Surrendering
Chapter
8: The Candy Fool
(Un) Important babbling-notes from Cimmy: Thank you for the reviews, Dana. I really appreciate that you’re giving me some pointers to think about. They’re helping me improving the story. To solve your confusion; this takes place after the Junior Goodwill Games, that’s why Adam referred to his ‘old’ injury. By the way, I really laughed at your comment at Cecilia as ‘female-Banks’.
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January 22nd
I got stuck in the worst lesson ever this morning.
“I hope you’ve studied for this one,” Mr. Senate, our sociology teacher, grinned evilly. “I hope you Ducks studied for this test too, because otherwise you’ll all be facing an academic probation. That won’t look so good on your college applications.”
Who the hell have time to think about college now? I am still trying to get over my elementary years. A lot of complaints filled up the room, and instead of preparing for the test, everyone started to twist and turn, so they could talk to the person behind or in front of them.
“I should have done that homework, I knew it,” Nish winced and banged his head against the table. I wanted to do the same thing, but I just sighed deeply instead.
I looked at Nish and yawned. I’d been up all night, trying to teach Fred the whole meaning of the lessons in this class. Without any luck. Well, he’d given up around nine-thirty, and after that I’d been to mad at him for doing my own homework.
Mysteriously enough, Fred wasn’t tired at all. And not at all worried either. It bugged me, since I’d been concerned for him all night.
“I hate tests,” Charlie muttered and reached for a pencil in his bag. “It’s almost Friday, and they want us to think? Mean. Just mean.”
“Who the hell are ‘on the edge’ of academic probation, huh?” Jesse asked. “I’d like to know, so I could kick his, or hers, butt.”
I yawned yet again. I had no idea who those ‘people’ were, but hopefully it wasn’t me. Luckily enough, Fred couldn’t be one of them. But if he continued like this, he’d be on that list too.
“Can I borrow a pen?”
I turned around and saw Fred leaning towards me, reaching out his hand.
I sighed. He didn’t even have a pen with him? What was wrong with him? Not like I’m usually that orderly with my own studies, but at least I tried if I for some strange reason would ask anyone for help, like Fred had asked me yesterday.
“Sure.” I searched my bag for another pen, and found one on the bottom. Along with a gum, some candy and a rubber.
“Can I have one of those too?” he asked, pointing at one of the candy-things.
“Sure,” I said again. I gave him the mashed candy-bit and the pen, while giving him a puzzled look, but he never said anything.
“You can start now, kids,” Mr Senate said, looking at his watch. “You have forty minutes from... Now!”
Everyone dug into their tests, and became quiet. I struggled with the questions. Maybe I should’ve studied a bit myself too last night? I panicked the last five minutes and filled in the blanks by guessing the answers. I should have more patience with Fred; I knew that he didn’t have it so easy in school. But he could try to do an effort, couldn’t he?
“Man, that sucked!” Luis complained when we left the classroom a couple of minutes later.
“Yeah, it sure did,” Fred agreed, a bit more calmly. “But the questions weren’t that bad, were they?”
“Yeah, they were!” most of the players exclaimed, muttering out loud all the way to their next lesson.
“Wanna be my partner?”
I turned around and faced Charlie. He wanted to be my partner? For what?
My confused look made him laugh.
“My lab-partner, Cee. Man, is sex all you girls think about?” he asked and nudged my shoulder.
I shock my head no, while hitting back. I didn’t have any problem talking to him now, as long as he didn’t have the rest of the team with him. I’m improving!
“I wasn’t thinking about that!”
“Sure. So, you’re up for tomorrow? There’s a bunch of us going out to that club. Wanna tag along?”
I was feeling a little better, knowing that Charlie was at least thinking of inviting me, but I was still in doubt. Charlie must have seen that, because he grabbed my hand and dragged me with him into the stairwell.
“You have to come out with us, Cee. Please, it’ll be fun, I promise you. You already turned us down yesterday.”
A whole bunch from the team went out last night to wash the studies right out again. Fred left with them too; maybe that’s why his brain stopped working at today’s lesson?
“Nah, I don’t...” I began, but Charlie interrupted me again.
