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Authors: Lindsay Payton
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seems—nice.”
He was being sarcastic, and I laughed when I remembered Lisa’s staring. She was enamored with his looks, I knew that.
“She’s nice when she gets her way,” I admitted.
“But you strive for some peace in the workplace,” he finished for me. I silently agreed, wondering just how well he could read people.
The previews were rolling, and Linden handed me one of the glasses of tea. He opened one of the bags of candy and gave me a handful of Reese’s Pieces. I didn’t eat them immediately; I kept them in my hands, waiting for them to melt a little since they tasted the best like that.
“So how do you like home schooling?” Linden asked as he lay on his side, propping his head up with one hand.
“It’s all right, I can’t really compare it to a public school since I’ve never been in one, but as far as I know, I like it,” I replied, testing out one of the Reese’s. It was still somewhat solid in the middle, so I started warming them again.
“I’d say you’re lucky you’ve never gone. It’s crap,” he replied, popping a few more candies into his mouth.
“How long did you go?” I asked, turning to look at him.
“Mm—only till high school.”
“Only?” I repeated. “That’s ten years more than me, or anyone else I know.”
“Yeah, ten years too many,” he laughed.
“So why’d you drop out?” I wondered if I was starting to pry again, but he went on, not shutting off yet.
“It just wasn’t for me anymore. No one was making me go, so I just stopped. You get fed up with it fast.”
I took that thought into consideration, remembering the one time I’d gone to the junior high school. I’d been on a school kick, one where I was trying to convince Rene I belonged in public school. Of course that day was terrifying, and I had changed my mind immediately though I sometimes wondered what it would have been like. Most likely very awkward; I had never really connected with anyone outside of my home, and they all seemed slightly repelled by any of us who lived there. We were ‘sheltered’ and therefore, we had to be strange.
“What about college?” I asked Linden, ignoring the fact that the movie was actually starting now.
“What about it?”
I tried not to squirm under his intense gaze; I concentrated on the Reese’s again. “You’re old enough to go. Did you ever try it out?”
He laughed quietly before he took a sip of tea. “You’re old enough to go, too. Just because I’m past 20 doesn’t make me special. I don’t know, I have no clue what I want to do, so I don’t want to waste my time.”
That was a valid reason, and I tucked that away in my memory to use on Alysana and Omar later on.
“Are you gonna go?” Linden asked.
I shook my head immediately. “No. I can make it through life without college, plenty of people do.”
Linden didn’t say anything, but I could feel him looking at me. I acted like I didn’t notice and put a few Reese’s in my mouth. The insides were finally melted, and I gently broke the hard candy shell with my tongue, letting the soft inside gush out. It was the best way to eat them.
Linden went quiet after that, and I didn’t ask him any more questions. I kept my focus on the movie—or at least I tried to—while the clouds gradually gathered outside. I could see the occasional flash of lightning in the distance, but so far there was no clue that I might get a headache again. In fact, even though it was barely seven o’ clock, I was getting tired. I don’t know if it was just because I’d been so bored all day, but I was starting to rub my eyes, trying to keep myself from falling asleep. It didn’t help at all, and soon I let my eyes close with the intention of resting them, though I was asleep five minutes later.
LESSONS
I woke suddenly with an unpleasant jolt. For a second I had no idea where I was; I was looking at a white wood floor and some unfamiliar clothes in the corner across from me. My arm was under
He was being sarcastic, and I laughed when I remembered Lisa’s staring. She was enamored with his looks, I knew that.
“She’s nice when she gets her way,” I admitted.
“But you strive for some peace in the workplace,” he finished for me. I silently agreed, wondering just how well he could read people.
The previews were rolling, and Linden handed me one of the glasses of tea. He opened one of the bags of candy and gave me a handful of Reese’s Pieces. I didn’t eat them immediately; I kept them in my hands, waiting for them to melt a little since they tasted the best like that.
“So how do you like home schooling?” Linden asked as he lay on his side, propping his head up with one hand.
“It’s all right, I can’t really compare it to a public school since I’ve never been in one, but as far as I know, I like it,” I replied, testing out one of the Reese’s. It was still somewhat solid in the middle, so I started warming them again.
“I’d say you’re lucky you’ve never gone. It’s crap,” he replied, popping a few more candies into his mouth.
“How long did you go?” I asked, turning to look at him.
“Mm—only till high school.”
“Only?” I repeated. “That’s ten years more than me, or anyone else I know.”
“Yeah, ten years too many,” he laughed.
“So why’d you drop out?” I wondered if I was starting to pry again, but he went on, not shutting off yet.
“It just wasn’t for me anymore. No one was making me go, so I just stopped. You get fed up with it fast.”
I took that thought into consideration, remembering the one time I’d gone to the junior high school. I’d been on a school kick, one where I was trying to convince Rene I belonged in public school. Of course that day was terrifying, and I had changed my mind immediately though I sometimes wondered what it would have been like. Most likely very awkward; I had never really connected with anyone outside of my home, and they all seemed slightly repelled by any of us who lived there. We were ‘sheltered’ and therefore, we had to be strange.
“What about college?” I asked Linden, ignoring the fact that the movie was actually starting now.
“What about it?”
I tried not to squirm under his intense gaze; I concentrated on the Reese’s again. “You’re old enough to go. Did you ever try it out?”
He laughed quietly before he took a sip of tea. “You’re old enough to go, too. Just because I’m past 20 doesn’t make me special. I don’t know, I have no clue what I want to do, so I don’t want to waste my time.”
That was a valid reason, and I tucked that away in my memory to use on Alysana and Omar later on.
“Are you gonna go?” Linden asked.
I shook my head immediately. “No. I can make it through life without college, plenty of people do.”
Linden didn’t say anything, but I could feel him looking at me. I acted like I didn’t notice and put a few Reese’s in my mouth. The insides were finally melted, and I gently broke the hard candy shell with my tongue, letting the soft inside gush out. It was the best way to eat them.
Linden went quiet after that, and I didn’t ask him any more questions. I kept my focus on the movie—or at least I tried to—while the clouds gradually gathered outside. I could see the occasional flash of lightning in the distance, but so far there was no clue that I might get a headache again. In fact, even though it was barely seven o’ clock, I was getting tired. I don’t know if it was just because I’d been so bored all day, but I was starting to rub my eyes, trying to keep myself from falling asleep. It didn’t help at all, and soon I let my eyes close with the intention of resting them, though I was asleep five minutes later.
LESSONS
I woke suddenly with an unpleasant jolt. For a second I had no idea where I was; I was looking at a white wood floor and some unfamiliar clothes in the corner across from me. My arm was under
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