Ah, MEA break. It's unfortunate that a time meant for relaxation consists instead of studying and doing homework. Oh, well. I guess that's life as a student.
     For this week's blog post, I have decided to upload another part of the book my sister and I are writing. The excerpt is from the viewpoint of another character, so don't get confused.

        The school has provided an air conditioned coach bus to take us to camp. It is somewhere in the northern part of our home state, Minnesota. Everyone around me is discussing unnecessary topics, such as professional sports, fashion, and celebrities. Some have degraded themselves even further and have decided to gossip about others. I am truly disgusted.

            I, on the other hand, have intelligently chosen to study for the upcoming ACT exam. Though I am only in eighth grade, I am determined to acquire a perfect score. Harvard will not accept near-perfect. It will only accept the best of the best, which I’m quite sure I am. My father attended that university, so the proverbial bar is set higher. Of course, Harvard is not the only option. I am also looking into Yale, Princeton, Dartmouth, Cornell, Columbia, Brown, and the University of Pennsylvania. Though the Ivy Leagues seem in clear view, I will also be content in other prestigious universities, such as Stanford and Rice, the latter of which my mother attended.

“He’s such a nerd!” I hear a few girls gossiping about me.

            I am quick to sophisticatedly retaliate. “I do not care about your invalid opinions. They are produced by minds that are incapable of even the most basic things. Please keep your undesirable words to yourself.”

            They do not say anything more about me.

           

            I continue to study. I have taken an ACT practice exam, timing myself using my watch. I have come very close to a perfect score, receiving a 33 out of 36. The loss of three points was most likely due to the irritating jabber of the people around me. I should have brought earplugs.

            After another hour or so, we stop at a grassy area to eat lunch. As we get out of the bus, we are handed a box containing our lunch. I sit fairly close to a group of boys with passable IQs. They do not notice me, and I am happy for it, as I must reflect on my ACT practice test score. It is far too important.

              I open the box and find that my lunch is a turkey sandwich, potato chips, and a juice box. So much studying and perfection has made me hungry, so I relish my meal. The turkey blends perfectly with the tomatoes, lettuce, and wheat bread. The chips are greasy and full of saturated fats, but everyone must indulge themselves from time to time. I complete the rest of my food and throw my garbage into a nearby trash can. As I am walking back, I hear a beep. I turn around and find out that it is Marcus, a boy in my class who is blind.

            “Sorry,” Marcus apologizes. He uses a beeping cane to manoeuvre around me. His friends, Fred and Jack, are a few steps behind him.

            “It’s fine,” I respond. Marcus invites me to sit with him and his friends. I enjoy my introversion, but I decide to take the offer.

            “So...” Jack starts when I sit down. “What’s up?”

            “Nothing,” I respond. “I was reflecting upon my ACT practice test score. I did not perform at quite the level I would have liked.”

            “Isn’t this camp supposed to be a break from school?” Fred asks.

            I look at him incredulously. “This is not schoolwork. Our school’s education system is much too mediocre to prepare us for prestigious exams such as the ACT.”

            “Don’t you want a break from studying?” Jack interrogates.

            “Never lose the opportunity to expand your field of knowledge. Besides, studying brings me joy.”

            “Don’t you ever want to try something new?” Marcus questions.

            “Yes. I read different books, try different math problems, and learn different concepts in science.”

            “I meant something other than studying. Have you ever tried sports?” Fred asks.

            “No. I exercise my mind. Sports are a pointless waste of time with no objective.”

            “You try to win,” Marcus points out. “That’s an objective.”

            “But what do you do with that objective? Winning some silly sports competition won’t get you into Harvard or Yale. Very few people play well enough to earn athletic scholarships. And let’s say you do play professionally. Your career will end by the time you’re 30, as that’s when your bones start to weaken.” I am making excellent points. “However, if you are a doctor, lawyer, or engineer, you can have a career for the rest of your life, earn respect, and make a decent living.”

            “It’s not about college. Sports are something you can do for fun. What about video games? Or music?” Jack asks.

            “Video games kill brain cells. Music, however, is in my field of interest. I do study the great composers.”

            “I think you should do something that doesn’t involve studying,” Fred explains.

            “Thank you for the suggestion, but I will stick to my strong suits.”

            “Ok,” Jack says, obviously unable to come up with anything else. “Um...we need to go. I think someone was calling us, so we’ll catch you later.”

            The three of them leave, and I am left to reflect on various ACT questions. Just when I thought I was in solitude, I hear two brown-haired boys approaching my area. I recognize the shorter one as Miguel, a boy from my class, and the other as Justin, who is in a different class.

            “Did you see that chick?” Justin asks Miguel.

            “The blonde? Yeah.”

            “Damn, she was hot.”

