The crackly voice of Ms. Parkman disrupted our conversation. She had inexplicably escaped the confines of her desk at the front of the class, slithered up the stairs as if she were a vile serpent, and stood towering before Freddy and me. A dark scowl dominated her wrinkled face. If the Wicked Witch of the West had an evil twin, it was sure to be Ms. Parkman.
“I doubt Mr. Reese will have time in his busy schedule to partake in the festivities you interrupt my lecture so freely to speak of, Mr. Carter.” The words rolled from her tongue like a double-edged blade and reverberated throughout the auditorium as though they were amplified. Freddy and I grew deathly silent, neither of us daring to speak a word. Her eyes had an almost fiery-yellow glint about them, making them seem to dance back and forth in creepy unison, starkly contrasting her snow-white, thinning hair.
“You are in serious jeopardy of failing my class, are you not, Mr. Reese?”
I swallowed hard and nodded reluctantly.
“As punishment for being late and continually interrupting my class, I expect a microbiology report on the Staphylococcus aureus lab exercise from yesterday in proper reference format and with all required attachments. Have it on my desk by 8 A.M. and not a minute late, or settle for an F. Class dismissed!”
As the other students hurriedly exited the auditorium, I sat still in my chair for at least a full minute.
“Your final grade depends on the quality of your report Mr. Reese!” Ms. Parkman announced in a smug tone as she slowly descended the stairs to her desk, clutching her briefcase in one hand, and coffee mug in the other. She was like a predator with its prey firmly in the grasp.
And I, unfortunately, was the prey.
Chapter 3
As I departed the science building, Freddy was there to greet me, full of cheer.
“Don’t let her get to you, Charlie. Heck, I’ll help you with the paper if I have to.”
“Thanks, but no thanks,” I said, careful not to hurt his feelings. If there was absolutely one thing I didn’t want Freddy’s help with, it was homework.
“Well, you could skip one of your afternoon classes and do the report. That way you can still make it tonight.”
“I can’t,” I sighed. “I’ve already missed the maximum allowed for my remaining classes; I have to make it to each one of them in order to pass as well.”
Freddy brainstormed a while longer as we entered Carver Hall and headed for the cafeteria. The lunch crowd was unusually thick for the quality of food produced there.
“Well, maybe I can find a science geek to help you out. I have a few extra bucks I can throw ‘em to do the report for you. Guaranteed A. I do know people, you know,” Freddy boasted as we sat down and each glanced up at the lunch menu.
Today’s Special: Sloppy Joe sandwich and french fries.
Yummy.
“No, Freddy,” I said finally. “I put myself in this situation, and I’m going to get myself out of it. Much as I would love to be there tonight and see Allison, my scholarship is more important. If I don’t pass all my classes this semester, I'll lose it and have to move back home. And you know that’s not an option I’m willing to entertain.”
Freddy dropped his head in silence. He understood; he was there. He had always been there for me when I questioned myself, my seemingly meaningless existence, and how a mother could give up a son so easily, or how a father could abandon his heir to the world. I never felt as though I belonged pretty much anywhere. Not that my adoptive parents weren’t supportive. They were great providers and loved me dearly. I’ve just always had an unexplained emptiness inside of me, a burning desire to get away. That my destiny was waiting patiently for me. I just didn’t know where.
My adopted mother died of leukemia when I was thirteen, and my father became an empty shell afterward, drinking himself to sleep each night. With a deceased mother and an absentee father, I was pretty much on my own after that. Being in college and earning a degree to support myself was now my sole motivation. To never have to depend on anyone else for anything ever again.
Chapter 4
As I struggled to concentrate through my remaining classes, the rest of the afternoon was a blur. All I could manage to focus on was the assignment and how on earth I was going to accomplish it. I’d never done a microbiology report, along with the majority of my classmates, but somehow Ms. Parkman saw fit to make it the one thing I needed to complete in order to pass her class.
