School is at the top of my list for things in life that are not needed. There is absolutely nothing that would be called “fun” in that stupid building. What I’m having trouble comprehending is why I have to go there in the first place. I already explained to my parents that I didn’t need to go to school because I wanted to work at a fast food restaurant for the rest of my life. They didn’t take this news easily, especially since they are both teachers, my dad a math professor at the local university and my mom a science teacher at my school. I explained to them how I wanted to drop out of high school because it is a huge waste of my time, but they automatically disagreed, saying that their daughter was not going to have it that easy and that they expected me to go through four years of college and get a diploma. What a life!
My name is Roxxi Jones, and I’m a junior at the Rockland High School. I am an only child, and am wishing I wasn’t. If I had a sibling, they could put all the pressure on her and let me be. She could be the smart nicey-nice girl that my parents have always wanted me to be and I could go my own way, drop out of school, and work at a restaurant. If only my life was that perfect!
One day, I was walking to school, my feet dragging and my head hung over. I had only gotten around three hours of sleep, staying up all night trying to finish my latest history essay on Hitler’s powers over most of the world. I was finally able to finish it around 3:30 A.M. with one page and a total of five sentences. Man, was I going to fail that assignment!
“What’s up with you today, Rox? You’re not usually in this much pain when going to school,” my best friend, Azaria, said as she gave me a playful punch. Azaria and I have been best friends since we first met on the first day of sixth grade. She has gorgeous long blonde hair, beautiful light blue eyes, a stunning smile, and a model body. I couldn’t believe we became friends since I considered myself an outsider. She’s a nice outgoing girl loved by all the boys in the school and all the girls wish they could be friends with, while I am the girl hiding in the shadows who most people try to stay as far away from as possible. It hurts me sometimes to see how popular she was and how many friends she had, but knowing that I would always be her best friend just made me feel all bubbly inside.
“Hello? Earth to Roxanne! I’m talking to you here!”
I now realized that we had stopped walking and Azaria was standing a foot away from me, her hands gripping my shoulders tightly. I looked up from the ground to find a worried expression on her face. “Have you been talking the whole time?” I asked.
“Uh, yeah! Did you not hear any of that?” she asked in an agitated tone.
“No. Sorry. So, what were you saying?”
“What I was trying to tell you is that you seem less energetic than usual and that you’re becoming lost in your own world very easily, and it’s making me worried. What’s up with you today?”
“I haven’t been all here for a couple days. I’ve been out of it. I totally forgot about our history essay and ended up staying up until 3:30 A.M. trying to finish it and only got five sentences written. My parents are going to kill me!” I admitted in complete despair.
“Well, when they do, can I have your CD collection?” Azaria asked with a playful tone. I jumped onto her back and began squeezing the sides of her head. She fell down laughing, and I came down with her. We lay on the ground for a few minutes, trying to catch our breath. I was finally able to sit up and gradually pushed myself up into a crouching position. I slowly stood up and offered my hand to her. She gave me a grateful look and took hold and I pulled her up. Then, we walked arm in arm towards the school, ready for whatever may come.
I sat in history class, listening to the drone of the teacher calling out attendance. It was like this everyday. We were halfway through the school year, and Mrs. Purnia was still not able to put most names with faces. So, she called out attendance everyday while all the normal teachers were able to sit at their desks and look around the room to see if the kids were there. But, of course, Mrs. Purnia was the only one who was unable to do that.
“Miss Jones.”
I mean, seriously, what kind of teacher still doesn’t know their own students!
“Miss Jones.”
I tell you, it’s complete craziness!
“Miss Jones!”
I looked up to find Mrs. Purnia and the whole class staring at me.
“Here!” I said nonchalantly. The whole class erupted into laughter. Mrs. Purnia gave me the evil eye and casually walked back over to her desk.
“Miss Jones, quit with the attitude! If I get one more nasty tone from you, you will regret it!” Mrs. Purnia snapped at me.
