A new week has started, and all of us are gathered in the gym for assembly. The principal went over some things, now that spring is in the air, and that meant testing. Lots of testing. Especially for the freshmen class. Sophomores, juniors, and seniors are exempt from testing, if they passed all the requirements from freshman, but there was a catch. Sophomores had the easy one; English. Juniors had to take a math and English portion, along with another essay portion, and seniors had to take History, English and Math proficiency tests in order to get their diplomas and graduate. And classes were canceled depending on the grades, since the freshman testing almost took a week to complete, and sophomores did their English. Juniors take theirs until May, and seniors follow behind the freshman.
For the Freshman they had Science, History, Math, and English, a big essay writing, and a required career path evaluation. Seniors also get that same career path evaluation in May, before graduation, and its a requirement.
ACT and SAT are part of that testing if college is an option, and its for seniors. Juniors have that option, and the principal and the guidance counselors all encouraged us to take those tests as well. And seniors in the ROTC class take the ASVAB test.
And for seniors, their big day is fast approaching; graduation. They had to put in their caps and gowns orders before the middle of April, with their respective counselors, and put down a deposit. I looked at Tristan, and he had a single tear roll down his cheek, and he looked ready to cry, all the while he looked forward at the gym. We only had one more year of high school, then we part our ways. I soon felt a lump in my throat form.
And I don't know how long Zack and Jesse are going to be out of school, since their upcoming testing week follows after the freshman, and if they don't pass, they don't graduate.
Ryo tapped my shoulder, and pointed to a boy who was looking my way. It was the kid from my Calculus class. He did the same thing he did back in class, before looking forward at the gym. I don't know how he picked me out of these hundreds of kids in a nearly packed gym, that got it's start of only handling 30 kids. It's now 200+! I couldn't even find Sequoia in all this crowd! Or for that matter, Dylan. Ash, Rae, and Ryo sat behind Tristan and I, while Shaun sat in front of us, and we sat at the middle part of the bleachers, on the raised platform. Shaun took ahold of my arm and let me rest them on his shoulders, so that I leaned forward over him, on his muscular shoulders.
Soon, they talked about the two students, and that this is the first time in the school's history that they had to be suspended over a fight. Not like that last one where someone supposedly brought a gun to school, but I guess that's a false alarm because it was actually an impact wrench a student brought for Auto Shop. But they said it's not unusual since trade kids always brought their tools from home, but they had to be careful with them, and keep them locked.
It's actually rare here that kids steal from one another, or from the teacher. Unlike some schools where some of these kids tell horror stories about.
And now, the principal's talking once more to the seniors, before handing the mic to the senior counselors, who is now telling them to get started on their graduation packets, and their school souvenirs.
Finally, before they close, they told us the spring dance and prom are also coming up, and juniors and seniors are encouraged to help set up for the upcoming events. Actually, anyone can help, especially for the upcoming spring dance.
Didn't I say I couldn't pick out any student? I actually saw Kazuya, and Kim. Kazuya, in a corner, surrounded by kids mostly older than him, and Kim, surrounded by girls. Kazuya simply looked ahead at the gym floor, as if though he didn't want to be bothered with, while Kim flirted with the girls who sat around him. Two of the seniors threw their wadded up paper balls at Kazuya, who just seemed to take it all in stride, but it only made the boys seemed agitated that he took it like a champ.
Soon, assembly was done, and Kazuya was the first to get up, and pushed his bangs back. Some of the kids looked his way, even Kim. He casually walked his way down the bleachers, making loud footsteps while the metal and plastic frames rattled under his weight, and I could feel the vibration of my seat as he walked past. With the flip of his hair, he blended in with other kids below as we all filed out the doors, and back to our classes. Tristan held onto my waist, while Ryo and Shaun held onto each sides of my arms, so that we didn't lose one another, before we had to separate for our classes once we got into the commons area.
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I bit into a hamburger at lunch as Tristan and his friend sat at my table, and they were watching me eat.
"Who are you taking to the dance?" The kid asked, popping a piece of tater tot into his mouth, and began crunching loudly.
"The dance's not until 2 1/2 weeks away. Besides, there's more boys than girls at this school." I told him, still chewing on my burger. True, there are way more boys than girls, and the juniors have even less girls, followed by the seniors.
The freshman had even more girls than boys, however...
"He's hot, isn't he?" Tristan asked his friend, then grabbed his arm. His eyes seemed to sparkle as he asked that question. I found myself flicking my head more than often, since my bangs now fell over my eyes. It took some getting used to, but I like it. A lot.
"I don't know. I've only seen him for the first time. At least he's different. In this lunch period at least." he says, then chomps down on his burger while washing it all down with regular milk.
Kind of like Rae back at that burger joint. And he still does it from time to time.
"Oh, come on. Don't say that. It'll break my heart if you say such things to my Elliot." Tristan says, then grabbed some of his friend's tater tots, and popped them into his mouth.
"Okay, for you. Yes. He's hot." I should've mentioned my mom's part Japanese, even though she's American, and my dad's American, so that' why I look more 'Asian', even though I'm also American, at least on my dad's side. Tristan's friend took out his phone, and snapped a pic of me, then faced the screen at me.
Whoa! I look like that?! I look even more 'Asian' in that pic! Either that, or I was just sleepy, since my classes have become harder now that spring break was over, as if we are now freefalling to finals. I now have more writing assignments and a harder math to contend with, and even Biology wants a 5-page research and hypothesis on cells, all done with 'APA' format.
Tristan took his friend's phone away, then his eyes grew even wider, as he studied the screen. I guess I do have a part of mom's Japanese ancestry in me, even if its distant.
"You're even more hotter in pics than in real life! Can I have a copy of it?" he asked his friend. I just watched them bicker over their phone as I chewed into my hamburger once more, and drank my chocolate milk. I guess that's the reason everyone's been giving me the eye lately, especially since my growth spurt during spring break, which was now two weeks ago. Soon, I felt hands slam on my shoulders, and spin me around, almost knocking me off of my chair. It was the junior class representatives, and the student president had his hands on my shoulders, while the vice-president and secretary stood behind him.
"You're Elliot, aren't you?" he asked, and held out a hand. On his wrist was a fancy watch, kind of like those movies about a snooty private school kid with all his expensive stuff, and that's what he reminded me of.
"Come with us." he says, while I looked at the clock, but he seemed to read my mind. "It won't take long." Tristan and his friend looked at me, and I shrugged at them. And I followed them, to the library.
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"So, what was all that about?" Tristan asked, as class was about to start, and lunch was almost over.
"They want me to model for the school, and to represent what the junior class does in the school. Photograph stuff. For the newspapers, and these pamphlets they're coming out with for the fall school year." I knew the photographer's going to be Elijah, since he also does stuff for the yearbook club, and for the school in general.
"See. I told you you're cut out. You look like a model in my eyes." Tristan says, and for once, his friend seemed to agree with him. Before I could reply, the bell rang.
"Well, see you after school." I tell Tristan. And he waves back, before his friend grabs his waist as they made their way to class.