The Outcasts

Book Reports and Morbid Musicals

Days passed, turning into weeks, and before I knew it, September had ended.

Andy and I had grown closer in the month since school had started. We'd started hanging out with a girl in band, Iris, and Andy's friend Pete, high school senior, marching band captain, and awesome bassist. We'd hang out with each other after school. We go to bookstores, skating, and haunting Starbucks.

We were just getting seated when Mr. Smith announced that we would have three weeks to complete a book report with a partner. We could choose the book, given that it is appropriate. The class would turn their report in as either an oral report, PowerPoint presentation, or written report. After deliberating for about ten minutes, Andy and I decided to make our report Homer's The Odyssey.

"Hey, Andy?" I asked.

"Yes?" he replied.

"I was wondering if you'd like to come over to my place to work on the report after school? I mean, if you@r parents are cool with it."

"Sure! Though, you do realize we have three weeks, right?"

"Yes, but I don't like procrastinating on academics. Chores, though... Anyways, I'll text my dad after class to see if you can come over, 'kay?" I replied.

Andy raised his hand, and after being acknowledged, asked, "Mr. Smith, may I please call my dad to see how I'm getting home today?"

Mr. Smith thought for a moment before replying, "I don't see why not, but please be quick, and don't make a habit of it, okay?"

Andy nodded and said, "Yes, sir. Thank you," before stepping out of the classroom and calling his dad.

After about five minutes, he reentered the classroom and resumed his place beside me. "My dad said
that I had to be home by 9:45 since it's a school night."

I nodded, taking notes from the whiteboard and said, "Okay. So, do you wanna have dinner at my place? We'll probably just order pizza or Chinese."

"Sounds good," he replied.

Twenty minutes later, the bell rang, so I texted my dad, asking if Andy could come over.

As I sat down in Mrs. Bailey's classroom, Andy whispered to me, "What did your dad say?"

"That you can come over, but we have to keep doors open and no going in my room. Typical dad stuff. I ride the bus, so you can sit by me, okay?"

"Okay."?

After the final bell of the day, we collected our things and headed towards the parking lot where we boarded the bus.

"Thanks for inviting me over to your house," Andy said, an ever-present grin plastered to his face.

"It's no problem, really. Thanks for coming over," I smiled happily.

After listening to a cacophony of voices yelling for twenty minutes, we arrived at my house. I opened the door and yelled, "Mom! Dad! I'm home!"

Mom walked out from the kitchen, flour splotching her green shirt and face. "Hi, honey," she said hugging me, "and you must be Andy. Leah's told us so much about you."

Andy smiled and said, "It's nice to meet you, Mrs. Troy."

"Please, call me Jane." With that, my dad walked into the room, probably from his office.

"Nice to meet you, Mr. Troy. I'm Andy, Leah's friend."

Dad raised his hand in protest. "Please, it's Matthew. 'Mr. Troy' just makes me feel old." In that moment, my siblings came running in the room, shouting something about spaceships.