Elementary Alliances- Part 2 – December 3, 2008
We were all excited about the first day. We were finally grown up. We had different schedules except that Pedro and I had the first class together. We sat together and played cuticle wars while the teacher droned on about what the semester would be like. The game is pretty simple, you dig each others nails into each other’s cuticles until one of you cries uncle. He was stronger, but I had sharper nails and a higher pain threshold. I always won.
“Pay attention,” my aid, Sally interrupted.
Pedro shot her an annoyed glance. He never liked her and I never understood why. At least not fully. He once told me it was because she always lectured him when he did something wrong. He thought it wasn’t her place. That’s it. He thought she was nosy. But he listened and put away his nails until class ended. That was the only class we had together so we agreed to meet up with Oscar and Derek at lunch and went our separate ways.
Back then I didn’t need a nurse, just someone to feed me and take me to the bathroom. Sally had been with my brother and me since elementary school, but my mom wanted her to come with me to school so I’d be comfortable. Looking back, I wish she’d made me as uncomfortable as possible.
I didn’t know anyone in my other classes and no one talked to me. Maybe the chair was a little intimidating, maybe it wasn’t, but I’m sure my quiet disposition didn’t help. So I went from class to class with Sally as my company. None of the seemed as interesting as middle school was supposed to be. It was all the same subjects: History, English, Math… P.E.. P.E. was always stupid. The teachers never knew what to do with me. Sometimes they asked me if I wanted to go with the OTHER kids. The special kids. I always said no. I wasn’t like the special kids. I’m like the normal ones.
“You okay?” Sally nudged me
“Huh? Oh, yeah.” The teacher was going over the syllabus and I had zoned out.
“Don’t worry, it’s lunch time.”
The bell rung and everyone shuffled out and started walking to the cafeteria. I started towards where Derek, Oscar, Pedro and I had earlier agreed to meet. I was the first one there, so I did what I always do when I’m waiting; I paced. Back and forth, back and forth for about fifteen minutes. Considering lunch was only 45 minutes, I was getting worried they weren’t coming.
Finally I saw Derek.
“Sorry I’m late, was having lunch.”
“It’s cool. Seen Pedro?”
“No.”
“Oscar?”
“Nope”
“Hmm. How was class?”
“Boring. Yours?”
“Same.”
Oscar finally came walking up,”Hey, guys. What’s up?”
“Nothing much” We said in unison
“Cool”
“Seen Pedro?”
“He’s somewhere over there” he pointed to the quad where everyone hung out, “He’s coming.”
“Cool,” we said in unison before a long awkward silence. The only things missing were beers in our hands and someone saying, “Yup”.
“There he is,” Derek pointed. Pedro was with two other guys we’d never met.
“Hey, guys. This is X and Y.” Everyone started shaking hands until they got to me, hands outstretched.
“Uh…” I didn’t know what to do.
“He can’t” Pedro said, attempting to hide the annoyed look on his face.
“Oh, sorry.” The guy blushed a little bit and gave a half-hearted wave instead. We talked for the rest of lunch the way teenage boys do when they first meet; Awkwardly feeling each other out. We didn’t really have anything in common, but Pedro did most of the talking. I don’t think I saw those guys again.
To Be Continued…
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