"dear mr. bauman, we accept the fact that we had to sacrifice a whole Saturday in detention for whatever it was we did wrong. But we think you're crazy to make us write an essay telling you who we think we are. You see us as you want to see us - in...
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ALL OF THE SIX kids finally made their way into the seats of the library desk, Billy being the last one to take a seat behind Nancy and Johnathan. Ophelia took a seat in the very back, behind Steve and Julia. They all looked at their principle, Mr. Murray Bauman as he held a stack of papers and addressed the kids with such annoyance that Ophelia wondered how he even got the job. "Well look what we got here! I would congratulate all of you for being on time but I think a congratulation would be a little too nice—" Mr. Bauman had spat to the teens, he was going to continue as Nancy raised her hand, cutting him off. "Yes, Wheeler?" Mr. Bauman said annoyingly, rolling his eyes at the girl. "Excuse me, Mr. Bauman? I think there has been a terrible mistake, but, I don't think I belong here... in detention—" But Mr. Bauman doesn't care her about her excuses, as he continues to talk. "It's now 7:06 and you have exactly eight hours of detention to think about why you're in here. To think about the errors of your ways—"
Suddenly the library doors opened like water out of the floodgates. Robin stands in the middle; completely frozen like a deer caught in the headlights. Her face turns a slight shade of red as she sees everyone's gazes snap to her. She sees Mr. Bauman and sheepishly smiles. This is awkward. "I...Uh...U-um, I-I'm sorry I'm late." Was all she muttered towards Bauman. He sighs with annoyance. His head turns to the papers before him, and checks off the name with a pen. "Robin Buckley." He starts, scoffing at her direction. She sees Steve from across the room and waves to relieve some of the awkward tension, and she embarrassingly makes her way towards the back, the seat beside Ophelia. "Why am I not surprised." He garnered. Plopping on her seat, Ophelia gave a slight smile her way to Robin, comforting the girl as Mr. Bauman went on.
The teens already feel themselves tune out his voice, as Billy took out a piece of gum from his jacket and chewed it loudly, Nancy looking back in disgust and Johnathan looking annoyed; rolling his eyes. "And, you may not talk, move from your seats..." Bauman yelled back at the silent kids, stomping towards a careless Billy playing with his silver ring around his finger, pulling a chair out from underneath his resting feet. Bauman looked behind him, already finding Steve falling asleep with his head down. "You will not sleep or take thirty-minute naps." Bauman walked over to Steve, smacking him at the back of the head to wake him up. His head made a loud thud as Julia and Robin had giggled from their places in her seats.
"Alright kids, we're gonna try something a little different today. I want each and every one of you to write an essay describing to me who you think you are. No less than three pages and a thousand words." All of the teens look at each other in disbelief, all having the same thought going through their minds. "Is this suppose to be a test?" Johnathan asks softly, getting completely ignored by Mr. Bauman, as he hands out several pieces of paper and pencils. "And I mean essay. Not the same word a thousand times and not skipping lines alright? You're all seniors. You're big boys and girls who know what essays are so you do it yourself alright?" Bauman yelled over the kids for the last time; suddenly pointing at Billy with his pointer finger and pinkie finger. "Are we clear Hargrove?" Billy had lifted his head from his chair, giving no words but thumbs up and returning his head back on the chair and chewing his gum. "Well good, because maybe, just maybe, you'll learn a little something about your time spent here. Like whether or not you would like to, return." Mr. Bauman said, stretching out the last word as he shoots daggers towards a carefree Billy once more.