I glanced over at Azaria and she gave me a small shrug. I rolled my eyes as Mrs. Purnia began talking again.
“As you all know, you were assigned an essay two weeks ago that is now due. If you would please get them out and pass them towards the front of the row,” she said as she walked over to the right side of the classroom. I reached in my binder for my essay and pulled it out. My amazing five sentence essay.
“Hey, can I see your essay?” Azaria asked as she leaned across the aisle to reach for it.
“Why do you want it? You’ve seen it once. Isn’t that enough?” I asked as I grabbed the paper and put it out of her reach.
“Come on. Just give it to me already! What? You can’t trust me?” she asked as she gave me a sly look.
“Ugh! Fine! Just hurry up, alright?” I scoffed as I slammed my essay onto her desk. I decided to look out the window beside me as Azaria glanced down my essay. I watched a bee fly from flower to flower and a robin create a nest. As I turned back around, I noticed the teacher standing at the front of the class with the stack of essays in her hands.
“Dude, where’s my essay?” I basically screamed at Azaria as I looked around on the floor.
“Rox, don’t worry! I already passed it up for you!”
I gave a sigh of relief as I sank back into my chair. Then, I remembered how short my essay was and I gave a little frown. This was not going to be a good day for me!
It was five minutes till the end of school when the intercom came on.
“If Roxanne Jones and Azaria Whitman could please go to Mrs. Purnia’s room after school. Roxanne Jones and Azaria Whitman to Mrs. Purnia after school.”
This is the moment I have been dreading for the whole school day. I knew I had done a bad job, but why Azaria? She is the top student and never gets a bad grade!
Finally, the school bell rang and all the kids rushed out of their classes into the hallways. I looked left and right for Azaria, but couldn’t find her. I decided to go ahead and walk to Purnia’s and see if Azaria was already there.
As I walked into the classroom, I could already tell the atmosphere was all wrong. Mrs. Purnia and Azaria both greeted me with big smiles. This was not what I was expecting!
“Hello, Roxanne!” Mrs. Purnia said.
“What’s going on?” I asked as I slowly walked up to her desk.
“Why are you asking me? You should know!” Mrs. Purnia exclaimed in surprise.
I looked over at Azaria to see if she understood what was going on. She gave me a wink and a big smile. Why am I not understanding!?!
I guess Mrs. Purnia was able to tell that I still wasn’t understanding because she got up out of her chair, grabbed something off her desk, and walked towards me. She slipped whatever it was into my hand and wrapped her arm around my shoulders. “This was the best essay out of all the classes, Miss Jones. I am very proud of you!”
I looked from Mrs. Purnia to Azaria and back. I was so confused! This wasn’t my essay! I looked down at the essay, and there, no doubt, was my name.
I looked up at Mrs. Purnia. “You don’t understand. This isn’t my…”
“Best work. Of course it isn’t, Rox! I know you write a whole lot better than that!” Azaria exclaimed as she came over and put her arm around mine. “You can do so much better than that!”
I finally understood. That’s why Azaria wanted to see my essay! She erased her name from her essay and put mine instead! So, that must mean she took credit for my essay! But, why?? I gave her a “we need to talk” glance, and she nodded in approval.
“As for you, Azaria, I expected much more from you,” Mrs. Purnia said in a shocked tone.
“I’m sorry, Mrs. Purnia. I ran out of time and I totally forgot about it this morning!”
“I will be expecting more from you in the upcoming assignments,” Mrs. Punia explained as she turned around and walked back to her desk.
Azaria and I walked arm in arm out of the classroom.
“Why did you do that? Your, like, the top student, while I’m the one that bombs all the classes!” I exclaimed.
“I know, but I also know that this assignment was sort of important to your parents for some reason or another, and I didn’t want you to get in trouble with them. I know I’ve never failed a paper, but I will somehow make my parents understand.”
