Oddity

1

I sat in the third desk back in the row next to the door. I wanted to be as close to the door as possible, but the first two seats in the row had been taken.

The first was taken by Sarah Wright. She had pretty red hair. She knew the answer to every question that Mr. Parker asked. She was the smartest 3rd  grader in the whole school.

The second seat was taken by Austin Stevens. He fell asleep a lot. He thought that sitting on the far end of the room would keep Mr. Parker from yelling at him for sleeping. It did not.

I didn't really like third grade so far. We were only one week in, but it was safe to say that third grade was the worst so far.

I did not understand the new work. Especially the math. And I didn't like learning about this boring stuff.

I liked looking out the window and thinking. Thinking about anything that was not school.

Or I liked to draw while Mr. Parker talked. Or read. Anything besides what I was supposed to be doing.

"Scott?" Mr. Parker spoke.

I instinctively rose my hand. "Here," I assured Mr. Parker.

Mr. Parker squinted at the class list, which he had not memorized yet. "Scott C," he corrected, "Not Scott H."

My hand lowered slowly, before I looked down, annoyed by the burning in my cheeks.

I did not like having the same name as Scott C.

Mr. Parker chuckled, "But I guess that means you're here, huh Scott H?" he stated lightheartedly, throwing me back into the center of attention.

I kept my head down, hoping no one looked in my direction.

After attendance, we got 5 minutes of free time while Mr. Parker set up the Bell Ringer question.

I pulled out the drawing pad that Mom bought me for school, before flipping to the third page.

"Alright class, I forgot to print off some important papers. I'll be back in 5 minutes. Sarah, you're in charge until I get back," Mr. Parker stated frantically, before rushing out of the classroom.

I barely paid him any notice, and focused on my drawing.

"Hey, Freakazoid!" a familiar voice hollered from behind me.

I did not turn in Michael Turner's direction. I did not like Michael Turner, or his friends.

In second grade, in gym class, I cried because I did not want to play dodgeball with the other kids. Michael Turner called me a cry baby. Mr. Stan, the gym teacher, let me sit out of dodgeball and draw.

I drew a large dodgeball with razor sharp teeth and monstrous hands, eating Michael Turner.

Michael Turner saw it and showed the class, including Mr. Stan. I was sent to the principal's office and was not allowed to come to school for 3 days.

When I came back, Michael Turner said that my new name was Freakazoid. And he has been calling me Freakazoid ever since.

"Hey, I'm talking to you Freakazoid. Are you drawing me again, you freak?" he exclaimed in a boisterous tone, standing in front of my desk, looking down at me.

I wanted to stand up and yell back, but Mom said that two wrongs don't make a right. She was right, but it would still feel nice to yell back at him.

I sighed when Michael Turner swiped my book off of my desk. I watched it sprawl onto the floor, before looking up at him.

"What, can't speak anymore?" he taunted.

"Come on Freakazoid, talk," Brian Thanes ordered. Brian Thanes was one of Michael Turner's best friends. Brian Thanes kicked my chair, budging it slightly.

I remained sitting, staring at my now empty desk.

Until, of course, a voice spoke. "Hey, leave him alone."

I glanced back at the short boy with neatly cut dark brown hair.

"Shut up, Flower Boy," Michael Turner snapped at the boy.

Flower Boy. 

His name was actually Mitchell Grassi. In kindergarten, he volunteered to go first for Show and Tell. He brought a bouquet of flowers from his mother's flower shop.

He was very happy about his flowers, but the other boys made fun of him. They made him unhappy.

They told him his new name was Flower Boy.

I was in that class. I felt bad that they made the boy cry on his first day of kindergarten.

So, I drew him a flower, and I gave it to him.

It made him cry more. He thought that I was making fun of him as well, and I was too shy to tell him otherwise.

Michael Turner was meaner to Flower Boy than he was to me.

I was not surprised when Michael Turner pushed Flower Boy onto the floor.

I was also not surprised when Flower Boy started crying.

I was even less surprised when the other students began to laugh.

"What is going on?" Mr. Parker exclaimed in horror as he came back into the room.

Michael Turner had gone back to his seat. Flower Boy was still on the floor next to my desk, crying.

"Scott pushed him on the ground," Michael Turner lied.

Mr. Parker crossed his arms over his chest and looked at me suspiciously. He, and every teacher in the school knew about my drawing from last year.

"Is that true, Scott?" He questioned, before crouching down and helping Flower Boy up off of the floor.

I did not speak. Mr. Parker would not believe me if I told him what happened. And even if he did believe me, he would look at my drawing and see that I was drawing myself being eaten by a monster this time, instead of Michael Turner.

I do not think teachers think that is okay.

So, I nodded.

And then Mr. Parker sent me to the principal's office.

I was sent home, and was not allowed to come back to school for 3 days.