Elnora Murriner - Short Story - Putnam County
Item
Title
Elnora Murriner - Short Story - Putnam County
Description
Behind the Smile
Abstract
6:00AM wake up. Walk into bathroom, get ready. At 6:30AM eat breakfast Look at your options "Pancakes or cereal?" Which to choose? Pancakes. Walk out the door, get on the bus. Look out the window and wait for what will most defiantly be the worst 8 hours of my day.
7:30, walk in, sit down, with anyone really, except it is not that easy. t would not be life without any challenges or risks to be found by one choice, where would be the fun if life were simple. Choosing who to sit with the first choice can affect the rest of your day. To break it down there are two kinds of people in schools like this the ones who find fear in the question "Are you ok?" and those who crave the attention and pity that can come with this question. But then you have the safer option that cannot really hurt you too much, sitting alone and just paying attention to either everyone else in the room or your phone. 8:00AM, time for your time to relax and if you forgot your homework for your class, do it now. I pull out my book to avoid eye contact, the more you can avoid the eyes, the less you get judged. 8:30AM, first basic. Get to your desk and block out all the whispers and gasps of who's gotten broken up with, who cheated, who's talking trash about who and most importantly what they say about you. Try to focus on your teacher while the girls behind you laugh at your clothes or your body or your hair or any flaw they can detect. Listen, bottle up the anger, and do what they ask of you. They say that if you do this you will do just fine. That is a lie that won't save you, but will kill you from the inside out. After the torture of your first class you then go to related arts where you can't really have any complaints, its either a simple class you really cant fail or one that takes a lot of effort to get a passing grade in. 11:14AM, second basic. Now try to snap from being tired already, you still have four or five more hours left, you're nowhere near done. Push through, no matter how much it kills you, to continue with the rude thing's kids say about you and what the teachers say to ridicule you and tear you down. Keep it together just a bit longer. I snuggle deep into my hoodie trying to hide myself in it because sometimes it's better to be hidden than found. This is one of those times when hiding is the only option to avoid getting beaten up. To avoid that one girl who announces to the whole world all her issues and if it's not terrible enough for anyone to care she makes issues that are. To avoid anyone looking for that weight you've been trying to lose. Can't focus, look out the window or draw but don't let the teacher catch you off task or lunch detention awaits you. In the back kids pass a vape and ask to go to the bathroom. In the front the teacher announces the assignment, a PowerPoint about ancient Greece. She speaks to the kids in the front, we refer to these as those kids that get off by smarts or looks sometimes because they are an athlete or just ''The Golden Kids". Avoid them while you can, the second they get the chance, they'll stab you in the back. 12:44PM, lunch. Go into locker for books to avoid conversation with the two friends you have that only talk to you when they have a problem or want money. I grab "Love Lucus- Chantele Sedgwick", as well as "Girl in PiecesKathleen Glasgow''. Pick a table in the back and most people won't look at you or even notice you, but it sucks for you if you must go to the bathroom considering it's in the front. Sit down and wait to listen to useless conversations circle around you in a storm of words but pay close attention in case something relevant comes up. Everyone dumps row by row, get dismissed to the library, gym, or outside. Walk behind a group of kids who like to goof off in the back, sit and read. Now for the worst part of the day. 1:35PM: Third, everyone is tired, and rude, no one likes each other; they all hate the same people and agree to tolerate each other. Yelling at each other because one kid is different. Just because she is the teacher barges in and settles it. Everyone's back in their seat. I stare at the walls. This class is so easy. She hands out our paper for homework but I'm too focused on the whispers behind me." We can take them even with help." They were referring to me for once something is different. I go into the hallway ready for them, grab my bag and phone, walk back to my class and simply wait for it to end I put in an earbud and work. Now wait for the buses when they arrive, sit down, and for once don't listen to everything. 4:30PM grab a glass of water, work some more on work that in most cases is useless. 5:30PM moms home she asks how I am. I want to burst into tears from the words I've heard. But instead, I smile and reply. "I'm fine." The lie I and many others say but are scared to admit it's a lie so just continue with the smile no matter how fake it is just keep it on and continue to say the lie. "I'm fine."
