Post by alden sparkes. on Sept 19, 2011 17:21:18 GMT -5
alden sparkes.
SEVENTEEN. MALE. GIFTED. ASEXUAL.
Alden chewed on the pencil that he held in his hand as he stared at the wall, his knees resting against the table in front of him. He could hear the noise of the other children outside, dulled by the wall and windows dividing them. He was meant to go out... but didn’t really want to, not today. It was break, only twenty minutes or so and then everyone would come back inside anyway. Then two more hours until the end of the day, when he could get home before the students from the infant side of the primary school got out. Work would fill the time in the middle, but he was not so bothered bout that. Work was repetitive and constant, not so much in the content but there was always something to be done. He hoped it would be maths, maths was simple problems that always had an answer. He could wait until then, be interested in what he had to do. It didn’t usually require having to work with the other students, what was the point in learning if you had to do it with someone else?
“Alden?”
He looked up to see his teacher walking though the door, was she going to make him go outside? She frowned at him and he expected the worst, there wasn’t even that long until the end of break, there was really no point to it. She was a teacher though, he had to do what she said. He mum always said that, parents and teachers were people that you were supposed to listen to because they knew what was best, he wasn’t very good at following that rule though... how was he meant to do as he was told when he knew there was something better or more important to do?
She sat on the table beside him instead of telling him to leave though, making Alden unsure of what was happening. Had he done something wrong? It wasn’t like he was being bad, just sitting here. He was waiting for the next lesson. “You don’t feel like going outside today, then?”
Surprised by her words, Alden just shrugged and looked over her shoulder towards to board at the front of the class. “No,” he replied finally, “not really. I think I will wait.”
“Is something the matter?” She asked, the frown returning to her features. “You should tell me if someone is being mean out there Alden, I can sort that out.”
“They’re not being mean,” Alden said, with a quick glance to the window. Across the playground he could just see everyone running around, laughing and shouted. That was how it usually was at break, why should he go out there? There was no point anyway, he wouldn’t achieve anything from going out there at all. No, if he stayed inside he could work. He could get good marks in his SATs at the end of the year and then get good grades in High School. That was important, not playing. It wasn’t like they would want him out there anyway. When he had gone out yesterday it had all been fine until Caitlyn had got upset, and they just expected him to know that she was upset? Why was she upset anyway? It didn’t make sense nothing had gone wrong. She had one little argument with someone and then it was his fault she was upset?
His teacher sighed and stood up, “It’ll be time for everyone to come in soon,” she said, “and maybe I’ll have to call your parents.”
...was I really such a depressing child? Brilliant, that’s always something to say isn’t it? “Oh yeah, I had a happy childhood but it turns out to everyone else I just looked permanently depressed.” Of course this isn’t true! Not all the time anyway, let me just say that Primary School wasn’t really the best time of my life, more for other people than myself. I will admit to being a difficult child! It would have been quite obvious if I had lied, but nonetheless. I guess I should start from the beginning with my history, hah, I’ve never said it all so if I forget things forgive me, I’ll probably pick something up along the way. So I was born in a town called Bexhill-on-Sea, by your amazing powers of deduction I am sure that you can guess it was somewhere near the seaside. If this is so then you are correct! It’s on the south coast of England, if you know the towns Hastings and Eastbourne then it’s the one in the middle of them. Well... yeah, there isn’t much else to say about that. I’m not an only child, I have an older brother called Murray, oh, that’s a point. Family, yes. My parents are Carol and Paul. Oh, oh, and my name is Alden. Surely that should have been first? I did say that I haven’t done this before didn’t I?
“Alden! Stop being so antisocial!”
He rolled his eyes at her as he pulled his tie away from his throat, “I’m not being antisocial. That would imply that I lack consideration for others. I thought I was being quite polite and kind.” He gave her an even look before frowning and standing up, “I should go to the office, I need to pick up my timetable for this year.” He bit the inside of his mouth as he tried to expel the annoyance that had crept on him suddenly. Why now? It could have always been later, he didn’t need it in the middle of school.
“Fine, act like I am a complete idiot then walk away! This is hardly being polite and kind, Alden!” She shouted as she glared at his back.
“I was trying, but you seem to want to accuse me of something every time you go near me!” He said as he turned back to face her, “I’m either being antisocial, overreacting, not taking things seriously. Make your mind up! Do you think I’m some apathetic freak or someone that overdramatizes everything?” It wasn’t the smart thing to do, to actually play up to it. But she was angry at him he didn’t even see why. In his opinion he had just stated the obvious, she shouldn’t have got offended by that! But she was being stupid, stubborn and angry and he couldn’t help but feel that too.