“Please, Cee. What’s wrong with having a little fun? Don’t be so stuck-up.”
I was beginning to feel a bit annoyed with him. Just because I didn’t want to get drunk and throw up every week... Wait; was I actually quoting something from ‘American Pie’?
“I’m not stuck up,” I finally settled with saying. “I just don’t like to drink, Charlie.”
“Whatever. Can’t you just tag along anyway? You could be our designated driver.”
“I can’t drive,” I said, smiling a bit.
“Neither can Portman, but he drives anyway,” Charlie joked. “Was that a smile I just saw?”
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I haven’t had time to explore the school any further. I just follow the flow when the others change classroom. I knew where my locker was, and which way the cafeteria was, but that was pretty much it. So when Adam had told me to meet him at the library, I had no idea where to go.
I was actually thinking of bailing. I didn’t know what to talk about or how to act. I was extremely nervous, even though Adam seemed to be a nice guy. Not too loud or annoying. And thank God, not too up-beat either. He was calm and serious. Just the type of person I function best with.
The fact that he’d asked me to help him with math showed that he knew me less then nothing. I can’t teach or explain things so they make sense. I don’t even know why I’d agreed to help him. Maybe because I’d been in pain, wanting him to leave so I could cry or something.
A guy with a lot of books walked over towards the stairs, so I followed him, in case he was going to the library. After a few minutes, climbing the stairs to next floor, we got up to the library. I was all puffed. I have to start exercise more; I’m not exactly splendidly fit. My knee was hurting too.
I’ll probably be dead in a few weeks if I kept on like this.
I walked over to the table were Adam was sitting, with his books scattered around him. Maybe he would appreciate my help more then Fred had? Maybe he’d even try to make some sort of effort?
“There you are! I was beginning to think that you wouldn’t show up. How’s the knee?”
“Fine,” I answered. “I’ve been having problem with my knees since I was little, so don’t worry.”
Adam nodded and gave me a paper. “This is what I have to do.”
I read it through. I didn’t have the same class as him when it comes to math. He’s one year older then me, and takes a more advanced class. Why did he expect me to know this stuff?
“Don’t you have anyone else to ask about this?” I asked.
“No one but you owes me a favor,” he explained with a smile. “You like candy?”
What kind of a stupid question is that?
“I guess...”
“Great, stay here and do my assignments, and I’ll get some candy.”
He was gone before I could object. What was I supposed to do now? Do his stupid math-problems?
That was what I did, in lack of other things to do. I was just about to kill myself with the pencil, when he came back. He dropped a whole bag of candy into the table. I gazed at the bag. I’m not a sweet tooth, but I just can’t resist eating candy when it’s given to me. I never buy it myself.
“I’m back,” he declared. “Sorry it took me so long, I met Coach Bombay in the hallway... Have you been doing my homework?”
“You told me to!” I replied.
“I was just kidding. I didn’t have the intention to hire you for doing my homework.”
I felt like an idiot. Again.
“I can erase it if you want,” I told him, while grabbing the rubber from the table.
“That’s okay,” he said quickly. “I’ll manage to live with you doing a few of my math-problems.”
A long, awkward silence grew between us. I stared at the bag with candy, while Adam read through the equations I’d been able to solve. He must’ve seen me stare, because he extended his arm and pushed the bag closer to me. I leaned back into my chair when I saw the candy come closer. Adam gave me a meaning look.
“You can have some if you want. I’m the one running errands for everyone else in this team. I have candy for thirteen people in there. Not counting my own supplies with M&M’s.”
“You have M&M’s?” I exclaimed excitedly. I love M&M’s. They don’t have those in Sweden. Okay, they do, but not were I live. The closest I’ve eaten is called ‘Nonstop’ in Sweden.
Adam poured out everything on the table. He hadn’t been kidding, he had more candy then the candy-store itself. It couldn’t hurt if I just took one little M&M, could it?
I didn’t have to come up with something to say for the next hour. Both Adam and I had been eating candy ‘nonstop’.
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Author’s Note: Yes, the title is a bit stupid, but I couldn’t come up with anything better. Hopefully I’ll get somewhere with the story soon, I have the ending figured out, I just don’t know how to get there.
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