Reverie

Chapter Nine

The first thing I notice about the classroom is that it's freezing cold. The second thing is that everybody looks like zombies. They didn't look like zombies two minutes ago in homeroom.

"Morning, everybody!" The teacher's high-pitched voice called from the corner.

Nobody replies. We talk quietly amongst ourselves as we take our seats. It sounds like a funeral in here. I stand awkwardly. It's not helping that where I'm standing, in front of the door, happens to be the front of the classroom.

"You must be Leo!" The teacher says.

"Yeah?"

"You can sit there, beside Cate."

Oh, come on.

That's almost all the way across the classroom from Seth.

What?

This isn't about Seth. This is about you being educated.

Shut up and learn.

I slide into the seat beside Cate, dropping my bag at the foot of my desk.

"Now. Let's begin." The teacher says. Her raspy voice is slicing my sanity in half.

I zone out.

And I jump back to reality when the Python shouts "No! I won't have that in my classroom! Pay attention and get rid of it! Everybody else, too! If you've got distractions out, get rid of them!"

Mira methodically folds the sheets of paper, and then puts them neatly into a folder, making sure no sheet was out of place.

"I was writing," she says, in the calmest voice she can muster. "It's for a competition."

"I don't care!" the Python shoots back. "You're expected to listen when I speak. I don't care what you do with your work time, but you must listen when I'm talking. Do you understand?"

"Yes."

The Python turns back to the class and starts talking again. I glance toward Mira and she's rolling her eyes.

Glancing toward Seth, I see that he's almost asleep. I wonder how he could sleep through the Python. I hear a snicker beside me and I think, oh my God, Cate. Seriously!?

I try to keep focus on the class. I don't know why. Maybe I just don't want to be yelled at. I hate listening to this monotonous droning on about politics.

My mind keeps wandering.

It's so hard to focus.

I need to get out.

I hate this.

...

"Leo!"

I look up. The Python is staring directly at me.

"Leo, I know it's only your first day, but you must pay attention when I'm speaking! Got it?"

"Yeah," I mutter, looking down at my desk.

I don't pay attention.

Nice going, Leo.

Great first impression.

Good job, embarrassing yourself in front of the whole class.

And in front of Seth.

Thanks a lot, Python.

This is not who you are.

I hate this.

I hate this.

I hate this.

(Jesus, he's easily embarrassed. We all know irl Leo is not as sensitive.)

...

"Leo?"

I look up. It's Seth.

"What?" I say, a bit more annoyed-sounding than I meant.

"It's class change."

"Yeah."

I blankly pick up my bag and head out of the classroom, staring at the ground.

He follows me out the door.

"You okay?"

"That," I say with a reluctant smile, "was the worst shit I've ever experienced in my life."

"Yeah. We've got that two hours a day. Try not to think about it too much."

"What next?"

"Gym, I think."

We head down to gym class. Seth looks funny in gym strip. I look even worse. He keeps telling me it looks natural on me, but I'll always believe otherwise.

We're playing basketball in gym, and I am absolutely terrible. Seth shoots me an amused look every time I miss a shot or a layup. He's not much better, though. The entire period is us telepathically teasing each other for being bad at basketball.

We have Math after. It's not too bad. Nobody seems to like it too much, except maybe Mira, who's in the accelerated program, but we're retaining information. Which makes it 458x better than Humanities.

Lunch. Thank God. Seth and I join Maple's squad this hour, and it almost feels like any other regular lunch back on 32. Almost. The one difference is that we're crammed onto a bench, because nobody wants to sit on the floor, and Seth and I are squashed between Cate and the perpendicular wall.

It's miraculously not awkward for me to be squashed beside Cate. But, Having the entire side of my body forcefully pressed against the entire side of Seth's body (courtesy of our friend Cate) was a little not okay.

Humanities again. I manage to survive the period. I've almost figured out how to look like you're paying attention while you're mentally adventuring on another planet. I can also feel Cate watching me, waiting for me to even glance at Seth. It's a little uncomfortable.

I follow Seth to his option. Exploration in Film. We're in it with Maple, who apparently takes notes on the movie the entire class. I mean, I know it's recommended, but come on. It's a movie.

Last is Science. Seth was right. Science class is by far the best. I get teased and put on the spot by the teacher, Mr. Baltz, but it felt friendly. I've never really been too fond of science, but it'll be okay this year.

Seth meets me at the lockers after the bell rings.

"Leo. What'd you think of today?"

"Python's definitely earned her title."

He laughs.

"I gotta go," he says, smiling. "See you tomorrow-"

He's about to say another word, but stops himself.

"See you."

I walk back to the apartment after school with Cate, June and Mira. Maple has a thing after school, they said. June and Mira were talking about some nerd thing, naturally. Cate kept bugging me for what Seth said to me at the lockers at the end of the day, as if she thought it were some profession of undying love or something.

As I close the door to my apartment, I sigh.

I know it's stupid, but I can't stop thinking about lunch.

I'm not even thinking tangible thoughts about lunch, either.

It's all just aehsbkfbvksethk6glkeshrku2yeehirzeuhkyg4s7gyhvrsymgwj.