The Difference in Mind

The next week, Martin sat on the stage in the auditorium. He was playing Tetris on his calculator. Suddenly, someone dropped a bag next to him. Martin looked sideways and saw how Gary lifted himself up onto the stage.
‘Good morning’ Gary said
‘Hello’ Martin replied, and closed his calculator. Gary started to unpack his bag and took out a stash of papers, and handled it over to Martin
‘My research’ he said, and Martin took it, turning the pages.
‘That’s a lot!’ Martin said impressed.
Gary nodded. ‘I marked some of the most important stuff. You should read it, in case I have forgotten something’
Martin nodded, now opening his bag and taking out the plan he had made for the project.
‘I got you a copy’ he said, and gave one to Gary who looked at it ‘If we do it this way, we could have it finished next week’
Gary nodded in approval ‘Alright!’ he said excited. He stuffed the paper away in his bag and took out his physics book.
‘Have you seen this?’ he asked and he turned the pages of one of the last chapters of the book ‘This chapter is about Newton. We could use it all as well’
Martin looked at it. Martin was one of those persons who scanned his entire schoolbooks before school had even started, but this he had not seen yet!
‘Useful’ Martin muttered, a bit disappointed he hadn’t seen it.
Gary closed the book with a smack, making Martin startle. He looked at Gary, who looked back, but than stuffed his book back in his bag.
‘What do you think of Robert?’ Gary said, closing his bag. Martin looked at his hands, which were big. Long fingers. Gary placed them between his thighs, and looked at Martin, who quickly looked up at Gary’s face.
‘Robert’ Martin repeated, and stared around the auditorium ‘He’s alright. Sometimes a bit... bossy’
Gary nodded ‘Indeed. He thinks he’s everything! He’s just been promoted to team leader and already telling us of!’
‘Tell you of’ Martin corrected ‘I haven’t heard anything from him yet’
‘You weren’t that fast this Friday though’
‘I know, but he didn’t say anything about it’
‘Lucky’ Gary said, mouthing the word. Martin chuckled
There was a silence for a moment, and Martin watched Gary’s feet, which he was dangling around with.
‘What about Phillip?’
‘Hmm’ Martin said, biting his lip ‘He’s... well for how long has he been a team leader?’
‘A year’
‘Have you been working there for that long already?’
Gary shook his head ‘No, but I’ve heard so’
‘Aha... Well.. I rather not work with him. He makes it all to much stressed.’
‘That’s how most team leaders are. But for how long have you been working here?’ Gary suddenly switched over
‘Three months’ Martin said ‘Just before the summer break’
Gary nodded again, still dangling his feet.
After that, the school bell rang.
‘I’ve got history’ Gary said, jumping of the stage, and taking his bag. ‘That means you must have economics’ he asked as Martin got of the stage as well
‘Yes’ he said.
‘Well... see you at the next class than’ Gary said. He smiled friendly and walked away

~***~

‘Did you know Gary works at the same shop as I do?’ Martin asked Jeremy in the break, both of them sitting on the stage, at the exact same spot Martin and Gary had sat that morning
‘No’ Jeremy said ‘Does he?’
‘Yes. I saw him this Saturday.’ Martin said ‘I just had a chat with him about work’
Jeremy raised an eyebrow.
‘You’re getting friendly with him?’ he asked sounding disgusted.
‘No’ Martin said ‘We do an assignment together for physics. I have to get along with him to make that project’
‘Hmm’ Jeremy said, opening a bag of crisps
‘He’s not that unkind you know’ Martin said, taking a handful of crisps. ‘He seems nice to me…at least, he did this morning’
‘But he’s a git’ Jeremy said
‘ He’s alright. He had already done a lot on the project’ Martin said
‘Hmm’ Jeremy said again, his mouth full with crisps
‘He’s not that bad’ Martin repeated ‘I hope...’

~***~

At diner that night. Martin told his father about the assignment. His father was the only one who was listening, because Ally and his mother had a discussion about who would go for a walk with the dog that evening. Martin’s father had cooked. Martin would do the dishes. It was either of them who would have to go out with the dog.
‘Ah’ his father said when Martin had finished ‘You know that will be 20 percent of your final grade, right?’
‘I know’ Martin said, stuffing some potatoes in his mouth
‘And keep an eye on the one you are working with’ he added ‘Cooperate, don’t do it all on your own, and-’
‘And go to see the teacher when he’s eating out of his nose’ Martin finished. His dad nodded
‘Who are you working with?’ his father asked, finishing his own plate
‘Gary Taylor’ Martin said, and at that moment, Ally spun her head towards him, and dropped her fork.
‘Ah!’ his father said. He hadn’t notice Ally dropping her fork ‘I taught him chemistry last year. He’s a good student’
‘They say he isn’t’ Martin muttered
‘They are what?’ his father said, a bit absent-minded
‘They say he’s a git’
‘Oh he certainly can be’ his father agreed, laughing softly ‘But he always managed to get good grades. Smart boy he is’
Martin looked at Ally, who had picked up her spoon again and had started to eat, her cheeks flushing red.

~***~

Martin was allowed to miss some classes the next week. Together with Dylan and Niles, he was allowed to prepare the auditorium for the next school party at the end of the week. The party would end, and autumn break would start. A week long they would be free, and after that, the first exams started.
Martin sat at the control desk, ordering the lights for the show. He had no idea what would be played, but they had received instructions from their music teacher, who was leading this project.
‘A bit more red’ Niles shouted. He was standing on the stage, playing, as they called: ‘the guinea pig’ so that they could see whether the lights were all in the right position.
‘Step to the right’ Martin ordered, adding some red in the program. Nile stepped to the left
‘No, my right!’ Martin shouted again, laughing.
‘Ha-ha!” Niles said
‘Will the band stay still all the time?’ Martin asked
‘No’ Niles said ‘It will me like this’ And he jumped, kicked and head banged his way over the stage
Martin and Seth, who was adjusting the sound, laughed
‘Which band will play?’ Martin asked, adding some more lights
‘The Sharp Points’ Seth said ‘I’ve heard they are very good’ he added, and plugged in another wire. ‘We’re finished!’ he said.
‘Never heard of them’ Martin said, and he left the control desk. He hit a switch and all the normal lights of the auditorium went on again

~***~

‘So you’re not going tonight?’ Jeremy asked ‘It’s free’
‘So?’ Martin said ‘I don’t want too’
‘You putted up the entire techniques. You should at least see it’
‘I’ve seen it often enough’
‘Well not in action’
‘Without music and crowd you mean?’
Jeremy pointed his finger at Martin, almost threatening
‘You’re going to come. Whether you like it, or not’
Martin sighed and shook his head. He would go. He would go tonight. Just to take a peak how the techniques looked. He wouldn’t stay too long.