by Rich Scribes
“Oh, well, if you ever need a teaching assistant let me know,” Saige smiled at the teacher almost forgetting how crazy she could be. “You know, my mom wants me to drop the class.” He blurted out not knowing why.
“Oh, that is too bad. Does she have her reasons behind it?”
“Not really. She said that this class won’t help me get into a good college.”
“Well, she makes sense, I suppose. Except that,” She paused as she walked around her desk to stand next to Saige. “You could make a career out of Astronomy. You could be a teacher, work for NASA, or pursue a great many other things. Ultimately is has to be your decision.” At least Ms. Golta advised him that it was his decision to make, and listed some of the opportunities that were out there.
“You believe in this alien stuff?”
“I believe, yes. It’s a big universe. Just because we haven’t found them or they haven’t found us, doesn’t mean they don’t exist.”
“I’ll have to give you two thumbs up on that one.” Saige said. With that said the bell rang.
“I’m sorry, Mr. Solars, I have kept you from your next class. Let me get you a hall pass,” She said and she walked back around her desk and moved a piece of paper and there stood a stack of yellow hall passes. She started to fill one out, “What class do you have now?”
“Gym…” Saige started, but remembered it was an off day and he only had gym every other day. “I mean study hall. Sorry, forgot what day it was.”
“No worries.” She said, and she filled out the hall pass properly. Saige took the hall pass and was on his way.
Saige walked slowly in the hallways. He had a pass and really didn’t want to go to study hall. He decided to take the scenic route to study hall when he was stopped, by no other than Principal Anderson.
“Mr. Solars, fancy running into you again.”
“Before you lecture me, look…” Saige flashed the hall pass to the principal. The principal quickly took it from him and examined it.
“Get going,” The principal handed Saige back the hall pass, and Saige went to study hall.
Saige walked into study hall, and handed the teacher the pass. He then took a vacant seat in the back of the class room, took out a notebook and a pen, and started working on his essay for Astronomy.
“I’m sorry I’m late, but I switched classes to have a study hall this period.” A soft voice made Saige look up and he saw Felicia standing in front of the room talking to the teacher. He rolled his eyes and looked back down to continue his work. He kept working on his paper until he heard a chair move next to where he was sitting. He looked up and saw Felicia sitting right next to him.
“Hey,” she whispered.
“Hey,” Saige replied and went back to attending to his assignment.
“Listen…how are you doing? I saw what happened.” She whispered.
“Fine,” Saige mumbled.
“That was nice what you did for that kid.” She continued.
“Well, someone had to do it, since everyone was gawking like it was a TV special.” Saige stated, though not with confidence.
“I don’t agree with what they do, or how they are treated around the school,” she said quietly. Saige didn’t want to hear her viewpoint. She was basically the enemy because she was dating one of ‘them’.
“So, why do you just stand there?” it was hard to yell at her, she was beautiful.
“Um…the last time I checked I tried to stop Brandon from jumping into that fight,” She fired back.
“Where were you to stop the sidekick from punching me in the stomach?”
“I’m really sorry.”
“Well, that isn’t going to help me get out of detention, will it?” Saige muttered angrily before flipping to a blank page on his notebook.
“What? Really? Why?”
“Quiet, please! This is study hall,” The teacher announced, “Not lunch.”
“Are you serious? You didn’t do anything wrong.” Felicia whispered.
“Yeah, well, the jocks are untouchable,” Saige replied. Felicia fell silent and looked down at her desk. “It must be nice to be part of the student body that doesn’t get into trouble, huh?” Saige continued, and then looked down at his note book and continued to write his Astronomy paper.
When the bell rang, Felicia was the first one out the class room, but Saige took his time and packed his things. The rest of the day went smoothly. No confrontations with the jerk squad. He was thankful the rest of the day was a normal day of school. He didn’t have to go to therapy that day so he walked home. He had to tell his mother that he hadn’t dropped the class and that he had detention with the principal the following day. He wasn’t eager to tell her anything that happened during school during the day, but he knew that she would find out, so he might as well get it out of the way.
When he walked into his house he was lucky enough to find the house vacant. His mother was probably still working. He decided to finish the Astronomy paper that he started in study hall. He went upstairs to his bedroom and logged into his computer. He determined that doing the rest of the paper on Frank Polaroski would be interesting. Anyone that would get fired from his job at a college due to his belief in extra-terrestrials was worth writing about.
Saige pulled up his favorite search engine and searched for the professor, and what he found was a blog that the professor had started, surprisingly enough the professor had started the blog just a few weeks ago. Frank Polaroski’s insight on aliens was impressive. He claimed that aliens could have various powers from telekinesis to super speed. He further claimed that aliens were smarter than the most intelligent educated human. The blog asserted that Polaroski had seen some aliens in action. That was of course when the last article of the blog. Saige had enough information from the blog to write a paper, and of course he needed to site professor Polaroski for the research. That wasn’t a problem. Saige eagerly began to type when he heard the door open and close downstairs, followed by “Saige I’m home with food.”
Saige started to walk downstairs, dreading the moment that was going to come.
