Chapter 3 - The Boy In The School Yard

When the math class ends after one boring hour she finds herself out in the school yard. People in her grade are playing on the swing set or on the slide, girls playing jump rope and hopscotch while boys play basketball or soccer, she sits on a bench and reads a book. She thought that jumping around was for those who had nothing better to do. By reading she gained knowledge, she liked to read old books from the 1900's and textbooks, and articles and dictionaries. Fake love stories, she called the books most girls her age read dumb. They didn't possess knowledge or make you a better reader. Suddenly someone came and next to her on the bench she looked up in shock and displeasure to see a boy who looked oddly familiar smiling at her. "Hey, is that a textbook you're reading?" he asks. "Thats strange… Is it interesting?" It was the boy from the academy who had corrected her on her playing the night before at the winter concert rehearsal. She couldn't contain the scowl that formed her lips. He's probably here to pester me about yesterday, she thought grumpily. "Yeah." she mumbled, "So? It's not like a child like you would understand the knowledge you gain from textbooks." "A child like me?" The boy asks. "You don't seem to like me very much. Did I offend you yesterday when I corrected your playing? That wasn't my intention, you're really good at piano! I just thought it would be helpful to know a mistake you made so the next time you played the song it would be perfect!" He says enthusiastically. Despite her earlier reluctance he compliments her and they begin to talk about music. She finds him to be 'too happy' but doesn't mind talking to him since it's about music. After recess is over it's time for lunch. The boy, whose name she never thought to ask, is called away by some friends and she walks to the cafeteria by herself. She sits down at a seat where there are a few loners like herself eating and takes out a salad she packed and begins to eat alone while still reading the history textbook on the Columbian Exchange, something that usually wasn't taught until middle school. She liked the thought of her being better than her peers, of her being more advanced. It brought a smile to Leti's lips.