Empathy

Here's a piece I wrote for a school assignment in the spring. It's not exactly a whole story, but I didn't really know what else to categorize it as.

After he had spent some time in juvie and been given a court order to attend rehab, Connor’s mom would throw money at every miracle cure that came around, passing him around to rehab after rehab like a game of “Hot Potato.” And his dad, well, he treated Connor like a criminal. Not that he wasn’t. Connor had been taken in multiple times for possessing and smoking weed, though posting bail wasn’t an issue for his parents. Now that smoking marijuana had been decriminalized in New York and was considered a misdemeanor, it was easy to get off the hook, especially with the right amount of money.

Connor shoved a group of freshmen out of the way to open his locker. A few cursed under their breath at him, lowering their heads and shuffling to class, but he knew they were too chicken to actually speak up. He grabbed his books and made his way to the classroom. Connor didn’t care anyway; it’s nothing he wasn’t used to. Everyone knew who he was.

Connor Murphy: the weirdo druggie with long hair and rich parents.

Connor Murphy: Zoe Murphy’s deranged, psycho brother.

Connor Murphy: the kid who threw a printer at Mrs. G. in the second grade.

Connor Murphy…

“Connor Murphy!” Connor shut his sketchbook and raised his head. “Mr. Murphy. Believe it or not, even seniors are not excused from paying attention in class on the first day. Everyone’s waiting on you, so stop goofing around. Now, let’s try again, shall we?” The professor pushed his spectacles up his nose. “Connor Murphy.” He glanced pointedly at Connor.

F**k you, he wanted to say. “Present,” was what slipped through his gritted teeth instead, and the professor continued with roll-call. Jerk. Someone snickered quietly, and others smiled at his being called out. Beside him, some kid in a blue polo shifted awkwardly and picked at a cast encasing his left arm. It was blank; no signatures. No friends. Connor scoffed inwardly. Yeah, me neither.