Chapter 5

(Bakersville Elementary, 1999)

***

“It’s reading time!” Miss Phoebe said, and all the kids groaned in disapproval.

All of them except Emily and Gabriel. This was their favorite time of the week. They got to sit quietly for one hour and read as many books as they liked.

Gabriel had been at Bakersville Elementary for two months now, and they had become inseparable. They had come to be known as the SmartyPants and they were yet to be offended by the nickname. They liked it, actually, being outcasts, because they could be outcasts together.

They had settled into an easy friendship which was made much easier by the fact that they were also neighbors, and their mothers were friends. In those two months, they had spent countless hours at each other’s homes and they had practically become family.

They sat side by side and while the rest of the class chose to spend Reading Time making spitballs and running around the class, they spent theirs doing what they both loved best: reading. It was one of the many things they had in common. Their mothers had found them on many occasions sitting silently in one of their rooms reading comics or storybooks, and they always marveled at how different their children were. At least they weren’t playing dangerous games that would make them get hurt.

Reading Time always seemed to end too soon for the two of them. Miss Phoebe, who walked out of the room every time she announced that it was Reading Time (probably to take a break from the kids) walked back in and all the children who were running around went back to their seats and acted like nothing happened, as if the class being in ruins was not evidence enough of their crimes. Miss Phoebe always ignored this, never asked who did it, and in return, the kids cleaned up after themselves. It was their little arrangement.

They had one more class and a bell announced the end of the day. All the children gathered around to decide who was going to clean the class. Emily and Gabriel stood to leave, but some of the kids stood in their way

“You can’t leave until we decide who cleans the class,” a chubby boy said to them.

“We didn’t make any mess, so we don’t have to clean it,” Gabriel said and Emily nodded in agreement.

“Miss Phoebe doesn’t know that. If the rest of us decided to go and tell her that you also made a mess you wouldn’t have a choice,” the chubby boy responded, looking around the class for support. The other kids nodded. It was always Emily and Gabriel against everyone else.

“Fine,” Emily said, walking back to the crowd, “let’s get this over with.” She just wanted to go home.

“How are we deciding?” Gabriel asked, having no choice but to participate now that Emily had given in.

“Everyone chooses who they think should clean,” a girl said, a mean smile spreading across her face. Emily and Gabriel looked over at each other. They knew exactly what that meant.

“How many people think Emily and Gabriel should clean the class?” the girl asked, and everyone else raised their hands. Of course.

“I guess it’s the two of you today,” the girl said as she picked up her backpack. Everyone else also picked their things and they left the class to Emily and Gabriel.

They couldn’t help but laugh at themselves. It was the only thing they could do. This was what being an outcast meant, at least for them. They had already gotten used to it. Getting picked on, being made fun of. But it didn’t matter to them, because they had each other. It didn’t matter if everyone else made fun of them, they didn’t make fun of each other. They were each other’s safe space. They didn’t have to worry about being called names or being shoved around when they were together.

“Let’s get cleaning, then,” Emily said, placing her backpack on the floor. They went to the back of the class to pick up the cleaning supplies and they got to work collecting trash, removing spitballs, and arranging books. They always made a good team, and they were done in no time. They smiled and high-fived each other when they looked back at their work. They were pleased with themselves. But something seemed to be wrong with Gabriel.

“What’s wrong?” Emily asked, sitting next to him.

“Will it always be like this?” he asked.

“Like what?” Emily asked.

“Will they always pick on us and make fun of us? Are you not tired of it?”

“I may look like I’m okay and we always laugh about it but it bothers me too,” Emily said, “on some days I don’t want to laugh about what’s happening, I want to cry about it.”

“Me too,” Gabriel said, “but what can we do? to stop them from making fun of us?”

“I don’t know,” Emily said, “maybe we should stop reading so much during Reading Time.” Gabriel looked over at her and realized she was serious.

“Maybe,” Gabriel said, “or maybe we should become popular.”

Emily looked over at him. She was shocked. Popular? She hated the word and the thought of it. She wanted to say it but she saw how excited Gabriel had become at the thought of it. She didn’t want to be the one to discourage him. They were each other’s safe space after all.

“I can’t be popular. I’m not cool enough,” Emily said, “but you can be,” she added.

Gabriel looked over at her with genuine interest.

“You really think so?” Gabriel asked.

“I do. you’re smart and funny and you’re good at sports. I think you should try it,” Emily said.

Gabriel was excited. Emily could tell it was something he had been thinking about but didn’t know how to say. He must have thought that Emily wouldn’t agree with him.

He smiled over at her and she smiled back. She was young, but she knew then that things were about to be different.