After Economics, my final class of the day, I headed back to my dorm room and tried to work on the report. It proved to be even more difficult than I’d first imagined. Honestly, I didn’t even know where to begin.
Freddy suddenly burst through the door, grinning wildly from ear to ear. He was obviously very excited about something and couldn’t wait to share it.
“The fun and games start in 20 minutes, Charlie. You sure you don’t want to postpone this nonsense and tag along?”
I took a deep breath and exhaled.
“This nonsense is my meal ticket. There will be other fundraisers, but if I don’t finish this report, I won’t be here to enjoy them, remember?”
Freddy paused for a second, as if he were weighing the relevance of what I’d said. Then, muttering something incoherent under his breath and just beyond earshot, he ambled to his wardrobe, opened it, and began browsing the inventory. He gave a quick sniff to each armpit, winced, and removed a shirt, his favorite Chuck Norris-themed one. Strolling to the mirror, he checked his reflection.
“I must say, I am strikingly handsome, don’t you think?”
“Sorry buddy,” I quipped. “Like the great Chuck himself, I believe real men don’t give other men compliments.”
“Whatever,” he countered, smirking. “Real men take care of business. Speaking of business, I saw Allison earlier today, and I must say, she was pretty excited you were coming out to support her.”
After dropping that bombshell effectively, Freddy waited a brief moment, then released another.
“I also saw her and Matt chatting it up. They seemed to be getting pretty cozy on their way to the fundraiser. But, I understand… you have work to do. So, you do what you have to do, and I’ll give you all the juicy details tonight when I get back.”
And without another word, he left the room, slamming the door shut behind him with a thud. It was a sickening thud, similar to prison bars being closed on an inmate for the first time. And suddenly, I felt as if I was in that prison. A prison of consequence and solitude. I knew the hard work and dedication required to maintain a healthy GPA and keep my scholarship. But, just as so many failed college students before me, I’d too often chosen the party life over early morning lectures and writing essays. And now, it had all come down to one assignment.
Chapter 5
After another hour or so of toiling with the assignment, I reluctantly decided to take a break and go to the fundraiser. I could stay there for an hour or two, come back refreshed, and finish the report then, I reasoned. I quickly changed my clothes and headed outside. The cool Michigan night air swirled gently and rushed up to greet me.
The fundraiser was a huge success. Students and locals alike had turned out in record numbers to show their support. Music and laughter filled the air. There were assorted carnival games. Concession stands sold turkey legs, hot dogs, popcorn, etc. I scanned the crowds hoping to catch a glimpse of Allison. Unexpectedly from behind, I felt two hands slowly creep up my sides and suddenly wriggle into my armpits, causing me to jump about two feet off the ground.
Laughter ensued.
“I didn’t mean to scare you there, Charlie,” Allison managed to say between giggles. I cleared my throat and looked around to make sure no one had witnessed my moment of weakness. She looked as stunningly beautiful as ever.
“I wasn’t scared; you just startled me is all”.
“Looked pretty scared to me,” Freddy added as he walked up, clutching a giant soda pop. “So, we found time to make it out did we?” he asked. His voice was tinged with
obvious cynicism.
“I’m just taking a break,” I said. My eyes shot daggers in his direction.
He let out a dry laugh and turned his attention to Allison.
“And how are you doing on this beautiful evening, Allison?” Freddy oozed charm. “What an incredible job you’ve done putting all this together.”
“Why thank you, Freddy!” Allison gushed, expressing her appreciation by reaching up to gift him a light kiss on the cheek. Freddy grinned slyly, giving me the thumbs-up sign behind her back as she hugged him.
Now why didn’t I think of that?
“I’m in the mood for an elephant ear. Do you guys want to join me?” Allison’s lips curved in that cute little way I’d come to love and covet.
“Uh, sure,” I said, shrugging my shoulders. I tried my best to mask my internal excitement. Freddy chose to gracefully bow out.