            “Ok, one to ten. What would you give her?” Miguel questions.

            “I’d say nine. How ’bout you?”

            “Maybe a six.”

            “Six?! That’s all?” Justin looks aghast.

            “What? She’s not that hot.”

            This is an ungodly conversation. I try to tune them out.

            “I know who you think is hot. Everyone does,” Justin teases.

            “She doesn’t know,” Miguel says, obviously referring to the girl he is infatuated with. “I think.”

            “I can always tell her. You know, so she’s prepared. Otherwise she’ll slap the heck out of you if you try to pull any moves on her.”

            “I’m not pulling moves on anyone, Justin,” Miguel explains. “I’m just planning on asking her to the school dance at the end of the year.”

            “Yeah, and then you’re going to use your Latin lover boy moves on her.”

            “I don’t have a death wish, idiot.”

            This is disgraceful. I can no longer endure such torture.

            “Shut your mouths!” I scream. “This is inappropriate. Such discussions should not be allowed in public. You should be ashamed of yourselves! Please remove yourselves from my field of vision.”

            Justin looks like he wants to spit at me. “Dude, you have problems. You need help.”

            Miguel shares a similar countenance. “Yeah. I don’t know what the hell is going on with you.”

            Justin makes a profane gesture at me and the two walk away. Good. I have rid myself of their presence. I don’t know how I will be able to live through such horrible conversations at camp.

 

            Once we are back on the bus, I open my ACT book and study the science section. Thoroughly intrigued by the many techniques offered, I choose to ignore the tap on my shoulder.

            “Hello?” I know that voice. It’s Mali.

            “What?” I ask, continuing to read.

            “Can you look at me when you’re talking to me?”

            I close my book and make eye contact. “What do you need? As you can see, I’m studying.”

            “That’s what I want to talk to you about. Why don’t you ever do anything else? Don’t you get bored of studying?”

            I shake my head. “Studying stimulates and enriches the mind. It prepares us for college and the real world.”

            Mali rolls her eyes. “The problems you’re going to face in life aren’t in that textbook, Sam. Don’t you think you’re smart enough, anyway? Don’t you ever want to have fun?”

            “Studying is enjoyable. And I may be intelligent, but there is a higher level of perfection that I wish to achieve.”

            “You are so full of yourself! When I tied with you in the Brain Bowl, you acted like it was such a big surprise. Just because you’re smart does not make you better than everyone else! You might be good at math and all that stuff, but that’s it. I don’t know why I tried talking to you.”

            “Ok. Now would you please leave me to my studying?”

            Mali does not talk to me at all after that encounter.

           

            After about 20 minutes, the bus goes through a tunnel. People all around me are holding their breaths. This is most likely some silly superstition, so I obviously do not participate. When we are out of the tunnel, everyone acts like they haven’t breathed in years. I am disgusted by their childish games. Even the teachers participate. I do not understand why they degrade themselves in such a manner.

            I am still studying when a girl requests we watch a movie. Mr. Rice, the health teacher, reads off a few names of films. Everyone chooses a movie that I have never heard of, but apparently has some heartthrob actor. I decide to take a short break from my studying to watch it.

            Throughout the movie, girls get excited when the actor comes onscreen. It is some sort of action-romance film, and I must admit the special effects are spectacular. The acting and storyline, however, are absolutely dreadful.  In the end, there is a kissing scene with buildings blowing up in the background. Overall, I am unimpressed.

            Mr. Rice, who is now sitting behind me, decides to strike up a conversation. “What did you think of the movie?”

            “The special effects were quite impressive, but I did not approve of the movie in general.”

            “You didn’t like the story?”

            “Not at all. It was very unrealistic.”

            “Oh. Well, that’s too bad. Maybe we can find something you’ll like on the way back.”

            I nod. However, I don’t think the majority of people would agree with my taste in entertainment. 

 

            After about an hour, we reach a long string of wooden-cabin-like dorms. They are located in front of a thicket of trees. At the door, we check in and collect our room keys. I am given the room B6. Due to a limited number of rooms, each dorm will house four pupils. I cross my fingers that my roommates will be somewhat intelligent.

            I walk into the hall, which has three wooden tables. It is extremely spacious, and the blue paint on the walls gives it an even more open feel. The girls’ wing is on the right, so I walk over to the left. Once I find my room number, I unlock the door and find Henry, Miguel, and Carl. There are two sets of bunk beds, and the only space left is the lower bunk under Miguel. There is a large window behind the beds to let the morning light in. The carpet is so flat it feels almost hard. I am disgusted to be left with Miguel. Henry, who is in my class, is a decent person, but not necessarily someone I would talk to. Carl is in a different class, and I honestly don’t know him well enough to even come up with a judgement. This is going to be an interesting experience.