Discrimination

Natalie B. Puckett, a smarter-than-average middle schooler, describes the perks and pitfalls of being smart.

Discrimination

I walked into the gifted and talented classroom. I know that being in the gifted class should seem uncool, and maybe it is. Knowing how to do geometry or spouting off random facts about American history are not the best ways to get ahead in junior high. But all the gifted kids were just a ragtag team of misfits and freaks.

I saw the usual suspects sitting around the room, either in beanbags or on the tables, and a few were sitting in the desks. Ha. Desks. What a joke. Like I'd really want to spend one more period sitting in a school desk. On one table, Hannah and Preston Howard, the twins, were arguing�"as per usual. Bethany James, the aspiring artist, was scribbling in her sketch diary. Justine Cougar, the animal rights activist, was terrorizing a few kids, lecturing them for eating meat and wearing clothes that used animal fur. I made a mental note to stay away from her today. My vest was made of fake fur (Like I'd really slaughter some poor fox for its hide!) but once Justine gets started, there is no stopping her. Jack Sprat (honestly, that is his name) had snuck in his battery operated mini-radio. Everyone around him was head-banging to heavy metal. Arielle Johnston, the pyromaniac, and her boyfriend, Franklin Roberts, the inventor, were making out on a table in the back. My best friend and number-one confidant, Yukon Harris, was keeping his distance. I rushed to the table and hopped on the table in between Yukie, as I called him, and Arielle and Franklin. Getting anywhere near a couple who was probably about 5 minutes away from second base was not something I particularly wanted to do, but if it meant I could hang out with Yukon, I was game for anything.

"Hi, Natalie," he said, sliding his books aside so I could have a seat.

"Hey, Yukon," I said, saluting him with two fingers. He returned my salute. "What's up?"

"Jasmine Potter threw up when we dissected frogs in science class today," he said.

"Again?"

"Again. That girl can't stomach anything."

"So," I said, pulling my dark hair up into a ponytail. "Should we go to the coffee shop again tonight, or should we do something else?" Every Friday night, a few of us�"Yukie, me, Justine, Arielle, and Franklin�"had taken to sneaking out of the basketball games (or baseball games, depending on the season) while everyone else was singing the national anthem. Then, we'd romp around the neighborhood, doing what we pleased, showing up at the end of the game so our parents could pick us up. They knew nothing about our weekly adventures.

Sometimes Justine would drag us to a protest. In the winter, we might set up a bonfire in Arielle's backyard. We might climb up to Franklin's tree house to help him with his latest invention, be it a flashlight as bright as sunshine, or an environmentally-friendly fan so strong, that it might blow you over. I was convinced that Franklin would eventually create something amazing. I was also convinced that if he died young, it'd be from being blown out of his tree house from that fan. However, I was further convinced that there were worse ways to die. It goes without saying that any kid who is both into mechanics and has a girlfriend who is obsessed with fire is destined to do great things.

Most of the time, however, we walked over to the coffee shop on Nightshade Lane. It was a cool place, with jazz music playing nonstop. Lilly, our favorite waitress, worked the Friday night shift, and often slipped us free food and beverages. Lilly Kollwitz was still in high school, her junior year. She had been in the gifted group when she went to Justice Rings Junior High, so she knew what being a social outcast felt like. Sometimes, being a misfit sucked, but mostly, I didn't mind too much. Who needs popular kids when you have friends like Arielle and Yukie?

Sometimes we'd sing along to old music with Lilly, since the shop was usually empty on Friday nights. Sometimes we'd plot ways to get our least favorite teacher, Ms. Parker, fired. Sometimes we'd make plans to show the popular kids at school that just because the gifted and talented class is made up of oddities and weirdoes, does NOT mean that were second class citizens. I'm tired of being cast to the sides just because I'm different. I, Natilie B. Puckett, being of sound mind and body, officially declare being smart as sucking.

I really need to chill out, don't I?

Author's Note

I'd like a detailed review, please!!

Reviews

[Willow]

This is pretty good. I prefer the format in comparison to your other story, and the content is understandable and solid. One thing, I personally dislike the way you say "the gifted and talented classroom" It's isn't necessary to say both gifted and talented, because they are similar and mean basically mean the same thing. I would've used something like "gifted immersion classroom" but that' just me.

[astoundinglyattractive]

hmmm interesting and masterfully written t tell the truth. one thing you mught want to edit there are the tenses. throuht this story you fluctuated between past and present tense. at some poits it was present likee her talking to you. but at others it was like she was describng her past. besides that thi is a very true story of which i understand and connect to. i am in eith grade and already taing algebra two. i already have my algebra and geometry credits. so i know how it feel to be in the smart kid group. amd ya. it cansuck.

[Charity]

I am just smart like this. I agree totally with the outcast part and how everyone else makes you feel so different when you really aren't. It's a great story and I really think the world could use it to find out how we really feel...

[Kyra]

Wow, this is really good!! I'm surprised that your only 13 (:
I really liked it...it's hard for me to stay focused when reading stuff via computers and usually tend to lose interest within the first paragraph or so but that didn't happen at all with your story. (:
There are some places where I think you should have started a new paragraph but other than that... I like (: