Breathe me Home | NaNoWriMo 2016

Chapter 5

Weekends are great for scheming. And scheme I did.
Here's my plan as I dismount the bus at Pearl City Junior High. I need to find the kid with the worst grades in my Social Studies class. He will be my partner, and thrilled to do it because I have the best grades in the class. He will introduce me to a native Hawaiian. Then I will do all the work while he blows off his side of the project.
Brilliant.
First, I won't have to spend much time bonding with my partner. Second, I don't have to rely on anyone else for my grade. Who needs that hassle? Why bust my tailfeathers just to end up with a B because my partner did a lousy job?
Nope. Best to handle this alone. With just a bit of assistance on the front end.
George Hana is my target. He's known for holding the world record for time spent sleeping in class. He is also a native Hawaiian. One would hope, for the sake of all Hawaiians, that he is the black sheep of the family.
Before the bell rings to start class, I slip over to his side of the room. He also sits in the back row, but for different reasons than my own. His back is turned to me as he yucks it up with two other boys. Yes, the same boys who were laughing at me and name-calling last Friday.
But, hey, forgive and forget, right? And get what you need.
"Hi George!" Too perky? Maybe. Hard to tell. I'm new at this.
George turns, a bewildered look on his face. Bewildered is a normal look for him. When he's awake.
"Oh...hey, Stacy."
The other two boys exchange glances. Also bewildered.
"I was wondering...do you have a partner for the project?"
"What project?"
This is going to be harder than I thought. "You know. From Friday. We have to interview a native Hawaiian and learn a custom."
"Oh...oh, yeah...that. I forgot."
Perfect. "Well I was hoping you'd be my partner."
The other two boys look as if they're going to burst wide open. One pull the other by the arm and whispers something to him.
"Oh..." George starts most of his sentences with oh. "Well, as a matter of fact I—"
"No!" One of the other boys interrupts. "He doesn't. We were just talking about that."
"Yeah," the other boy says. "You saved us. Now Jimmy and I can be partners. You can take George."
"Perfect!" says his partner.
George looks bewildered again. He opens his mouth to speak, but one of his friends grabs his arm and pulls him toward his seat. "We'd better sit down, Georg-io. Don't wanna be late for the bell."
As if any of those idiots have ever been concerned about being late for the bell. Or school.
But I have what I came for. "Great!" I shoot for perky again. "We'll talk after class."
I slip back to my desk. Mission accomplished. Get this project done in about two days, then I can relax in my back corner of the room until the Harris family boards a 747 and jets off to Montana.
Home!