Caught Up In Love and War

Caught Up In Love and War (8)

Chapter Eight

Problem: The vampires in Riinewia are ignorant about Earth.  Solution: Go to Earth and learn its history.  Problem: Seniors don't have a history class that's required.  Solution: Sign up for a world history class anyway.  Problem: World history is for ninth grade.  Solution:...Suck it up and enjoy the humiliation.

That's where I am now.  The ninth graders in this class are annoying me, and every day I can't wait to get out of here.  Thankfully it's my sixth and final class of the day, so the torture ends here.  Why did the class I needed to take have to be the one that freshmen take?  It could have at least been for Juniors, but no, government and ecowhat'sitscalled had to take over that year.

What's so bad about taking a class with a bunch of freshmen?  Oh, that's right.  They just love to point out how stupid I am and ask me questions like "Why don't you know this?" "You don't even know where Canada is, do you?" "What's the biggest country, can you answer that?".  Well, I usually ignore the questions they spew at me.  I know where Canada is, I'm not that ignorant.  I've looked at Earth maps before, and it's kind of hard to miss Canada.  And of course I know that Russia's the biggest, it's also hard to miss!

Looking at a map may give me a geography lesson, but doesn't really help with other knowledge.  I'll have learn more about the events that take place inside of the countries.  .  And then there are all of these revolutions that every country seems to have that I've got to learn.  Ever since I started taking this class, which is the whole time I've been here, I've taken the book home and read ahead to learn more.  Then I went to the library with a reluctant Crystine to learn stuff about different countries to broaden my knowledge.  I don't like being called an idiot, even though I've been called worse names that I don't feel like repeating.

There's only one freshman that is kind to me.  His name is Emerson, and he's pretty much the smartest student in the class.  Highest grade, always reading nonfiction, answers all the questions correctly.  He told me he'd tutor me if I'd like, but I'd rather not have to deal with that unless absolutely necessary.

Today we have a sub that doesn't care.  He just gave us a worksheet, told us to do it with a partner, then went on the computer and hasn't moved since.  Emerson said he'd work with me, and I gratefully accepted.  We haven't even gotten to countries yet.  This class started with prehistory, things before writing, and have slowly moved forward.  We've just gotten out of that stage and are now working on things that happened shortly after that was over.

Next to us at another table, a group of obnoxious guys were blowing off the worksheet and looking ahead in the book instead.  I heard one of them say in disappointment "Ah, we don't get to World War I for so long."  I sighed.  Of course the humans would have world wars, they are just too violent.  If they hadn't decided to attack us, then maybe I wouldn't be here right now.   I would be home with my family, doing something.  In fact, if there was no war, I wonder how Lexi would act.  And my father.

"Autumn, are you paying attention?" Emerson asked me when I started to think too deeply into the whole thing.  I stirred, turning to look at him directly.  I nodded, even though I hadn't been paying attention.  He had said something about the topic, that was all I had gathered from it.

Emerson sighed to himself, seeing through me.  "I swear, you're just like my oldest brother.  He is always ignoring me."  I don't think I'm getting off to a good start with Emerson.

"I wasn't ignoring you," I clarified, "I was just listening to the kids next to us.  I didn't learn much the first time I went over this stuff so, my mind tends to wander."  First time I learned this?  That was probably the day my father shoved a book into my hands and said "read or not care, your choice."  I got bored after the first two pages, never opening it again.  I regret that decision, because after all it had something to do with Earth history.