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 protection217ＰＥＮＡＮＡuArX10mf77

Due to her slumber, she didn’t respond.copyright protection217ＰＥＮＡＮＡYvY4k817We

“Miss Hallzheimer?”copyright protection217ＰＥＮＡＮＡfqMFlrw2DK

She woke up with a cough. “Um, ma’am.”221Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY1Bxo31tTE
copyright protection217ＰＥＮＡＮＡY8lp6mqsCx

“Could you send Ashton Patch to the principal’s office. He’s not in trouble. We just need him for something.”copyright protection217ＰＥＮＡＮＡzA2yFnHGuD

“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 protection217ＰＥＮＡＮＡUJ3Hop8VrM

“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 protection217ＰＥＮＡＮＡFqU0P0ngt0

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 protection217ＰＥＮＡＮＡN2BQAgehXI

“So, what about the school newspaper did you want to talk to me about? Am I doing good or bad?”copyright protection217ＰＥＮＡＮＡVRsYyRnHMP

“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 protection217ＰＥＮＡＮＡtrfns4oPkR

“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 protection217ＰＥＮＡＮＡP8UrZvHdNE

“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 protection217ＰＥＮＡＮＡWIwoG4g4L2

“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 protection217ＰＥＮＡＮＡTfu9CWe1Mz

“Yep, that’s right. Now go to your classroom and don’t forget what I said.”copyright protection217ＰＥＮＡＮＡSCHN3HiKV5

“Yes sir.”copyright protection217ＰＥＮＡＮＡpSNVhu0xyM

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 protection217ＰＥＮＡＮＡzs13BEZPFL

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 protection217ＰＥＮＡＮＡoyn6lqODbJ

(I know I sound slightly jealous right there. Probably because I AM JEALOUS!)copyright protection217ＰＥＮＡＮＡJBCwwT0wqz

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 protection217ＰＥＮＡＮＡiZ1k3DY3tE

(Some EDM performer, I surmise.)copyright protection217ＰＥＮＡＮＡOSdcYzDNdP

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 protection217ＰＥＮＡＮＡxWq9sW2tts

—In French II, are we able to use our MacBooks?copyright protection217ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2Ms46vH5yb

—I can’t wait for that update to my MacBook, man.copyright protection217ＰＥＮＡＮＡKn3XA1wePK

—Hey, have you downloaded Microsoft Word to your Macbook yet? It’s completely mandatory for Mrs. Lindull’s class...copyright protection217ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3mGuv9rxDU

Awfully unnecessary.copyright protection217ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0FHsKOYsUw

“What was all that about, Ashton,” Dareeka worriedly asked me. “Are you in trouble or something?”copyright protection217ＰＥＮＡＮＡDEUGCuI9Ix

“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 protection217ＰＥＮＡＮＡTMTAgpJIXm

“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 protection217ＰＥＮＡＮＡCX2kqM8of3

“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 protection217ＰＥＮＡＮＡVSHPyjjht2

“You got that right.” Dareeka was about to say something when Paige obtruded right into the conversation.copyright protection217ＰＥＮＡＮＡOmOIW57GN4

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 protection217ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2q15LsSUQ7

“Hey, Paige,” I greeted her falsely. “Do you know what we’re talking about?”copyright protection217ＰＥＮＡＮＡXLZEAyYUPs

“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 protection217ＰＥＮＡＮＡXEOLmLRtrF

“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 protection217ＰＥＮＡＮＡxu6zzR1sLS

“Of course.”copyright protection217ＰＥＮＡＮＡzIDzne8m9Y

“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 protection217ＰＥＮＡＮＡO6CDSYoJsQ

“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 protection217ＰＥＮＡＮＡp0lvzVmBn7

“Now you sound like a clean freak,” Brandy said to him.copyright protection217ＰＥＮＡＮＡtWQ7welEAu

“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 protection217ＰＥＮＡＮＡCpBf2tercG

“Well, it’s the truth, Paige. Richardson is just a dump that needs more construction work.”copyright protection217ＰＥＮＡＮＡhBGD6fytRV

“That’s not true. This school is as fun as can be if you just believe in it.”copyright protection217ＰＥＮＡＮＡAlSrsoFO3f

“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 protection217ＰＥＮＡＮＡjGEUVHn98z

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 protection217ＰＥＮＡＮＡPqbw3iMCLD

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 protection217ＰＥＮＡＮＡxmYqNqOsfS

Halt.copyright protection217ＰＥＮＡＮＡIyynst4PDd

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.221Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGi7lU63NSn
copyright protection217ＰＥＮＡＮＡptEBZITLkF

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 protection217ＰＥＮＡＮＡoR1nhPO6i3