The Difference in Mind

The next lesson, unfortunately, was physics. They would be sorted into parings for the exam project. Martin didn’t like parings or teams. It meant he was dependable of others. He didn’t like that.

And to his great annoyance, the teacher would make pairings. So Martin was sure he would be set up with someone who would probably wouldn’t do a thing.
He sat down, at his usual seat. When the teacher wrote down the absent students, she took the name list and held her pen above the paper. She began to pick the parings.
Martin waited carelessly until he heard his name.
‘Gary Taylor….’ The teacher spoke, and Martin noticed how Gary looked away from the blonde haired girl, at the teacher, almost interested to see who his partner would be
‘And Martin Bells’
Martin’s mouth could have dropped open
No, he almost wanted to scream. No!
He looked sideways at Gary, who was only a few seats away. To Martin’s annoyance, he turned his head to him, and grinned uncomfortably at him
Oh Great…
Gary didn’t look amused either
~***~

During a study hour, Martin went over to Gary. I will just let him know how I think about this, he thought. Gary was sitting in a corner with some friends, and Angelica when Martin stood in front of him. Gary looked up at him, an eyebrow raised
‘What?’ he asked
‘Listen’ Martin said irritated ‘I don’t like doing this assignment with you, and I’m sure you don’t like it either. But I won’t let my grade be pulled down by someone who won’t work on it. Alright?’
Gary stared at Martin for a moment. His friends had started to laugh, but Gary hadn’t. He tilted his head a bit, and after a few seconds, he gave a nod
‘I won’t’
That had been the last answer Martin had expected! He had actually thought they would all laugh about him. But Gary seemed to be serious.
Martin gave a nod back.
‘When we know more about the assignment, we will start at once. I don’t like doing all the work at the last moment’
Martin turned around, and walked away. They had started to laugh, but there was a sound of someone kicking someone for his shines.

~***~

That evening, Martin entered the canteen of the shop he worked for. He had been working at Saintsbury’s since two months now, to earn some extra money. He was 17 now, so he had to get his money from somewhere!
He arrived as one of the first at work. He took a glass of water, and sat down at the table, scanning the newspapers that lay on the table. Martin only lived five minutes from here, so he often was the first to get here. In a few minutes, the rest of his colleagues arrived as well. Martin only knew some of them, but didn’t speak to them. It was only until Eve arrived. Eve was Martin’s best friend. They knew each other from school, and they had both started to work here. Eve was a nice, good looking girl. But Martin didn’t had any feelings for her. Neither had she for him. They had been friends since their first year here at school.
‘Did you hear those new rules about the exams!’ she said ‘It’s outrageous! They actually want us to write an paper of the entire economy book!’
Martin laughed ‘Thank god I don’t have economy than’
‘You do have economy’ Eve said, and Martin laughed. He was at a higher education. Eve rolled her eyes. ‘Brat’ she spoke and pocked him, which made Martin laugh even more.
They were quiet long enough to hear someone in the hall shout: ‘Deep freeze again!’ Martin moved sideways in his chair. He recognized the voice!
‘I’ll start at once, oke?’ the person spoke and he could hear someone walk away.
At that same moment, the team leader came in. The person had been talking to the team leader, and Martin had the feeling he knew who had been standing in the hall next to the room he was sitting in now.
Robert, the team leader, began to give the group tonight’s instructions When he was done, the group left and entered the shop.
Martin was about to enter the storage room, when someone shouted: ‘Out of my way!’
Martin stepped back and his guesses had been confirmed. Gary stepped out of the storage room, walking backwards as he pulled a container, full with steaming boxes who belonged into the deepfreeze.
He looked straightly at Martin as he walked by
‘Are you working here?’ he asked. Martin nodded. Gary didn’t say anything more, but walked further towards the deepfreeze department.
Martin took his container and pulled it towards his department. He had never known Gary worked here! He had never seen him here. How long must he be working here? He was shouting at Robert, so probably for a while.

~***~

Martin came home late that evening. He took of his sweater and threw it in the cabin. He entered the kitchen, and took a glass of milk.
‘How was it?’ he mother said, who was sitting behind him at the kitchen table, working behind her laptop. She was a middle aged woman with shoulder length hair and glasses. She was a teacher as well, but not at the school Martin. Ally and their dad went to.
Martin turned around, and leaned against the sink. ‘Alright’ he said, and Mort pressed his head against Martin’s thigh. Martin stroked the dog’s head
‘You’re late’ his mother said, looking at the oven’s clock
‘I know. Lots of fillings’ Martin lied and finished his glass. His mother laughed at him and looked back at the screen of her laptop. Martin left the kitchen and walked past his sister who was sitting on the sofa, watching TV again. Martin went upstairs and when he walked past his parents bedroom door, his father called him
‘Martin?’
‘Yes?’ Martin said, opening the door. His father was pulling on a sweater.
‘How was school?’ he asked as he pulled his head through his sweater. He ran his hands through his grey hair and straightened his glasses. ‘I didn’t see you’
‘I didn’t see you either. But I was there’ Martin said, pocketing his hands and leaning against the door frame ‘It was alright though’ he added. His father also smiled, and Martin turned around, heading over to his room. He closed the door. His room was pretty small. He had a bunk bed, a desk, a cabin, and two chairs. He sank down in his desk chair and stared outside. Birds were whistling, and he could hear a dog barking. He had already finished all his homework, and it was too early to go to bed.
Time for some Warhammer!

~***~

To Martin, it was time to start the project. He had no choice, but to call Gary.
Martin dug up the phone list they had recieved at the beginning of the year. He found Gary on it, and dialed the number.
Someone picked up the phone
‘Taylor’
‘Er...’ Martin said ‘This is Martin Bells. I would like to speak to Gary’
Please?
‘Hold on’
Martin waited, and soon he heard Gary’s voice
‘Hullo?’
‘Gary, it’s Martin’
A silence at the otherside.
‘Hey’
‘Hi’
Oh god that was stupid
‘Listen’ he went on ‘I want to make a start on the project’
‘I already did’ Gary said
Martin raised his eyebrows
‘You... did?’
‘Yeah. I printed the entire original version of Newton’s second Law’
‘Really?’
‘Yes!’ Gary said, almost irritated, but laughed ‘You hadn’t expected that, had you?’
‘Erm’ Martin said, and he felt glad they were using the phone for having this conversation. He was turning red ‘No... I actually hadn’t’
Another laugh
‘You might think I don’t like school, or that I don’t care about my grades or whether I will pass my exams’ Gary spoke ‘But I actually do care. I don’t want to screw up!’
‘Alright’ Martin mutted a bit embarressed ‘I will make a timetable than’
‘Alright’ Gary now said ‘I will bring my stuff, and we will see each other during maths’
‘And biology’ Martin added
‘I think we have the same time table’
‘I think so’ Martin said ‘Have you got economics?’
‘No, I’ve got history’
‘Almost the same’ Martin said and chuckled, Gary laughed