School Activities

Together Again

The time to head home finally arrived, though the plane ride back was torturing since sitting by Adam made everything silent. He would rather have them all making fun of him. At least then he could participate somehow instead of just sit there awkwardly staring out the window.

His last school year was going to be pure hell.

He knew he was just overreacting with all of this, but he just couldn't help it. Didn't he know enough stuff to throw their jokes right back at them? He didn't have to be the only one that got humiliated.

Jack relaxed once he got home. He hadn't expected anyone to greet him as he walked through the door, so he was a bit surprised when both of his parents were there to meet him in the living room. He set his bag down a little bit slowly, knowing something had to be seriously wrong for them to have a united front against him. What had happened while he was gone? Was he not supposed to go? They had seemed glad to be rid of him for an entire summer.

"Jack, we have important news," his mom said. Did she sound happy? She certainly didn't look it. Of course, she could never pull off that happy look anyway. "Your father and I," She put enough emphasis on 'your' to make sure she had nothing to do with him. "are getting a divorce," she finished.

Jack just stood there silent for a moment, looking at them both. "It took you an entire summer without me to decide this?" he asked. "Not complaining. It's about time you two went your separate ways." He already knew they could both achieve happiness when they weren't around each other.

"We were thinking about this a while back," his dad said. "Remember that weekend we went away?" Jack nodded. How could he forget that weekend? "I got a job while we were away."

"So the job made you decide?"

"More or less," his dad replied. "I'm going to have to move to the city."

"Okay," Jack said, nodding his head. "So, why are you both acting as if this is the end of my world?"

"Because, Jack," his mom said. "Your father wants you to live with him in the city for your last year of school. I told him you'd at least think about it. There's still enough time to enroll and--"

"You want me to move?" Jack asked. He didn't see that being possible in any reality. He didn't like living with either of his parents. He was definitely not going to move willingly. Or at all.

"There's a few weeks left," his mom said. "Your father already has all of his things packed up and moved. He'll be leaving in a couple of days. You can go up there at least and see how you like it and then decide--"

"Can I give my answer now?"

"You don't even know what the new school is going to be like."

"I have school here," Jack said, though starting over at a new school sounded mighty tempting after everything he had gone through over the summer. No one would know him up there. He could be popular again. He could gain back his role and...

After meeting Ennis, he didn't want that anymore.

"Just think about--"

"I HAVE thought about it," Jack said. "And I ain't movin'. You have to be fuckin' insane to actually think--"

"Language."

"--that I'd throw away my time here for some new school that I probably wouldn't even fit in at!"

"Jack--"

"I'm NOT moving!" Jack said then turned and stormed out of the house. He had put himself in a good mood now that he was back home, but now the rotten attitude he had been feeling came back. Why the HELL did they actually think he would even consider moving?