One School Day by Zoe Zhang (drm ebook reader .TXT) 📕

it again: you are just wrong! She was my cousin!” he added pointedly, looking disgusted at the idea of liking his own cousin.
“Twu, twu,” I said with my mouth full of caramel. And it was true. But the whole school had spread a rumor about them being a couple in Elementary. It was sorta funny, although Kerry obviously didn’t think so. I swallowed the candy before talking again.
“But remind me, how did we end up talking about Cameron from talking about how CT is not cool?” I said, licking my lips as I waved to Monica, a passing 8th grader.
Kerry stared blankly at me. Then he turned to Abby. Abby stared back. The way they were looking at each other meant only one thing: Staring Test!
I laughed and silently cheered on who would win, and kept on waving my hands in front of their faces. But they didn’t get a chance to protest because
“BRRRRRRRRRRRM” went the second demented bell. Charlie and Rika slid into the room and on to their seats. Rika turned to me and we high fived. I checked my watch.
“Hmmm” I muttered. “Best time so far. 3 milliseconds after the bell.” I glanced at Charlie. “Why was Charlie with you?”
But at that moment, Mrs. Hawkinson decided to enter the room. “Carpool.” Rika murmured so that I barely caught it before turning towards Teresa to give her something.
Mrs. Hawkinson whistled to get everybody’s attention, and I swear I got whiplash. Mrs. Hawkinson cleared her throat.
“Good morning my good little angels!” Mrs. Hawkinson chirped pleasantly. She was definitely a morning person. No matter how many times she denies it and says that she acts like Frankenstein in the morning, I don’t believe her. Just looking at her joyful face in the morning just makes you want to… hurl. No one in our class was a morning person, which was one thing you could tell when you saw and heard what we would say.
“Good morning Mrs. Hawkinson,” we moaned and groaned in unison.
But Mrs. Hawkinson wasn’t fazed a bit by our groggy greeting. She just smiled and went straight to the white board, and class began.

“I swear, if we get the same amount of homework from each class, I’ll throw myself off a cliff!” Abby wailed while lugging a heavy binder that had 5 assignments already from first period, math.
Kerry and I laughed. “I don’t think suicide is appreciated at CARKA. They do this to make your brain—”
“—turn to mush.” I finished for Kerry, also having a frown on my face. I hated homework as much as any one else.
Kerry looked at me quizzically before bursting into laughter again. “I wasn’t going to say that, but what you said was true, too.” He said as we stepped into our next classroom: Period 4, Science. We obediently sat down in our regular seats while Mr. TaiQui (Asian teacher) wrote something on the white board. After everybody was in his or her seats (why everybody comes at different times is beyond me), Mr. TaQui put down his marker.
“’Kay kids, everybody get your notebooks out!” Mr. TaQui said enthusiastically while waving his Lakers flag around. I saw Kerry and a few other people wrinkle their noses in distaste. Kerry had stopped worshiping Mr. TaiQui because he was a fan of the Lakers. Not a lot of people liked the Lakers in our class. Actually most of them didn’t even care. Why Kerry started idolizing Mr. TaiQui was because he was a really good basketball player.
I saw Jordan go up to Mr. TaiQui, and they were talking about something. I saw Mr. TaiQui’s face frown and his lips turned to a pout. I saw him open his drawer and drop something in to Jordan’s hand. I looked suspiciously at Jordan as he walked casually back to his seat next to Camilla. I leaned in, trying to get his attention.
“What did Mr. TaiQui give you?” I whispered while Abby and Kerry were taking another round of the Staring Test and Camille was examining her fingernail polish.
He smiled devilishly and stuffed whatever he held into his jean pocket. “I’m not telling. Just that Mr. TaiQui lost a bet.”
My eyes widened a fraction. “You made a bet with the teacher?!” I hissed.
Jordan nodded. “Yesterday after school. Betted that if the Lakers’ best player shot 10 baskets but the Spurs still won, he would have to give me something.” He stretched the word something as if it was a big secret.
I scowled. “And you won? That’s a chance of 1 out of 20!”
Jordan shook his head. “1 out of 30. But who’s counting?” he grinned again, rubbing his hands together like some evil scientist.
I sighed. “And all before Science…” I muttered, shaking the table and also breaking Abby and Kerry’s Staring Test. They yet again glared at me, but then
“BRRRRRRRRRRRM” WTDB (Went the Demented Bell).
I hummed a little happy tune while Mr. TaiQui started checking everybody’s notebooks. I heard some scribbling next to me, and rustling of paper coming my way. I tilted my head towards the sound.
Next to me was a crumpled up piece of paper. I looked to my right. Busy people there. I looked to my left. Mr. TaiQui was talking to a group at table 4 while everybody else was reading until Mr. TaiQui told them what to do. I guess I didn’t miss anything. I cautiously looked around again, letting my hand inch toward the wad of paper. When my hand reached it, I opened it under the desk. When I read it I rolled my eyes.

