Geography
Students scurried to throw their notebooks into their book bags, back packs, and binders while others ran out of the class room without putting the gold and green literature book back under their desks. Some packed up less eagerly, Miss Anderson pulled out her plans to next period English class. I blinked breaking what was left of the intoxicating fog clouding my head. The new girl flinched in response to my movement then letting her grip loosen from the sides of her desk the white fading from her knuckles.
Then she got up quicker then I blinked my eyes and her blond glowing hair flipped around the corner of my vision and out of the room.
"Matt, Do you need anything?
"Uhm." I stuttered. "I just ugh, am grabbing my things". I finished. I headed for the exit,I could feel her eyes bare concern and worry boring into me. "I'm fine", I told her before exiting, answering the question she wanted to ask.
I wasn't ready for Geography class. But when was i ever. Mr. Guess, a hefty man with a short ponytail was probably going to lecture again putting notes on the bored like he always did talking about the Industrial Revolution and how it "shaped oar world today". I wasn't ready for him telling me to pull my head up throughout class and to meet his eyes and feel his long-full desire that one of his students may have a spark of interest in his explanation of the textile industry. to just be replaced by the same realization that none of his students ever did.
The wet bottoms of my shoes squeaked on the tile floor stepping off of the dark gray side walk into Mr. Guess's always warm classroom. 49ers drapes covered the windows that were dotted with drops of rain. They let faint light into the room, the light barely bleeding through them in red and gold. I took my seat near the front middle of the room. Other students still walked in hushing their voices to a whisper as they made their way into their assigned seats.
I waited for class to begin. I flipped open my green notebook scribbled geography on the front and found where I last entered any notes and drew a line. The late bell rang and so did Mr. Guess's deep voice.
"Good morning class". He said. no one answered. They never did. He stood in front of class now.
"Today's going to be an easy day". He said smiling, as if actually giving us a favor. "We're going to be watching a film on children's life back 200 years ago. I want you to fill out a sheet on it. you will return it in for 10 points."
He pushed the button on his remote control bringing the overhead projector to life.He then started handing out papers from the stack of sheets in his hands to each student in the top row to pass behind them.
Before I could pass the sheets of papers behind me I felt the mood on the room change making my arm freeze and my heart pound in my throat, growing faster in an instant. I turned my head.
Alice Fey - the girl I kissed under the sea in first period- walked in and I swear I saw her eyes catch mine before turning her head from the class and made her way to Mr. Guess where he said something to her I couldn't here. "Class", Mr.Guess said as if the class wasn't already looking toward him expectantly, "this is Alice Fey. She is new to oar school please welcome her, he said and gestured for her to sit two seats behind me.
With her in the room it felt like never before. Like what I can only describe as standing in the middle of a crowd to being in my very own world. I didn't feel my gut, heart and my head being tugged all different ways at once. I felt whole, something I'm not used to. My body was stiff, like a board replaced my spine. I turned as she walked past me and sat into her desk turning my body with her keeping my eyes on her, by back straight and twisted like wire but my hands still sat on my desk.
I struggles to turn my head when she looked streight back at me but I couldnt.
Mr. Hipes do I have to move you in a less convenient place to make googly eyes at oar new student, Miss fey"? Mr. Guess asked, obviously pleased with himself chuckled at his own little joke and looked over to Alice no see her looking back at me. Then she looked down without saying anything.
Mr.Guess then pushed a button on the little remote he held in hind hand and it brought the over head projesctor to life. The class started writing down the notes displayed on the screen while Mr.Guess explained each one of them in further detail. The period went on in an almost intoxicating sleepy daze until I was woken up by Mr. Guess tapping on my shoulder. My head wasnt on my dest but I was out of it forsure, like I was falling asleep with my head up.
I jolted open my eye lids and met his sympathetic eyes, his brown gray bierd sorrounding his features. My cloudy reverie was broken. I grabbed my notebook and backpack in hand dropping my pencil. I bolted out the door without looking again at Mr. Guess. Wishing I wouldnt have to face him on tuesday.
