Chapter 6: 06 More School, More To Do

As I suspected, Mr. Harrison wasn't impressed with me dropping from the academic decathlon team. We had been practising since school started and it had already been three months. The team worked well together and we had all of the main subjects covered. I managed to not laugh as I told him that I couldn't really remember anything about the subjects Peter used to be good at.

“You really can't remember anything, Peter?”

I sighed. “It's Ben, sir.”

“I think you're pretending to be someone else in order to shirk the duties you volunteered for.” Mr. Harrison said. “It's a terrible thing you're doing and I won't be encouraging you to do so by giving you a list of books you've already read.”

I gave him about five seconds of silence before I put my backpack back on. “Since your reality is different from mine, I won't be attending this class anymore, either.” I said and walked to the classroom door. I didn't bother asking for permission to leave and ignored the whispers from the other students.

Why did Mary have to be right when she said I would have more encounters like the one in my computer science lab? I asked myself and went to the library. I would wait until near the end of the school day before I went back to the office to report the incident. “Hi, Gladys.” I whispered and handed the woman behind the counter the note Mary had printed off for me.

Gladys had thick glasses and a stern expression. She also had her hair done up into such a tight bun that her face looked like it had a cheap facelift. “Non-standard hours of attendance? Is Mary joking?”

“No.” I said and turned my head slightly to show off the scar. “I'll be missing a few classes because of this and I don't want to be roaming the halls and waste a great opportunity to avail myself of the knowledge that you so diligently guard and protect.”

Gladys puckered her lips as if she had tasted something sour. “I hope you aren't trying to butter me up.”

“Would complimenting your appearance be more preferable?” I asked and her lips went into a bigger pucker as her eyes squinted. “I'll keep admiring your mind, then.”

She kept the pucker and her eyes returned to normal. “Are you just going to roam and pluck a random book from a shelf?”

“Of course not.” I said and took out the list of books the computer teacher gave me. “I would greatly appreciate your assistance in finding these.” I said and then took out my own modified list with things for the other courses. “I need a Latin language primer if you have one, too.”

Gladys gave both lists a look, then she gave me a nod of approval. “Having a proper direction is the first step to success.”

“It really is.” I said and smiled at her. I didn't make it too big, because I was sure she would think I was mocking her. “If you have a map, I can mark where I take the books from and I will return them when the bell rings.”

“You aren't going to check them all out?” Gladys asked and looked surprised.

“No, miss. I need to build trust with you before I inconvenience you that much.” I said. “Although, if you have more than one copy of the Latin primer, I wouldn't mind borrowing one. I have Latin first thing and I have no clue how to catch up, except to try and start from the beginning.”

Gladys stood and walked around the counter, my lists in hand. “You need to rebuild your mental foundations?”

I had to smile wider at that. “That's exactly what I'm doing! Out of all the teachers I've met so far, you're the only one I've talked to that understood.”

Gladys looked pleased. “I'm not a teacher.”

“I think you easily could be.” I said and followed her to the languages section. “Your organization skills alone would benefit a lot of students.”

Gladys gave me a look that said I was pulling her leg.

“When I opened my locker this morning, it looked like a tornado hit it.” I said and her eyebrows rose. “The old me seemed to not care how he put the books in the locker, probably because he was going back between every class and not doing it twice a day when he had time.”

“Most students attend their lockers constantly.” Gladys said. “They clutter up the halls daily.”

“I know! The state my locker was in really surprised me, considering what my room looked like with everything organized. It took me a while to sort things properly and to clean the locker up.”

“I assume you did so before checking for these?” Gladys asked and held up the lists.

“Of course.” I said and we stopped at a shelf near the end of a long row of books. “The computer book list I received from my previous teacher and the other one I made when retrieving my scribblers.”

Gladys nodded and pulled out a small book and handed it to me. “The primer.”

I was amazed at the small book. “Wait, that's it?”

Gladys smiled and tapped her glasses. “It's very small print. You might need reading glasses.”

“I'll do fine, miss.” I said and she led me around to gather a few books.

When I asked her what I could study for my other elective classes, she said she would give me a list when I left the library when the class bell rang. I thanked her and sat down at the table that was closest to her counter and carefully placed the books on either side and braced the Latin language primer in the space between and opened the book.

“You weren't kidding.” I whispered at the tiny print.

“I have a spare pair to loan if you need them.” Gladys whispered back.

I thought I heard approval in her voice and smiled at her. “I'll try with the naked eyeball first. If it needs to be dressed later, I'll let you know.”

