The Dream

CHAPTER 5

My thoughts left Jennifer and were replaced with a new dread. Test. As I walked into World History, Mr. Tanner was handing out scantrons and test booklets. He placed one on my desk just as I was placing my bag on the floor.

"Good morning, Mr. Mercer."

"Morning."

"Are you ready?" he asked, a warm expression on his face.

I think he saw the doubt in my eyes. My cheeks started to burn for an altogether different reason than the kiss. I had forgotten about the test. Mr. Tanner handed me a scantron and continued placing tests on the remaining desks as students flooded into the classroom, leaving me in my own negligence and fear. There was nothing he could do for me at that point. No amount of encouragement would make me know the material. I either would knot it or I wouldn't. Luckily, his class was one of the few I paid attention in. None of my buddies were in this class with me, or Jennifer. No distractions.

"I hope all of you had a good night's rest and are ready for the test. If you studied, you'll do fine. If you decided not to, well, this may not be as easy as you'd like."

He finished placing the last test on a desk and walked back to the front of the room. He placed the extra scantrons and test booklets on his desk. He looked at his watch.

"We will start the test in three minutes. If anyone needs a pencil, I have some up here. A few of the students got up and grabbed a pencil.

"Please fill out the scantron with your last name, then first name. And put Chapter 11-13 Test at the top. Don't worry about bubbling in any of the other blocks. I only need your name and the test number. At the top of your test booklets you will see a test version. Write this in the Test Type section on the scantron. This will ensure that your answers are graded with the appropriate test version."

I began scribbling in my name. I got to "r" when the bell rang.

"You'll have 50 minutes to complete the test. When you finish, bring your scantron and test booklet to the front. If you finish early, please be courtesy of others who might still be testing. Good luck."

I felt my heart beating in my fingers as I jotted down the last few letters of my first name and added "B" for the test version. I grabbed the test booklet and read:

"He who trusts any man with supreme power gives it to a wild beast, for such his appetite sometimes makes him: passion influences those in power, even the best of men, but law is reason without desire..." – Aristotle

Question 1: Which feature of Democracy reflects this view?

Are you kidding me? This class! I scanned for an easier question and stopped on Question 13:  Which era best represents Charles Dickens', Hard Times:

"The streets were hot and dusty on the summer day. Stokers emerged from low underground doorways into factory yards, and sat on steps, and posts, and palings, wiping their swarthy visages, and contemplating coals. The whole town seemed to be frying oil. There was a stifling smell of hot oil everywhere. The steam-engines shone with it, the mills throughout their many stories oozed and trickled it."

What a great depiction of my current predicament! I looked around and saw that I was not the only one "frying in oil". It seemed half the class had forgotten about the test too. I scanned over the answer choices then bubbled in C – Industrial Revolution. One down. Only 99 more to go. I finished with ten minutes to spare. When I was handing in my test Mr. Tanner attempted a smile, but my frown was contagious.

"Thank you." Was all he said as I headed back to my seat. Some students were still working on the test when the bell rang and I got up and left the classroom. I felt a rush of fresh liberty sweep over me the moment I exited the classroom, the test becoming a long forgotten memory. I saw Gabe coming out of his Physical Education class and waved him down.

"Hey man! How's it going?" he said when I was a few feet away.

I shrugged.

"Just took Mr. Tanner's World History test."

"How'd you do?" he asked.

I held two thumbs down.

"It's that hard?" he asked, the lines on his forehead visible.

"Not if you studied. I completely forgot about the test. You have him for fifth period?" I asked.

"Yeah. Any suggestions? Do you remember what it was about?"

"Just close your eyes and pray that you circle the correct answers?" I suggested.

His head tossed back and he started mumbling to himself.

"Don't worry man, you'll be fine. It wasn't that bad."

"Yeah, but you're smart. You don't need to study to do well. I'm already on academic probation."

"You'll be fine. Just put C if you're unsure of the answer."

"Alright."

We headed down the hallway and turned left in front of the Administration Office. I saw Sonny sitting in one of the chairs, his arms folded. He didn't look happy. Nothing new.

"Yo, what's up with Sonny?" I pointed to where he was seated as we walked by.

"No clue. Maybe he finally cracked and went off on a teacher?" joked Gabe.

That wasn't funny. Sonny was a troubled kid. If anyone were going to go off, it would probably be him. He had every reason to be mad. Rumor had it that he lived alone with his mother now. When we were younger, he used to come to school with cuts and bruises on his arms and legs. Once, his left eye was swollen completely shut. He claimed he had fallen when he was shoveling the poop out of the horse bins, but Child Protective Services got involved and investigated the farm and his parents. They never could prove anything, but we all knew the truth. His father was a drunk and a beater. Not long after CPS had gone to the house, his father just up and left on his mother and him. No one had heard or seen him since. That was seven years ago. Sonny was always quiet, but now, he hardly made eye contact with anyone. He kept to himself, and the rest of us were fine by that. Our eyes made contact—strange—and I felt my heart twist. There was something different about the way he looked at me. The way his eyes gazed was hauntingly similar to a stray dog begging for food. Something about his eyes I couldn't get out of my head. What was it I saw in his eyes? Fear? Desperation?

Principal Carter opened the door and must have called his name. I watched him stand up, grab his bag, and shuffle towards Principal Carter's office. The door closed and my imagination was left to run its course. All through third period my mind was on Sonny. I had never seen him so desperate or sad looking before. Why was he meeting the Principal? Had he done something? Did something happen? I was so lost in my thoughts that I didn't even hear the bell ring. I woke from my recluse with Gabe pounding me in the arm.

"Hey man! The bell went off. Class is over."
"Right."

I grabbed my bag and followed him out of the classroom. We headed to football period. I thought about Sonny the entire way there until the first hit. Then, I wasn't able to think about anything.

Author's Note:

Don't forget to vote if you liked this chapter. You may wonder why I keep reminding you to vote and leave comments. :) Well, comments and votes from readers just like you is what helps writers like me extend our visibility to a larger audience. My dream is to touch as many lives as I can with my stories, and that is one way you are able to help make that possible. I appreciate all your comments, votes, and I am so thrilled you've chosen to read my story.

p.s. Don't forget to vote! haha. ;)