“Arse!” She shouted finally, before turning and storming away across the courtyard. Alden had a headache.
That was not a good moment. The girl there was called Sian, she was... basically my best friend from the end of Primary school and into high school. Luckily for me, I seemed to have a good gift at reading people. It’s taken from my dad really, though I think mine’s a lot worse. Worse shouldn’t be the word there, stronger maybe, but it can feel worse. It isn’t like reading minds if someone asked me to do that I would be completely lost. I suppose the technical word could be empathy? It makes a change, sometimes I get told I can just be emotionless... or sarcastic, but it’s difficult sometimes to balance it. The immediate reaction to this would be something like “Oh so you can tell what emotions they are feeling?” Well, yes. Kind of. That and general feelings, not just the basic emotions. Like what people want, or what they’re scared of... not all the time, just if it happens to be in the situation. This... thing chose to take place around about year eight in school, that moment when any adult around automatically assumes you’re acting up because of your hormones or whatever the hell else. So, hooray for being in a school with a lot of people who tend to be very moody.
“Alden? Alden, I need to tell you something.” His mum pushed open the kitchen door to see him sat at the kitchen table, papers spread across almost the entirety of the table. “Alden!”
He pulled the earphones out at the sudden noise and looked up at her, a small smile on his fac. “I’m trying to work, I thought you wanted me to pass these exams?” She seemed to be anxious about something, anxious but... happy? Oh, he didn’t know whether this would be good or bad for him, judging by the happiness he hoped for good. She wanted to tell him something, something she was excited about?
“Your dad... you know he got the new job placement?” Alden nodded, it was something he wouldn’t stop talking about. “We sort of have to move...”
He frowned at her, no matter how happy she was about this it wasn’t so good for him. “I have exams, mum. I can’t move before them, and then I have to get ready for sixth form...”
“It’ll all be in the summer,” She said quickly, smiling. “It’s a little far though, you’d have to take your text two years in... a very different school system.”
Alden gave her a blank look, “We’re moving country? You could have said that to begin with.”
She shrugged, her grin getting wider, “But it’s America, doesn’t that sound like a nice change?”
Yeah, we’re kind of living in Eden now. Kind of just because my dad has been offered more jobs, but he keeps declining. But when should I know if a better one comes along? And I do know about the town, it’s a little weird to put it honestly but rather interesting at the same time. My dad likes the concept of it anyway, he says that is why he won’t leave any time soon, but he’s prone to changing his mind. I don’t mind... I guess.
“Alden?”
He looked up to see his teacher walking though the door, was she going to make him go outside? She frowned at him and he expected the worst, there wasn’t even that long until the end of break, there was really no point to it. She was a teacher though, he had to do what she said. He mum always said that, parents and teachers were people that you were supposed to listen to because they knew what was best, he wasn’t very good at following that rule though... how was he meant to do as he was told when he knew there was something better or more important to do?
She sat on the table beside him instead of telling him to leave though, making Alden unsure of what was happening. Had he done something wrong? It wasn’t like he was being bad, just sitting here. He was waiting for the next lesson. “You don’t feel like going outside today, then?”
Surprised by her words, Alden just shrugged and looked over her shoulder towards to board at the front of the class. “No,” he replied finally, “not really. I think I will wait.”
“Is something the matter?” She asked, the frown returning to her features. “You should tell me if someone is being mean out there Alden, I can sort that out.”
“They’re not being mean,” Alden said, with a quick glance to the window. Across the playground he could just see everyone running around, laughing and shouted. That was how it usually was at break, why should he go out there? There was no point anyway, he wouldn’t achieve anything from going out there at all. No, if he stayed inside he could work. He could get good marks in his SATs at the end of the year and then get good grades in High School. That was important, not playing. It wasn’t like they would want him out there anyway. When he had gone out yesterday it had all been fine until Caitlyn had got upset, and they just expected him to know that she was upset? Why was she upset anyway? It didn’t make sense nothing had gone wrong. She had one little argument with someone and then it was his fault she was upset?
His teacher sighed and stood up, “It’ll be time for everyone to come in soon,” she said, “and maybe I’ll have to call your parents.”
