My American Idiots, chapter 8
The next day, the group had to split up for the first two periods. Jess and Trè went to social studies, whilst Mike and Billie went to American History. Trè had told Jess that last term, they had started on Universal Family Values and that the teacher had an assignment, an easy one, lined up for them. "Twenty bucks says it's that egg-sitting thing you see in all those corny, American teen movies and TV shows," Jess joked on the way there.
"Hey, you know that not ALL schools fit the stereotypical image from those movies," Trè laughed back. "You're on."
"I know, but I'll be buying a new shirt with your money," Jess teased.
"And I'll be buying a new pack of drumsticks with your's," Trè countered.
"Good morning class," said Ms. Black, a petite pale woman with white-blonde hair and ice blue eyes. "As you may remember from last term, we are studying Universal Family Values. This term your assignment, which will be due for marking in two weeks will be to show positive, parental values towards an egg."
"Told ya so!" Jess mouthed to Trè who made a face to convey, 'so what?' and amusement.
"Mr. Wright? Miss... . (she checked the ledger... .) Murray? What is so amusing?" Ms. Black asked.
"Nothing, miss," Jess replied, smirking with good humour at Trè.
"Hmm. As I was saying, class, for the next fortnight, you shall be paired up, male and female pairs only, and you must keep the egg you are given safe. I expect them back, uncracked, unscathed and intact. Hard-boiling will be an immediate fail. A perfectly intact egg will accumulate a B. If you are able to produce items such as cribs, et cetera, of a high and safety assured quality, home made only, the quality of such items and the amount of care you show to your egg may lead to an A."
"Miss, do we get to choose our partners?" Regina Hemsworth asked.
"No," Ms. Black replied candidly. "The person you are paired with may not be someone you would normally 'hang-out' with because the names where drawn at random from two separate boxes. I'm afraid it's the luck of the draw. Now if you could please come forward when I call your names out, and then sit next to your partner when you go to sit down again, we shall begin."
"But Miss," Luke Dorfman called out, "what if the chick I get stuck with is... y'know, ugly?"
"Too bad," Ms. Black replied, and referred to her list. "Valentina Williams and Marcus Slater. Regina Hemsworth and Donald Carver."
"If we get paired up, I get to help pick your new shirt," Trè whispered across the aisle.
"Okay, but nothing from the lingerie section, or anything too skimpy," Jess replied from the corner of her mouth.
Ms. Black continued the list, "Marcia Slater and Jonathon Michelson. Adrienne Nesser and Lucas Dorfman."
'Poor girl,' Jess thought as the obviously miserable Adrienne slumped forwards onto her desk. 'She's gonna have to do all the work for that arsehole.'
"Hey," Jess tapped Trè on the arm. "Isn't that Adrienne girl in our maths class?"
"Yup," Trè replied. "She's the only reason Billie goes there. He's been sweet on her for months."
"Nikita Bennings and Thomas Blackthorne." Ms. Black continued, almost done with the list. "Frank Wright and Jessica Murray. Finally, Danielle Smythe and Benjamin Josephs."
"What are you so smug about?" Jess whispered to Trè who was in a very good mood now. They moved towards the teacher's desk to collect their egg and shifted their desks together to finish their class.
"Hey, you know that not ALL schools fit the stereotypical image from those movies," Trè laughed back. "You're on."
"I know, but I'll be buying a new shirt with your money," Jess teased.
"And I'll be buying a new pack of drumsticks with your's," Trè countered.
"Good morning class," said Ms. Black, a petite pale woman with white-blonde hair and ice blue eyes. "As you may remember from last term, we are studying Universal Family Values. This term your assignment, which will be due for marking in two weeks will be to show positive, parental values towards an egg."
"Told ya so!" Jess mouthed to Trè who made a face to convey, 'so what?' and amusement.
"Mr. Wright? Miss... . (she checked the ledger... .) Murray? What is so amusing?" Ms. Black asked.
"Nothing, miss," Jess replied, smirking with good humour at Trè.
"Hmm. As I was saying, class, for the next fortnight, you shall be paired up, male and female pairs only, and you must keep the egg you are given safe. I expect them back, uncracked, unscathed and intact. Hard-boiling will be an immediate fail. A perfectly intact egg will accumulate a B. If you are able to produce items such as cribs, et cetera, of a high and safety assured quality, home made only, the quality of such items and the amount of care you show to your egg may lead to an A."
"Miss, do we get to choose our partners?" Regina Hemsworth asked.
"No," Ms. Black replied candidly. "The person you are paired with may not be someone you would normally 'hang-out' with because the names where drawn at random from two separate boxes. I'm afraid it's the luck of the draw. Now if you could please come forward when I call your names out, and then sit next to your partner when you go to sit down again, we shall begin."
"But Miss," Luke Dorfman called out, "what if the chick I get stuck with is... y'know, ugly?"
"Too bad," Ms. Black replied, and referred to her list. "Valentina Williams and Marcus Slater. Regina Hemsworth and Donald Carver."
"If we get paired up, I get to help pick your new shirt," Trè whispered across the aisle.
"Okay, but nothing from the lingerie section, or anything too skimpy," Jess replied from the corner of her mouth.
Ms. Black continued the list, "Marcia Slater and Jonathon Michelson. Adrienne Nesser and Lucas Dorfman."
'Poor girl,' Jess thought as the obviously miserable Adrienne slumped forwards onto her desk. 'She's gonna have to do all the work for that arsehole.'
"Hey," Jess tapped Trè on the arm. "Isn't that Adrienne girl in our maths class?"
"Yup," Trè replied. "She's the only reason Billie goes there. He's been sweet on her for months."
"Nikita Bennings and Thomas Blackthorne." Ms. Black continued, almost done with the list. "Frank Wright and Jessica Murray. Finally, Danielle Smythe and Benjamin Josephs."
"What are you so smug about?" Jess whispered to Trè who was in a very good mood now. They moved towards the teacher's desk to collect their egg and shifted their desks together to finish their class.