7:30, walk in, sit down, with anyone really, except it is not that easy. t would not be life without any challenges or risks to be found by one choice, where would be the fun if life were simple. Choosing who to sit with the first choice can affect the rest of your day. To break it down there are two kinds of people in schools like this the ones who find fear in the question "Are you ok?" and those who crave the attention and pity that can come with this question. But then you have the safer option that cannot really hurt you too much, sitting alone and just paying attention to either everyone else in the room or your phone. 8:00AM, time for your time to relax and if you forgot your homework for your class, do it now. I pull out my book to avoid eye contact, the more you can avoid the eyes, the less you get judged. 8:30AM, first basic. Get to your desk and block out all the whispers and gasps of who's gotten broken up with, who cheated, who's talking trash about who and most importantly what they say about you. Try to focus on your teacher while the girls behind you laugh at your clothes or your body or your hair or any flaw they can detect. Listen, bottle up the anger, and do what they ask of you. They say that if you do this you will do just fine. That is a lie that won't save you, but will kill you from the inside out. After the torture of your first class you then go to related arts where you can't really have any complaints, its either a simple class you really cant fail or one that takes a lot of effort to get a passing grade in. 11:14AM, second basic. Now try to snap from being tired already, you still have four or five more hours left, you're nowhere near done. Push through, no matter how much it kills you, to continue with the rude thing's kids say about you and what the teachers say to ridicule you and tear you down. Keep it together just a bit longer. I snuggle deep into my hoodie trying to hide myself in it because sometimes it's better to be hidden than found. This is one of those times when hiding is the only option to avoid getting beaten up. To avoid that one girl who announces to the whole world all her issues and if it's not terrible enough for anyone to care she makes issues that are. To avoid anyone looking for that weight you've been trying to lose. Can't focus, look out the window or draw but don't let the teacher catch you off task or lunch detention awaits you. In the back kids pass a vape and ask to go to the bathroom. In the front the teacher announces the assignment, a PowerPoint about ancient Greece. She speaks to the kids in the front, we refer to these as those kids that get off by smarts or looks sometimes because they are an athlete or just ''The Golden Kids". Avoid them while you can, the second they get the chance, they'll stab you in the back. 12:44PM, lunch. Go into locker for books to avoid conversation with the two friends you have that only talk to you when they have a problem or want money. I grab "Love Lucus- Chantele Sedgwick", as well as "Girl in PiecesKathleen Glasgow''. Pick a table in the back and most people won't look at you or even notice you, but it sucks for you if you must go to the bathroom considering it's in the front. Sit down and wait to listen to useless conversations circle around you in a storm of words but pay close attention in case something relevant comes up. Everyone dumps row by row, get dismissed to the library, gym, or outside. Walk behind a group of kids who like to goof off in the back, sit and read. Now for the worst part of the day. 1:35PM: Third, everyone is tired, and rude, no one likes each other; they all hate the same people and agree to tolerate each other. Yelling at each other because one kid is different. Just because she is the teacher barges in and settles it. Everyone's back in their seat. I stare at the walls. This class is so easy. She hands out our paper for homework but I'm too focused on the whispers behind me." We can take them even with help." They were referring to me for once something is different. I go into the hallway ready for them, grab my bag and phone, walk back to my class and simply wait for it to end I put in an earbud and work. Now wait for the buses when they arrive, sit down, and for once don't listen to everything. 4:30PM grab a glass of water, work some more on work that in most cases is useless. 5:30PM moms home she asks how I am. I want to burst into tears from the words I've heard. But instead, I smile and reply. "I'm fine." The lie I and many others say but are scared to admit it's a lie so just continue with the smile no matter how fake it is just keep it on and continue to say the lie. "I'm fine."
Youth(s) First Name and Initial of Last Name
Elnora Murriner
Age Division
12
Category
Short Story
County
Putnam