...was I really such a depressing child? Brilliant, that’s always something to say isn’t it? “Oh yeah, I had a happy childhood but it turns out to everyone else I just looked permanently depressed.” Of course this isn’t true! Not all the time anyway, let me just say that Primary School wasn’t really the best time of my life, more for other people than myself. I will admit to being a difficult child! It would have been quite obvious if I had lied, but nonetheless. I guess I should start from the beginning with my history, hah, I’ve never said it all so if I forget things forgive me, I’ll probably pick something up along the way. So I was born in a town called Bexhill-on-Sea, by your amazing powers of deduction I am sure that you can guess it was somewhere near the seaside. If this is so then you are correct! It’s on the south coast of England, if you know the towns Hastings and Eastbourne then it’s the one in the middle of them. Well... yeah, there isn’t much else to say about that. I’m not an only child, I have an older brother called Murray, oh, that’s a point. Family, yes. My parents are Carol and Paul. Oh, oh, and my name is Alden. Surely that should have been first? I did say that I haven’t done this before didn’t I?
“Alden! Stop being so antisocial!”
He rolled his eyes at her as he pulled his tie away from his throat, “I’m not being antisocial. That would imply that I lack consideration for others. I thought I was being quite polite and kind.” He gave her an even look before frowning and standing up, “I should go to the office, I need to pick up my timetable for this year.” He bit the inside of his mouth as he tried to expel the annoyance that had crept on him suddenly. Why now? It could have always been later, he didn’t need it in the middle of school.
“Fine, act like I am a complete idiot then walk away! This is hardly being polite and kind, Alden!” She shouted as she glared at his back.
“I was trying, but you seem to want to accuse me of something every time you go near me!” He said as he turned back to face her, “I’m either being antisocial, overreacting, not taking things seriously. Make your mind up! Do you think I’m some apathetic freak or someone that overdramatizes everything?” It wasn’t the smart thing to do, to actually play up to it. But she was angry at him he didn’t even see why. In his opinion he had just stated the obvious, she shouldn’t have got offended by that! But she was being stupid, stubborn and angry and he couldn’t help but feel that too.
“Arse!” She shouted finally, before turning and storming away across the courtyard. Alden had a headache.
That was not a good moment. The girl there was called Sian, she was... basically my best friend from the end of Primary school and into high school. Luckily for me, I seemed to have a good gift at reading people. It’s taken from my dad really, though I think mine’s a lot worse. Worse shouldn’t be the word there, stronger maybe, but it can feel worse. It isn’t like reading minds if someone asked me to do that I would be completely lost. I suppose the technical word could be empathy? It makes a change, sometimes I get told I can just be emotionless... or sarcastic, but it’s difficult sometimes to balance it. The immediate reaction to this would be something like “Oh so you can tell what emotions they are feeling?” Well, yes. Kind of. That and general feelings, not just the basic emotions. Like what people want, or what they’re scared of... not all the time, just if it happens to be in the situation. This... thing chose to take place around about year eight in school, that moment when any adult around automatically assumes you’re acting up because of your hormones or whatever the hell else. So, hooray for being in a school with a lot of people who tend to be very moody.
“Alden? Alden, I need to tell you something.” His mum pushed open the kitchen door to see him sat at the kitchen table, papers spread across almost the entirety of the table. “Alden!”
He pulled the earphones out at the sudden noise and looked up at her, a small smile on his fac. “I’m trying to work, I thought you wanted me to pass these exams?” She seemed to be anxious about something, anxious but... happy? Oh, he didn’t know whether this would be good or bad for him, judging by the happiness he hoped for good. She wanted to tell him something, something she was excited about?
“Your dad... you know he got the new job placement?” Alden nodded, it was something he wouldn’t stop talking about. “We sort of have to move...”
He frowned at her, no matter how happy she was about this it wasn’t so good for him. “I have exams, mum. I can’t move before them, and then I have to get ready for sixth form...”
“It’ll all be in the summer,” She said quickly, smiling. “It’s a little far though, you’d have to take your text two years in... a very different school system.”
Alden gave her a blank look, “We’re moving country? You could have said that to begin with.”
She shrugged, her grin getting wider, “But it’s America, doesn’t that sound like a nice change?”
Yeah, we’re kind of living in Eden now. Kind of just because my dad has been offered more jobs, but he keeps declining. But when should I know if a better one comes along? And I do know about the town, it’s a little weird to put it honestly but rather interesting at the same time. My dad likes the concept of it anyway, he says that is why he won’t leave any time soon, but he’s prone to changing his mind. I don’t mind... I guess.
