Just Smile, Stupid

Chapter 3

I need a hero

To save me now

I need a hero

To save my life

A hero will save me

Just in time.

Chapter 3

“Oh, hey, we’ve got Chemistry and Math together,” said Aiden, when he glanced at my routine. “I guess you’ll be stuck with me for another period,” he added with a chuckle.

We were in Chemistry class with Aiden in the seat beside mine. Since it was the first day of school, all the teacher had asked us to do was look over our syllabus – basically a free period. The noise in the class was slowly rising as students chattered among themselves.

I just smiled at him. Aiden waited for me to say something but when I didn’t he said, “So, what do you plan on studying in college?” he asked.

“My parents want me to become a lawyer,” I replied, sighing.

He raised an eyebrow. “Okay, but what do you want to do?”

“I don’t know. I don’t have any other alternatives anyway,” I stated.

“What? Why not?” he asked, slightly surprised.

I shrugged my shoulders. “Cause I suck at everything.”

He shook his head and said, “I’m sure you’re just exaggerating.”

“No, really, I do. I’m not good at anything,” I said, chuckling humourlessly. That’s what my mother told me everyday anyway. You’re good for nothing! You have no talent!

Aiden frowned. “Wow, someone must’ve been discouraging you a lot,” he commented.

I raised my eyebrows at him in surprise. I didn’t expect him to make such an accurate observation just from talking to me for a few minutes. “What makes you say that?” I asked.

“People become pessimistic from experience,” he said, shrugging a shoulder. “They stop believing in themselves when they’ve failed a lot of times and there’s no one to help them back up.”

I didn’t have anything to say to that so I just nodded. A girl sitting in a seat beside Aiden asked him if he was new and he started talking to her. I picked up a pencil and started doodling on my textbook, not really interested in chatting with any of my other classmates since I didn’t know them very well. I knew all of their names and even what their hobbies were but that was only because I was friends with Sarah. I doubt my classmates even knew I existed.

When the bell rang, I waved goodbye to Aiden and went off to my next class, which was Economics. I stifled a groan when I saw the syllabus for this year. I hated Economics. But my mother said it would help me in Law and made me take it.

“What subjects will you take next year?”

“I think I’ll take Art—”

“Art? That would just be a waste of your time and energy. Take Economics.”

“Why would Art be a waste?”

“Because you’re not good enough to pursue a career in Art, honey. Law is the only path for you.”

According to my mother, I would be horrible at everything but Law. Not because I had a knack for debating or had exceptional charisma but because both my parents were lawyers and they could easily put me in a firm with their connections.