” Spencer read off the screen.
“Staples, people. Staples.” Martha squeezes her staple remover at us.
“Jumanji? What does that mean?” Fridge turns to Spencer, looking once again for his expertise.
“I have no idea. Never heard of it,” He stared at the screen in wonder.
It changes to a select your character screen. “Oh, my favorite part,” I snatch a controller up. I love gaining a favorite character.
“Uh, which one do I pick?” Fridge asked, picking up a controller.
“I don't know. I don't think it matters that much.” He shrugs
“Yes, it does. Don’t listen to him. He says that to trick you so he can get all the good ones.” I warn him. He did that to me when we were playing Mortal Kombat.
“It wasn’t about the character you picked, I’m just better than you.” He teases me. As a response, I stuck my tongue out at him. “Jefferson 'Seaplane' McDonough, pilot and rascal,” He read the one that Fridge was on.
“It's not working.” He pushes the button to select the character but nothing happened.
“Okay, try another one.” Spence suggested. “Franklin 'Moose' Finbar,” He read the next one he landed on.
“He sounds like a badass.” He nods his head in approval.
“And he's a zoology expert, which is awesome.” Spence said in excitement making Fridge shot him a look, not believing how nerdy he was sometimes. The game chimes as he select his character.
“You pick.” Fridge nods to him.
“No, I want to go before Spence.” I glare at the boy who had the advantage.
“Go head.” He nods.
I read through the character choices. “Oh, Cutthroat Connie, that a name I can get behind.” I select the assassin, making the game chime. “Now you may go.” I told him.
Spence grab a control and read his pick out loud. “Dr. Smolder Bravestone.”
“Bethany, you in?” Fridge asks the girl that was standing behind us.
“Fine” She sighs as she grabs a controller. “I'll be Shelly Oberon, the curvy genius.” She smirks at her character description.
“Hey, yo, Staples come on. It's your turn.” Fridge look back at the girl who was still remove the staples from the magazines.
“Uh, no. No thanks.” She shook her head.
“Wait, just for a few minutes?” Spence pleads with her.
“Come on, Martha. It’ll be fun.” I smile at her.
“She's not big on fun.” Bethany snickers at the thought of Martha being jolly.
“Okay. Fine,” She glares at the girl’s back and put down the magazine to grab a controller.
“This may be the lamest thing I've ever done.” Bethany let out another sigh.
“I highly doubt that.” Martha said causing the blonde to glare at her.
“I think I found a female friend.” I leaned over to whisper to Spence. He smiles at me. He too hoped the girl would be in our lives more.
After Martha select Ruby Roundhouse, killer of men, the game chime again followed by a jaguar roar and elephant noise. “Welcome to Jumanji!” A man voices came from the TV.
“Such sad graphic,” I laugh at the old graphics. I frown as the drums started to beat, but it wasn’t coming from the TV. It sound like it was going on around us. There was no way this room had surround sound. The games light glows a bright green.
“What's going on?” Bethany asked as the monkey shrieking came from outside.
The console start to crackle and sparks flew from it. “I think it's shorting out.” Spence went over to try and fix it.
“Be careful Spence.” I order as I grab onto Fridge’s arm, scared. The more he touched the box, the more sparks flew out of it.
“Unplug it!” Martha screams, watching on in fear.
Spencer did that, but it only seemed to make the game angrier. The plug itself was sparking and a green light pushes him back.
“Whoa,” Fridge move back and push me behind him. We scream as the console shook.
“What's going on?” Martha looks around at us.
“What's happening to your hands?” I watch in horror as Spencer started to disappear in front of me.
“What's wrong with you?” Bethany stares with wide eyes.
“I don't know.” He said before the green light completely took him.
“Spencer!” I ran over to trying to grab him. But, when I got there it was too late he was gone. I began to cry as everyone screams around me.
“Baby girl it's taking you too!” Fridge yells. I look up to see the green light surround me, sucking me into the console.