Kadic Academy Kids

ROCK-A-BYE

Jeremy Belpois Kadic Academy Tenth-grade student

"We have to have babies?" I asked, raising my hand in health class.
"Yes, it's something that the principal thought we should introduce this year." Ms. Evans said as she passed out papers to us, they had names on the top of them. Mine said, "Belpois," I didn't have a partner. Other people started pairing up. I stood up and went to Ms. Evans's desk, "Why don't I have a partner?" I asked.
"We have an odd number, so I figured since you typically don't like working in pairs, you'd be fine being our one single dad." I turned and saw that Aelita and Odd had been paired together, and Tovah and Ulrich, how fun for us.
"I don't have a partner," I said, sitting next to Tovah.
"Well, you have always expressed your dislike for partners, you also have said how dumb we are and that we aren't good enough as partners, this should work out for you," Tovah said putting her things in her backpack.
"Where are you going?" I asked.
"I have a doctor's appointment," Tovah said. "Jim is taking me, aren't I lucky?"
"Well, keep your phone on," I told her.
"Yeah, yeah, I know the drill."

-Ulrich Stern Kadic Academy Tenth-grade student

"You're just leaving me with the baby?" I asked as I walked Tovah to the front office.
"Robot baby, to be specific," she laughed. "What, am I supposed to take it to my doctor's appointment?Maybe, don't be ridiculous, you'll be fine." She said, pulling the front door to the main office open.

Tovah Pressman Kadic Academy Tenth-grade student

"Ready to go, Pressman?" Jim asked, grabbing his backpack off his desk.
"Whenever you are." I was used to having these little trips with Jim, we had gotten pretty close, I could tell him my problems, and he was a good listener. People gave Jim a lot of grief, but he just wanted the best for us.
"How did the trip with your father go?" He asked as we got in the car.
"Better than expected, but I still don't think he gets it."
"I get what you mean. My father was a career military man, the meanest man you'd ever meet," he paused as he flipped the blinker on. "Dads can be hard to get a point across to."

Aelita Stones Kadic Academy Tenth-grade student

"Hi Yumi," I said, sitting down at the lunch table, my robot baby on my hip.
"What's with the fake baby? I keep seeing them everywhere." She asked.
"We got babies as an assignment in our health class, I'm the mom, and Odd is the dad, I suppose." I chuckled. "Jeremy is a little sour he doesn't have a partner."
"Why? He's the one who always complains about having a partner, I thought he would be overjoyed?"
"I guess the prospect of being a single parent to a robot baby is a little daunting?"
"What are you guys talking about?" Ulrich asked as he walked up, holding his Robo-baby.
"Just that you guys are all parents now," Yumi laughed.
"Oh yeah, I have the baby for the rest of the day because T is at a doctor's appointment."
"I guess you and Jeremy can bond over being single parents for a day." I laughed.
"Did you guys name your babies? Or are you just calling them, baby?" Yumi asked.
"Tovah and I named ours Eliza, we thought she looked like an Eliza, you know, as much as a fake kid can." Ulrich laughed.
"We named our baby Luke, I thought it was a nice name, and Odd said it's like Star Wars, so fair enough." I shrugged.
"Hey," Jeremy said, laying his baby on the table, carelessly, I may add.
"You know the babies have sensors in them, so the teacher is going to know if you don't take proper care of your baby," I warned him.
"It's a hunk of plastic that cries and fake pukes, I think I'll be fine." He said plainly.
"She said that this is a big grade," Ulrich said. "I figure this will be a chance to pick up my GPA, I've always been good with babies."
"It's a dumb project anyway," Jeremy said in a huff. "Health class is a blow-off really, so why are they suddenly acting like it's so important?"
"Jeremy, I watched you have a panic attack when we had to learn the recorder," I told him.
"Because that is more important than this!" He said, grabbing his Robo-baby by the arm and walking off.
"I can't tell who's the bigger baby, Jeremy or the robot?" Ulrich laughed.