Halfway Through the Scale

And Then There Were None

Chapter Sixteen

We strain ourselves to the pushing point where we are sure to break down, yet we are underappreciated. We awake once light hits the surface, maintain complete concentration even though we are like walking zombies cleaning trash. And still, we are expected even more effort in school. If we give away a hint of "laziness" or foolishness, we see to it that we receive a severe punishment. When we begin to defend ourselves, or makes up excuses as higher authority places it, they hit us with the perfect comeback: "You should've said the truth. It's your mess." We all stop talking at once, allowing those words to consume us, and soon enough it silences us. We leave Hastings office and head to our classes like nothing ever happened. We repeat the same thing everyday, five times a week, for who knows how many months.

Hastings crushed us like a bug crawling in his neat-o office. Squash! Although he didn't technically promise full immunity, he let the wind swift our freedom away, like it means nothing nor ever will since we are under his thumb. Kris began to come in for all the five days a week when Calvin stopped coming. Hastings and Kris have something going on behind our backs. Jasmine says I should just be happy that he's no longer with us because he started all this mess in the first place. At first she was excited that he was no longer coming, but as I continued to pester her about it, she told me to stop questioning it before he comes back, that is if ever.

Hastings will obviously never tell me, and I'm intimidated by Kris. We don't make any eye contact, in fact he comes in just to get his work over with and done. He is no longer smiling or a goofball with me, it's actually depressing.

We've just finished our shift. We're able to pick up some snacks and water bottles on the vans. Ted, the coordinator, tells us that we'll have to come in tomorrow an hour earlier. The rest of us groan in protest.

"That's enough! Just be grateful you little delinquents aren't in jail."

I'm sweating, I feel the cold liquid run down from my face and arms. The best part is that we aren't in the hot sun in our shift, we can still feel some of the cold wind crawl into our body. I feel sympathize for those who have the afternoon shift after school. I see Kris leaning on the Van, drinking his water bottle. He, like the rest of us, is sweating. I see it slither its way down his neck and down his shirt. I walk over to him.

"Hi." I try to smile but his neutral expression tells me I shouldn't.

"Hey." He continues to drink from his water bottle until he crushes it with his hands. He walks away from me, and over to his car parked just above the vans.

"Kris wait?" He stops and turns around.

"Is there something you want?" He raises his eyebrows, heavy breathing. He reminds me of Calvin. I begin to chuckle.

"Oh c'mon, why do you guys always ask me that like that's all we are?" I ask with a smile, and my hands on my hips.

"'Cause that's all we are. Don't take it the wrong way, but that's just how it is." He proceeds to his car and leaves this dump.

"I told you not to talk to him." Jasmine says standing besides me as we look over at nothing.

~~~~

Many students complain about a homework assignment to another classmate or "friend" because that's the only method to spark up a conversation. They don't really object to it if they go home and do their work. In the morning, it's the same thing. Protest and fret, go home after a hot day, and do the assignments given. I wish I had all the time in the world to do absolutely nothing like they do. Their names are April and May. I hence the fact I wouldn't fit in since my name isn't a month and I'm not intentionally acting dumb because I'm secretly a geek and nerd.