Magnificent Love

Chapter 4 - AP English Literature

My first hour class is AP English Literature. I didn't ask to be put in the class, the school counselor, Mrs. Corall, just threw me in a bunch of Advance Placement classes this year. I don't hate the class necessarily, I just hate the homework. Mr. Pratt is a pretty good teacher though. He is old with greying hair and wrinkles covering every inch of his skin. He wears glasses around his neck but oddly enough I have never seen him put them on his eyes. He has the humor of a pre-teen boy and the sass of a teenage girl. I've never asked but I don't think he is married.

Mr. Pratt is pretty good about letting us sit next to our friends so he placed Travis and I by each other. The only problem with that is days like today when I really wish I could sit in the very back. I sit in the front middle section and Travis sits to my right. This class was going to be extremely awkward.

I look up from the pencil that I was holding in my hand and see Travis making his way towards his desk. For a moment it looks like he is going to say something to me but then he looks away and puts his ear buds in. I sigh and go back to twirling my pencil.

"Good morning class! Welcome back, I hope everyone had a fabulous weekend and is ready to jump back into learning!" Mr. Pratt announces. He stands from his desk and walks to the chalk board. Yes, it's 2016 and we are probably the only school in the world that still has chalk boards. East Crosswell isn't poor or anything, the staff and administrators just prefer an "old fashioned" way of teaching. So basically less technology.

The entire class groans at Mr. Pratt and how enthusiastic he is at 7:40 in the morning.

"Hey now, we all know I'm your favorite teacher!" He says and winks at us. The entire class snickers in response.

Mr. Pratt starts to write something on the board so I pull out my notebook incase I need to write something down. When I look back up I glance over at Travis and find him staring at me. I look down at my unopened notebook and let out the breath that I didn't know I was holding. I was already ready to go home and it was barely fifteen minutes into first hour.

"Ms. Benson, can you answer my question?" Mr. Pratt calls me out knowing that I wasn't paying attention.

I groan and ask, "Can you please repeat the question?"

Mr. Pratt rolls his eyes but repeats the question, "Why does Harry end up living with his shitty Uncle and Aunt and their spoiled son?"

I snort and reply, "Why are we even reading Harry Potter, Mr. Pratt? Every human being ever has read and or watched the movies." I pause for a moment waiting for him to reply but he doesn't so begrudgingly, I say, "'He who must not be named' killed his parents when he was just a baby and that was the only other family he had."

"Very good. And to answer your question. We are reading it for those who haven't yet read it. So they can see how an amazing author like J.K. Rowling using syntax and diction and so on. Plus, Harry Potter is just an amazing book." He chuckled and wrote my answer on the board.

I rolled my eyes and started writing what was on the board into my notebook. It feels like the rest of class takes forever to end. When the bell finally rings I get up to leave. As I am walking towards the door Mr. Pratt says, "Callie and Travis? Can I have a minute please?"

I freeze in place. I debate whether or not to just keep walking but I realize that I have been standing here for way to long now. I sigh and turn around. Not moving an inch from my spot I nod my head yes. Travis is standing by Mr. Pratt's desk with a dead look on his face.

"Please come closer Callie." Mr. Pratt says and waves me towards him. I slowly walk in his direction and stop when I'm standing a few feet from Travis. "I've been given the opportunity to give two students the opportunity to win a full ride to which ever school they please if they do a project. Now my problem with this is that I don't like any of my students. They are all prissy teenaged drama queens. But I have always thought of you two like my own kids so I figured you'd want to do this. Now, you have to work as a team if you want to win this.". He pauses for a moment and starts to pull out manilla envelopes with our names on it. During this time I sneak a look at Travis. He seems okay with the proposition but I could be wrong.

"Okay, so here is all the information in these envelopes." He says as he hands us the envelopes. We both take ours and open them up. It looks like a bunch of rules and such so I slide my papers back into the package and look at Mr. Pratt waiting for him to explain. I notice Travis do the same thing.

"Okay, so the goal of this project is to visit as many unique places as possible. This could be in state or out of state. Minnesota doesn't have much though so I'd reccomend taking this out of state. It is all up to you guys but the point of this is to take as many pictures as possible, write down every detail you can think of and then create a "scrapbook" kind of thing and at the end of your scrapbook you have to write an essay about the places you visited and incorporate some of the details from said place. Now, here is the part that will be the hardest for you two. For every place you visit you have to make up a story about it. It could be a story, a comic strip or even a small video. So, any questions?"

I take a deep breath and look at Travis. He looks just as overwhelmed as I feel.

I sigh and say, "When is this due?"

Mr. Pratt laughs and says, "No need to worry Callie, you two have plenty of time to finish it is not due until April 1st!"

I see Travis physically relax and nod his head slowly. "Okay, I'll do it" he says. I look at him in shock, expecting him to say no since he is currently mad at me. I nod my acceptance as well and we both walk out with our envelopes explaining everything Mr. Pratt just said.

Before I can ask Travis why he agreed to do it he runs off and once again today, I'm left standing alone looking dumbfounded.