Drink Your Medicine (Jalex)

<13>

I closed my locker after getting my books for the next few classes that I had, and was rather surprised to see someone standing in front of me that I'd never seen before. "Hey, " He said. 

"Hello, " I replied quietly. I turned the other way, but he rested his hand on my shoulder. 

"Wait. I've been meaning to talk to you lately. " 

I turned around, ready to be pelted with some sort of insult. He seemed sincere, but it could be an act. "I'm Zack. " He held out his hand for me to shake. I shifted my books and binders around until I freed one of my hands. I took his and shook it once before letting go. "You always sit by the garbage cans during lunch. I have a pretty small group if large crowds make you nervous. I was just wondering if you wanted to sit with us. " He smiled afterwards. 

"You're sure about that?"

"Of course I am- " He rubbed the back of his neck. "Didn't quite catch your name. " 

"Alex." I sighed. Maybe this really is one of those opportunities to make friends that I've heard so much about. What's the worst that could happen? Anything that Zack or his friends could possibly do to me has already been done to me before. "I'll consider taking you up on your offer. " 

"Great. We're at the circular table near the right corner farthest from the main entrance on the inside of the building. You'll know it as soon as you see it. " He smiled. "I'll see you there. " He turned on his heel and left. 

This could either go really well or really terribly. I'll hope for the best, but expect the worst. 

During mathematics, the class after science and right before lunch, I had about the worst moment of my life. We were learning about square roots. Basically, how does one solve them without the it being a perfect square? You simplify! That seems to often be the answer. Personally, I'm convinced that whoever decided all of these rules found out that they can only do so much with numbers before they don't work together, so they made up this crazy rule that you can still solve the problem without solving it. They're just telling you that there is no real answer. Anyway, the number we had to simply was 225. Two can't be broken up any farther because it's already prime, so you write it at the end. Twenty five can be broken up so that becomes five and five. When  you have the same two numbers, you write that number outside of the square root symbol. It would be five square roots of two. I know this for a fact. But I don't participate because, well, talking. 

But my mathematics teacher thinks it's the greatest idea to get everyone who doesn't raise their hand to participate. I never, ever raise my hand. So of course, he called on me. "Alex! Do you know the answer? " 

"Do I know the answer? " I asked, looking at the ceiling. "I do know the answer. "

"Great! Why don't you tell us? " 

"Because there are four other smart kids in this room ready to call out the answer, " I pointed to one girl who seemed particularly excited. She was almost falling out of her desk. She was pretty much out of the chair already too, "that all seem rather eager to answer the question instead. " 

"I want to hear your answer. You seem to be on a streak lately. " 

"Five square roots of two, " I said. "Are you happy now?" 

He wrote the answer on the board, beaming. "Very, Mr. Gaskarth. Although we could do without the sarcasm. " 

I fell back into my chair with embarrassment. I guess I was being a little bit sarcastic. 

Some guy next to be snickered. "Teacher's pet. " 

I bit my lip and sank deeper into my chair. Never in my life have I ever wanted to disappear more. 

When I walked through the entrance of the cafeteria, Zack bumped into me. "Sorry! " He said, walking around me. When I only stood there, he motioned for me follow him. "C'mon! " 

I followed him warily, carefully walking through the other tables until I arrived at his. There was another guy there, but no one else. "Is this everyone? " I asked. 

The guy sitting there shook his head. "Still waiting for one more. " He held his hand out. "I'm Rian. " 

"Alex, " I replied, shaking his hand firmly before letting go. 

A girl who had long brown hair and a poka dot shirt with a mini jean skirt approaches the table. She say down and Zack and Rian both started singing. "I've got your picture, I'm coming with you. Dear Maria, count me in. " 

She laughed. "It's good to see the two of you too. " She looked at me closely. "Who's the new kid? " 

"That's Alex, " Zack answered. He point to me and then to her. "Alex, Maria. Maria, Alex. " 

"Hey, Maria, " I said, smiling lightly. She was pretty, I had to admit. "What's with the song? " 

"I want to be famous some day! " Maria began speaking excitedly. "I'll need a theme song, so my two best friends are working on it for me. "

"That's us, in case you couldn't guess, " Rian said, putting his arm around Zack, who immediately threw it off. 

"What about.... There's a story at the bottom of this bottle, and I'm a pen, " I sang softly. 

They all stared at me. "That's perfect! " Zack cheered. 

"And your voice is amazing! " Maria said, grinning. "Oh, you have to sing it with them. New part and all. " 

"Well... " I started, ready to say no. 

"Oh, please? " She clasped her hands together as she pleaded. 

"Oh, alright. But one time, okay?" I looked at Zack and Rian. 

"One, two, one, two three four, " Rian began. 

"I've got your picture, I'm coming with you. Dear, Maria, count me in. There's a story at the bottom of this bottle and I'm a pen, " We all sang. Afterwards, Zack, Rian, and Maria all started to laugh together. 

"That's amazing! " She said a little bit too loudly. 

I felt my face grow hot with both embarrassment and pride. Maybe not everyone in school hates me.