Hazel’s True Stories 5 - The Horrible (50%) High School

Chapter 16

(This occurred on the second day of high school.)

Me and my bestie, who we'll call her Kat, were walking through one of the school courtyards, desperate (well, I was desperate) to retrieve my water bottle, which I had left in Music Room 2. Along the way, I got a little too close to the nearby trees with spiderwebs connecting from branch to branch, and a SNAKE climbed onto me.

No, no, just kidding… a palm-sized SPIDER climbed onto me!

I didn’t know it had climbed onto me, of course. I just got a little stuck in the webs, and while attempting to brush them off, I noticed something brown and hairy on the back of my timetable.

The timetable was thrown onto the ground.

“Oh my goodness, it’s a spider!” I immediately cried out in exhilaration, eyes shining with fear.

After a moment, I attempted to peek under the piece of paper, checking for the arachnida. My friend ( who had been surprisingly brave at the time) flipped the timetable over. The spider had already crawled away, stopping only for a moment on its path back to the trees. I quickly snatched the paper away before it changed its mind.

Phew.

I know it’s kinda weird, but looking back on this now, I wish I had kept it as a pet. - H.E.A

...

(This occurred around the 10th of March.)

The bell rang, and it was time for our next period to begin. Our class had science, so in a huge bunch, we all walked over to Lab 3.

I ushered my friends into the laboratory, taking minimal (lots of) time to change my sports shoes into leather ones. When I walked into the room, I caught sight of my friends, Kat and An, arguing with Sop 1 at the back.

I remember walking over to the last table, my eyebrows scrunched together in confusion. “Um, what’s going on here?” I asked cautiously.

Kat stayed silent before replying, “Nothing.”

Sop 1, a slightly frustrated look on her face, told me something I didn’t quite catch.

Kat and An explained to me how she was mad at them because they had sat where she and her friends, Ash and Sopi, usually sat. Sop 1 had insisted on there being a seating plan. Lies, all lies.

The only reason that the three of us had sat there was because our usual spots were taken. It’s that simple, honestly! We don’t even have assigned seats.

I’m in school right now, and Kat is giving an inspirational speech… if you could call it that. - H.E.A

“I hate Sop 1. All the other Sops and Sopi are so much better.”

“Anything else, Kat?”

“'Um, wait… Sop 1 sucks, and she should freaking leave.” (She actually said something else, but I replaced it because I don't want to lose my job.)

...

(I got this announcement about two weeks ago.)

I was skimming through the online announcement board right as something caught my eye. I slowed down while scrolling…

Student-run newspaper.

List of people elected!

I remember having crafted my piece of writing just two days prior to the deadline, editing and proofreading it over before turning it in the next day, after a whole lot more checking, hoping to become a part of the newspaper group as a writer. Had I been selected? Had I not? Who had?

I looked over the list of people who had been selected from my grade.

Three people.

Only one journalist.

And it wasn’t me.

You know, I remember telling Kat and An about it, feeling pretty down. Well, they just told me they didn’t care. I’ve stopped moping about it, though. Maybe I can focus on other things, like writing my book and this magazine, without being in the school newspaper as a distraction. And, I could always try out next year. - H.E.A

And guys, just keep this in mind. I know I’ve portrayed High School as horrible, but basketball, walking around the school, the library, extended freedom and even more opportunities make it so much better, trust me.

Written by Hazel Antler.
Edited by Hazel Antler.
Proofread by Daphne Clarke.