“You hungry? I bought Italian for dinner.” His mother said as he entered the kitchen.
“Yeah, and I have to tell you something…”
“What is it honey? Oh, and did you drop the class?”
“Oh, well, I have to tell you two somethings.”
“What did you do?” She stopped taking the food out of a brown paper bag.
“Well, the first one is what I didn’t do.”
“I told you to drop the class! Why didn’t you…” She started and stopped because she was becoming angry. Saige didn’t know why. It wasn’t a big deal to stay in the class a day or a week or however long he wanted to.
“Well, the reason for that is because I forgot. And I forgot because… well, I got into a fight at school.” He said as quickly as his mouth could let him, to just to get it out of the way.
“You what! What has gotten into you?” She yelped.
“There was this kid getting bullied! I couldn’t just let it happen.”
“And what happened after that?”
“I have detention after school tomorrow.”
“But you have therapy tomorrow.” His mom grumbled.
“Mom, it isn’t fair. They started it! I didn’t even land a punch.”
“It is important that you keep your sessions.”
“Oh, yeah, and another thing is that I’m okay,” Saige muttered. “You know what? I lost my appetite.” Saige went upstairs. He didn’t want to see his mother at all. The therapist wasn’t even helping him. The sole reason that he went to her was to unlock his past, to get him to remember, and all she did was steer him away from that. Saige’s mother made her way upstairs. Saige could hear every creak of the steps as she made her way up. She made her way to his door frame and knocked on the molding.
“May I come in?” She asked gently.
“Your name is on the mortgage. Do what you want.” Saige adv
ised, and his mother walked into the room.
“Listen, I’m sorry. Your sessions are to help get your memory back.”
“Not to spy on me? How many times has she told you what I told her?” Saige spat out angrily. His mother didn’t answer.
“I need to know what is going on with you, that’s all.”
“Here is a tip…ask me! I have nothing to hide. All I remember is the past two years, and not even that much. You say we have moved three times the past two years, but why can’t I remember any of the schools that I’ve gone to? Or even remember meeting any friends? At least we have stayed long enough at this place to actually get me into trouble.”
“I’m sorry, honey, I really am. But you know my job has me traveling all over the place.”
“Well, sorry doesn’t help me at all.” Saige said.
“Just try and get out of that detention, okay?”
“Are you serious? That is all you’re worried about?” Saige said in frustration.
“You need your sessions, dear.” She said as she walked out of the room giving Saige no time for rebuttal. He was left shocked and angry. He really wanted to tell her off, but didn’t want to waste the energy. He stood up and closed the door. He went to finish his homework but was to mad to even concentrate on the task, so he went to take a nap to try and sleep the anger and frustration away.
Saige awoke to the sound of his alarm. He rubbed his eyes to clear the grogginess. He’d slept through the rest of yesterday. All that frustration must have absorbed a lot of energy from him. He got up and went to get ready. When he went down stairs he saw a note taped onto the refrigerator. The yellow post-it had a red inked directive saying that he was to drop the class without fail or excuse. With each passing day that she kept bothering him with this the more he was going to resist it. He tossed the note into the trash. He grabbed his backpack and went out the door and headed to school.
When he entered the school he went directly to homeroom. He didn’t want to have any trouble caused by anyone else. The freshman that he saved the day before was trying to catch up to him, but Saige wasn’t in the mood. He couldn’t shake off his annoyance with his mother and why she didn’t want him to take the course and why she was more worried about the sessions rather than asking why he was in detention. So again he was going to do what any teenage child would do: disobey their parent. He wasn’t’ going to drop the class. He was going to continue with the class until his mother found out and forced him to drop it. He smirked at the idea, and then the bell rang to advise the students that school was about to start. Saige stood up from his seat and went to his first class of that day instead of going to his guidance counselor to change his schedule.
Once he was in Astronomy he took out his assignment from the day before, and he was surprised that the rest of the class actually did the assignment. Ms. Golta seemed to be really happy about the turnout of completed homework. Ms. Golta was in such a great mood that she announced that there would be no homework that night. The class cheered. The topic of conversation was still aliens and the class still engaged in the topic. The new part of today was alien planets, and what type of environment would they live in. Saige did wonder about it a little, but he wanted to get back on track with the class. He wanted to talk about the Mars rover or black holes and stuff of that nature.
As the bell rang the class was in the middle of a rather heated discussion about alien physicality.
“So, Mr. Solars, you didn’t drop my class. Your mom had a change of heart?” Ms. Golta asked as Saige neared her desk.
“Well, you can say that.” Saige lied.
“I’m glad. We are going to get into Astronomy. Trust me. I just needed to get the class more excited about it. Now that they are we can move on.” She said as she smiled at him.
“Yeah, I’m glad. Listen, I have to get to my next class,” Saige said as he moved towards the door.
“Okay, I look forward to reading your paper.”
“You’ll probably like it. It’s on that professor that was fired from the Arizona College.” Saige was almost out the door.
“Frank Polaroski?” There was something in her tone that had Saige turning back.
“Yeah, you know him?”
