Amazon High

22. Academic Leave

 In shop class we were lubricating and setting bike chains. The teacher asked me to go around the class and help other students since I finished first.

I yawned as I walked up to some kid in a brand new snapback with the sticker still on and a big, colorful energy drink sitting on his desk, "you need any help?" I asked through the yawn.

He shook his head in quick, small turns, "naw, I'm good." He fiddled with the chain and it pinched his finger, "ow!" He shook his hand.

"You sure?" I insisted.

He sighed, "alright."

I sat down next to him and grabbed the ceramic wax and dabbed it along the chain. "You gotta make sure you use enough lubricant." I instructed.

He laughed and poked at his friend next to him with his elbow.

He turned back to me, "hey aren't you a cheerleader?"

"I was last semester."

"Why'd you stop."

"I had softball this semester."

"Had? Did you stop that, too?"

"Yeah."

"Why?"

"Just wasn't my thing I guess." I tried to ignore the conversation and focus on fixing the bike.

"Yo, you gotta settle on something."

"Yeah, I'm working on it."

"Is that why you're taking shop? Just for trying it?"

"No, I'm good at shop. Easy A."

"Oh, you're good at shop, huh? My dad owns a bike shop and I've been fixing bikes with him since I was ten. If anyone knows bikes it's me and let me tell you this bike's fucking busted, dude. Not to mention the chain's the wrong size, you'd think that dunce teacher was trying to flunk us."

While he was complaining I'd threaded the chain, cut it to size, set the pin through and punched it in. I stood up, spun the back tire, "there." and walked away.

I took the bus home since I didn't have to stay for practice, but then I remembered my dad still thought I was on the team. When I got dropped off I did a few laps around my block to clear my mind in the nice, cool weather.

With more time to kill I walked to a nearby park that no one ever used and did my homework at a bench. I finished up and put it away and when I looked up the sun was setting.

When I opened the door, the TV was off and my dad wasn't anywhere to be seen. I walked to my room to put my backpack away and I saw him and Mickey outback throwing around a football. It looked like they were having a lot of fun. There were some empty beer bottles on the patio table next to them. They were tackling each other, rolling around in the grass and laughing. I smiled and went in my room, set my backpack down and went to bed.

The next day Danny saw me in the hall between classes and stopped me.

"Hey!" He shouted and walked up, "you know, you shoulda said something yesterday, I was waiting around for you." He smirked.

"Shit, I'm sorry. I totally spaced it."

"It's alright. I asked Ramirez where you were and uh, well, I'm sorry. Don't let it get you down too much."

"Did you tell anyone else?"

"What do you mean? I'm not the kind of guy to spread rumors."

"I just don't know how to tell my dad."