Time was slow. I was bored as heck monotonously communicating with my friends. I could understand how such a wonderful conversation can become so dull. Bland at that. It’s not the friends that I hang around (of course it’s not them), but there are no good topics at this time and all I could think about is going to sleep until this class period ends. Then Miss Hallzheimer’s PA came on and said, “Miss Hallzheimer, could you send Ashton Patch to the principal’s office for a minute?”copyright protection215ＰＥＮＡＮＡXe1CCvkhi3
Due to her slumber, she didn’t respond.copyright protection215ＰＥＮＡＮＡgXqH5uSQq0
“Miss Hallzheimer?”copyright protection215ＰＥＮＡＮＡdeC6P2pZOc
She woke up with a cough. “Um, ma’am.”219Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNWgOTcXizh
copyright protection215ＰＥＮＡＮＡJLrLo3gIky
“Could you send Ashton Patch to the principal’s office. He’s not in trouble. We just need him for something.”copyright protection215ＰＥＮＡＮＡMBwcjCHbt7
“I’ll send him right down. Ashton?” I exited her classroom and went down to the principal’s office, which was also the attendance office. I passed by Mrs. Platt who worked the desk giving out passes to people who were late coming to school and Dakota who was a senior that worked the desktop...at the desk. I went down the meter-long hallway and headed to Principal Winslow’s open door.copyright protection215ＰＥＮＡＮＡcGmOMcQcbE
“Come in, come in,” he said in an urgent tone. “I’ve been waiting to see you. You know, about the school newspaper. And close the door behind you.” I did as he said and sat down.copyright protection215ＰＥＮＡＮＡpVqQGOTXxe
Earlier this year, I have signed up to be a school newspaper editor for more extracurricular activities. Since I have a humongous knack for journalism and other English-related categoriescopyright protection215ＰＥＮＡＮＡwjQ2w9Fdl8
“So, what about the school newspaper did you want to talk to me about? Am I doing good or bad?”copyright protection215ＰＥＮＡＮＡlxOHmBTcO5
“No, it’s good. We just wanted you to talk to you about your alternative headlines that you print into the paper, mainly speaking of the comics sections. We’ve read your latest article and I knew that in your narrator’s POV that you were downing the school about its sanitation problems. I wasn’t very intrigued and I would like to advise you to write more positively about the reference to Richardson.”copyright protection215ＰＥＮＡＮＡRd0i3H6XFE
“So what you’re saying is that you don’t want me to talk about the most important things to look at for Richardson High?”copyright protection215ＰＥＮＡＮＡcbY2eucTIx
“Exactly. Especially if newcomers come here and they want a positive review of this school. They don’t want to have to check for Google Maps or anything for reviews. Just the school newspaper.”copyright protection215ＰＥＮＡＮＡ145QMrsGEg
“Okay. I understand. But they’re probably only coming over here for their friends, for the athletics, or by default if they live in the district.”copyright protection215ＰＥＮＡＮＡLvtMNxuUu9
“Yep, that’s right. Now go to your classroom and don’t forget what I said.”copyright protection215ＰＥＮＡＮＡyGlwJz1VtK
“Yes sir.”copyright protection215ＰＥＮＡＮＡsvOxmAZOhD
I know that the principal didn’t care for my last statement about the student. You could actually tell because of the way he replied to it. I’m telling you, nobody really listens to people these days. Especially a principal like Principal Winslow; wants just what he wants best for him.copyright protection215ＰＥＮＡＮＡ528zPW6jQA
While I was in the hallway, I’ve seen so many freshmen with their MacBooks in their scrawny arms like it was the total package to expose.copyright protection215ＰＥＮＡＮＡsphOW0nXVR
(I know I sound slightly jealous right there. Probably because I AM JEALOUS!)copyright protection215ＰＥＮＡＮＡHomvWI6Wxn
One of them had it in their arms while chatting with one of their friends, showing off the sky-blue, plastic case that came with it for protection. Another person was using it as a music device plugging their now-popular Beats headphones into the jack and bobbing their heads up and down to—I don’t know—some Skrillex or maybe Audien.copyright protection215ＰＥＮＡＮＡzCqIbfFhzv
(Some EDM performer, I surmise.)copyright protection215ＰＥＮＡＮＡS2VaQRaeO6
Then I noticed that almost everyone on this hallway had theirs exposed while doing something occupant with it. They talked about it and they typed on it and they just interacted with it in any type of way. Then I noticed all these voices that always uttered the word “MacBook” in the sentence.copyright protection215ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5wvr2ra9nH
—In French II, are we able to use our MacBooks?copyright protection215ＰＥＮＡＮＡwXjXFudkMM
—I can’t wait for that update to my MacBook, man.copyright protection215ＰＥＮＡＮＡQFOMPED0Ss
—Hey, have you downloaded Microsoft Word to your Macbook yet? It’s completely mandatory for Mrs. Lindull’s class...copyright protection215ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6YZCp14zas
Awfully unnecessary.copyright protection215ＰＥＮＡＮＡhHpAE55RqS
“What was all that about, Ashton,” Dareeka worriedly asked me. “Are you in trouble or something?”copyright protection215ＰＥＮＡＮＡEhxs3m7Hm0
