Back to School

Weeks have passed swiftly without remarkable events among the peer. Most people have already removed their Christmas decorations, although Mr. Figer chose to let his stuck in his front door. Mr. Figer is an old, probably in his 80's, balding man. He lives two houses from Clay's.

As far as Clay knew, Mr. Figer's wife have been dead long ago which made him lonely inside a deeply webbed house. Personally, Clay wanders his mind on how the old man have been living in that place alone, when he could be taken care by his son or at least be transferred to a shelter for aged.

People are getting back home from their holiday vacations. The Masons, Clay's next door neighbor, just arrived back to the town this morning. Their car full with paper bags and boxes, souvenirs from their trip to Italy.

Most teens are preparing for the resume of their schooling. Weather has been considerably cooler than it used to be. A new year has come and Clay will be back to school tomorrow together with his friends Lynn, Mark and Jean. Although Clay was excited to go back to school this time, because it means his mother is fine again, he couldn't ignore the slight annoyance and nervousness that his mind keeps on reminding him. He was sure that his teachers will drop him loads of catching up activities and assignments to compensate his grades. Although Jean, Lynn and Mark promised to help him with his upcoming workloads, he wasn't really sure they'll do him much of a favor. Lynn has been hanging out with Pancy since the day they met, Jean coming along, and Mark... well, all of them knows that Mark has been very close to Lynn's cousin, Winston, lately. He rarely come to hang out with them, either He's with Winston or He's with Winston. There is no other reason. Of course they support him, with his tomato red face whenever he sees Winston moments, but to cap it all, they miss Mark. They miss the gang.

Clay have been busy cluttering his school stuffs in his bag. Tomorrow is going to be a busy day for him, and as much as he doesn't like to give a damn about the schoolworks, he has no choice but to comply. Although all of it are his speculations, that his teachers will give him tons of homework, he doesn't want to be wasted on his first day back at school because he did not prepare himself.

••••••

The next morning came with a start. Clay woke up half past 6, annoyed with his phone's alarm which he snoozed a couple of time. He lazily got up his bed, stretched his arms up in the ceiling. Knuckles and joints popping while he stretch his head back. Yawning, Still in his pajamas, he got inside his shower. At 3 past 7, he was done. He got down, where he saw his mom making breakfast, kissed her mom a good morning kiss and sat on the kitchen chair. After some time eating, he heard a honk outside, quickly got up rummaging his bag, kissing her mom goodbye and head outside.

There it was, his friends inside Lynn's car, all wearing a bright smile as he enters the vehicle. He felt the excitement inside.

"You ready to go back to school?" Jean asked which made Clay laughed.

"What, Did you think i missed those boring classes that has nothing to do with our daily lives?" Clay replied

•••••

It was a windy day. The cool breeze slurring through their faces. It was lunchtime. Clay was talking with Jean, Lynn and Mark.

"This is outrageous! That plump woman gave me four essays due next week with 1,500 words minimum!" Clay reproached as he murder his baked macaroni.

"Be thankful it's due next week, our Science teacher ordered us to make a mini representation of a water fall, due in two days" Lynn replied, but not looking worried at all.

"Well, our teacher was in a very good mood that he didn't just forgot to give us homework, he didn't teach us anything this morning!" Mark said with a sweet delight in his face.

"He just said not to make any loud noise that'll bring trouble for the both of us" Jean added.

Jean and Mark are always in the same class of every subjects, While Clay and Lynn only see them in break times and outside the school. As much as they want to be in the same class together, they decided not to push it to the principal. One, because there is no acceptable reason. Two, they realize it's best so they can concentrate, with the little interest they've got, on the subjects. They have to graduate, that's one thing they all know.

They ate and talked all lunch time, mostly Jean and Mark talking about the recent events that happened when he was away from school. Suddenly, the bell rang. They stood up and departed their ways into their different subjects. Mark and Jean heading to their history Class, Lynn to her Values subject and Clay to his Math Class.

Clay climbed two stairs, his math class is on fourth, when he felt the urge to use the bathroom. Luckily there is a restroom in each floor of the building, but on the downside, he's in the girl's side. He walked towards the the corridor, while looking outside where he can see the other school building's side wall. He can clearly see the vandals and liters from where he stood. The biggest vandal says "Carol Stinks"

He was so fed up by it that he didn't saw a door suddenly opened in front of him, from one of the classrooms. With a hard bump on his forehead, the solid oak door flung in him. Together with the opener's and the wind's force, it launched to Clay's face.

Clay was caught in such surprise that he couldn't mutter words. He was backed off from the force, his palm now rubbing the beaten spot. His mouth open. "Man that hurt!" He shouted. A girl, who opened the door, quickly run at him after closing the door. With a shock and concern in her face

"I'm very sorry, i didn't know you were there and the wind is rough today that my hands slip-" she was ducking her face to see his face and the spot it hit when Clay waved the girl's hand. The girl was in shock.

"You know i-it's fine" Clay said irritably.

"L-let me at least take you to the clinic" the girl offered.

"I can walk myself thank you" Clay, without a clear view of the girl, walked away still rubbing his forehead heading to the clinic. He walked down the stairs and into his annoyance the girl caught up with her.

"Please, i'm really sorry" the girl initiated. He turned around to face her, his palm on his forehead.

"Just stay away from me okay?" Clay walked away, heading to the clinic. His annoyance rising up first those stupid essays and now this? The resident nurse let him rest while he was treated. At the very least of it, he was excused for the rest of the day. He had now a half day off school and a bruise on his forehead.