Perception

Part 54

Sang POV

As soon as attendance is taken in homeroom, Luke turns in his chair and gives me silly smiles and ridiculously exaggerated winks. It's a non-stop task to keep my giggles as quiet as possible. I feel myself getting dirty looks, but in a fit of exasperation, I use a certain finger to scratch the side of my head, and push my hair behind my ear. I hear a couple feminine gasps, and North chuckles darkly behind me.

In English, Kota tries to reign in Luke's giddiness, but Gabriel eggs him on. Ms. Johnson seems like she is holding back laughter at their antics. They're endearingly, randomly on task. She tries to trip them up a couple times asking for obscure facts from our current book, but since they always know the answer, and then provide humorous but slightly relevant asides for their answers, she lets them have at it. They have the whole class engaged--even kids that don't normally participate are looking up quotes, and contributing anecdotes that pertain to the material. If I had to guess, I'd say that this was one of her best classes ever.

Toward the end, as Ms. Johnson is handing out our study guides for our midterm, the P.A. squawks to life. It's the one for the entire school, instead of just the classroom like I think it was supposed to be.

"Please send Sang Sorenson to the office. How do you turn this blasted thing off? Carol? Where is that that lazy old bat?" Mr. Hendricks' voice echoes through the hallway. We hear beeps, crunching sounds, and what seems to be a door slamming open.

"Who're you calling a lazy bat, you old crotch? You're shouting down the whole school, you moron!" who I'm assuming was Carol says in return. I stay seated, listening in bemusement, while all of the other students glance between me and the speakers.

"I wouldn't be if you were doing your job!" Hendricks grumbles loudly.

"My job? I've already electronically filed 75 absences, 134 tardies, called twelve parents, and picked up your dry cleaning. Honestly, a grown man your age that needs to take his tighty whities to the dry cleaners needs to take a class on wiping, let me tell you!" Carol shoots back. The class erupts into laughter.

"Confoundit, woman!" Hendricks roars.

"You better watch your blood pressure Hendricks, or you'll be dealing with your irritable bowels again! And you might wanna turn off the P.A. system!" Carol says snidely.

"You mean we....and everyone...BLAST IT WOMAN! I'm going to my office. I don't want to be bothered," he grunts out. We hear a door slam shut, and Carol's voice speaks sweetly.

"Miss Sorenson, please proceed to your next class. Principal Hendricks has to pull his head out of his backside," I blink wildly. My cheeks are on fire for the entire walk through the hallway. My next classes provided entirely new sets of kids to laugh at me. I know it wasn't really directed at me, but my skin didn't listen to logic.

By lunch, most of the humiliation had eased. I'm sure my wide, embarrassed eyes provide plenty of fuel for laughter, but at least almost everyone seemed to view the event with a sort of kinship instead of ridicule. The few students that made revolting comments about my causing a different type of stain in the principal's underwear are quickly dealt with by their own friends slapping or punching them.

Dr. Sean looks like he wants to laugh the entire time in Japanese, but he doesn't. He flounces around the classroom with an extra bounce in his step. Come to think of it, everyone seems to be in particularly good moods. The whole school buzzes with a sense of solidarity.

Gym class was alright. We started gymnastics, and Karen and I are spotting partners. Most of the time I spot Karen, as she heard what happened to me, and knows that I am still a little wimpy using certain muscle groups.

As soon as walk up to Nathan and Gabriel outside the locker room, an arm goes around my shoulders.

"Cupcake, we have some shopping to do!" Luke exclaims happily. He laughs when I give a gusty sigh.

"I don't need anything else. I'm good, I swear. Meanie's been filling the closet with anything I can possibly wear," I tell him.

"Hell yeah, I have been. I can't have you wearing summer shit in the middle of winter, Trouble!" Meanie says with exasperation.

"You call an average of 50 degrees winter? I think you forgot where I'm from, Meanie," I tell him with an eye roll.

"You're getting off easy today, Trouble. I have to get work," he tells me.

"We're not shopping for clothes, sweetheart! Let's go! We have to meet up with Vic. Doc is waiting a few blocks from here," he tells me and wiggles his eyebrows exactly like Dr. Sean.

Well, with those three shopping with me, it shouldn't take too long. I didn't know yet, but I should really have gone home with Nathan.