Labelled by Blood

      Mr. Davis strode in with a clipboard going on about our presentation. I shrank into myself. The class murmured and he gestured to get us focused. We had to write a poem and recite it in front of the classroom. Embarrassing didn't begin to describe it. I wrote my poem as soon as we got the assignment, but I was praying I wouldn't have to actually read it aloud.       He looked at us with a beaming smile that made me hate him a little less. "Good morning, class. When the water ripples," he said, his voice trailing off.       "Make it a wave," we all answered back.       He smiled and then told us what we were doing today. He broke down the rubric we were being graded on and that we were going to start recitations today. Ripples turned into waves in my stomach and I had to look down because I was pretty sure I looked like a ghost.       "Ava Adams," Mr. Davis called.       Alphabetical. That meant I was somewhere in the middle. Great. I would blend and blur amongst all the other faces. Ava smiled and stood up with a confident air around her. I was in awe. How did she always just exude confidence? But unlike a lot of the other kids here, she didn't feel like a jerk with it.       She came up to the front of the class, shuffled some papers around longer than necessary, and cleared her throat. Okay, maybe she was nervous. But it was almost impossible to tell. But when she spoke, the air shook. A tear almost escaped my eye. Everyone snapped for her and Mr. Davis scribbled some notes before calling her over after she finished. He flashed her his clipboard and she squealed with a little hop and a whoop. She sat down looking far more comfortable than before. The way she leaned back in her chair said it all.       Then Mr. Davis called up the next kid. Then the next. The hour passed by excruciatingly slow. Did someone find a way to slow time down? We snapped for most of the kids. Only one or two didn't get any. Probably because they didn't actually have a poem and tried to stall. The list kept going, every kid called meant I was one away. James Haliday. Three kids left. Maddie Kippling. Two left. Joselyn Keltzer. One.       "Alex Linnet. You're up."       I took a deep breath in. The boy behind me tapped me and passed me a note. I took it and turned to see Ava give me the sweetest and most encouraging smile I'd ever saw. Not even Jesse smiled at me like that.             You do something harder than this every day. You got this.                         - Ava A. <3       I read it once. Then twice. My lip quivered and I swallowed down the punch of emotions that made feel weightless. She was right. Thank you, Ava Adams. This meant more to me than you'll ever know.       I stood up, copying her earlier bravado. I wouldn't let her show me up. Not because I was better than her. But because she had faith in me. I made my way to the front of the room and took a deep breath in. Everyone was looking at me. Their eyes curious and glinting with the light from the morning sun pouring in.       I exhaled, clearing my throat after. With a shaky breath in, I poured my heart out into my poem.             Deep in the woods. Where nature plays alone,             Sits a couple who wish to atone.             They've nothing wrong but resided             Deep in the woods. Where the sun guided             Those who knew survival and nothing but             Nature plays alone. And only ever alone.       I opened my eyes. Most of the other kids had gone off to play on their phones, thinking they weren't noticed, or doodled on their own poems. Ava gave me her full focus. A few others did, too, but only a few. Mr. Davis beckoned me over and showed me my score. I got a B+.       I sat down, not sure how to feel. I did it. But so did everyone else. I was in the middle. No one was going to remember my poem. No one cared. That's what I wanted, so why did it hurt that no one even snapped for me? Okay, Ava did. But she was the only one.       The rest of class came and went. Kids got snaps. Kids got grades. Some high, some expectantly and shamelessly not so high. Mr. Davis applauded all of us and said he was really proud of how we did.       "Even coming up just to stall and crack jokes takes courage," he said, eyeing some kids.       They laughed and gave him a thumbs up. He looked over the room. His eyes felt like they jumped over me. I know they didn't. Then he dismissed us. No homework. Yay.       I was packed and got up to go. I spotted Ava already rushing out the door. I made the split decision to talk to her. I needed to know something.       "Ava?" I asked, catching up to her.       "Hm? Oh, hey! You did great!" She clasped her hands behind her back and walked backwards. Somehow, not moving any slower.       I mumbled a thanks. "You, too. I can't believe someone in our class is so talented," I said, almost whispering. But I still wanted her to hear me.       "Oh, that? Well, I had help from my boyfriend," she giggled. "He helped me really make it perfect, y'know?"       I didn't. I knew Jesse wouldn't be able to help me much. He was so cool and great at sports. But not so much with lyricism. I nodded.       "Anyways, I'll see you later," she started, turning and waving at her brother and, I guess, her boyfriend.       I waved. Evan saw me and gave me a slightly quizzical look. He waved back, then nudged Ava. She turned and gave a big wave before disappearing into the crowd ahead. And just like that, I was alone in a sea of faces. I set out to my next class. Math. I was good at this one.       