Gigged by Heath Gibson

Author:Heath Gibson
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: young adult, teen fiction, fiction, teen, teen fiction, teenager, angst, military, ROTC
Publisher: North Star Editions
Published: 2011-11-09T00:00:00+00:00

alpha-foxtrot

Radars go off like crazy when I walk into Mr. Marsh’s room. Twenty-two brains and forty-four eyes switch on, find me, and try to figure out what they should do, what to believe. Of course, some have already decided.

Like Michael Chilton, third row, second seat. And Misty Hariel, fifth row, third seat. Both press buttons on their cell phones like they’re about to burst into flame. Guess they have the responsibility of giving the play by play for first period. They’re the only two not looking at me.

Step toward my desk at the back of the second row. Eyes track me, even Mr. Marsh’s. He’s still standing by the door waiting for me sit down. A few words between me and Chris Walker days ago in the hall, and he watches me like I’m loaded with grenades. And the rest of the class watches me like I’m a rattlesnake in the corner of the room. They should know they don’t have to. I don’t have the same problem with them as with Chris. So for now, they’re safe.

Get to my desk and drop my bag off my shoulders. Turn to sit down. Lesley Murray stops writing and covers her paper with both arms. That’s fine. Like I don’t know what she’s writing about.

Sit down, face the front. As soon as I do, Mr. Marsh says, “Class, up here.”

Most of the heads in the room snap to the front, but a few still linger behind. So Mr. Marsh says, “Class, please.”

The rest of the heads turn, and so does mine.

————

Mrs. Hernandez guides me out of the office at Rabun Creek Middle School where she just finished signing a bunch of forms for me—forms my mother would have signed. But now Mrs. Hernandez does that stuff, at least until she finds me a foster family.

Mrs. Hernandez’s heels click on the tile floor and her perfume wraps around me like a cloud. “Now Jasonito, I know you’re nervous, but it’s going to be fine, just fine.”

“Yeah,” is all I say back.

The halls are empty because school has already started, and that makes it easy for us to navigate the hallways. Not that Mrs. Hernandez would have any trouble. She does this all the time, she says. Wish I could feel as comfortable as she does.

She stops about halfway down Hall D and places a hand on my shoulder. “Room 32 is just down there. I’ll let you go the rest of the way, O.K.?”

I nod.

She steps away, and I turn toward the classroom. Don’t move though.

“Jasonito, go ahead. Really, it will be O.K. You have to do this.”

She’s right. I do. But that doesn’t mean I can’t take my time about it.

“Oh, and here.” Mrs. Hernandez gives me a Post-it note with “Bus 24” written on it. “The bus will drop you off at Honeywell House.”

I take the note and put it in my pocket.

“See you this afternoon. Have a good day.” Her white teeth beam between her bright red lips. She waves and walks away.

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