I scrambled to my feet, and he pretended to take off toward my lunchbox, but then he stopped suddenly and tripped me. I landed hard on my stomach, which knocked the wind out of me. They laughed and then Sebastian kicked me in the hip. I curled my hands into fists and gripped the grass as hard as I could. I hated him.
“See ya after school, Patty!” Sebastian yelled as he and his friend ran toward their line to go inside.
I pushed myself up and went to get my lunchbox. Thankfully it wasn’t broken. I went back to look for four-leaf clovers for the rest of the lunch recess. When the bell rang, I put a popsicle stick I had found on the section to mark off where I stopped looking. I’d start the search again tomorrow at lunch recess.
I picked up my WWF lunchbox and walked across the playground. I got in the back of the line for my classroom and stared down at my shoes. I wiggled my toes and could see where my big toe was.
“Are you nervous about this afternoon?” I heard a kid ask. I didn’t look up because no one talked to me. None of the kids ever talked to me… unless they were being mean.
“Shh, you’re not supposed to talk to him,” a girl said.
“Why?”
“Youknow,” the girl said. “He doesn’t know how to talk,” she whispered.
They were talking about me.
“He probably has all Fs on his report card. He never reads out loud. He never talks.”
This afternoon was the parent and teacher conferences for report cards. I hoped I didn’t have all Fs. Those were bad, and Dad wouldn’t be happy. The rest of the afternoon went by fast, and before I knew it, it was conference time.
Dad told me to wait for him by the flagpole in the front of the school and we’d go to my conference together. I sat on the bench while I waited and pulled out my reading book and started to re-read the story we read in class today. I put my finger under the first word and began. I moved my finger under the words as I said them in my head. I looked up toward the parking lot after I finished the first page. I frowned when I saw Dad’s BMW but no sign of him. I looked around, but there weren’t many kids hanging around. Suddenly, I heard a sharp whistle and turned in the direction of it as I heard my name.
“Patrick!” Our custodian, Paul, had just come out the front doors and whistled to grab my attention. Behind him, holding open the doors to the school was the principal, Dad, Raquel, and Sebastian. “Patrick, buddy, come on. Your folks are waiting,” Paul said as he walked toward me.She wasn’t my mom.Paul was probably the closest person I had to a friend. He was always nice to me and let me help him in the lunchroom.
“Patrick, we were supposed to meet outside of Sebastian’s classroom,” Dad said. I frowned because I knew he said flagpole.
“I told him today at lunch recess that you guys changed the meeting spot since my conference was first,” Sebastian said. “Guess he didn’t listen.”
No, you didn’t!
“Well, I’m glad we found him. Probably just some miscommunication,” the principal said as we all went inside the school.
“I’m sure Patrick just didn’t understand. His comprehension isn’t good,” Raquel said.
No! That’s not what happened! He didn’t tell me! I listened!
“I hope you all have good conferences this afternoon,” the principal said as she turned to go back to the office while we went toward Sebastian’s classroom.
Raquel adjusted her skirt and then messed with her hair as we walked.
“Honestly, William, look at him.” Raquel stopped and pulled my arm so I’d stop walking. She brushed the knees of my jeans and then looked up at my dad in frustration. Raquel licked her thumb and rubbed at the side of my mouth. “No more red punch in your lunchbox,” she hissed. “If you’re too stupid to even wipe your damn mouth with the napkin, then maybe you can drink warm water from the water fountain like poor kids.”I wasn’t stupid.Tears stung my eyes, and I looked down at the floor.
“He probably didn’t know what to do with the napkin. Or how to use the water fountain,” Sebastian said.
“Were you asked to speak, Sebastian?” Raquel asked him. “Pretend you’re like Patrick and don’t know how to talk.”
I know how to talk.
I looked up at Sebastian. His cheeks were red as he glared at me. I almost lost my balance when Raquel grabbed the bottom of my undershirt that hung under my sweater and started to roughly tuck it into my pants.
Careful! My stomach!
“Now, let’s go,” she said.
Sebastian and I walked behind my dad and Raquel, and while I listened to them, Sebastian stuck his middle finger up at me.
“I swear, William, you better get that little shit under control before the wedding,” Raquel whispered.
