The Social Class

Thirteen

                                                                CALEB

I was playing video games on my TV back to back overthinking about the day that had just happened.

I couldn't believe I was so stupid into believing popular cared about people like me and my friends. Or how they could fall for the nerd who everyone hated. But I did anyway.

The worst part of it though was I still in love with Maisy Haven. 

I was and I would make anything happen so she would never cry or have a day of sadness again. But she betrayed me and stomped on my heart. How's that for someone who didn't care?

As I continued, my Dad walked into to my room and sighed, looking at my expression.

"Will you give this thing a rest already son please?" he asked me.

"What for? It's not like I have much of a social life to do so. After all, I'm a geek." I said.

"No you're not Caleb, you're a shining star in the making. Come on, instead of doing this you can be doing free throws right now." he tried to tell me.

That was it. I couldn't keep living this lie anymore. I was already lied to enough.

"Dad will you please?!" I shouted hurt, standing up. "I'm not a shining star. Okay?! I don't want to be a football star like you, a basketball star like you, I don't want to be like you. I want to be me. I like space things, chess, engineering, academics! That's who I am. I'm not popular, I get picked on everyday but I don't care. At least I know I'm going somewhere in my life. Where is everyone else? I like being smart. Why isn't that enough?" I asked him emotionally.

He stared at me and walked up to me, pulling me into a meaning and loving fatherly hug sighing.

"It is son. I'm sorry. You're not a loser Caleb. You're my boy and if you're a nerd..." he started to say smiling at him. "Own it.She would love it if you do." he finished.

I looked up to him and sighed, shaking his head. He shyly smiled and walks away and out of the room. I sat back down and looked ahead in the corner, seeing my grade school yearbook.

I quickly grabbed it, opening it up and began looking through it.

As I continued, I then saw a picture under Maisy's name but with a different name of "Maisyanna Haven."

She has glasses, braces, and unkept hair trying to hide from the camera with a cringe look in her face. I was in utter shock. She felt that she needed to change. It all was so clear.

She didn't do "The Social Class" for the fun of it...she wanted to make others feel good about themselves.

Something she wasn't her whole life.

                                                         MAISY

I was in my pajamas after the official worst day of my life, staring at the ceiling sadly. After what felt like hours trying to search for an answer, my door knocked and my mom entered in.

"Hey...heard what happened today Maisy. You want to talk about it?" She asked shyly.

"Don't you have work to go to?" I asked her.

"Yes...but I called off the next 3 days. No exceptions." She said proudly. That was a first.

I sat up looking astonished and smiled happily. I began bawling tears of actual somewhat joy. My mother rushed over to me, pulling me into a motherly hug tightly.

"I tried to make you proud. I'm so sorry Mom." I told her letting loose years of emotions.

"No honey I should be sorry. I've been ignoring you but not anymore. Not ever again." She answered me.

This was how a mother and daughter were suppose to be. Like a family.

"I don't know what to do. Everybody hates me. This is the past all over again." I told her.

"Nobody hates you girlie. You're too good for that. But I will tell you this Maisy. Okay, you messed up and your friends think you don't love them anymore. So? The was the past. What are you going to do now to make them see that you do? The only thing you can do when you make mistakes, is to find a solution to make it right." She explained to me.

This was my mother's coaching. She was so good. 

Well I guess the apple didn't fall far from the tree. I smiled and nodded wiping my face off.

"Thank you Mom." I said.

For the first time in a long time. I had my mother with me.