The Great Escape

Chapter 2: I Kind of Hate Surprises

I woke up to my alarm. It was 7:00 in the morning, time to get up for school, again.Today's Friday. I thought optimistically. A whole week had gone by of mostly normalcy since the new guy appeared. I mostly just caught him staring at me when we did happen to run into each other. He hadn't dropped me any more notes, though. I climbed out of bed and walked over to my closet. I pulled out a pair of form fitting jeans and a school t-shirt. Simple, as usual.

When I walked outside Grace was parked in my drive way. I walked up to the passenger side door, a little confused, and hopped in next to her.

"Well good morning." she said cheerfully. I am not a morning person.

"And you're parked in my driveway because..?" I asked her suspiciously.

"So you wouldn't have to take the bus silly goose." she said as she pulled out of my driveway.

"Grace, I drive to school." I said pointedly, as I knew she was well aware of this. What the heck is going on in that girl's head? She was obviously up to something. 

"Okay," she trailed off, clearly trying to think of a better excuse. This was going to be a long day. I could tell already. "Okay, fine." she said caving in. "I have a surprise for you after school." she said smiling. There it is. 

"So you had to drive me to school...?" I continued to press her. Grace knows I fear the unknown, hence the 'no surprises' policy our friendship has.

"Yes." she stated, simply. It became quite apparent she didn't want to say more. 

"Why?" I asked her annoyed.

"Well, it wouldn't be nice for you to run away." she said teasingly.

"Grace! Would you just tell me what the heck is going on in your stupid brain?" I asked her frustrated.

"Well that's hurtful." she said pretending to frown. I gave up. For the rest of the ride to school I sat in silence. Grace didn't say anything else either, but she had a smug smile on her face the rest of the way to school; which was just putting me in a worse mood. Believe me, when I say I'm not a morning person and that I hate surprises. 

I'm also beginning to hate first period. I don't really like my first period teacher and before you start thinking I'm being dramatic, I can explain. I know it seems like I'm pessimistic and I hate school and everything about it, yada, yada; which I kind of do, but I have fair reason to. To start, first period is College Algebra; Don't get me wrong here, I love math, but my teacher is quite unrealistic. 

This all started this year because we got a new math teacher , Mrs. Finkle, and no I don't hate her because she has a stupid name. She teaches math for all high-school levels and since I didn't have her last year I guess I didn't really know what to expect. I assumed she'd be like the last teacher, who I actually liked. I discovered otherwise when I handed in our first homework assignment; A perfectly good and completely answered worksheet and she threw a fit because it was on white paper. Yes, white; the required color of paper for all your schoolwork since freaking pre-school. If I remember correctly she said "Veera, math doesn't have to be dull like this dull piece of paper!" I looked at her like she was nuts, and of course she didn't like that; so I got to copy all my work down on a blue colored piece of paper after school while she reminded me that had I read the syllabus I wouldn't have to go to so much trouble to turn in my work correctly. She was just trying to "prepare us for college". She said in college reading the syllabus is extremely important. It turns out she really did put in her syllabus that all homework for the semester should be completed on blue paper, that she actually provided. My bad.