“Thanks, Az! You’re a life saver!” I exclaimed as I gave her a big hug. “I owe you one.”
“Thanks, but no thanks. I know you will figure out some way to turn it into a disaster!” she explained as she gave me a poke in the ribs and took off running. I took off after her, laughing all the way back home.
My name is Roxxi Jones, and I’m a junior at the Rockland High School. I am an only child, and am wishing I wasn’t. If I had a sibling, they could put all the pressure on her and let me be. She could be the smart nicey-nice girl that my parents have always wanted me to be and I could go my own way, drop out of school, and work at a restaurant. If only my life was that perfect!
One day, I was walking to school, my feet dragging and my head hung over. I had only gotten around three hours of sleep, staying up all night trying to finish my latest history essay on Hitler’s powers over most of the world. I was finally able to finish it around 3:30 A.M. with one page and a total of five sentences. Man, was I going to fail that assignment!
“What’s up with you today, Rox? You’re not usually in this much pain when going to school,” my best friend, Azaria, said as she gave me a playful punch. Azaria and I have been best friends since we first met on the first day of sixth grade. She has gorgeous long blonde hair, beautiful light blue eyes, a stunning smile, and a model body. I couldn’t believe we became friends since I considered myself an outsider. She’s a nice outgoing girl loved by all the boys in the school and all the girls wish they could be friends with, while I am the girl hiding in the shadows who most people try to stay as far away from as possible. It hurts me sometimes to see how popular she was and how many friends she had, but knowing that I would always be her best friend just made me feel all bubbly inside.
“Hello? Earth to Roxanne! I’m talking to you here!”
I now realized that we had stopped walking and Azaria was standing a foot away from me, her hands gripping my shoulders tightly. I looked up from the ground to find a worried expression on her face. “Have you been talking the whole time?” I asked.
“Uh, yeah! Did you not hear any of that?” she asked in an agitated tone.
“No. Sorry. So, what were you saying?”
“What I was trying to tell you is that you seem less energetic than usual and that you’re becoming lost in your own world very easily, and it’s making me worried. What’s up with you today?”
“I haven’t been all here for a couple days. I’ve been out of it. I totally forgot about our history essay and ended up staying up until 3:30 A.M. trying to finish it and only got five sentences written. My parents are going to kill me!” I admitted in complete despair.
“Well, when they do, can I have your CD collection?” Azaria asked with a playful tone. I jumped onto her back and began squeezing the sides of her head. She fell down laughing, and I came down with her. We lay on the ground for a few minutes, trying to catch our breath. I was finally able to sit up and gradually pushed myself up into a crouching position. I slowly stood up and offered my hand to her. She gave me a grateful look and took hold and I pulled her up. Then, we walked arm in arm towards the school, ready for whatever may come.
I sat in history class, listening to the drone of the teacher calling out attendance. It was like this everyday. We were halfway through the school year, and Mrs. Purnia was still not able to put most names with faces. So, she called out attendance everyday while all the normal teachers were able to sit at their desks and look around the room to see if the kids were there. But, of course, Mrs. Purnia was the only one who was unable to do that.
“Miss Jones.”
I mean, seriously, what kind of teacher still doesn’t know their own students!
“Miss Jones.”
I tell you, it’s complete craziness!
“Miss Jones!”
I looked up to find Mrs. Purnia and the whole class staring at me.
“Here!” I said nonchalantly. The whole class erupted into laughter. Mrs. Purnia gave me the evil eye and casually walked back over to her desk.
“Miss Jones, quit with the attitude! If I get one more nasty tone from you, you will regret it!” Mrs. Purnia snapped at me.
I glanced over at Azaria and she gave me a small shrug. I rolled my eyes as Mrs. Purnia began talking again.
“As you all know, you were assigned an essay two weeks ago that is now due. If you would please get them out and pass them towards the front of the row,” she said as she walked over to the right side of the classroom. I reached in my binder for my essay and pulled it out. My amazing five sentence essay.
