Xavier grimaced in disgust. “I didn’t need the mental image,” he said. “You sure do know how to make someone feel uncharacteristically sick.”
She rolled her eyes in response and then flipped her hair in a mocking manner. “It’s a gift I suppose.”
“A hellish gift it is.”
Demetria moved to reply, but before she could form any words the bell rang, signaling that it was time for their next class.
She sighed and then looked around. The hall was emptying fast. “I’ll see you at lunch,” she said. “Have fun.”
Xavier nodded his head. “You too.”
* * *
A few hours later, Xavier was at lunch, Demetria sitting across from him with two pizza bagels that tasted like cardboard more than anything else.
On his plate, there was a bowl of soup and a grilled cheese sandwich with crispy hard bread from being overly toasted. If anything, the grilled cheese tasted more like cardboard than Demetria’s pizza bagels did.
Each year it seemed as if the food got worse and worse. Either that or he just had to get used to the food all over again, after not having to endure its foul taste for three months during the summer. But Xavier liked to think that it was the food getting worse and worse as time went on.
“The food isn’t that bad this year,” spoke Demetria, licking her lips of pizza bagel sauce.
“Really?” asked Xavier. “To me, it tastes just as bad as ever.”
“Well, all I’m saying is food is food. Some people don’t even get the privilege to eat any kind of meal. So we’re lucky, because there are so many others that could use this meal, and they wouldn’t complain.”
“Yeah, you’re right.”
There was a commotion near the end of the table. A group of boys and girls were all talking over one another. They were what was known as the popular kids. They were the ones that would try out for the football team and the cheerleading squad, no doubt.
Xavier looked back at Demetria and heaved an incredulous sigh. “Do you think Tyler’s still a massive jerk?”
Demetria shrugged. “I don’t know,” she said with a laugh. “Do you?”
“It’s only been a few hours,” replied Xavier. “I haven’t really had any run-ins with him yet, but if he is I’ll let you know.”
Demetria rolled her eyes. “Yeah, it’s only been a few hours and I’m already ready to go home and sleep for a year. Gym with Mr. Lahey was the worst thing ever. He made the entire class—well, mine anyway—run laps the entirety of his class,” she said, exaggeratedly. “I mean it’s like he’s trying to kill us. I’m not that out of shape, but even I’m not immune to the after-effects of a full hours worth of running. I felt like my chest was on fire, and I couldn’t breathe. Whoever works out for fun has to be an idiot. It’s not fun feeling like your whole entire body is pulsing.”
“Don’t forget the erratic beating of your heart,” said Xavier taking a bite of his grilled cheese. The bread was so hard that he was sure it was cutting into his gums. “I think that Mr. Lahey is making everyone run laps today. He’s always been tough on us, you know that.”
“I know,” she replied. “But normally, he tries to ease us into it on the first day. Last year he let us watch some dumb educational work out videos, those were fun. It was certainly better than having to run for an hour.”
“Well, things change. He couldn’t have just kept doing the same thing every year. He had to switch it up a little.”
“He switched it up a lot. He dialed everything up to a hundred and I’m still trying to catch my breath.”
Xavier chuckled in response. He didn’t know what to say.
The bell rang a few moments later signaling that it was time for fifth period, and then after that sixth, which was the last period of the day, thankfully. And then he could go home and lay in bed until his mother called him down for dinner, and then he could go back up to his room and sleep until the next day.
It was great that no one ever gave out homework on the first day. But even if they did, Xavier probably wouldn’t have done it. Not because he was lazy, because he was far from it, he just didn’t think that he or anyone deserved homework on the first day.
That was just what Xavier thought.
Fifth period was a drag, just like math was. It was science, and all they did the entire time was listen to the teacher drone on and on about different kinds of chemicals that Xavier couldn’t find any reason to care for.
The class was boring and felt like it droned on and on, but Xavier didn’t fall asleep this time. He forced his eyes to stay open and forced himself to listen to the monotone voice of Mrs. Smith. She was an older woman in her mid-fifties, who wore way too much make-up. She had on a pair of black khaki pants and a white low-cut blouse that showed off way too much of her cleavage and the faded cherry tattoo she had on her left breast.
But science wasn’t all that bad, at least he had it with Demetria, who had rushed at the chance to steal the seat right next to him before the popular guy—Tyler—from lunch could, but that didn’t stop Tyler from taking the desk on the other side of him, to the left.
In all honesty, Xavier didn’t care who sat beside him. He loved Demetria, and he was glad that she wanted to sit beside him, but he didn’t mind that Tyler had taken the seat next to him either. He wasn’t worried that Tyler was going to hurt him, because he never had before. But that didn’t mean he couldn’t start now.
Tyler was staring down at his science textbook intently. He looked just as bored as Xavier.
He was wearing a pair of blue jeans, and a vibrant yellow V-neck shirt that practically lit up the entire room.
Xavier sighed. He looked down at his hands that were placed in his lap and twiddled his thumbs, just for a lack of anything better to do.