“Oh, no. Everything’s fine. Principal Winslow just wanted me to slow down on the ‘incognito’ criticism that I was jotting down in my comic strips for the school newspaper. I wasn’t downing the school; I was just listing the downsides of the school, like for instance, the bathroom.”copyright protection215ＰＥＮＡＮＡatY95oaaXl
“Now that’s needed to be discussed about,” Timmy agreed. “Especially in the boys restroom where you have limited tissue paper. I don’t want to be walking around with feces stuck in my...”copyright protection215ＰＥＮＡＮＡCe21PH7Vzx
“Please don’t mention it; we get it. I’m just trying to be rational about the situation so we can encourage the janitors to stop being so lazy and apathetic and do something about it. Apparently, the principal only cares about not having to deal with the truth!”copyright protection215ＰＥＮＡＮＡNdPkGTHNA3
“You got that right.” Dareeka was about to say something when Paige obtruded right into the conversation.copyright protection215ＰＥＮＡＮＡOKxMTDa4N8
Paige is an extremely annoying girl that always has to barge into other people’s conversations. There are actually three things that peeve me about her: (1) she’s too friendly, meaning that she acts like everyone is her friend (best friend at that) and (2) she causes a ruckus whenever she talks. She talks so loud that she could wake up a deaf person in a second. Even though we’re nice to her, we don’t choose to have her as an all-time goon.copyright protection215ＰＥＮＡＮＡppnsrd9y8I
“Hey, Paige,” I greeted her falsely. “Do you know what we’re talking about?”copyright protection215ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6VWVfCOWpp
“Um.....no. But I would like to know what you’re talking about. So what are you talking about that is so, so important?”copyright protection215ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0day04bb8Z
“Well, since you want to know so badly we were having a discussion about Principal Winslow. Remember when I got sent to his office earlier?”copyright protection215ＰＥＮＡＮＡjyoH1QUao2
“Of course.”copyright protection215ＰＥＮＡＮＡTvYPrergaR
“Well, he wanted to talk to me about the school newspaper’s comic section. He claims that I was making bad remarks about Richardson under the whole plot when I was creating the dialogue. So he wants me to change the script around and let it become more positive about the school that I included in there. But I’m just stating, some parts do need to be pointed about because nobody wants to go to a run-down school with unsanitary bathrooms.”copyright protection215ＰＥＮＡＮＡFb5PK6TVh2
“You sound like a clean freak right there,” Timmy teased. “But you do have a point. That’s why I don’t go to public bathrooms with no flushing and no tissue.”copyright protection215ＰＥＮＡＮＡUBAjiC9dNy
“Now you sound like a clean freak,” Brandy said to him.copyright protection215ＰＥＮＡＮＡgG3ewusYKD
“Oh.” We all laughed happily, enjoying the talk about the newspaper and all, until Paige blurted, “You shouldn’t be talking about the school like that! That’s just dirty!”copyright protection215ＰＥＮＡＮＡPqPVfz19vj
“Well, it’s the truth, Paige. Richardson is just a dump that needs more construction work.”copyright protection215ＰＥＮＡＮＡbqUMJdoTqb
“That’s not true. This school is as fun as can be if you just believe in it.”copyright protection215ＰＥＮＡＮＡsHSvVo0onL
“Well, I believed and it did not work.” The room was silent for a moment and there was nothing else to say. Was it me or did the topic just lose interest? Then the bell rang and it was time to go home. So lucky that this was the last class in the day. I had gotten on the Blue Bird with all of the rowdy kids throwing stuff at people and rough-housing in their seats.copyright protection215ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1ccR8sq9BW
And the principal thinks this is positive, I said to myself. He knows that this school has gone downhill ever since he became the principal. Man, Principal Springs was the most strict teacher over here and he kept everybody in check. Too bad he resigned.copyright protection215ＰＥＮＡＮＡsNmnz6AY01
My stop was coming up and I was occupying myself by looking out the double-slit windows, intriguingly looking at the great houses on the corner of the street. I’ve always wanted to live in that area. Soleil Circle was the name and they had everything over there. Solar panels (hence the street name) Direct TV and X1, Corning glass on every room. Just across the street was where I lived. Only a measly walk away.copyright protection215ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9sI2YErZ2O
Halt.copyright protection215ＰＥＮＡＮＡK41XV9pmj0
The bus stopped at my dull neighborhood and I went off looking glum as usual. After I got off, the bus rolled on and the tumultuous children resumed with their work of rude behavior.219Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjS37xcujWQ
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I was walking to my monotonous two-story house with no Direct TV or X1. Just plain old Xfinity with no unlocked channels. I grabbed the key from the flower pot and I heard this rustling sound on the side of the building. Wondering what the heck it was, I went over there curiously and I saw this black coat silhouette reflecting from the back of my neighbor’s house. I headed towards the patio and then...copyright protection215ＰＥＮＡＮＡLveuyc9Zbc