Gladys let a little smile show before she walked over to the counter and resumed her seat behind it.

I started reading and a few things clicked for me, so I took out the Latin class book and the scribbler from my backpack. I flipped to a blank page and started copying things out. The more I did, the more that seemed to fit into my mind properly.

When I finished going through the primer and had made a dozen sheets of notes, I sat back and let my mind digest it all for several minutes. I didn't try to force things and let it settle before I went to the front of the book again. This time, I also opened my class book and referenced the notes in my scribbler.

I worked for another half an hour and finished the primer again. The knowledge was more prominent and I still wasn't proficient at it; but, I did have a good basis and with more practice tonight, I shouldn't have too much trouble in class tomorrow. I packed my class book and the scribbler away and put the library book off to the side.

I picked up the first computer book on basic computer languages and flipped it open. My mind almost sighed as I easily digested it and I blew through the book like it was a magazine that I was only looking at the pictures. I lightly chuckled and moved the book aside and picked up the next book that focused on computer applications and more in depth programming.

I blew through that one as well and I could almost feel Gladys staring at me. I lifted my head to see her intense gaze and I did the only thing I could do. I gave her a thumbs-up and a grin. She looked surprised for a moment, then she nodded and went back to her own reading.

I made it through two more computer books and stopped when there was about ten minutes left before the class bell was going to ring. I gathered up the books and retraced the path through the library to put them all back, except for the Latin language primer. I went back to the counter and Gladys looked like she was impressed.

“Thank you so much for your help, Gladys.” I whispered and put the book and my new school ID on the counter. “I'm starting to realize why Peter never had a computer book at home.”

“He must have devoured them like you have.” Gladys said and added the library book to my borrowed list.

Thankfully, that was the only one I had out. If there had been any others, I had no clue where I would find them. She handed me my ID and the book and I put the book in my backpack and the ID went into my pocket.

“Thanks again.” I whispered, just as the bell rang. “Geography torture awaits.”

Gladys smiled briefly and nodded. “I'll have modern history preface books for you tomorrow for third period.”

“How did you know I was off then?” I asked and she pointed at the computer. “Oh, my ID.”

“You need a bit more studying in computers.” Gladys said with another smile.

“Did you just make a joke about me forgetting things? Thank you.” I said and her smile remained. “Mrs. Warren is gonna regret kicking me out of class. See you tomorrow.”

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Gladys nodded and I left the library at a fast walk. I had several minutes to get halfway across the building to the second floor and my modern geography class. I was still going to tell the teacher what happened, so he wouldn't call on me for a while. Hopefully. Some teachers could be real pricks about it.

*

May entered the apartment and a delicious smell assaulted her. She had to close her mouth to stop the drool, even though the lasagna at lunch had been delicious and she wasn't very hungry.

“I think I heard someone's stomach grumble!” Ben's voice said from the kitchen.

May laughed as she kicked off her shoes and hung up her jacket. “What masterpiece have you made now? I'm trying to stop drooling here.”

Ben laughed, too. “Chicken stir-fry with brown rice and steamed vegetables.”

May entered the kitchen and smiled at the already lit candles. “I'm not that hungry after eating lunch.”

“Not a problem. Just like the Bolognese sauce, the rice can be kept separate and used several times.” Ben said. “I was going to switch the spaghetti for fettuccine or rigatoni noddles tomorrow night.”

“Rigatoni.” May said. “Fettuccine is a bit too wide and floppy for my liking.”

Ben chuckled. “Rigatoni it is.”

The pair ate the great food and May had a bit more than she should have.

“I thought you said you weren't hungry?” Ben asked with a grin as he pointed up the stairs. “Go bathe.”

“I can help with the dishes.” May offered.

“I'm doing them because I have to beg off watching television tonight. I have to practice Latin.”

May nodded. “Try to take it easy, Ben. No one expects a miracle from you after the accident.”

Ben didn't tell her about what happened at school because she didn't need that kind of pressure right now. “I'll take breaks, just like I did at school today.”

May smiled and lightly touched his arm, then she left the kitchen. She went up the stairs and took off her work outfit to hang up in her closet. She didn't even think about not walking around in her underwear as she went down the hallway to the bathroom.

The little confrontation she had with Ben had surprised her and also gave her a lot or reassurance. She was sure that Peter was in there somewhere under Ben's confident attitude.

That thought made her pause, because she had told Ben that she wasn't waiting for Peter to come back. May had been sure that was true, then that odd thought had come to her. Could Ben really be a new personality created by Peter's damaged brain? Was it a simple thing like having him visit a psychologist to put him back to who he used to be? Did she have any right to do that to him?

