Free Lessons I Never Learned at Meadowbrook Academy by Liz Maccie

like he might possibly blow chunks all over the place. During the fainting, Mervin’s glasses had fallen off his face. I quickly picked them up and gave them back to him. Ms. Dalton asked a young male teaching assistant to watch the class while she brought Mervin to Nurse Brown’s office. I tried to go with her, but she told me to join the volleyball game instead.
    As Ms. Dalton helped Mervin out the door, I mindlessly meandered around the outskirts of the volleyball court. I knew gym was almost over, but I really didn’t know what to do with myself.
    Then I heard my name.
    It was Thaddeus.
    With all the commotion, I hadn’t even noticed that he was there.
    â€œCome here. There’s a spot for you.” He moved a few feet to his left.
    On the other side of the net, a tall, lanky guy with a huge puss-filled zit on his forehead screamed, “Don’t be such a douche, Thad! Hit the ball!”
    Thaddeus completely ignored this kid and motioned me over. With everyone now staring, I walked up to him.
    â€œHere, you serve.” He held out the volleyball to me.
    â€œNo, I’m okay—”
    â€œJust hit the damn ball,” a girl with horse teeth on Thaddeus’s team said. “It’s a tie and the bell’s gonna ring.”
    Thaddeus motioned again for me to take the ball. “Go on.”
    â€œBut I—”
    He pushed the ball into my hands. Its leather was smooth, and I could feel the stitching against my palm.
    The tall, lanky zit monster screamed out again, “Come on, douches! Hit the damn ball!”
    Thaddeus leaned into me. “By the way, that guy over there,” he pointed to zit head, “that’s the guy that made fun of you this morning.”
    I could feel my entire face light up.
    Thaddeus threw his hands up in the air. “I’m just saying…”
    I steadied myself and focused on obnoxious zit-head. Then I threw the ball up and whacked it as hard as I could, aiming directly for the puss in monster boy’s zit. He and his pimple dove to reach the ball and…missed! It pounded down on the court, scoring the winning point for Thaddeus’s team just as the bell rang.
    A bunch of kids rushed me. I got compliments, high fives, and pats on my back. Even the girl with horse teeth said, “Awesome serve!”
    â€œThanks,” I mumbled.
    It was really great to feel that I belonged, even if it would only last a few moments.
    The class quickly emptied out, and I walked with Thaddeus as he grabbed his backpack off the bleachers. “You are now officially a rock star. Hands-down rock star,” he said.
    I couldn’t stop smiling. “Thanks for giving me that extra incentive.”
    â€œGlad to be of service.” He opened the gymnasium door and held it for me as we exited out into the crowded hallway.
    It occurred to me that I had forgotten my paper and pen back in the gym. Two beautiful girls with arms linked and matching pleated skirts passed by. I decided to screw my stuff in the gym, not wanting to take any chances that Thaddeus might wander off with those girls instead of me.
    â€œNow, don’t go getting a big head and switching sides on us next time,” he said.
    To be in close proximity to him felt so good and so nerve-wracking all at the same time. There was something about him that made me feel nauseous, but in an indescribably good kind of way.
    â€œYeah, well, I won’t be drafted by anyone else, unless it’s the Yankees.” I thought throwing in some sports lingo, as random as it was, could potentially up my real estate.
    He looked at me. “You’re a Yankees fan?”
    I sensed he was into what I was saying, so I decided to lay it on thick. “Oh, God, like totally a fan. Huge, huge fan. How ’bout you?”
    â€œLet’s see, how can I put this? I am the greatest fan that ever lived.”
    I was sooo in good. I mean, I just bought myself some serious selling