Akira,
Hey! How was your weekend? Listen, I
didn’t finish the science homework Mr.
TaiQui gave us last week. Do you think
you could give me the answers?
Thanks,
Cory Taylor

I groaned inwardly. Cory asked me this every Monday. She knows that I always finish my assignments during the weekend, so she’s started asking me this every Monday. If I say no, it’ll sound like she was a burden to me and I would feel guilty the whole week. But if I continue giving her the answers, she’ll continue asking me and depending on me to give her the answers instead of herself. Though in this case generosity comes before guilt. I think that’s my problem. I’m way too generous all of the time. Maybe I should cut down…
“Ahem,” could be heard from across me. I peeked across the table and I saw Cory appearing to be reading her book, Things Not Seen (it’s a REALLY good book. I recommend it!). I guess Cory was waiting for her answer.
I took out a scrap of paper and a pencil and started to write while hiding behind my book.

Cory,

My weekend was fine. I’ll let you off the hook
this time, but don’t expect me to do it for you
next time. BE INDEPENDENT. Anyway, here are
the answers:
1) 65 because the graph shows the median and
mean which also gives our average to how
many grains of baking soda it will take to make
a 2 cm high pile.
2) 54 I counted on the graph
3) the water
4) the baking soda
5) USE YOUR OWN ANSWER!!!!

You’re welcome,
Akira Yamagachi

I folded the note and quickly slid the paper across the table and quickly returned to my book, Time Cat (another good book). I was at the part when Gareth was fighting with the mystery cat, when I felt a soft thud against the book. I looked over the book to see a stripped piece of paper that had 3 words hastily scribbled on:

Thanks!  Mr. TaiQui coming! 

I quickly grabbed the piece of paper and crumpled it up in my fist, pretending there was something interesting on the cover of Time Cat. I had noticed one thing as I observed the cover of a cat: Mr. TaiQui was standing behind me. I gulped silently, pleading to God that I would make it.
“Good morning, Akira. Or should I say Ohayo?” Mr. TaiQui said pleasantly (Ohayo is pronounced Ohio and it means good morning), still waving his Lakers flag around. I saw Kerry bury his face into the book even more.
I laughed nervously, smiling at his small joke. I knew that Mr. TaiQui was Chinese, though I wasn’t surprised that he knew how to say good morning in Japanese. Japanese is the easiest foreign language in the world next to Spanish.
Letting the Lakers flag lower a bit so it was right next to Kerry, he looked over the cover I was “inspecting.” “Hmmm, fantastic book, Time Cat, a book you can enjoy and learn at the same time! I remember seeing my son reading this book two years ago.” Mr. TaiQui chuckled, waving his hand toward the picture of his son on his desk, indicating that that was he, though a bit younger than he looked now.
I nodded politely, except I almost burst into a fit of giggles when I saw Kerry pretending to gag while he was pointing at the flag that had lowered next to him. “Time Cat is a fabulous book. I’ve read it about three times myself!” I said, still on the verge of falling down because of how red my face was turning. I managed to get my face to turn back to its original color.
Kerry started pointing at Mr. TaiQui’s back, making the crazy circling motion. I couldn’t help it. I chuckled for about a moment, but stopped as Mr. TaiQui turned to Kerry. Kerry remained his regular posture, stuffing his face with the book. Mr. TaiQui smiled. “Kerry, how’s your dad? Heard that your mom left for Russia yesterday. Another business trip perhaps…?” Mr. TaiQui said, and began waving the flag once more. Kerry glanced up from his book for a moment, and I thought I saw a hurt, mangled face. But it disappeared so fast; I would’ve thought that it wasn’t ever there.
“Yes.” Kerry answered bluntly, turning back to his book, as if he no longer wanted to watch the flag being waved around any more.
The smile never left Mr. TaiQui’s face. “Well, that’s good to hear. Does it get lonely in the old Brooke house?” he said, trying to get a glimpse of the book Kerry was reading.
Kerry laid the book flat on the table, as if oblivious that Mr. TaiQui was there at all. Again I saw that face: it looked so helpless. But again it disappeared as fast as it had shown. “May I be excused to the restroom?” he said. I barely caught the last two words.
Mr. TaiQui made his way to his office. “Of course. Let me just get out Cherry.” He said, pulling out the drawer, dropping the flag in and taking out a porcelain doll.
Mr. TaiQui had taken Cherry to school on the first day. He said that every year he would bring a different doll and let the class name her. They were all women. I wanted to name the doll Chiharu, but the name Cherry won against me. I didn’t mind. It was supposed to be a class agreement anyway.
I thought the doll was beautiful. It had rosy lips and black hair that looked like it had a tint of blue cascading down her back. Her kimono was wrapped securely around the body and there were patterns of cherry blossoms. A part of her hair was pulled up into a bun with mini chopsticks. She wore sandals that made her look like a real person. If Cherry could be