Chapter 1: Routine
“Morning, Uncle Alfred” I greet as I enter the kitchen.
“Morning, I would offer you breakfast, but since you are running late, I guess breakfast is out of the question” Uncle Alfred says.
“You have guessed correctly” I say as I pour myself a glass of juice.
“Lucky for you, my child, I am always prepared” Uncle Alfred says as he hands me a lunch box.
“Peanut butter and grape jelly sandwich, a banana, and juice box, by the way, have you heard anything about my Mom?” I say.
“I hope you do not mind, but we ran out of juice, so I added a bottle of water, and she called me last night, she has a second job interview today, but she says she will be here just in time for dinner” Uncle Alfred says as I grab the lunch box.
“Water is fine, thanks, Uncle Alfred, I am happy to hear she returns tonight, anyway, gotta run, I’ll see you guys at dinner” I say.
“Have a nice day” Uncle Alfred says.
“You too, Uncle Alfred” I say as I head out of the kitchen.
**SIGH** I do not understand why my mother insists on getting a job in the city, when this town has the same job opportunities, true, the city might provide a better pay, better benefits, but still, all Mom wants is a job to help Dad pay the bills, so he can return home, go back to his a store manager in the music store, and the 3 of us can be together again. Yet again, I am speaking of my mother, one of the most materialists woman in the world, if she has to get a job, she would get one that met her requirements, she would never in any place, in any job position **SIGH** I guess the best thing for my Dad and I to do is let my mother be.
“For the thousand time this semester, you are late” Kenna says as I reach my locker.
“I am not late” I say as I unlock my locker.
**BELL RING** **BELL RING**
“You were saying?” Kenna says, I smile as I fetch my math book.
“So what’s the reason this time?” Kenna asks.
“I just got to be a little earlier doing my classes extra credit” I answer.
“Seriously, Ron, how much extra credit do you need? Is not like you are trying to enter to Yale, Princeton, or Harvard” Kenna says.
“You are right, I am trying to get accepted to Dartmouth, another Ivy League college that requires me to put a lot of effort to get accepted” I say.
“GPA of 4.0, president of the debate club, vocal at the student council, member of the literature club, president of the music club, and you have doing an extra work to get recommendation letters for since you arrived in this school, what else do you need?” Kenna asks.
“All the things that you just said, an admittance essay, I have to impress the director if the department, you know, 0 pressure at all” I answer.
“I shouldn’t have asked” Kenna says as we walk to math class.
“Morning, guys” Mr. Jones greets as he enters to the classroom.
“Morning, Mr. Jones” the class greets back.
“As you all know, we are a week away from Thanksgiving, and that could mean one thing” Mr. Jones says.
“Group assignment” we chant.
“Exactly, group assignment, like in the past, this assignment is a life savior, because you are going to get two grades and one of those grades is going to replace your lowest grade in the record, but this semester I have decided to shake things up, I am going to be the one assign the groups” Mr. Jones says.
“BOO” the class chants.
“If you had done an outstanding job in the past, I wouldn’t have to recur to me assign the groups, but if you insist on choosing your partners go ahead, but I warn you, you are candidates to graduation for next semester, and having two F in your record is not going to help you graduate, who wants to go first?” Mr. Jones says, I raise my arm.
“I have an even number, so you are not going to work on your own” Mr. Jones says and I lower my hand.
“Anyone wants to choose their partners?” Mr. Jones asks and the whole classroom stays quiet.
“Exactly, my thought, now, group A, Ellie, Ashley, Jason, Lee” Mr. Jones says, Ellie raises her hand.
“Complain and I will make an exception to my rule of nobody working alone” Mr. Jones says and Ellie lowers her hand.
“Group B, Terry, John, Albert, Janet, group C, Diana, Frank, Carol, Bernard, and group D, Rachel, Kenna, Marcus, and Anthony” Mr. Jones says and I sigh, working together with Anthony Miller, this couldn’t and can’t turn out to be good for me.
“And here I was a little worried that someone decided to make a move on my man” Ellie says and she just proved me right.
“Ellie, since you have so much to say, I guess you do not have any issues on explaining how you solved the equation I left as homework” Mr. Jones says.
“We had homework?” Ellie asks.
“Not amused, Miss Mathews, and since you do not have anything to say that’s related to the class, I do not want to hear you say another word, as for the rest of you, open your books on page 56” Mr. Jones says as he walks to the chalkboard.
**BELL RING** **BELL RING**
“Alright class, remember, if you have not turned in your homework you have until 3:00 PM to drop it on my desk, send it to my email, or leave it on my school mailbox, you need a motivation? Your graduation depends on it, also, the group assignment must be tuned in the Monday after the Thanksgiving weekend, no exceptions” Mr. Jones says as we gather all our stuff.
“Ronnie, Anthony, I need to see you after class” Mr. Jones says as the students start to exit the classroom.
“I am impressed, you have managed to do the extra credit with not issues, for so I'll give you the recommendation letters and the help you two need to get accepted in Dartmouth, here are two college applications, fill it, and bring them to me as soon as possible” Mr. Jones says as he hands us two envelopes .
“Thank you, Sir” I say.
“Thanks, Mr. Jones” Anthony says.
“I’ll see you guys tomorrow” Mr. Jones says and we head out of the classroom.
“Hmm, Rachel” Anthony calls and I look at him.
“I am supposed to be meeting Marcus at his place tomorrow after school to hang, I think it would be great for Kenna, Marcus, you, and I to get together so we can discuss all the details related to the group assignment” Anthony says.
“Sure, I’ll make sure to let Kenna know” I say.
“See you then” Antony says, I nod as I go on with my path.
I do not like group assignments, I am brain, my classmates know that, so most of them always try to have me in their group, so I do all the work and they get a good grade. Usually, I get out of them by talking to my teachers about doing the assignment alone, but when it comes to Mr. Jones, I've never managed to get my way, he says I have to improve my social skills, so he always sets me up to do the group assignments with different people, this time I got to work with Anthony Miller, please allow me to rephrase, I am going to be working with the most popular guy in school, which it is not good for my persona, why? You'll see.
I crash against someone and fall on my butt, that’s what I get for day dreaming and walking at the time.
“Ah, just in time, the brain that I was looking forward to talk to” Ellie says, and here is the reason why.
“I'll go to the point, I want Anthony to help me with my math assignment, I want you to be a good brain and do all the work, so Anthony has free time to help me, if I so hear Anthony say that he can not help me, because he has to work on his assignment, I'll make sure you spend the rest of the semester inside a locker, do I make myself clear?” Ellie says and I nod in agreement.
“Good nerd, next time, you better watch where you are going, you can not afford the dry cleaning on my clothing” Ellie says as she goes on with her path.
I sigh as I finish picking up my stuff.
The reason why working with Anthony is bad? Ellie wants to have Anthony’s attention and what a better way to achieve it, none other than playing dumb and getting his help. Bullying anyone who stands in the way.
**SIGH** I should have insisted on doing the assignment alone.