“Okay, everyone,” said Mrs. Smith. “Pack up and get ready, because the bell is about to ring.”
Everyone rapidly grabbed their things in a rush and readied themselves for the bell that would relieve them for their last class of the day, which was study hall.
Study hall was the second class that Xavier had with Tyler, who spent the period playing games on his phone, while Xavier read a book that he had brought from home. He was thirty pages in before he was interrupted by a tap on his shoulder. He looked up and saw Tyler looking at him expectantly.
“Yes?” he said.
“What are you reading?” said Tyler in reply.
“Outlander,” said Xavier showing him the cover that had the title in bold gold letters.
Tyler nodded. “Is it good?”
“Mmhm. So far it is. Just a bit dense, you know.”
“Do you have a pencil I can borrow? I want to draw a bit before it’s time to leave.”
Xavier nodded, placed his book down on his desk, and pulled a pencil out of one of the zippers of his book bag and handed it to Tyler. “You don’t have to worry about giving it back.”
“Thanks,” said Tyler, turning away from Xavier and starting to sketch in his notebook.
“How was school, birthday boy?” asked Xavier’s father, as soon as he walked through the door. “Are you ready for that slice of cake from this morning?”
Xavier chuckled and dropped his bag by the door. “Maybe after dinner,” he said. “What are we having?”
“I think your mother is cooking chicken and rice.”
“Yum. I can’t wait.”
“The food is good, mom,” said Xavier, spearing a piece of grilled chicken with his fork and popped it into his mouth.
“Thank you, honey,” she said in reply. “What about you, dear?” she added, looking to her husband for his response.
He nodded his head and hummed in response. “It’s really good.”
“Good,” she said with a huge smile. She then proceeded eating, alternating between spearing a piece of chicken with her fork and scooping up some rice. She never ate both at the same time. “I’m glad you like it. Because I
tried something different . . . I seasoned the chicken with a little bit of lime. I didn’t know if it’d be good, but it’s pretty damn fetching if I do say so myself.”
Xavier chuckled. “It is,” he agreed.
“It really is, darling.”
The reassurances were something that Xavier and his father did almost constantly, because his mother was very self-conscious of a lot of things, even though she was a chef at a nice restaurant. So, Xavier and Andrew tried to reassure her as much as they could.
“Did you have a nice day at school, Xavier?”
“Yes,” said Xavier, gulping down the few bites of what was left of the food on his plate. “It was great.”
“That’s good,” said Andrew. “Did you and Demetria do anything for your birthday today?”
Xavier rolled his eyes. “No,” he said. “We agreed not to after what she did last year. I didn’t really like having her sing ‘Happy Birthday’ to me at the top of her lungs during lunch. It was rather embarrassing.”
“Oh, don’t be such a prude,” said Xavier’s mother, Eliza. “Do you want a slice of cake now?”
“Sure.”
“Would you prefer a friend that didn’t care enough to even remember your birthday? I think that what she did last year was sweet,” said Eliza from across the room, cutting into the cake, and plopping a slice on a plate, then placed it in front of Xavier on the table.
“I don’t know,” he said. “In all honesty, I think she cares too much sometimes.”
“Is that a bad thing?” asked Andrew curiously.
“No. It isn’t bad, but it can get a little annoying sometimes,” replied Xavier, taking a bite of the cake. It was a little too sweet for his liking, but he wasn’t going to complain. If he did, that would make him seem ungrateful for his parents’ efforts of trying to make today as special as they possibly could.
After a few minutes, Xavier was done with his slice of cake. He excused himself and placed his plate in the sink.
“Good night,” he said, moving to give the both of them a hug. “See you in the morning.”
“Good night,” they replied, returning the embrace.
CHAPTER
THREE
THE NEXT DAY he woke to the sound of his alarm clock going off. He pushed himself to his feet and took a quick shower, then dressed himself as fast as he could in the clothes that he had laid out the night before. A pair of ripped blue jeans, a black and white checkered button-up shirt, and some white vans.
The second day of school was a little better than the first. They were given homework, but it wasn’t anything that they couldn’t handle.
After he was done, he ran downstairs and greeted his mother with a kiss on the cheek. “Where’s dad?” he asked. “I thought that he was supposed to be off today.”
“They called him in,” replied Eliza. “Someone called in sick and your father was the only one that picked up the phone. He couldn’t say no, you know how he is.”
“Oh. Well, I could stay home and keep you company if you want.”
“No,” she said with a shake of her head. “I’ve already planned out my day. I’m going to straighten up the house, do the laundry, and then I’m going to go grocery shopping.”
Xavier nodded. He didn’t know what else to say, so he sat down at the table and ate his breakfast—two pieces of bacon, scrambled eggs, and a half of an avocado—he licked his lips and took his plate to the sink.
“Hey, honey,” said Eliza. “Do you want me to go ahead and do your laundry, or do you want to wait to do yours on Friday?”
Xavier thought for a moment then said, “I’ll just do them on Friday like I usually do.”
“Okay,” replied Eliza. “Have a nice day at school, sweetie.”
