Didn't Expect (Book 2 of the KBI series)

Chapter 2 - Socratic Seminar

I walked down the same hall where everything started, minus the fresh construction smell and a gang ready to steal me away from a math test. The more I thought about it, the more I longed for them to come and steal me away again just so that this time I wouldn't have to do a Socratic Seminar on the difficulties of being a pig in a social pyramid. Where are those idiots when you need them?

This year has dragged itself out too long for my comfort. But recently the more I experience the present moment, the less I'm shoving my dependence on their return. I'm 18 now. I graduate in the next few months, then move on to figure out what to do with my life while I awkwardly eat cake while my relatives ambush me with questions about my future at Thanksgiving. 

"Hails," a light voice sang in my ear, "You're daydreaming again."

I turned my head to my best friend Kamala, her long, dirty blonde braids catching the sunlight and allowing her brown skin to glow. Her face held a bright smile with wonder in her eyes. 

"Oh, yeah." I answered bluntly. 

"What were you thinking about this time?"

"Uh..." I have to think of a lie quickly to cover up the truth of what was going on in my mind. "Do you think aliens would like spaghetti or pizza?"

Kamala thought for a moment as we walked before she spoke confidently. "Honestly, I don't think that they would like either. Maybe more fruits and veggies."

"So aliens are vegetarian?"

"Maybe. I like to imagine their moral code is stronger than ours."

"But- The food chain-"

"Hails, take some protein pills and go about your business."

I scoffed, "Vegetarians are scary." 

"That's vegans." Kamala paused and had a bewildered look, "They're terrifying. Can you believe they don't drink milk?"

"Right? Soy milk is so good, but the force of their moral code is too strong."

"That is not how-" She stopped in the middle of her sentence and shook her head, "Go to class and learn something. Your brain is never on the right path."

"What? What do you mean? Doesn't soy have protein in it?"

"I love you." Kamala said and put her hand on my shoulder, "But if you don't pick up a book, girl I swear. The only thing that takes up your brain is tacos, unicorns and quesadillas."

A moment of nostalgia hit me. Something about that sentence was wrong. Then it hit me. 

"Ninja unicorns. They're ninja unicorns, Kamala."

Kamala paused as the bell rang, however she didn't move immediately to get to class until she said, "Huh, actually that's pretty cool-"

"Fighting tacos."

"Leave me alone." Kamala started to walk towards class and waved back at me, "Go to class, Hails!"

I began to walk towards my classroom, going in the same direction I went last year when everything happened. I shook my head defiantly. It's been a year. I'm not sure they're coming back. Suddenly a thought nearly knocked me out of my shoes. 

That's just what they want me to think. 

Assholes. 

I couldn't deny how much I missed them, however I also couldn't deny that Kamala has helped me fill that void of missing them. We met a little after I came back from my adventure with the Seven Deadly Sins. In the middle of our art history class, we caught the teacher watching girls kissing on Youtube when we went up at the same time to ask a question. We bonded over the obviously closeted teacher with two kids and a husband. Kamala said that it always feels good when you know you can always get an A with a little bit of a bargain. 

I think the gang would've liked her. I laughed to myself. 'The gang'. I sounded like Freddy from Scooby-Doo. I never cared for Fred much, but without him the gang wouldn't be the gang so I guess I have to respect him for that. 

Mindlessly as I walked past a group of students walking to class themselves, I sang 'Scooby-Dooby Doo' a little too loud. I would've said it in my head, but I needed the real, full experience of the Scoobies. 

A laugh emerged from the group and I had very little worry about feeling embarrassed. I basically almost died trying to fight for the lives of myself and seven other people. Because of the trauma it can be hard to remember parts of it, but I'm pretty sure I was hitting backflips and flying through the air with weapons, never getting shot once. 

'Yeah,' I nodded my head as I thought, 'that sounds about right.'.

I groaned realizing that this was the AP English class I didn't want to go to since the first day of school. I don't even know why I signed up for difficult classes, I'm not even a book worm anymore. If anything I learn everything I need to know from Bill Nye and John Green's crash courses, and if all else fails, National Geographic. 

'That's for everything but english', I heard something in the back of my mind say. 

'English should be abolished anyway.' I challenged my own subconscious. You would not believe how much trouble I got myself into the last time I listened to that voice. 

Walking into class, I groaned, not caring if the teacher heard me. I did not want to talk about pigs. 

I took a seat in the circle that was already pre-formed, sighing. I might as well go first, then I can sit back and relax for the rest of class while the second group takes over. 

It was about ten minutes into class when Mrs. Letti called on me, noticing I wasn't participating. 

"Harmony, what can you tell us about the social construct that this book is expressing and/or personifying?"

Her question took me off guard. I haven't even read the book.

"They're pigs...so..." I trailed off. I didn't know what else needed to be said. They're pigs.

"But what is the message behind the personification of the animals and how they relate to the class system today?"

They're pigs.

"They're pigs." I answered again. 

"Right. But do you see the concept of the book and how it relates to human culture today?"

"Yes," I answered, "They're pigs."

Mrs. Letti sighed and called on someone else as people laughed under their breath. I was close to ditching the entire class and just going home. But wouldn't it be disrespectf-

I was already walking down the hall and towards my parents hand-me-down-but-only-use-it-for-school car. When I pulled up to the driveway, I finally felt at peace. Now, I can sleep and finish Dance Moms. Looking across the street I noticed that my neighbors bought a brand new Tesla that was sleek and oddly parked on the street instead of the garage. 

"Ouu," I sang to myself, "They're gonna get robbed."

I grabbed my backpack and walked up to the door, struggling with my keys. When I finally open the door I yawn, walk into my living room and drop my backpack near the couch. I begin to make my way upstairs towards my room and my sweet, sweet, glorious bed before I heard a familiar voice.

"Hayley baby," I paused in my tracks and my eyes widened beyond my forehead, "You're going to bed? Without me?"