May shook her head and pulled off her panties to toss in the hamper and hung her bra on the small rack of hooks that Ben had installed for her. It was such a simple thing to make her life a little easier and she appreciated it. In fact, she appreciated everything he had been doing since he had told her that he had amnesia. He really was doing everything he could to help her and that was really endearing.

She slipped into the tub and almost moaned because it was the perfect temperature to let her relax. She barely moved at all as she pretended to wash herself and mostly laid there and enjoyed it.

Despite Peter being hurt like he was and the resulting medical bill that really cut into their meagre savings, May's life had actually improved by leaps and bounds since Ben appeared and it had only been a week and a half. She couldn't stop her smile as she wondered what her life was going to be like when Ben was older.

*

I strode through Midtown High School of Science and Technology at a pace just below a jog. My bus had gotten caught in traffic that morning and I was going to be late for class.

“There you are.” Isabelle's voice said as I entered the right hall for Latin class.

“I'm really sorry I can't stop to talk. I have to get to class and try to stay on the teacher's good side.” I said and barely paused while I gave her a quick kiss on the cheek as I passed her by. “I'll fake needing the bathroom before the end of class.”

Isabelle looked surprised at my words.

I ignored that as I knocked on the classroom door and entered without being asked. “I'm terribly sorry for my tardiness, Miss Romani. My bus was caught in traffic.” I said and handed her the class excuse note for her to mark.

“Oh? You're not claiming you can't remember where it is?” Miss Romani asked. She had apparently been informed of my status and it didn't seem like it was from a good source.

Probably Mr. Harrison. I thought and pointed to the scar on my head. “I didn't remember at all. I memorized the map of the school last night, where your class was, and how to get to it. I did the same with your name.” I said and made a point to look at her from her head, roamed down her body to her feet, and went back up to her face.

She was a striking woman that had long straight black hair, slim hips, and a moderately-sized chest. She had also noticed me literally checking her out and she didn't look happy about it.

I switched to speaking Latin that I had practised a lot last night, because the primer had tons of verbal breakdowns for me to use as references. “You are attractive woman.”

Complete silence met my words.

“I must wait until body growth before I can flirt you properly.” I said and she looked stunned. I switched back to speaking English. “Damn, I screwed up the syntax on that. Sorry, Miss Romani.”

Miss Romani marked my excuse card and didn't say anything as she passed it back.

I looked around the classroom and all of the seats were full except for one, so I didn't have any choice and sat in the last seat. Everyone stared at me and I ignored them.

Miss Romani gave me another look and then spoke. “As I was saying, we're working on writing out what a sentence is in English and then translating it into Latin.”

I put up my hand. “I did that last night with the exercises in the class book.”

Miss Romani blinked her eyes several times and looked surprised. “Peter...”

“It's Ben, as you already know. Peter is dead.” I said and several of the girls gasped. “Some of you seem to assume that I'm joking or carrying on. I'm not.” I looked around at everyone's shocked faces and back at the teacher. “If you would be so kind as to tell Mr. Harrison he can kiss my ass for spreading lies about me, I would appreciate it. I reported him to the office yesterday and will go see Mary during lunch to add this to her report, too.”

Miss Romani closed her eyes briefly and then opened them. “I apologize for my assumption.”

I nodded and she started teaching the class again. I followed along and caught a few things I hadn't seen in the book, so it wasn't a wasted class. I was on par or above the other students and that was more than enough to make me happy about the situation.

I raised my hand with fifteen minutes left to class and she let me go to the bathroom. She didn't question me about taking my backpack with me, either. She must have assumed that I was leaving early to get to the next class and she couldn't have been more wrong.

Isabelle stood by the classroom door and she gave me a pointed look. “Ben.”

“Your bathroom or mine?” I asked her with a smile on my face.

“You're lucky you're so damn cute.” Isabelle said and took my hand. “If I wasn't graduating this year, you would be in so much trouble.”

I did not make a joke about her being the one in trouble. I sure as hell thought it, though.

Physics was my next class and I had studied my ass off for that. The teacher, Mr. Morales, didn't look at me and acted like he didn't care. That was fine with me. I didn't need his help to keep studying, anyway. Gladys was going to help me with that. I would meet her next period and she was going to help me cram for my history class that afternoon.

If my suspicion was right, she was going to be a harsh teacher. Surprisingly, I was okay with that, too.

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