I found my seat, took out my journal and looked over last class' notes. All easy. All ready. After English, I needed something I was a master at. And Mr. Steins liked me. We've talked a handful of times and he accepts me as I am. It made me wish I could just stay in his class all day, but I guess learning Chinese and business strategies was also important. If I ever needed those.       A couple of kids plop down in their seats next to me and start joking around. They bumped into me and I ignored them. These were the kinds of students who never knew when to stop and thought we all actually liked it when they stopped class to say something dumb. They bumped into me again.       "Bro, you didn't tell her that!" One of them exclaimed.       "Nah, bro," another started, "should've seen her face."       The other pushed his friend and he bumped into me a third time.       "My bad, bro," he said with a dismissive wave.       I shook my head but didn't answer. Even if I did, he wouldn't bother. And it wasn't like he was actually interested in making sure I was okay. These kinds of people always defaulted to everything being a joke.       "Shit," one of them said. "I forgot to do the homework! Give me yours."       His friend burst out in a fit of laughter. "We had homework?"       "Bro, it's math," his friend answered.       One nearly falls out of his chair. I, unfortunately, caught him with my body. Existing was pain. Even in your favorite class.       "Oh, bro, help a bro out," he said, noticing me. "I swear I'll get some wrong so it doesn't look like I copied."       I clenched my jaw. "No."       Their laughter died faster than my ego did in English. "What do you mean, 'no?'"       I turned to face them. They saw me and then laughed. "Oh," the one said, "it's Jesse's girl!"       The other smacked his arm, "wait, that's a girl? I thought Jesse was gay."       "Screw off," I clapped back.       They looked at me like I insulted their mothers. "Don't be like that," one said.       "Yeah. Oh, y'know what?" the other said, pulling his phone out, "Jesse got the answers, just text him."       And, just like that, they forgot about me. What the hell? It wasn't worth chasing. They were assholes, anyways. And what is Jesse doing hanging out with people like that?       The bell rang and Mr. Steins walked in, mumbling about the absurdity of triangles. I chuckled. The two boys erupted in a cheer. I guess Jesse caved. I had to talk to him about that.       Mr. Steins greeted us and we jumped into a warm up on triangles. I hated triangles, too. Class went by, Mr. Steins called on me every time I raised my hand. The boys became background noise and I was praised with each correct answer. Which was all of them.       When we got to our homework, half the class booed. I saw Mr. Steins laugh and roll his eyes. He claimed to have doubled our homework for it, but he really didn't. Given the class' reaction, no one clocked that he always intended to give us the five pages of review. We had a test next class, duh he was going to give us some more.       After class, Mr. Steins called me over. I went over to him.       "Alex," he said, handing me a flyer. "I know you're good at math. We had someone drop from our decathlon team and I wanted to let you know about it, first."       I sighed, shaking my head. "I can't right now, Mr. Steins," I said, the tips of my fingers setting the flyer down exactly where he had it. I couldn't. Not with training. Not with the Collector coming back. Not with everything that was going on.       "Maybe next time?" I asked.       He shrugged. "That's too bad. Our top member, Hazel, she would've loved a new face to train. Ah, oh well," he said, taking the flyer and putting it in his desk. "If another spot opens up sometime, I'll let you know."       I gave a smile, but I felt like crying. Decathlon. It wasn't my dream, or anything, but it did sound fun. Even just to try. I shifted my weight from one foot to the other. Mr. Steins gently shooed me away. I was dismissed.       My next class was chem. Ms. Rohd was fun, but nothing special. And I didn't really like science. Thankfully that class went by without an issue. Ms. Rohd always made sure to call on me at least once, so I knew she cared. Especially since she knew I only raised my hand if I was confident.       Chemistry was fine, but lunch was better. I had no idea if Jesse would meet me today. He usually did, but sometimes he had to go to "make appearances," as he puts it, with his other groups. It was Monday, so he probably wouldn't. Even though he kind of made it seem like he would. Parker always hung out with me, though.       And, sure enough, Parker waited in our usual spot in the courtyard. He yawned big, half laying down on a brick bench. He had one leg outstretched and another propping up a sketch pad.       "Yo, Lex," he said, noticing me, "Jess coming today?"       I shrugged. "I don't know. He thumbs me up when I told him I'd meet him for lunch."       Parker nodded and put his stuff away. He got out his lunch box and popped it open. I sat next to him and did the same. He pulled out a sandwich that made me jealous. I grabbed some toaster pastries. I fiddled with the crinkling wrapper but Parker snatched them from me.       "Dude," I snapped.       "Nah," he said, taking half of his sandwich and giving it to me. "You're eating healthy. I need you strong for training later."       I didn't argue. Why did I feel so far from someone trying so hard to be close? I took the half and looked at it. It was chicken salad with cranberries in it. I loved this stuff. Parker was wolfing his half down. I took a bite and was met with the crazy but absolute blend of sweet with creamy savouriness. We ate in silence for a minute. Jesse didn't join us.