Phoenix

5. Back To School

Back to school.

Thoughts race through my head faster than the speed of light.

What will everyone say? How many people know? Who knows? How fast is the word gonna spread? What if someone takes off my hat as a joke? What if my friends are too afraid of me to be anywhere near me? Will everyone stare at me?...

I walk upstairs to get breakfast. My hearts beating out of my chest. Every second is a second closer to having to go to school.

After breakfast, I walk out the door with my school bag. I get in my brothers' car. He drives me to school and pulls into the parking lot.

"If you're not ready to go back to school, I'll take the day off work and we can go catch a movie or something." He insists.

I shake my head. "I'm gonna have to go at some point. I might as well just get it over with."

He agrees. "Yeah. Your right. But if someone makes fun of you. Just take your hat off and they will probably run home to their mommies."

I laugh and go to the school with a little more concordance.

"Hey, drawf." Casey Kendler calls me. He's the worst person in the school. He's always picking on our height difference. I'm 4'9. He's 5'9. He wasn't at school on Thursday. He probably didn't know.

I smile. I look up at him because there is a foot height difference between us.

"Didn't you hear?"

"Hear what midget?"

"That I could burn a hole right through you goddamn head."

"Ha. You're funny." He starts bending down to look me straight in the eye. "You're also stupid. You think I would believe that kind of bull shit."

I start to laugh historically. He looks confused and crosses his arms.

After a few seconds, I stop. Not a normal, calm down and stop laughing. I dead stop looking into his eyes. They are blue. He's seen my red eyes and actually pays attention to them. Although he doesn't look at me in fear like everyone else.

"What's with the fake laugh, hat, and red eyes? You've changed since I saw you on Wednesday."

He's right. I don't wear hats often. He must think I've got contacts in or something.

"I'll take the hat off if that's what you want." I'm tempted to just whip it off and make him run to his mommy but I hold back.

"I don't care shorty."

"You really can't think of any better names for me, can you?"

"Why change what's already good?"

"If you actually think they are any good then your due for bad luck."

"Shut up and give me your lunch money little boy."

"I think I have something you might want more."

"What is it?"

"My hat." I smile.

"Why would I want your stupid hat?"

I take it off and act like I don't have a flame head. He's staring in fear at my head. "It's a nice hat. I made it myself actually. It's made of fire retardant so that I wouldn't burn the school down."

He looks like he's about to pee his pants.

"This is a promise, not a threat. I can burn down your house if you bother me or anyone else again. I hope you got that because I'm not gonna say it again." I realize I have him by the collar of his shirt and our faces are about 2 inches apart.

I let go. He runs the other way. I quickly put my hat back on.

I walk to my locker and I hear the national anthem started. "Shit. I missed the second bell." I say to myself. I look around and there is nobody.

I walk down to the office after getting my stuff together to get a late slip. I start to think. I have never had the courage to do what I just did. Did this new power give me confidence or go to my head? I choose confidence.

"Reason for being late?" The secretary asks blankly.

"I slept in. Lucky to make it to school before lunch." I lie. She writes it down and hands me a little green paper.

I walk into my classroom and spot Casey, who reverts his eyes when he sees me. I smirk.

"Mr. Carter. Why weren't you here on Friday?" My teacher questions me with disappointment in his eyes. Like always. "And now you're late. Did you get a late slip?"

I hand him the slip of paper. "Something happened."

"What?" He's so snoopy.

"I don't have to tell you bullshit."

"Excuse you?"

"Excuse no-one. You're so snoopy. But if you must know..." I pull my hat off in anger. He stares in fear at my head.

I slam my hand on his desk to get everyone's attention. I succeed. Some people have their hands over their mouths. Some have their mouths hanging open. My friend just sits there and stares blankly.

Everyone else, however, looks too horrified to move.