It's My Life • Shawn Hunter

50| Hometown Hero

At school in science class, Shawn, Cory and Zoey sat together at a table. Zoey was currently writing the end of her lab report as it was nearing the end of the class.

"Don't forget, lab reports by the end of the day. No extensions, no exceptions. Any sad stories, you can try. I'm always up for a laugh." Their science teacher, Dr. Sorrell told the class.

The bell rung.

"Did you guys do your paper?" Shawn asked his friend and girlfriend, looking concerned.

Zoey nodded. "I did."

"No. You?" Cory questioned.

"I didn't know there was one. So what do we tell Sorrell?" Shawn wondered.

"The truth." Cory answered.

Zoey sighed. "And what is it this time?"

"That aliens abducted us." Shawn replied.

"And ate our papers." Cory added.

"Good. We've got our stories straight." Shawn said as the three got up and walked over to Dr. Sorrell, who was talking to a jock named Tommy.

"No, no, no, no, Tommy. When I said 'no exceptions' I didn't mean you." Dr. Sorrell told Tommy. "You rest that touchdown-throwing arm of yours. Turn your paper in by the end of football season."

"I play basketball, too." Tommy stated.

"Well, then, just forget about it." Dr. Sorrell said. Once Tommy walked out of the class, Zoey stepped forward. "Ah, Miss Francis, have you done the report?"

"Sure did." Zoey answered, handing her report to her science teacher.

"Hey, Dr. Sorrell..." Shawn began, approaching him.

"No." Dr. Sorrell said.

Cory then pulled Shawn aside. "You know what? Why don't I handle this? Because Dr. Sorrell and I have the kind of close-knit relationship that goes way beyond student-teacher. I mean, we are very tight."

Zoey nodded slowly. "I'm sure, Cory."

••••

"He didn't even know my name." Cory complained as he climbed through the window of the science classroom during late at night.

Zoey groaned, annoyed at Cory's whining as she climbed into the science classroom and took Cory's hand, pulling herself inside.

"What are you so upset about?" Zoey asked as she helped Shawn climb in.

"Oh, I don't know. Could it be staying up all night to finish my paper?" Cory questioned.

"That I helped you with." Zoey added.

"Could it be breaking into school so my paper's not late? Or could it be losing half my pants on the barbed wire?" Cory quickly asked.

"I didn't know why you didn't just walk through the gate like we did." Zoey told him.

"It was too easy. It looked like a trap." Cory responded.

Zoey sighed. "Why do I let you guys talk me into these things?"

"Come on, let's look over here." Shawn said as he walked further into the classroom, holding a flashlight.

"You know what bugs me the most?" Cory wondered. "Tommy the football hero gets a free ride for throwing a stupid lucky touchdown."

"Cory, let me tell you something about breaking and entering. You usually don't hang around and vent while you're doing it." Shawn told him.

"He's only fooling himself if he thinks this hero stuff's gonna carry him through life, though." Cory replied.