Day 2
The alarm bursts into my room and shakes me until I'm awake. I grunt. Mom slips away as quickly to let me watch the morning news. I had the strangest dream last night. I was at a whole different school. A kid I used to know, Kieran, was there. I took tests, played Checkers, "bonded" with another kid, Max.
Wait until the plant hears about this.
"Now, a look at the weather across The Country..."
Reynolds. Rinse. Hair. Toast.
"Oh, wake up," Mom says. "You get to see Kieran."
Am I still dreaming?
"It's just another problem," I mutter to my room.
Solving it starts with my old binder. We have tablets, but those are textbooks only. We're not paperless. I saw other binders and folders in the volcanic desks. I slam mine down on my table-desk, brushing it off like a relic, perfect, blue, scribbled on when I felt...not bored.
Unzipping it, I'm tossed through the memories of my first semester. Everything is how I left it when I left my old school that one Friday. Each notebook is still attached to the rings, organized the way I wanted them, favorite class to least favorite class. Stuffed in the back sleeves, sheets, problems I've solved, the dates triggering classes past.
"Chase? Are you ready or what?"
I stuff the papers in a desk drawer.
Cardigan. Pack. Peace.
"Be sure to tune in ten past every hour to win..."
There's the light. I put my horse blinders on to look straight ahead.
"Day two!"
There are the tracks.
"Chase?"
There are the kids coming out of cars, none of them Leo.
"Oops! That's right. You don't talk this early."
There's Mom, somewhat understanding.
"Good morning!"
There's the principal, freezing his bleep off for us.
"Wake up!" Mom says.
And...here I am, back again.
YOU ARE READING
Castling: A Novel (NaNoWriMo21)
Novela JuvenilIt's a slice-of-life centered around "Chase the Ace," who finds himself changing schools against his will mid-year to help make the most of that brain of his. It'll be good for him, they say. He won't be so bored. He'll get to be with an old friend...