“Nah, I told Brittany I’d meet her later on and try to win her a teddy bear. She loves her some stuffed animals.”
He put two fingers up to his temple and made a gesture with his thumb like he was pulling a trigger. We all laughed.
Brittany was Freddy’s on again, off again love interest. One moment they’d seem hopelessly in love; the next, they couldn’t stand to be in the same zip code as each other. I knew I didn’t have any real experience in the area of love, but it seemed as though something was truly wrong with their situation. If that was love, I wanted no part of it.
“I’ll catch up with you guys later.” Freddy waved and disappeared into the crowd. It was just me and Allison now.
Alone.
Oh, dear God.
Chapter 6
“So where is the funnel cake stand?” I asked, trying to make small talk. Normal speech and conversation were about to go the way of the Dodo bird, extinct, if I didn’t collect myself and calm my nerves quickly. I took a deep, relaxing breath, taking care to ensure she didn’t notice.
“I think I saw an elephant ear stand over by the ring toss game,” she said as we walked, then grinned, before slipping her arm into my own, pulling me closer. OK, another deep breath was definitely going to be needed before I fainted. She obviously wasn’t very shy and knew what she wanted. But, was it possible that what she wanted could really be me?
“My dad grew up in Georgia, in a small town east of Macon. He used to tell my brother and me stories about going to the state fair each year for an elephant ear as a child. Some people up north refer to them as funnel cakes, and I suppose there is a slight difference, but the term elephant ear has stuck for me.”
I nodded in agreement. I had to admit the doughy, powder-covered delights did rather favor a large elephant ear.
We made our way through the throngs of people walking about while screams of laughter and excitement saturated the peaceful night. Everyone seemed to be in great spirits.
“So, do you think you’ll be able to raise the money you need for Carver Hall?”
“I’m not sure. I hope so. That place could use every dollar we can get.”
We both laughed. Before I even noticed, we had arrived in front of the funnel cake…er…excuse me, elephant ear stand.
“Two of your finest elephant ears, please,” I said proudly to the middle-aged and flabby cheeked woman behind the counter. She looked genuinely confused for a moment, then smiled and produced two delicious smelling pastries, setting them down in front of me. I grabbed one delicately, handed it to Allison, then took the other for myself.
“That will be six dollars, young man,” the woman said and held out her pudgy hand.
“That’s a bit pricey don’t you think?” Allison asked. She gave the woman a firm look, but only received a defiant smirk in return.
“Six dollars. Take it or leave it.”
“It’s OK,” I said, reaching for my wallet. “I can handle it.”
I gave the woman a ten dollar bill and told her to keep the change. Allison gave me a puzzled look as we turned to walk away.
“What was that, Charlie?”
“She’s just trying to make a living. It’s not a problem.” I too thought the prices were a bit steep, but I wasn’t going to let it ruin my time with Allison. Besides, I wanted to get back to our private conversation as soon as possible.
“That’s not the point. I want to raise as much money during this event as possible but not at the unfair expense of others. She might as well have worn a hood and pointed a gun at you, the old fashioned way. At least then the robbery would sit better in my stomach.”
I laughed and threw my head back, holding my side with my free hand as we walked. I should have never taken my eyes off of where I was going. Before I realized what was happening, I felt something impede my step and was unexpectedly on my way to the ground. I tried to place a hand out in front of me to brace the fall, but only managed to get the hand carrying the elephant ear up, just enough to face plant directly into it. My face was covered in white powder and clumps of dough. I looked as though I had just been assaulted by a bag of cake flour. Laughter erupted all around me.
This can’t be happening again, I thought.
Chapter 7
“Oh look at the loser,” a sadly familiar voice taunted from above me. “Why don’t you learn how to walk, freak!”
Matt Mitchell. He and his goon squad had found a way to embarrass me once again. What was it about me that attracted the dumb jock? He seemed to always pick the worst time to make a fool out of me. One day I would pay him back. But for now, the score was somewhere along the lines of Matt: twenty-two hundred and seven, Charlie: zero.
