flung her locker open, pulled out her books, and stuffed her coat in. Already she’d begun to dress warm to fight off the oncoming cold that would undoubtedly make her ill.
“Hi, Sally, Roxanne. Where’s Carol?” Merydith said as the girls grouped at Merydith’s locker.
“She’s sick today,” Roxanne answered.
“Personally, I think she’s faking. She hates high school and is afraid to come back,” Sally said with a smirk.
“That’s silly,” Merydith said with a chuckle. “I really like high school.”
“Say, Merydith,” Roxanne asked. “Do you want to come to a small party at my house tonight?”
Merydith frowned and looked into Roxanne’s eyes. “I’d like to but I can’t. Like I said, I’m not allowed to visit any of my friends. There’s no way for me to get away from my house. My grandfather has the only means of transportation. He would never in a million years take me anywhere. I’m sorry, Roxanne.”
“It’s okay, Merydith, I understand. Maybe someday you’ll be able to go. We better go to our homerooms before the late bell rings.”
“Goodbye, guys. See you at lunch.”
“Boy, I really feel bad for her,” Sally said under her breath to Roxanne.
“I know what you mean. That girl has the weirdest parents. I’ve always said that. The rules and things at that house are insane. Poor Merydith, she’s so nice, too.”
As they walked off, Merydith felt her heart shatter. Unfortunately, her hearing was one of her best assets and the two girls had not hid their comments well.
Great, just great . Now they feel sorry for me. I don’t need anyone’s pity. Not only that, but they seem to be turning out to be like everyone else. They think my whole family is a bunch of freaks. It won’t be long before they think I’m a freak too. By God, I swear things are going to change. I’m going to see to that.
She stomped angrily to her homeroom as she wiped tears from her face.
###
“Mark Sabberton, James Sage, Lori Saills, Merydith Santaneen, Jill Sampson, Harold Seedman, Gloria Seller…” Mrs. McCormick rattled off the morning attendance and the students raised their hands accordingly. Not one student was absent from her homeroom today and she liked that. She guessed the kids like her, after all.
Merydith sat and went over last night’s math homework. It was her very first period today and she wanted to make a good impression on Mrs. McCormick.
Mrs. McCormick glanced over and noticed Merydith glaring hard at her math homework. Their eyes met and Mrs. McCormick gave her an approving smile.
The bell for first period rang and the students immediately filed out. Merydith remained in her seat, as did another boy and girl who shared the homeroom and math class with her. Within minutes, the entire room filled with kids who were not exactly thrilled at having math first period.
After Mrs. McCormick checked everyone’s homework, she stood in front of the chalkboard and began a new lesson. “Today class we will try some multiplication of fractions.”
There was a sigh in the room.
“Now, now, it can’t be all that bad,” Mrs. McCormick said with a smile. “Just give it a try. You may even grow to like it. It really isn’t that difficult.”
“Maybe for her, someone whose only life is numbers and fractions,” a voice snickered from the back.
“I heard that, Jack Claybourne,” Mrs. McCormick began. “It seems your life is just a little too exciting. We’ll have to change that by assigning you some extra homework for the rest of the week.”
The class roared with laughter.
As the hour dragged on, Merydith found herself daydreaming of how she was going to capture some of her grandfather’s precious formula after school. The thought of it excited her. It was like playing the part of a spy or secret agent. She and Tobey would have to be extra clever to outsmart Grandpa Simon. This would take some real skill and imagination. Something Merydith had a generous supply
“Hi, Sally, Roxanne. Where’s Carol?” Merydith said as the girls grouped at Merydith’s locker.
“She’s sick today,” Roxanne answered.
“Personally, I think she’s faking. She hates high school and is afraid to come back,” Sally said with a smirk.
“That’s silly,” Merydith said with a chuckle. “I really like high school.”
“Say, Merydith,” Roxanne asked. “Do you want to come to a small party at my house tonight?”
Merydith frowned and looked into Roxanne’s eyes. “I’d like to but I can’t. Like I said, I’m not allowed to visit any of my friends. There’s no way for me to get away from my house. My grandfather has the only means of transportation. He would never in a million years take me anywhere. I’m sorry, Roxanne.”
“It’s okay, Merydith, I understand. Maybe someday you’ll be able to go. We better go to our homerooms before the late bell rings.”
“Goodbye, guys. See you at lunch.”
“Boy, I really feel bad for her,” Sally said under her breath to Roxanne.
“I know what you mean. That girl has the weirdest parents. I’ve always said that. The rules and things at that house are insane. Poor Merydith, she’s so nice, too.”
As they walked off, Merydith felt her heart shatter. Unfortunately, her hearing was one of her best assets and the two girls had not hid their comments well.
Great, just great . Now they feel sorry for me. I don’t need anyone’s pity. Not only that, but they seem to be turning out to be like everyone else. They think my whole family is a bunch of freaks. It won’t be long before they think I’m a freak too. By God, I swear things are going to change. I’m going to see to that.
She stomped angrily to her homeroom as she wiped tears from her face.
###
“Mark Sabberton, James Sage, Lori Saills, Merydith Santaneen, Jill Sampson, Harold Seedman, Gloria Seller…” Mrs. McCormick rattled off the morning attendance and the students raised their hands accordingly. Not one student was absent from her homeroom today and she liked that. She guessed the kids like her, after all.
Merydith sat and went over last night’s math homework. It was her very first period today and she wanted to make a good impression on Mrs. McCormick.
Mrs. McCormick glanced over and noticed Merydith glaring hard at her math homework. Their eyes met and Mrs. McCormick gave her an approving smile.
The bell for first period rang and the students immediately filed out. Merydith remained in her seat, as did another boy and girl who shared the homeroom and math class with her. Within minutes, the entire room filled with kids who were not exactly thrilled at having math first period.
After Mrs. McCormick checked everyone’s homework, she stood in front of the chalkboard and began a new lesson. “Today class we will try some multiplication of fractions.”
There was a sigh in the room.
“Now, now, it can’t be all that bad,” Mrs. McCormick said with a smile. “Just give it a try. You may even grow to like it. It really isn’t that difficult.”
“Maybe for her, someone whose only life is numbers and fractions,” a voice snickered from the back.
“I heard that, Jack Claybourne,” Mrs. McCormick began. “It seems your life is just a little too exciting. We’ll have to change that by assigning you some extra homework for the rest of the week.”
The class roared with laughter.
As the hour dragged on, Merydith found herself daydreaming of how she was going to capture some of her grandfather’s precious formula after school. The thought of it excited her. It was like playing the part of a spy or secret agent. She and Tobey would have to be extra clever to outsmart Grandpa Simon. This would take some real skill and imagination. Something Merydith had a generous supply
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