“Yes…yes I do. I was his student teacher when I was doing my teaching degree.” She paused and seemed lost in her thoughts for a moment. “I heard he went crazy.”
“Well, it is true. He was fired from his job… but all that is in my essay. I have to go.” Saige said and left quickly. He didn’t want to run into Principal Anderson.
Saige barely made it on time to gym class; he changed into his gym clothes and made it on time for attendance. He should have realized his error the moment he saw they were climbing ropes and doing pull ups. Having the upper body strength of a wimp, he fully expected to make a complete fool of himself. And, of course, Felicia was there. She glanced his way a few times but stayed with her little clique of friends.
Saige stood in line hoping that the class would end before he had to climb the rope, but of course that wasn’t the case. The line was moving fast, and a sense of dread pooled in his stomach as the rope dangled mocking him from the ceiling. No one had made it to the top yet, only half way. Finally, it was his turn to climb the rope.
“Glad that you could do the laundry.” The gym teacher said.
“Oh, since you threaten me with that zero I knew I had to step my laundry game up.” Saige swallowed hard as he looked up at the rope. The rope seemed to dangle precariously over a layer of padding that wasn’t thick enough to prevent major injury if someone fell.
“What happens if I get another zero today?”
“Well, then you would have to make up six classes along with this one, so that would put you at a fail.” The gym teacher stated.
“Oh, wow, way to put the pressure on me,” Saige mumbled as he stepped up to the rope and grabbed it. He was just going to have to make a fool out of himself today. He glanced to his left and saw Felicia staring at him. This couldn’t get any worse than it had. Here it goes he thought… but then he pulled up. Again and again. Hand over hand, and with so much ease. His body was doing it. He continued to climb, faster and faster. He was going to be the first one to get to the top; he even smirked at the thought. When he made it all the way to the top of the rope, he rang the bell, and almost immediately he heard clapping below. Saige looked down, and all of the sudden the ground became a blur. He started to lose grip of the rope and started to free fall, he let out an ‘oh no’. Saige saw the ground inching closer and closer to him as he fell face first. He thought he was going to land like that, but then when he was about to hit, he didn’t. He was hovering over the padded mat as if he were floating. Stunned as he was he was aware of all the kids staring at him in amazement. Quickly he dropped the extra foot to the mat. The human mind being what it is everyone assumed their brain played a trick on them. No one wanted to seem crazy, so no one mentioned it.
“Are you alright???” Felicia ran over to Saige to check on him.
“Yeah, Mr. Solars, are you alright?” The gym teacher chimed in as he kneeled over Saige in concern. Saige didn’t know what to say. He was in shock. What just happened? Was it a dream? Everything around him was just a blur, and all of the voices around him were just mumbles. A movement did catch his eye: Ms. Golta was walking down the bleachers and leaving the gym. A shake of his shoulders brought him back to a normal state.
“Saige! Are you alright?” Felicia asked again. Saige shook his head, and knew that he needed to come up with a story, or some type of small injury.
“Yeah, I think.” He said but then he groaned. “Ouch!”
“What is it?” The gym teacher asked in concern.
“I think I hurt my shoulder or something,” Saige lied. “You know, I landed right on it.”
“Dude, what just happened?” A kid shouted from the circle that was formed around Saige.
“Come on, we need to get you to the nurse. You need to have that shoul
der checked.” Paige nodded in agreement and went with the gym teacher to the nurse’s office.
In the nurse’s office she proclaimed that there weren’t any injuries to Saige and that it was just probably discomfort from the fall that had caused him to think there was. The gym teacher agreed and walked Saige back to the gym so that he could get his stuff ready. The nurse did call Paige’s mother to come pick him up. Fortunately for Saige she was on lunch break, and was able to get out of work early.
Saige did wait with the nurse when his mother arrived.
“Saige are you alright???” was how she greeted him when she arrived.
“Yeah mom, just a little fall in gym class. You know, for dramatic effect.”
“Let me talk to the nurse before we get out of here,” She said. Saige nodded his head, and waved good bye to the nurse before he waited outside the office.
Once she came out of the office his mother smiled at him, “She said that you are alright. Maybe a little shaken up, but that is it.”
“Mom, I’m alright.” He lied. What in the world had just happened just an hour ago? This was something that he had to keep to himself until he figured it out.
“Well, that is good then. Let’s take you to your therapy session.
“What??? After all this? I’m not going.”
“Saige, not here. Please.” His mother pleaded as she saw the nurse come out of her office to check on the both of them.
“Is everything okay?”
“Yes, I’m about to take him home,” Saige’s mother lied.
“Yeah, right.” He muttered. “Hold it, Ms. Alkerman. Is my head supposed to hurt?”
“Well, no, dear. You may have suffered a minor concussion if you hit your head. Perhaps you should go to the hospital if the headaches continue.”
“I don’t think he has a concussion. He may just have a minor headache. I will take him to the hospital to check him out.” Saige’s mother said as she grabbed his arm, knowing full well that her son was acting up trying to get out of therapy, and started to walk down the hall. The nurse looked at both of them suspiciously, and went back into her office.
