The Movement

Chapter Three - Part 2

Troy clenched his fists so tightly his veins were popping out of his arms and his bottom teeth formed an under bite.

How dare he say that! How dare he say that! screamed Troy silently in his mind as he ground his teeth together.

He whipped his lanky body around, ready to swing at Tony’s fat face with all his anger. As he turned around he saw Tony’s large, bouncing behind waddling away in disgust. He so badly wanted to punish that ungrateful, spoiled-rotten brat. But Troy, realizing the situation, forced himself to cool down.

If I get myself into any trouble, he thought, I gamble that I could get caught being a homeless kid, and could be sent to an orphanage. Calm down, calm down.

Troy inhaled long and loud through his nose, exhaling with controlled breaths out through his mouth. After a half-minute, Troy regained control over his emotions and marched down the hallway to his first period class, looking straight ahead.

“Hey Kelli,” greeted Troy to his crush, taking a seat at his desk. “How’s it going?”

“Hi Troy,” she replied with excitement. She was friendly, yet curiously polite. “I’m doing pretty well, how did you do on your exam last week?”

“He graded those already?” asked Troy, surprised.

“Yep! I got a ninety-six! All that studying is paying off!” she bragged with a playful laugh.

“Nice work, Kelli. I’m gonna go show you much I learned,” stated Troy as he hustled over to the teacher’s desk.

“Mr. Downs, may I please see my exam from last week?” he asked politely.

“Troy! Of course!” he replied.

Mr. Downs, a heavyset, bald, jovial fellow in his middle-aged years shuffled through the stack of student exams. Upon finding Troy’s exam, he returned it back to Troy with a smile of satisfaction.

“Well done, Troy. Keep up the good work, I’m proud of you,” he smiled.

“Thank you, Mr. Downs, I’ll keep focused,” replied Troy.

“I know you will, I have no doubt in my mind you’ll make a fine CEO or doctor one day,” he complimented.

“I sure hope so! I’d like that!” exclaimed Troy with pride as he walked back to his seat.

“So, how’d you do? What’d you get?” asked Kelli, suspiciously.

“Ninety-eight, baby!” he bragged, fist-pumping his elbow to his waist.

“Dang it, Troy!” she laughed, “One of these days, I’ll beat you. I will.”

“Well, it’ll happen eventually, you’re always pretty close but never get the cigar!” responded Troy with a titter.

The two laughed it off together. Each was proud of their work. Mr. Downs ascended from his desk chair and walked to the front of the room.

“Alright, class!” he shouted over the chatter. “So, you’ve all received your tests, right? Alright, good. Let’s begin today’s lesson now.”

Troy sat in his seat with perfect posture and listened, but his mind drifted off.

He thought about Mr. Downs’s praise, Could I really become a CEO of a major business? Oh, the prestige and wealth that would come with that powerful position! My father would be so proud of me if he were still here! That’s what I want to do, to make my father proud. I will strive to become what he always encouraged me to become. I will never need to attend those rallies; I will get out of the slums and work my way up the money ladder!