(no subject)
The final bell rang informing anyone in the halls that they were tardy and depending on the teacher counted as absent. Students started to break the second commandment of schools: Thou shalt not run withing the hallways of thine school. A few were so bold as to break the first, thou shalt not interrupt classes. No one really cared about either anyways, except for the grumpy old hall monitor, but even he did not care today, today was an exception, it was the holy day of schools. Friday.
Bert walked confidentially into class, three minutes late, but Mister Burick, his psychology teacher, never cared if you were late unless you had bad grade in the class, which Bert did not. However, today was not Bert's lucky day.
“You are late!” A snappy voice addressed Bert, bringing with it the eyes of every student in the class. “Name please!”
“Bert Bonaparte.” He sighed and took his seat, they had a substitute teacher today, being late today counted against him. He heard some snickers. The star of the class was the only one late.
“Eh-hum!” The substitute silenced the snickers. “I am Mrs. Amy Brost. You will address me as Mrs. Brost or Madam.” She let out a dry cough before continuing. “I am a professor at Ontario University . Mister Burick was a student of mine when he was at the university. Has has been inflicted with the flu and called me to substitute for his psychology classes.”
She went on about how well educated she was, but Bert did bother paying heed to her speech. Some schools could get substitutes from different states if they were close to the boarder. They had substitutes com from different countries. A few whispers brought to Mrs. Brost's attention that half the class was no longer listening.
“Excuse me!” She snapped. “I don't know how Mister Burick runs the class, but I demand your attention when I am speaking!” Her statement only succeeded losing even more of the audience. The elderly woman quickly became flustered and her face reddened with anger.
“Madam Brost?” Bert raised his hand.
“What!”
“Maybe it would be best if you just gave us our assignment?” Bert offered, hoping to cool the wrath of the grayed woman.
“I don't need a disrespectful, late student telling me hot to run my class!” She shot back angrily, but knew that what Bert said was the best course of action. “Class Mister Burick let me with these instructions. 'Have the class separate into groups of two. One will share a story of something that occurred recently. His or her partner will then analyze what was said using what we learned in chapter five.' You heard what he said.. never mind.” She stopped after realizing that the entire class was already in their groups. “I will be at the desk if any of you have questions.”
Gene had skillfully made his way over to Bert's table before anyone else could claim him. “Hallo, good to see that you wanted me to be your partner.”
“Yes, next time you can just... never mind. So which one of us is going to be the story teller?” Bert thumbed through his psychology book looking for chapter five. “I could ask you what is going on between you and Nikki.”
“That wouldn't be fun.” Gene grimaced. “Besides Cherie already analyzed that one Monday. How about you and Angela?” Gene had been bugging Bert all week about Angela. Bert had been able to ignore him most of the time, but today Gene had been especially relentless.
“Fine.” Bert finally caved in under Gene's pleading looks. “What do you want to know?”
“Something simple, I don't feel like trying hard to analyze you,” Gene answered quickly, “How about how you met.”
“Uh, I sort of just ran into her one day.” Bert offered, trying to get off the hook.
“Oh come on. You are in psych.” Gene was not going to let him off. “You can be more descriptive than that.”
“Um, actually, I kinda did literally run into her. I was running late for class one day, and naturally was running to get to class so I wouldn't be counted absent. I ran right into her.”
“”Right, so it was love at first sight.”
“Not really, I picked up her books for her and ran to class.” Bert shrugged and finally found the right page in the book.
“Took you long enough.” Gene looked down at the book across from him. “And then what?”
“Pretty much I forgot the whole incident until after school, when she yelled 'guy that runs into people!' at me when I was waiting for the bus.”
“So the girl is after the guy, sounds like she desperate.” Gene interjected his thoughts about Bert's story.
“She wasn't desperate!”
“I'm sure.”
“Gene...”
“Please continue.”
“Well, it turns out she takes the same bus home, and we started to talk . We connected really well and so Monday afternoon she asked me to go to the football game, which need I remind you how you wrecked the date?”
“Hmm, we know who wears the pants of this relationship.” Gene grinned causing Bert to frown annoyed at Gene.
“So what is your analysis Dr. Freud.?”
Gene pretended to take a pipe out of his mouth; he puffed a few imaginary clouds of smoke for effect. “I'd say, young man.” His voice dropped from mock serious to sad. “That my little Berty has grown up so fast. I remember when I was changing your diapers and...”
Gene was silenced by a killing look from the substitute. “And according to Freud's theories, you are a normal teenage guy.” He quickly recovered from the bout of goofing off; the substitute nodded and returned to the book she was reading. Bert grinning broadly.