“I will,” yelled Xavier over his shoulder before he ran out the door and jumped into the driver’s seat of his car.
He pulled out of the driveway and drove past a school bus that was preparing to stop and get ready to pick up two small kids that were bundled up in jackets to keep them warm from the cool breeze that was steadily approaching further and further each moment. It was getting colder and colder each day.
Pretty soon there would be snow on the ground and the wind would be practically unbearable. But the scenery would be beautiful.
A thin blanket of snow would cover the ground and the sky would become a dark stormy gray. Xavier looked out of the window, chancing a glance at the sky. When he reached a stoplight, he stared for a moment taking in every detail of it and its beauty.
A few moments later the light turned green and Xavier took a left. He was going to see if Demetria needed a ride so that she didn’t have to take the bus since it ran later where she lived.
Within a few minutes, he was parked in front of her house. He grabbed his phone and sent her a quick text, asking if she wanted him to give her a ride, and if so, that he was already waiting outside.
A few moments later he received her reply. A simple text that read: Yes.
A few minutes later Demetria came skipping out of the front door and stopped in front of Xavier’s window and tapped on it a couple of times until he gave in and rolled it down.
“Are you ready for the second day of school?” she asked.
“As ready as I’ll ever be,” he replied, sucking in a deep breath of air. “You?”
“Well, of course, I am,” she said, throwing herself into the passenger seat. “I can’t wait to learn everything that I’ll never really use in the future.”
Xavier chuckled, started his car back up, and put it in drive. “Maybe.”
Xavier parked in the back parking lot of the school. All of the ones in the front were taken.
As he and Demetria made their way to the front of the school, Xavier looked up at the sky once more. It was a rich blue and the clouds looked brighter than usual.
He stared for a few more moments then started to look away. But before he did, something caught his eye. There was a motion that moved through the sky, like a ripple in the ocean.
The ripple effect moved through the sky, causing the clouds to slide across it in a steady motion and then it was gone.
“Did you see that?” asked Xavier, his voice laced with a tinge of confusion.
“See what?”
He sucked in a deep breath of air and closed his eyes. “Y - You didn’t see that?”
“No,” said Demetria, her voice laced with a bit of confusion, as well. “What was it?”
“I—” Xavier broke off. He didn’t know what to say.
How could she have not seen it?
She had to have seen it. It was fairly noticeable.
“Xavier?” she said. “What are you talking about?”
“N - Nothing.”
“Okay,” said Demetria. “Come on. I want to make it to first period before the bell rings.”
Xavier nodded and followed after her.
Throughout the day, Xavier couldn’t stop thinking about what he had seen that morning. Or, at least what he thought he saw.
First period and on till lunch, he couldn’t stop thinking about it. The image was burned into his mind. The ripple effect was like a ripple in the ocean, a small wave that motioned through the sky.
The only piece of mind he had was at lunch. Demetria didn’t give him time to think. She talked on and on and never stopped. She never gave him a chance to speak. But Xavier didn’t mind. He just listened, nodding along to every other word she said so that she knew he was paying attention and wouldn’t get angry with him for not giving her his full attention.
The rest of lunch passed in a blur. As did his last two periods of the day. Nothing too eventful happened, but he did have homework to do.
As he sat down at his white mahogany desk and tried to focus on the few small packets of homework he had to do, he couldn’t get through a few questions before he completely spaced. It was a recurring thing that night. He’d get three to four proble
ms done every few minutes before he started thinking about whatever he had seen, or imagined, that day.
He wasn’t quite sure.
At the rate he was going, he’d never be able to get his homework done. Even though it was basic stuff that he already knew, and could get done in a matter thirty minutes to an hour, he couldn’t think straight.
His thoughts kept running wild.
He wracked his brain, trying to come up with a perfectly good explanation that would justify what he saw, or what he thought he saw. But he couldn’t form a coherent rational thought that could sum it up into something that could even be considered remotely plausible.
All of his efforts to concentrate on homework failed. And pretty soon he was being called down for dinner. He sighed, pushed himself to his feet, and trudged his way lazily down the stairs, and took his usual seat at the dinner table where a plate of spaghetti sat in front of him.
Xavier gave a short thank you to his mother and father, then bowed his head, along with them, to say grace. When he was done, he picked up his fork and started eating.
“How was school?”
Xavier took a moment to reply. He was thinking over everything that he could remember happening, in the few times that he hadn’t been thinking about whatever he had seen that morning, then shrugged his shoulders. “Eh,” he said. “It was pretty lackluster compared to the many other second days I’ve had.”
Eliza and Andrew nodded in reply.
They all sat in silence. After a few minutes, Andrew spoke up, deciding that the quiet had become too much and he couldn’t handle another moment of it.
He jumped into a very lengthy explanation of what his day was like. He rambled on and on. He was a talker, like Demetria. There was no stopping them once they started.
If it was up to them, and people allowed them to, they could talk for hours without stopping.
“That’s nice, dear,” said Eliza with a warm smile that lit up her features. “I’m glad you had a great day.”
The Resurgent Page 2