I rose to my feet, wiping my face with the backs of my sleeves. It wasn’t working too well, but at least I was able to see. My jeans now had a small, but noticeable rip in them just above the knee.
“You’re such a jerk!” Allison yelled, reaching into her purse and finding a pack of wet wipes. Women are so resourceful. She took out a couple and started to wipe at my face. Realizing how this was potentially making my plight that much worse, I politely took the wipes from her and began to do it myself.
“It’s not my fault that poor little Charlie doesn’t ever watch where he’s going,” Matt responded in a very pouty voice that suggested he was about to cry, causing his buddies to laugh hysterically. Was that who he really thought I was? A poor, vulnerable child? Is that how I presented myself?
“How about you try bumping into me. See where that gets you.”
I smiled inwardly and breathed a huge sigh of relief. The cavalry had arrived.
Freddy stepped in between me and Matt. Freddy’s jaw was firmly set. His eyes were glued to Matt’s. The old stare down contest.
“Your move.”
Matt laughed awkwardly and slapped two of his buddies on the shoulder for moral support.
“Can you believe this guy?”
They all laughed, but no one dared take a step forward. To a man, none of them wanted to tussle with Freddy. Contrary to his physically imposing stature, he was a very fun-loving guy, but he was well-known for the occasional fight at local parties and bars around town where most of Matt’s friends frequented.
And he never lost.
Ever.
“Come on, guys. Let’s leave this loser to his friends.” Matt turned to leave, and then stopped short. “You should have stuck with a proven winner, Allison. This guy ain’t even worth your time.”
The jocks retreated into the sea of people like a pack of crazed hyenas, cackling and jabbing each other. It resembled some weird type of mating ritual I’d seen on the nature channel.
“Thanks for the hand, buddy.”
Freddy slapped me on the back so hard it almost knocked me back down.
“No problem. I’m sure you had it handled. I was just providing a little reinforcement.”
“You’re such a sweetheart, Freddy,” Allison crooned and rubbed his cheek.
“You’re much too kind, my lady,” Freddy said, doing his best impression of a medieval knight’s bow.
“I think I??
?m going to be sick,” I muttered under my breath.
“What’s that, Charlie?” Allison turned from gushing over Freddy to face me.
“I said I’m going to go wash up real quick. I’ll be right back.”
“OK. The show starts in just a few minutes. I’d love it if we all went over together.”
“Sounds great. I won’t be long.”
I turned and headed to the nearest bathroom in Carver Hall. My head was flowing with thoughts of revenge. I didn’t know how, but someday, Matt Mitchell would eat his words. I wasn’t a loser. I was a winner, too. And I was very much worth Allison’s time.
Chapter 8
After I got cleaned up, we all made our way to the large outdoor pavilion dedicated to the fundraiser’s main attraction. Attendance was approaching full capacity as we arrived and found only a few remaining seats near the front. The temperature was about ten degrees warmer inside the pavilion than out. I took the opportunity to sit next to Allison, savoring the moment.
On stage, a young aspiring magician was attempting the tired act of pulling a rabbit from a hat. Only the trick didn’t go quite as planned. He made the rabbit “disappear,” only seconds later to have the furry critter hop from under the cloth-draped stool at center stage, its whiskers twitching back and forth in defiance. The crowd erupted in animated laughter. The young magician, embarrassed, collected his props, scooped up the rabbit in one swift motion, and scurried behind the velvet curtain, his own tail tucked firmly between his legs, so to speak.
“I hope the main event is better than that,” I joked and jabbed Freddy sharply in the ribs.
“Just wait, you’ll see,” he replied, and painfully returned the favor.
A young, well-groomed gentleman dressed in a dapper gray suit and open-collared shirt appeared on stage next and the audience hushed in excited anticipation.
“And now, ladies and gentleman, for the moment you have eagerly been waiting for....”
He paused for effect.