“Karma, my secret weapon.”
“Shut up, you know Mister Burick loves my humor.”
“But he isn't here today.” Bert retorted, he looked at the clock, they still had a good portion of time before the break in the block period. “Well, guess what.”
“What?”
“Your turn.” Bert replied with a snicker. He pulled out his worn note book so that he could 'take notes'.
“I am not that interesting.” Gene protested, taking his own look at the clock. He could not stall for enough time till break.
“Um, you could tell me about you and Nikki.” Bert offered. “Maybe I could help you out.”
“Nothing is going on!” Gene had just had the same conversation with Rob on Monday before the game.
“Right.” Bert entered his usual analytical tone. “Rob told me about the incident in history class, then you decided not to come to the table at lunch that day, and after the game you sat as far as you could from her at Starbucks. Need I remind you about the question you asked?”
“Also, I have been avoiding the topic and Nikki all week.” Gene finished for Bert. Bert nodded. “Okay, something is going on, but Cherie already analyzed it on Monday.”
“She has a 'C' in this class, I have an 'A'.” Bert stated a-matter-a-factly.
“Fine!” Gene withdrew his protests. “Pretty much I noticed her when she came to that one game for the school newspaper.”
“The fancy senior caught the buff sophomore's eyes?” Bert teased and wrote something down in his notes . Gene craned his neck trying to see what Bert wrote, but was thwarted by Bert covering the notebook with the over-sized psychology book, “Anyways, continue.”
“So I asked around about her, and found out she actually was in the same AP History class as I was, so I got myself moved near her.” Gene paused gnawing his lip for a second. “Then of course, there was the whole 'agape incident'.”
“That juicy piece of gossip kept people interested for all of what, two days?” Bert interrupted again.
“I just don't have the guts to ask her out, or even talk to her.” Gene started to direct his story towards himself rather than Bert. “I still think that Jon person and her were together.”
This time the glare shot at Bert; substitute was less than happy at the near uncontrolled laughter. It took a couple seconds for Bert to calm down. “Mister Bonaparte if I hear another peep from you, Mister Burick will be informed of your childish behavior towards me!”
“Yes madam.” Bert nodded and spied the clock again; seconds till break.
“Okay class, despite the disrespectful behavior I will let you go on break for ten minutes. I expect all of you to be back on time!” The substitute sighed as there was a mad rush to the door. Every student wanted to get out of the classroom. block days were bad enough, but block days with substitutes were terrible. Gene and Bert sneaked out before the substitute could give them yet another disappointed glare.
~***~
Rob looked from face to face, he had been around long enough to know the name of each of the relieved students escaping from the psychology room. He was looking for two, but several had stopped for a moment to talk to the junior.
“Hey Rob.” Cherie decided she was not as thirsty as she had thought when she spotted Rob leaning against the brick wall. “You waiting for someone?”
“Yeah.” Rob looked over Cherie, still hunting for the pair. He figured that Cherie knew who he was attempting to spot. “They here today?”
“Yep, you know Gene, he could never be absent and ruin his football, smart kid image, and Bert is sort of a teacher pet. Don't tell him I said that.” Cherie shrugged. “He have a sub today and they kinda were getting themselves in trouble with the grouchy old lady.
“Must be a mean sub if Gene and Bert got on her bad side.” Rob took a brief glance back at Cherie. “Think they got held up in the classroom?”
“Possibly.” She stopped and looked back to the classroom door to spot Gene and Bert sneaking their way out of the the classroom. “Well, looks like they didn't.” Cherie waved bye to rob and sprinted off to get her desired drink of water.
Bert noticed Rob waving for them to head over to him, and dragged Gene along over to the brick wall. “You and your off periods. Why are you even here this early?”
“Bored at home I guess.” Rob shrugged and turned to Gene. “ So what's up?”
“Nothing much, just glad to get out of that room for a little while.” Gene responded glancing back to receive yet another disapproving glare from the substitute.” I don't think she likes me, I hope Mister Burick comes back Monday.”
“Subs don't like anyone, they only do it for the money.” Rob added his wisdom to the discussion. “Hey, I almost forgot. The Christmas Dance is tomorrow.” The other two turned their attention to the construction paper sign sloppily hung on the wall. “Anyone going?”
“Angela is taking me.” Bert cringed; he have never liked going to dances, especially with other people.
“Bert, Bert...” Rob shook his head in a fatherly manner. “That girl is going to run your life.”
“She already does.” Gene snickered.
“And are you going?”
