This is where it all ends.

The Uglies.

Middle school social politics are horrible.

Like, Death Horrible.

Contrary to popular belief, we aren't stupid, or ignorant, and we're really not innocent.

Compared to what people think.

Otherwise, most of us are sex-educated, inuenndo'd,  boy (or girl, or sport, or fandom) crazed maniacs.

Ha.

Beat that, elementary, we're so messed up that we're...

Nm.

I swear, the idea of something such as kindness simply for kindness' sake it's something social-pariah-esque.

I suppose that's what got me into this entire predicament.

I was kind.

-----

It was a few weeks after Mr. Avan Derek showed up in our classroom that I actually had a conversation with him.

I had my headphones in my ears during work time (so unusual for me, I know) and my pencil tapped on my desk as I tried to figure out the equation.

(3a•2)+3=20

What the heck is this?

And, being the good student that I am, I went up to the teacher.

And, being the horrible teacher that he was, shooed me off towards our resident "Help" section, which was sitting with his leather jacket on the floor and his eyes closed.

I walked over.

I stood there.

He kept his head thrown back.

I held my breath.

I walked away, or at least I started to.

And I heard a voice from behind me.

"Yes?"

I turned around.

"I was having trouble with problem twenty. Um..."

He cocked an eyebrow at me, amused.

"This is my problem... How exactly?"

"Because you're the TA."

"And...?"

I threw my hands in the air. "Because you're supposed to assist, it's in the freaking title!"

His eyes lost their amusement (And damn him, even then I wanted to make it come back).

"Tell me, when exactly did I give you the impression that I want to be here?"

"You didn't."

"Well then." He leaned back again and closed his eyes.

I started to walk away, then turned back. "But..."

He opened one eye. "But what?"

"If you truly don't want to be here, and you are, that means you fear the consequences of not being here."

He looked down, then up again, and gestured to me to continue.

"And, judging by your apparent 'badboy' air," I made air quotes as I said this, "then there's someone you're really scared of."

He remained impassive, and I smiled sweetly at him.

"Which means that if whoever you're scared of hears that you, the so-called 'Teacher's Assistant' isn't teaching or assisting, I don't think they'll be very happy, will they?"

I'll admit it, I may have smirked.

Take that.

He grumbled. "Give me the problem."

And then, he did it for me.

Ha.

-----

OKAY, OKAY. I wasn't very kind in this entry. But I will be.

Yeah.

Okay then.