What you don't know: Three

school sucks1

teachers are boring2

some student are dumb asses3

cheerleaders are b-tches4

geeks are just geeks5

janitors are usually creepy6

the principal is gay (no, not happy)7

homework is stupid8

too many cliques9

stereotypes10

nothing on the blackboard11

ever makes sense.12

***13

detention 14

is cool.15

because we have the same16

teacher on duty17

Ms.Harris.18

she let's us listen19

to our iPods,MP3s20

as long as we keep21

the decibel level low.22

food is allowed but only23

small items24

like snack cakes25

candy26

or bags of chips.27

we can do whatever 28

we want as long29

as we're quiet.30

Ms.Harris is anti-boredom.31

thank god.32

some days I get in33

trouble just to34

earn my spot in detention.35

like today.36

I skipped class.37

got caught.38

Ms.Harris smiles39

at me as I enter40

'Afternoon Coaches.'41

'Afternoon Ms.Harris. How are you?'42

'I am well, thank you. And yourself?'43

'Good. Glad to be here.' 44

she smiles again45

and offers me a cookie46

from the tin on her desk. 47

I take two48

and sit in the back row.49

***50

Tattle-tells51

mom calls me into52

the kitchen53

on my way upstairs.54

I swear55

drop my bags56

and park myself57

across from her at58

the table.59

Jame stands at the stove60

her grey hair twirled61

in a tight bun.62

she sips her tea63

and smiles.64

'Hello West.'65

three smiles today.66

and she didn't use my whole name.67

she must not be mad.68

'Hey grandma,' I say smiling back.69

mom turns my 70

attention to her.71

'The school called today west-' typical72

'They said your cutting classes again.'73

shrugging 'Okay?'74

mom sighs.75

'West, I am really tired of the school76

calling constantly about you-skipping class77

or getting into fights.'78

first of all:79

it's their job80

it's what they do.81

tattle-tell on82

the students.83

unless you can blackmail84

them to shut up.85

at my school86

it happens.87

mom wants me to explain myself.88

if I told her I skipped class just89

to be in detention, she'd probably laugh90

at me.91

I say nothing.92

I'm grounded to the second93

coming and told to do my homework.94

I mimick mom during 95

the trip to96

my room.97

***98

Fine99

Grandma checks in100

with a sandwich101

she sits at the edge of102

the bed near my naked feet.103

when I was little104

she'd tickle my toes105

and play 'this little piggy'106

now she just massages my feet.107

feels good.108

'West?' she says softly109

'Hmm?'110

'Everything alright at school?'111

'Yeah.'112

'Are you doing okay?'113

'I'm fine.'114

the end.115

this is how the conversation116

goes every time I'm punished.117

Jame comes to see me118

asks if things are okay119

here120

there121

everywhere122

I lie of course.123

as much as I love her124

I don't know how to 125

tell her the truth.126

***127

home for the weekend128

Stephen and Markus129

travel two hours 130

every Friday to be home131

for the weekend.132

I wish they'd stay at 133

college and drink up.134

dinner= boring talk135

because it's all 136

about137

them138

them139

them140

mom hops around 141

the kitchen142

making dinner143

I steal the brownies144

she made for them145

and go back 146

to my room147

***148