"Animalism?" Sarah Beth put her copy of Animal Farmon the table. "I thought this book was about Communism!"
"It is!" Cal said. "It's a homage."
"And why is the pig named Napoleon?! That's a French bloke!"
"It's meant to be a distinct, important name."
Cal had began helping Sarah Beth with schoolwork about a week before. To no avail, that is. After talking about matrices and theoretical probabilities for three days, he decided to move on to chemistry. She was supposed to be calculating the amount of moles of elements used during photon emissions, but she was still having trouble converting mass and grams to moles. Finally, it was time for English and Literature.
"It just doesn't make sense! Why compare a corrupt nation to a farm?!"
"It's satire."
"But a satyr is-"
"Different word altogether! Orwell wrote the book to make the animals represent different parts of the Bolshevik Revolution in what would soon be the Soviet Union. He compared the greedy, witty government system to the pigs."
"I don't like pigs! I don't like Communism! I don't like this book!"
"No one does." I said from her kitchen, where I was reading the newspaper.
Cal sighed heavily. "I am just trying to help you."
"Maybe I can't be..."
"Don't say that. This is just a bit difficult. The reason why this book is recommended is because history can repeat itself, and it's best if people are wary."
"You know what? I can't do this! i appreciate your help, Cal, but it's over between school and me."
I looked up. "What? You aren't possibly-"
"I'm just sick of the people, classes... well, the school! Besides, I'll have more time to focus on Christmas now that this chapter is over. In the meantime, you should have some TS practice."
I look at Cal, and back to Sarah Beth. "If that's what you want, I'll support you. You want something to eat?"
"NO!" She stopped me from opening her cupboards. "Seriously, you guys should go and practice!"
---
Jeff began singing the next verse. "There was a time when you let me know
What's really going on below,
But now you never show it to me, do you?"
I took over from there. "And remember when I moved in you?
The holy dove was moving too,
And every breath we drew was Hallelujah..."
We all sang the chorus in four-part harmony, each of us dropping out on each "Hallelujah" until I was the only one singing.
"Let's stop from there, and get ready for 'Amsterdam,' Paige." I switched my guitar with Jeff's base for this one, letting him provide the guitar at the end.
"Man, are you sick or something?" Jeff said. "You look terrible."
"Sarah Beth quit school." Cal said, moving the levers on his synthesizer.
"What? That's crazy!"
I looked up from the bass. "She's also keeping something from me. She didn't let me open her cupboards in her kitchen. I would have made some, I don't know. Comfort food? What do you guys think?"
"Well, she's been under a lot of stress lately." Paige muttered, playing a few chords on his keyboard. "School, family, money..."
"I know, but she's not told me about something, obviously." I wen't to the microphone and got ready to give backup for Paige. He began to play the intro, getting to the first verse.
"Come on, oh my star is fading
And I swerve out of-"
"Wait a minute!!!" I stopped everything as quick as it had begun. "Money?! She told me she had plenty of money!"
Paige slowly got up. "Did I say money? No! I didn't say anything about money! Sarah Beth didn't say anything to me about money! She disn't even shop at the store that day! What?!"
Jeff grabbed his arm and held him in place. I stepped up to the whimpering Paige and told Jeff to let him go, saying I wasn't angry. "Paige, why didn't you tell me?"
Paige looked down. "Because Sarah Beth said npt to, that you would just worry."
"Yes I would! My girlfriend is low on money! You know what could happen if she doesn't get any money."
"I know..."
I rubbed my forehead. "Practice is next Saturday. I need to go to Sarah Beth's."
