Breakfast was very quiet that Tuesday morning at the Murphy’s house. It was cereal, but this was not the cause of the silence.

‘Aren’t you going to say something, Sin? You didn’t even say good morning to me.’ Aunt Janice was in her infamous nightdress. She had not taken a shower yet.

‘Good morning,’ he mumbled. He was poking the cereal like he was searching for an evasive cockroach that had fallen in. He was wearing his leather jacket and a white t-shirt and blue jeans. A pair of black Nikes concluded the gear. Aunt Janice reached for his hand as it lay idle on the table. He slowly pulled it away.

She sighed, ‘You know I only want what’s best for you, right?’

His eyes narrowed as he stared into his bowl, as if he had finally found the roach. ‘Does this cereal taste strange to you?’ he asked her before taking a mouthful. ‘The taste is a little familiar though,’ he snapped his fingers in an effort to remember. ‘Of course!’ his eyes lit up, ‘It tastes exactly like betrayal.’

‘Okay, Sineas knock it off. You’re still going to school whether you like it or not and you’re going to make friends and be happy.’

He became silent.

She resumed breakfast. ‘Your lunch is by the sink.’

He noticed she now looked upset. ‘Aunt Janice, I’m sorry. It’s just that this kind of atmosphere makes me feel uncomfortable.’

‘I know, son but you still have the rest of the year to settle in; to adjust.’

‘What if I don’t settle in? Adjust?’

‘Then we’ll move elsewhere, relocate where you can adjust. We’ll get you a new school, a new shrink but the conclusion is still the same, Sineas; you will go to school.’

‘If only the person who invented school was still alive. I would have loved to teach him a lesson,’ he muttered.

‘Well, he or she is dead and you’re going to be late for his or her invention.’ She got up and gathered the plates and spoons. ‘Get your books and your lunch, hurry, hurry or you’re going to be late!’

Just like yesterday, class was very noisy, even with the Physics teacher, Mr. Sawyer already inside. Mr. Sawyer was busy and clumsily arranging his books on his desk as the class’ conversations deliberately grew louder and louder. His stout figure wobbled in uncertainty as he looked for a book he had dropped. He fixed his shirt collar and placed the final book on the table. His fat lips were mumbling something to themselves. He had obviously forgotten something. He placed his hand on his head and the other on his hip. He looked lost. His faded brown corduroy pants looked like they had been bought from a yard sale. They definitely did not match his brand-new cream long-sleeved t-shirt.

He forgot about whatever he had forgotten about and tried to calm the students down. He successfully managed to lower the noise down to harmless chat. As expected, Sineas was minding his own business at the back of the class.

Mr. Sawyer cleared his throat and adjusted his tie. He said, ‘Alright, I seem to have forgotten my class registry book so I think we can skip the role call for today. Okay,’ he clapped his hands, ‘everyone, pair up.’

Like a beehive, everyone began to stand up, each towards his or her best friend. Sineas could hear them calling out: ‘Taylor, Taylor, where’s…there you are, you bastard!’ Someone had just joined Taylor. ‘Has anyone seen Jacob? Jacob?’ Another one joined Jacob. There was so much jostling and bustling around Sineas. But he did not bother to move. He pretended to read something on his desk. Finally, everyone had paired up. Everyone except Sineas.

Mr. Sawyer looked around. He chuckled, his potbelly matching the intensity of his laughter. ‘I forgot that thirty-five is not an even number,’ he said when he noticed the island at the back of the classroom.

‘No, sir; the one left is an odd one,’ one boy said encouraging laughter from the class. It was the same giant that had mocked Sineas when he fell in the hallway. He was wearing his sports jacket.

‘Since you’re the first to note that, why don’t you join Sineas, Justin?’ Mr. Sawyer suggested.

Justin laughed derisively. ‘Sir, with all due respect, that would be the most painful thing I have ever done.’

‘And why is that, Mr. Foyer?’ Mr. Sawyer asked him, folding his arms and developing a stern expression on his face.

‘I’ve got a reputation to uphold, sir. Because of me, this school has received three awards in rugby and one in basketball.’

‘So..?’

‘Sir, sitting with that kid over there will make me look like I’m some sort of social worker. Birds of a feather, sir, birds of a feather. Right, guys?’ About three quarters of the boys in the classroom walked over and gave Justin exuberant high-fives then retired to their partners. His “speech” had inspired the class into a frenzy of excitement.

Mr. Sawyer dropped his head halfway to his chest. He laced his thumb and index finger on the bridge of his nose and shook his head in disbelief. ‘Is there anyone willing to make the sacrifice then?’ he asked the class when the excitement had died down.

There was silence.

One girl raised her hand from the front of the room. Her ponytail swung when she turned towards Mr. Sawyer. ‘Um…sir?’

‘Yes, Cynthia?’

‘Why don’t you just sit him anywhere, with any pair?’

Justin raised his hand, ‘Because he won’t fit…and I don’t mean that in the literal sense,’ he laughed inspiring the class to join him.

Sineas now felt greatly uncomfortable. The entire class was talking about him like he wasn’t even there. He felt like a mouse in a cat auction.

Mr. Sawyer waved them down with his hand. ‘Okay, here’s what we’re going to do…’ Suddenly, a desk screeched on the floor. Clarissa stood up. She had an austere expression on her face. Her desk was just beside Sabrina’s, straight from the door, just by the window. There was an ascetic silence in the room as she gathered her books from her desk. A rare silence especially in Mr. Sawyer’s lesson. Everyone looked perplexed. She dragged her desk towards the back of the room. The sound was greatly irritating but the class seemed more focused on what her intentions were. She placed her desk right beside Sineas.’ It was as though Clarissa could not see the venomous look on Sabrina’s face when she dangerously twisted her neck to get a clearer look at what Clarissa was doing.