Steckland Russ -- (Chapter IV.ii)

   
    (xii) ---



    I'm writing this during what we call "Reading Period", a twenty minute break before our last class of the day when we are supposed to read a book but most of us socialize instead. I figured this was a good chance to recap this day so far for you, Future Steckland. It has been an interesting one.
    As is now probably clear, today I have finally gone back to Highview. I got dressed and I found myself strongly wondering how my classmates were doing, and realized I missed being a part of their lives. I missed their faces, their smiles, their haircuts, their laughs. Imagining certain people, some were not as vivid as before and I'd had enough of that feeling.
    I snatched as many textbooks as would fit in my knapsack and sprinted out the front door to my bicycle. I was late for my second class, Drama, but fortunately Mrs. Seddington seemed more surprised than annoyed to see me.
    Several of my Drama mates asked me where I had been:

    'Were you like, away on a trip or something?' -- Sunnie Woom.
    'You're still alive! Nice!' -- Sam Peavy.
    'Steckland! You missed this awesome time when Kim was doing a pie-in-the-face gag for a reherseal, but Coreteto hit her in the shoulder! By accident of course. Where were you??? -- Bellamy Wondumas. (note, I feel the best way to capture how Bellamy asks questions is with extra question marks)
    'Stecky! I missed um, we missed you!' -- Natalie Lee.
    'Did you die? We were sure a spaghetti monster got you. I was checking obituaries for people strangled by tomato sauce and noodles.' -- Len Barker.

    After Drama was a strange Film Studies class. Normally our teacher, Ms. Weiss, is very still: often she is an anchor latched upon her desk in the corner. Today however she was pacing the classroom from the start of the lesson onward, constantly looking over her shoulder or at the back row students with mistrust. At last after she struggled with pronouncing our names on the attendance sheet (she is usually exceptional at this), she took off her thick framed glasses for the first time ever and explained herself.

    'Have any of you seen Mulholland Drive?' she asked us.
    A few hands went up. 'Yeah, I have.' said Zack Herges, tangling his greasy long brown hair with his fingers. 'We watched some of it in Mod Lit.'
    'Well! Everyone, I've got to tell you.' said Ms. Weiss, slowly sitting on an empty desk. 'I'm a fan of David Lynch's work but I must say, that film just unsettled me. I watched it last night and well, bad idea!'
    'I've only seen the end, but it like, seems like a bad movie to see before bedtime.' chimed in Lucy Galoupos.
    'I wish I'd talked to you earlier! Oh my.' said Ms. Weiss, going back to her desk and putting her glasses back on. 'Well. Anyone who wants to write me a brief page on Mulholland Drive by the end of next week will get a bonus credit. One time deal.'

    As Ms. Weiss returned to her poise and regularly scheduled lesson, I thought about this optional homework. I've never seen or heard of "Mulholland Drive" before, but getting to watch a movie for extra marks sounds fun. A brief page? Easy.
    At lunch break I discovered I'd completely forgotten to make myself a lunch, or bring money to buy a lunch. Luckily I ran into Len and Bellamy leaving Highview and they were kind enough to chip in for a pizza slice for me.

    'It's a good thing you came back today, Steck.' said Bellamy, inbetween sips of her Pepsi while we sat in the pizza joint. 'Next class Seddington is assigning everyone into groups for the first big performance of the year.'
    'Yeah man. She probably wouldn't have let you join a group if you didn't show.' agreed Len. 'And that would not have been beans.'
    'Beans? What does that even mean?' asked Bellamy, annoyed. 'And why do you keep saying that?'
    'I'd tell you, but that wouldn't be beans either. Nope. Steck knows though, right Steck?'
    'Of course. Beans. Common knowledge among us Grade Twelves.' I said, not having the foggiest idea what he was talking about.
   
    After lunch was English where I currently sit writing this, for you see Reading Period takes place in whatever class you happen to be in at the time. Calsuco gave me a skeptical look as he saw me walk in, but handed me an assignment sheet he gave out last week without any fuss or drama. I took a different seat than the one I had before (some new red haired kid had claimed it) and pulled out some blank sheets of paper. Even though I missed so many of his classes, I knew Calsuco loved to write legions of notes on the chalkboard, most of them useful.
    It was then I remembered that "she" was in this class. My stomach stopped the digestion presses and my heart took a nap for a couple seconds. I hadn't seen her since that afternoon I so foolishly rejected her and that had been so many evenings at the Coxwell parkette ago that I honestly had nearly forgotten about her. I spotted her unmistakable hair two rows in front of me and trembled. Even though she cannot see me I do my best not to look at her now, in fear she might sense my eyes. Right now she chats with a short-haired girl named Pamela, drawing and doodling on bright yellow papers I would love to be a part of. I sincerely hope that you, Future Steckland, have become much more capable with girls sweet girls than I.



    (xii) --- Christie To Wellesley