Hoping for Hannah

7. Seating plan and Shattered World

7. Seating Plan and Shattered World

We decided that it was best to head back to class after Zach found us. I walked alone in through the empty hallways to Chemistry. Thoughts buzzing in my mind like crazy. What was Isaac talking about? What was I going to tell Zach?

I walked in and took my usual spot near the window, where I could procrastinate all period. Mrs. Pudridge walked in with her hand full of papers. Great, she has marked the test, yet another thing to think about.

She was round, that was the only way to describe her. She wasn't by any means fat, but she was just round. She had a rounded, full laugh and a voice to match. She was that teacher you couldn't help but like because she always smiled but knew how to reinforce rules when needed. She demanded respect and when she narrows her eyes at you though those looking glasses, she also demands fear. She threw the papers on a metallic table, some falling over the edge and stood at the front of the class.
She replaced her wooden table for a metallic one thinking that a touch if industrialization and modernism would spark creativity in a students. That didn't work but that didn't stop her from having crazy ideas that would "Ignite the light of creativity within you," as she likes to say.

Sometimes I wonder if she's aware that this is a chemistry class and not an art class. Looking around at the people in this class, I really didn't want to know what they would do if they were given creative freedoms over explosive chemicals.

"Right class, quiet down," she said even though almost no one was talking. "I have another idea," she beamed and a unanimous groan spread the throughout the classroom. "One way to ignite the light of creativity within you, is to communicate," she said. A look of pride feeling her face at this brilliant idea.

I wasn't going to pretend that I was thrilled with this idea. I hated to admit it but I didn't have a lot of friends in this class, or a lot of people who enjoy tolerating my company. Advanced Chemistry was not a place where someone like me belonged. It was funny how, for someone so 'Popular' as people like to call me, the amount of friends I had could be counted with one hand. Two if I counted a friend as someone who tried to be my friend in order to make the 'cool' club but actually didn't like me at all. There certainly wasn't anyone in this classroom who I wanted to communicate with or who wanted to communicate with me.

"So, then I was thinking, what would be the best way to start some communication then I decided," she paused dramatically and everybody waited with agony "assigned seating plans," she clapped her hands then she fished through her bag. She waved the piece of paper she found above her head like a peace treaty flag, but there was going to be no peace here. I liked where I sat very much, it was by the window in the corner and most importantly it was by MYSELF. She started walking around the room and reading off names when she got to the right table.

"Hannah," she called and I looked up to fine then she was pointing at the table a few rows in front. I grabbed my things and grudgingly slumped over there.

"This is a great idea, don't you think Hannah?" She asked and I couldn't deny the excitement in her face so I nodded. That was Mrs. Pudridge, she came up with the craziest most painful ideas but you just couldn't hate her.

"This idea certainly isn't great," someone muttered in front of me, I guess not everyone feels the way I do. I hated the light that dimmed in her eyes when she heard him say that and I glared at him intently. It was some guy who was as close to a nerdy bully you could get. That didn't face me though and he knew it, he shut his mouth and turned around. At least something didn't change in here, people still preferred not to mess with me. I took my seat

"It's a brilliant idea," I told her and she nodded thankfully. I was still next to the window, still somewhat in a corner and it might even be by myself still, maybe this won't be so bad after all.