“Hey, can I see your essay?” Azaria asked as she leaned across the aisle to reach for it.
“Why do you want it? You’ve seen it once. Isn’t that enough?” I asked as I grabbed the paper and put it out of her reach.
“Come on. Just give it to me already! What? You can’t trust me?” she asked as she gave me a sly look.
“Ugh! Fine! Just hurry up, alright?” I scoffed as I slammed my essay onto her desk. I decided to look out the window beside me as Azaria glanced down my essay. I watched a bee fly from flower to flower and a robin create a nest. As I turned back around, I noticed the teacher standing at the front of the class with the stack of essays in her hands.
“Dude, where’s my essay?” I basically screamed at Azaria as I looked around on the floor.
“Rox, don’t worry! I already passed it up for you!”
I gave a sigh of relief as I sank back into my chair. Then, I remembered how short my essay was and I gave a little frown. This was not going to be a good day for me!
It was five minutes till the end of school when the intercom came on.
“If Roxanne Jones and Azaria Whitman could please go to Mrs. Purnia’s room after school. Roxanne Jones and Azaria Whitman to Mrs. Purnia after school.”
This is the moment I have been dreading for the whole school day. I knew I had done a bad job, but why Azaria? She is the top student and never gets a bad grade!
Finally, the school bell rang and all the kids rushed out of their classes into the hallways. I looked left and right for Azaria, but couldn’t find her. I decided to go ahead and walk to Purnia’s and see if Azaria was already there.
As I walked into the classroom, I could already tell the atmosphere was all wrong. Mrs. Purnia and Azaria both greeted me with big smiles. This was not what I was expecting!
“Hello, Roxanne!” Mrs. Purnia said.
“What’s going on?” I asked as I slowly walked up to her desk.
“Why are you asking me? You should know!” Mrs. Purnia exclaimed in surprise.
I looked over at Azaria to see if she understood what was going on. She gave me a wink and a big smile. Why am I not understanding!?!
I guess Mrs. Purnia was able to tell that I still wasn’t understanding because she got up out of her chair, grabbed something off her desk, and walked towards me. She slipped whatever it was into my hand and wrapped her arm around my shoulders. “This was the best essay out of all the classes, Miss Jones. I am very proud of you!”
I looked from Mrs. Purnia to Azaria and back. I was so confused! This wasn’t my essay! I looked down at the essay, and there, no doubt, was my name.
I looked up at Mrs. Purnia. “You don’t understand. This isn’t my…”
“Best work. Of course it isn’t, Rox! I know you write a whole lot better than that!” Azaria exclaimed as she came over and put her arm around mine. “You can do so much better than that!”
I finally understood. That’s why Azaria wanted to see my essay! She erased her name from her essay and put mine instead! So, that must mean she took credit for my essay! But, why?? I gave her a “we need to talk” glance, and she nodded in approval.
“As for you, Azaria, I expected much more from you,” Mrs. Purnia said in a shocked tone.
“I’m sorry, Mrs. Purnia. I ran out of time and I totally forgot about it this morning!”
“I will be expecting more from you in the upcoming assignments,” Mrs. Punia explained as she turned around and walked back to her desk.
Azaria and I walked arm in arm out of the classroom.
“Why did you do that? Your, like, the top student, while I’m the one that bombs all the classes!” I exclaimed.
“I know, but I also know that this assignment was sort of important to your parents for some reason or another, and I didn’t want you to get in trouble with them. I know I’ve never failed a paper, but I will somehow make my parents understand.”
“Thanks, Az! You’re a life saver!” I exclaimed as I gave her a big hug. “I owe you one.”
“Thanks, but no thanks. I know you will figure out some way to turn it into a disaster!” she explained as she gave me a poke in the ribs and took off running. I took off after her, laughing all the way back home.
Hope_Princess
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