Airplanes | Spruceworth 6.1 | Wattys2019

Chapter 2: New School, New Enemy

Chapter 2: New School, New Enemy

       While moving in with my dad was something I had wanted for a long time, I really didn't like living in this small village. Not only because there wasn't much for me to do since I was grounded for a while but also because I didn't want to take the time to adapt to a new place. I didn't want to take the time to make new friends.

       In fact, I probably wasn't even going to bother making any friends. Things were a lot easier on my own, just like I had been for the past few months.

       I was already used to it.

       Most of my days were being spent inside my house. That was until school came; the dreadful day I never wanted to arrive. 

       When it did arrive, I was making sure to procrastinate as much as I could, hoping my dad wouldn't even notice I should be heading off to school. He was too busy getting ready for work anyway.

       It didn't work.

       Obviously. He would have noticed I hadn't left for school yet if he left for work.

       Dad walked over to the piano I was sitting at and interrupting me by placing his hand on top of mine. "Hey!" I said. "I was in the middle of practicing La Campanella. I still haven't been able to master the piece and I'll never be able to if you interrupt me every time I try."

       "Ollie, as happy as I am that you're still playing the piano after what happened with your music scholarship, you do need to head off to school," Dad said. 

       "I don't want to go," I said. 

       "Well, you have to go," Dad said. "You're sixteen. You're not old enough to drop out."

       "So what I'm hearing is once I turn seventeen, I'm allowed to drop out?" I asked.

       "Technically, yes, but you're not going to," Dad said. "Seriously, school is going to start soon. We have to go."

       I sighed and got up from the bench before picking up my school bag and heading to the front door. No matter how hard I tried to refuse, Dad was never going to let me stay home. 

       And I would have skipped school later on in the day if it got too boring for me but I couldn't, or at least I couldn't without getting caught.

       The joys of my dad being a teacher at the school.

       And being one of my teachers this semester.

       When I agreed to live with Dad, I forgot how he taught in Spruceworth. I wished I remembered because now, the only way I could skip was if I faked being sick and he let me stay home.

       This seriously sucked.

       "Ollie," Dad said as I was putting on my shoes to get ready to head to one of the places I hated the most in the world. "I know you've been a bit resentful about living here but you know you didn't have to. It was your choice in the end."

       "Well, I'd rather live with you than live with Mom," I said. "She never let me do anything. I couldn't even go out with my friends."

       "You can't really blame her for that," Dad said. "They weren't the best influence on you."

       "I thought you were on my side," I said.

       "This isn't about sides," Dad said. "It's about what's right and what isn't, and you and I both know the people you were hanging around weren't a good influence on you. Look, I'm not here to get mad about what you did in the past, even if it was a few weeks ago in the past. I just want you to genuinely enjoy living here."