“Uh, yeah.” Gene stammered . He should not have taken that clever poke at Bert.
“Hmm.” Rob reentered the conversation, “So who is the lucky girl that has a date with Vernon High's star wide receiver?”
“Uh.... haven't asked her yet.”
“You are suicidal, aren't you?” Bert rolled his eyes. Rob looked baffled at the comment, but quickly came to realization of what Bert was referring to.
“You are going to ask Nikki.”
Gene only nodded in answer, and was saved from further commentaries by the substitute's holler down the hall. Break was over. Gene and Bert waved by the Rob and stalked back to class. They were not exactly joyous to return to the stagnant room. Class dragged on for another hour before the bell rang, easing the suffering of the students. Fortunately, it was the last class of the day and every student sprang from their seats and out of their classes to catch the buses that would take them from school to their homes.
~***~
The bus ride was incredibly boring. Angela had to stay after school, so Bert had to go home with only his brother to talk to. He would have stayed but his parents had work that would make them unavailable to pick him up after Angela was done doing freshman council business. Probably was setting up the gym for the dance tomorrow night. Bert just sat quietly staring out the window, ignoring his little brother, Jeremy, talk about his day, the life of a freshman so free and easy. Bert began to drift to sleep, the blurred houses and fields hypnotizing him.
“Ow!” a yelp from beside him, and the sudden bump that gave most students a small bit of air separating them from their seats, snapped Bert back from his dazed world. The driver had hit a pot hole at high speed. Naturally, a cheer of excitement erupted from the back. The bus became alive with conversation again.
“I see our driver wants to get home like the rest of us.” Bert muttered off-handedly. His attention returned to the window.
“So, which of our parental units are you going to convince to take you to the Christmas dance tomorrow?” Jeremy defeated whatever chances Bert had of going to sleep again.
“Not that it matters to you.” Bert responded flatly.
“Sure, that either means you haven't decided, or you don't need to ask them.” Jeremy smiled smugly.
“When were you the psychology student?” Bert was surprised. Normally, Jeremy did not catch on so quickly. “Um, Gene's parents are taking Gene, Angela, possibly Nikki, and myself.”
“Possibly, Nikki?”
“Well, that depends on two important things.” Bert stated. “Gene getting the guts to ask her, and her saying yes.”
“It is hard to tell which one is less likely to happen.” Jeremy shrugged. “By what you have told me, Gene is going to cower away from asking her.”
“Yeah.”
“Maybe, you should 'help' him.” Jeremy grinned.
“For some reason I doubt he will let me.”
“Yo, Bonaparte boys. Your stop!” The bus driver hollered from the front of the bus. Bert and Jeremy quickly stood up from their seats; grabbing their back packs. They waved to classmates that they would not see until Monday. As soon as they had stepped off the bus. It took off to deliver the rest of the school worn students. Bert was right. The driver wanted to get to his weekend as well.
Bert judged from the lack of cars in front of the house neither of their parents were home. The duo trekked around to the back of the house where a spare key was kept. Within a few moments they were able to enter the dark house. As soon as they turned on the lights, homework was sprawled upon the living room table.
“I have a plan. Thanks Jeremy.” Bert jumped up from his math homework, leaving a rather confused younger brother sitting there. He grabbed the phone from the kitchen and quickly dialed a number.
“Hello?” Finally came after seven rings.
“Is Nikki there, this is Bert Bonaparte.”
“One second.” Bert could here whoever was talking yell for Nikki, and the eventual hand off of the phone.
“Hey Bert! What's up?”
“I was wondering if you wanted to go out for lunch with Jon and I tomorrow?” Bert would have to convince Jon later, but right now he needed to hook in Nikki.
“Sure, I guess, uh.. call me tomorrow I have lots of homework to do.”
“Ditto, talk to you tomorrow, bye Nikki.”
“Bye.”
“One down, two to go.” Bert hung up and began to dial Jon's number. While the long rings echoed in his head. He listened to the afternoon news on the TV, which Jeremy had just turned on to distract him from his own homework.
“Russian officials still can not explain the bizzare maulings happening at the St. Petersburg docks. The bodies found are covered with rips and tears from what authorities call claws. However, investigators are still puzzled as to why a beast as large as this would have to be, would be so close to a populated region. Other disturbing events are reported as to have survivors of the brutal attacks disappearing. The Russian government has cut off any ships leaving St. Petersburg. The final ship out at sea will arrive in the US on....”
The monotonous voice was finally cut off by Jeremy changing the channel to afternoon cartoons. Bert returned his attention to waiting for Jon to pick up.