Different(Andliet)

-4- Some People Just Don't Understand

Andy's first week of school was looking to end on a high note. He'd been able to keep up in his classes and so far nobody was picking on him. Though, to be fair, nobody really had reason to pick on him, since they didn't know his secret. Ashley still came and found him in the morning, just making sure he got to class on time. And he had even started eating lunch with Jinxx and Jake. Everything was really good. But Andy knew that the first week was always the easiest. Teachers let you off for all minor infractions and there weren't any tests because you hadn't learned anything. Or so Andy thought. Until fifth period biology.
"Pop quiz!" Mr. Kane said and held up a stack of papers. Andy stared at the stack of papers with wide eyes. He wasn't prepared for this. Science was his worst subject. All those strange words and acronyms and the periodic table. The sheets were passed back and Andy stared at his blankly. His heart was pounding. He tried not to panic, but it was hard.
"Now, relax. This isn't a difficult quiz. I know we haven't really learned anything yet, but this is elementary level stuff that you should know." Mr. Kane said before sitting down behind his desk. Andy gripped his pencil and read the first question.
1. Name at least three kingdoms.
And then the panic really set in, because he couldn't answer that question. He read through the rest of the questions and answered all the ones he immediately knew the answers to. There were fifteen questions and he'd answered six. Not good. He tried to answer the others, but he didn't remember this stuff anymore. Useless facts and numbers.
"Pencils down." Mr. Kane said. Andy stared at his quiz with wide eyes and his pencil slipped out of his hand and hit the floor. He'd answered seven questions. But the answer to question eight was on the line for question nine and he couldn't fix it now. His eyes burned and he had to try very hard not to cry. He couldn't cry. Not now. Not in class. Class would be ending soon. He could make it. He kept his eyes down as the sheet was taken off his desk. Any minute now, the bell would ring. It would be okay. The bell rang and Andy flinched before shooting out of his seat and hurrying from the room despite the fact that the teacher was calling his name. He made it to the nearest bathroom before he started crying. He failed an elementary level quiz. He pulled his little stuffed dog out of his backpack and tried to calm down. He had another class to get too.
Just when it seemed things couldn't get worse two boys walked into the bathroom. They took in the sobbing figure in front of them and began to laugh. Andy didn't realize until they started laughing that they were even in the bathroom. He blushed and cried harder. They started taunting him. Calling him names and making fun of his dog. Then they took the dog and pushed him out of the bathroom.
"Hey," Andy looked up at the person who spoke, a boy with dark hair and a few tattoos peaking out of the collar of his t-shirt. "Are you okay?" Andy shook his head and started down the hall to his next class.

———

Juliet stood behind the school smoking a cigarette. Technically she wasn't supposed to be smoking behind the school, but nobody ever went back there so the odds of someone catching her were pretty slim. She finished her cigarette and crushed it out. Then she walked around the corner and directly into Andy. Andy pushed past her without saying anything. She briefly wondered if she should make sure he was okay, but ultimately she didn't know him. She walked around to the side door and went inside. Inside she walked down the hall and up the stairs. She was headed straight to her last class, but stopped when she noticed Gabe and Justin standing by the bulletin board cackling.
"What are you fuckers up to?" She asked, approaching them.
"We stole this dog off a freshman we found crying in the bathroom. And the pencil case we found in the lost and found." Justin held up a stuffed blue dog with a string tied around one of its legs. The other end of the string was attached to a pink pencil case. Gabe took it from him and shoved it into his backpack.
"What are you going to do with that?"
"None of your business." Gabe said and he walked off, dragging Justin behind him. Juliet briefly wondered if the dog belonged to Andy, though she wasn't sure what made her think that.

———

As she walked outside after school Juliet saw Andy standing under the maple tree in front of the school. Hanging from one of the highest branches was the dog and pencil case.
"Is that yours?" Juliet asked, stepping up beside Andy. Andy shook his head vigorously, but Juliet could tell by the look in his eyes that wasn't true. With one last look at the dog Andy sighed and walked off. Juliet contemplated the situation before turning around and going to find Mr. Burns, the janitor.
"Excuse me, Mr. Burns." She said, as she approached him.
"Yes?"
"Some one threw my pencil case up into tree out front and I can't get it down."
"Ah. Let me get the ladder." She followed him to the janitor's closest and then led him outside to the tree. He placed the later and climbed up.
"Eh. Stupid kids. Throwing shit in the trees and wondering why the environmentalists are so pissed off all the time." He grumbled as he climbed back down with the dog and the pencil case. "Here. Keep better track of it next time."
"Sure thing. Thanks."
"No worries."
"Have a nice day."
"You too." She smiled at him and he returned before going back inside. She untied the string around the dog's leg and looked around. Andy was gone.
"Fuck." She'd have to give it to him on Monday.