Walking Away

Our Very Own Office Dory

Jonathan

I ran through the parking lot, hoping the bell hadn't rung yet. Mom will kill me if I'm late the second week of school. I can hear her now: "You couldn't last two weeks before I got a phone call?" 

I really can't let that happen.

I opened the door to the hallway, which, thank god, was full of kids waiting around. I forgot my watch in my rush to get here, so I have no clue what time it is, but at least I'm not late.

"Jonah!" I spun around. Yeah, I know, it's not my name. But when my sister was little, she couldn't say Jonathan properly, and the name stuck with all my friends.

Problem was, I didn't know who had called my name, and here I was, spinning in the hallway like an idiot. I stopped and shook my head. Mark ran up to me, slightly out of breath. It was his first day, since he was still on vacation last week. He waved his schedule around, trying to talk, and then realized he couldn't breathe, so therefore, no talking.

The silence was kind of nice. Maybe I could get used to this. You know, get him to join the track team or something.

My thoughts were interrupted when he recovered. See what I mean?

"Jonah, why didn't you tell me?" he asked. I just looked at him for a moment. Ever the dramatic one, he sighed. "We have, like, half of our classes together."

I nodded. "And?"

His eyes widened. Unnecessarily. "This is a huge deal! And you just stand there like it doesn't matter?"

I pretended to think about it, and then, "Yeah, pretty much exactly what just happened."

And then I realized I left the schedule at home. Because it was sitting on the counter, next to the dishes I was supposed to put away. And while it had been a week, or technically just the last 3 days of last week, the first week of school here we don't actually attend classes - we have assemblies on the rules and the student code of conduct. Therefore, I don't know my classes. "Crap, gotta go, bye." I said, speed-walking to the office.

Mark spun around, "What? No, wait. Hold up." he caught up, trying and somewhat succeeding to keep pace. After watching him struggle for a few minutes, I slowed down. "Where are we going?"

"Office." I replied.

He nodded. "Okay, yeah, why?"

"Forgot my schedule." I answered. I have no problem with talking. Really. I just don't see the point in drawing it out.

He stopped moving. "Really?"

I kept moving for a few seconds, and then realized he really was standing still in the middle of the hallway, a shocked look on his face. So I stopped too, turning to address this new problem. "Yes, really."

He just looked at me. "You forgot something."

I sighed and pulled out my phone. I had like three minutes until the bell. "Yup, and now I'm going to forget this conversation is happening. See you in class." And then I was flat out running to the office, wondering how I managed to get the crazy ones. 

****

The office lady was supremely uncooperative. "Can I help you?" she asked.

I know she doesn't sound evil, but she had literally asked this three times already, and I'd given the same answer each time. "I would like a copy of my schedule, please." Honestly, I felt like dropping the "please" and adding something else, but patience is a virtue, right?

She smiled. "Of course dear. One moment." I waited. Thought about the fact that a watch would be useful right about now. Remembered I had a phone so I should really stop stressing about the watch. Looked for a clock anyway. What kind of office doesn't have a clock? My thoughts were then interrupted with, "Can I help you?"

Okay, enough. I smiled back, wondering if she had short term memory loss or something. Look at that, our very own office Dory. "I actually don't think so. Have a nice day." I walked out, pulling out my phone for plan B. Texting Mark, Do you have a picture of my schedule??

He replied a minute later with, I knew you needed me. And, thankfully, a picture of my schedule I was hoping I had sent him. 

"Yes." I cheered under my breath. Maybe I could get through the day with this. Now I just needed to get through my classes and not get in the way. Not normally my top priority, but I didn't really feel like testing my luck today.

"Are you planning on standing there all day or do you think you could let me through the door, before I miss homeroom?"

Well, there went that plan.