Valhalla High (A Magnus Chase Fanfic)

My Lungs Pass the Vibe Check

November 9

I saw Hearthstone the next day before PE. I'd been doing my homework everyday for my ASL class, so I practiced it. "How are you?" I signed.

Hearthstone signed back, "I am happy."

"Are you busy with school?" I asked.

He nodded and smiled faintly. "See you later, friend?"

I nodded and waved to him. I really needed to hang out with him again. Between homework and the whole Jack got Riptide pregnant situation, we'd only really seen each other at meals. I sent a text to Hearthstone and Blitzen, asking if they wanted to hangout on Sunday and then headed to the gym.

    We changed out and before we stretched, Thor told us we were doing fitness tests this week. Today was the mile. We'd do the sit and reach tomorrow, then the pacer next Tuesday and finish with sit-ups and push-ups a week from now. I stretched with even less enthusiasm than usual. In seventh grade, I'd had an asthma attack during the mile. My teacher had given me an F because I was unable to complete it until my mother intervened with the administration.

    Thor led us all outside to the school's track and gave us a pep talk about how running was great for the soul. Then, he blew his whistle and we were off. Halfborn and Mallory were at the front of the pack, racing each other as if their lives depended on it. Sam wasn't far behind and then I saw Magni and Mothi sprint and overtake her. I didn't even bother trying to run, but instead walked at a brisk pace.

Everyone ran at the start, but in about thirty seconds, half of them slowed down. I was able to finish the mile without any asthma attacks and on time, which I thought was a miracle. I even got a B on it. I really hated how PE grades counted towards your GPA when athletics is a totally different kind of intelligence, but it wasn't like I made the curriculum or we wouldn't even have any fitness tests.

      I was only too glad when PE was over. The guys in the gym were very loud as they boasted about their times and I did not want to hear anymore of it. It felt like everything in life was a competition and sometimes I just wished it wasn't.

     I got to history class smelling significantly better than most of my guys in the locker room (thanks to deodorant and good hygiene). We were now beginning our unit on the Transatlantic slave trade. "Slavery in America is important to learn because it still influences our culture today," Odin said to begin the lecture.

    Magni raised his hand. "How so? It's not like slavery exists anymore."

    Odin sighed. "Though it is illegal, slavery still happens to this day."

   Magni looked as if someone had stolen a football from him. "But I thought it ended with the Emancipation Proclamation!"

      Odin shook his head. "Slavery in the US only ended on Juneteenth. The Emancipation Proclamation didn't free any slaves of Union states and since the Union didn't have jurisdiction over the Confederacy, it didn't free any slaves there when it was issued."

    "That's wild," Magni said.

       Odin continued his lecture. He spoke about slavery in earlier societies and how slavery in the Americas was unique. "Slavery became race-based," he explained. "Europeans invented the idea of race to justify slavery and we can still see the effects of racism today."

     Mothi raised his hand. "So we can blame some random Englishman from the 1600s for inventing racism?"

     "It's actually more complicated than that," Odin said. "Racism was the product of American slavery and it didn't form overnight."

When class ended, I remembered my exam in ASL later today and felt a knot of anxiety form in my chest. I spent lunchtime and Learning Lab studying for it. When eighth block finally began, I walked into Vidar's room with trepidation.

    The exam was not what I expected. He had us come up to him individually and spoke using sign language for about five minutes. When it was my turn, he asked me how my day was going. I signed that I was a little anxious about the quiz, but that otherwise, it was pretty good. He smiled slightly and asked me a few more questions. I left feeling like I'd either aced or flunked the exam. I just hoped I found out which soon.

      I used the rest of class time to work on some ASL homework. I hadn't finished the module by the time school got out, so I continued at the library. After that, I did the assigned reading for AP History and worked on my presentation on HIV again. I had finished the history slides and was now working on slides about treatment and preventative measures, including the once-daily PreEP pills and the search for a vaccine.

When my mother picked me up, I was mentally exhausted but in a fairly good mood. "How was your day?" she asked as she pulled out of the library parking lot.

"We had the mile today in PE," I told her.

"How was it?" she asked.

I shrugged. "My lungs didn't act up, but I didn't push them either. Hey mom. I was wondering if I could hangout with Blitzen and Hearthstone this weekend?"

"Yes, but it better be on Sunday," she said.

"Why?" I asked.

"Your father wants to take you out shopping on Saturday," my mother said.

I looked down at my lap, trying to hide my expression. If my father wanted me to wear clothes as bright as his car, I'd rather not. I decided to change subject. "I made a list of colleges to apply to," I said.

"Good," my mother said. "I think most of the deadlines for enrollment next fall are in December."

"I'll get started on applications this week," I replied.

My mother smiled. "I'm so proud of you, Magnus."

I returned her smile. Maybe I wasn't the most athletic or smart or cool kid in school, but I had made my mother proud and that was more than enough.