The bell rings and I stumble into my seat, my eyes already struggling to stay awake.
Oh, vacation. Where did you go?
Maybe I should just sleep. The start of the school year is always the same. Same onslaught of new freshmen I will proceed to ignore after the initial bout of Brigade promotion; same case of Sudden Sleep Deprivation Syndrome; same long boring speech from Okabe about spirit and schoolwork and other student concerns—or at least, things he thinks are high school student concerns (nothing about aliens, time travelers, or Espers ever makes it in, of course). The only thing that really changes at all is the perspective. As a first year, you’re so crammed full of nerves it's a shock when you have space inside to breathe in air. As a second year, you hardly notice the difference. A month's too short for summer vacation, and the second year is really just an in-between stage anyway. It’s pointlessness incarnate, which wouldn’t be so bad if it didn’t last the whole year.
Then there’s the third year. I'll admit to only having fifteen minutes worth of experience with it, but if those fifteen minutes are anything to judge by, the third year can only be captured in one word.
Hell.
“Pay attention!"
The shout is Okabe's, as he's suddenly standing in front of me with one hand flat against my desk. Since I didn't remember him coming up, I can only assume I fell asleep. A one-month summer break might be too short, but it was definitely long enough to mess with my sleeping schedule.
"This is especially for the ones like you, you know,” he continues, still glaring. It isn't until he's content that I'm not going to turn my desk into a pillow the minute he leaves that he clears his throat and begins his speech in earnest.
“I’ve come to know you all very well for the past three years.”
Of course he has. He’s had the exact same students every single year, in what the staff calls an ‘odd coincidence’. I try to turn my head to the cause of this strange stroke of fate but Okabe glares my way again. Guess he does know me after all.
“And I know," he says, still glaring, "that deep down, you’re all good kids. But unfortunately, ‘good’ is not enough. This is your final year of high school. Many of you will be going on to university; others will be going head first into the real world. No matter where you go though, this is still an important year for you. I don’t want any of you thinking that just because you’re not continuing your education, you can just sleep the year away.”
I believe that one is directed at me.
He continues on with more clichés about the final year and grades and ‘how what you do in school reflects on you as a person’ for a while but I quickly stop caring. Haruhi must feel the same way, since I can hear her snoring her head off behind me. Of course, she doesn’t get yelled at. And why should she? She’s not ‘one like me’; with her grades, the universities must be slipping in their drool trying to get at her.
All in all though, I suppose Okabe’s got a point. The third year is different. It’s a year of lasts. Last time we’ll get this speech (my deepest thanks to any powers that be for that); last time we’ll get sorted pointlessly into classes (since they’re always the same anyway). Last bout of freshmen to worry about, last case of SSDS to suffer, last everything. Most students will try to ignore it but by the end of the year, it’ll be impossible.
Haruhi snorts, and I hear her seat scratch against the floor as she starts awake. I doubt that’s the last time I’ll see that happen.
But then again, who knows?
“What’s wrong with you?”
That was Haruhi of course, leaning forward to whisper. Somehow, Okabe doesn’t notice that either. He never notices if it’s related to that girl.
“It’s nothing.”
She scoffs. “Well, what’s Okabe talking about?”
“How should I know?”
“You’re the one who’s awake!”
“Doesn’t mean I’m paying attention.”
Another scoff, and she slams back into her chair. “Well, maybe you should.”
What the hell is that supposed to mean?
But when I turn back to ask, Okabe smacks me across the head, reminding me not to disturb the other students. The opportunity is lost.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Crossing the Stars
Oh, vacation. Where did you go?
Maybe I should just sleep. The start of the school year is always the same. Same onslaught of new freshmen I will proceed to ignore after the initial bout of Brigade promotion; same case of Sudden Sleep Deprivation Syndrome; same long boring speech from Okabe about spirit and schoolwork and other student concerns—or at least, things he thinks are high school student concerns (nothing about aliens, time travelers, or Espers ever makes it in, of course). The only thing that really changes at all is the perspective. As a first year, you’re so crammed full of nerves it's a shock when you have space inside to breathe in air. As a second year, you hardly notice the difference. A month's too short for summer vacation, and the second year is really just an in-between stage anyway. It’s pointlessness incarnate, which wouldn’t be so bad if it didn’t last the whole year.
Then there’s the third year. I'll admit to only having fifteen minutes worth of experience with it, but if those fifteen minutes are anything to judge by, the third year can only be captured in one word.
Hell.
“Pay attention!"
The shout is Okabe's, as he's suddenly standing in front of me with one hand flat against my desk. Since I didn't remember him coming up, I can only assume I fell asleep. A one-month summer break might be too short, but it was definitely long enough to mess with my sleeping schedule.
"This is especially for the ones like you, you know,” he continues, still glaring. It isn't until he's content that I'm not going to turn my desk into a pillow the minute he leaves that he clears his throat and begins his speech in earnest.
“I’ve come to know you all very well for the past three years.”
Of course he has. He’s had the exact same students every single year, in what the staff calls an ‘odd coincidence’. I try to turn my head to the cause of this strange stroke of fate but Okabe glares my way again. Guess he does know me after all.
“And I know," he says, still glaring, "that deep down, you’re all good kids. But unfortunately, ‘good’ is not enough. This is your final year of high school. Many of you will be going on to university; others will be going head first into the real world. No matter where you go though, this is still an important year for you. I don’t want any of you thinking that just because you’re not continuing your education, you can just sleep the year away.”
I believe that one is directed at me.
He continues on with more clichés about the final year and grades and ‘how what you do in school reflects on you as a person’ for a while but I quickly stop caring. Haruhi must feel the same way, since I can hear her snoring her head off behind me. Of course, she doesn’t get yelled at. And why should she? She’s not ‘one like me’; with her grades, the universities must be slipping in their drool trying to get at her.
All in all though, I suppose Okabe’s got a point. The third year is different. It’s a year of lasts. Last time we’ll get this speech (my deepest thanks to any powers that be for that); last time we’ll get sorted pointlessly into classes (since they’re always the same anyway). Last bout of freshmen to worry about, last case of SSDS to suffer, last everything. Most students will try to ignore it but by the end of the year, it’ll be impossible.
Haruhi snorts, and I hear her seat scratch against the floor as she starts awake. I doubt that’s the last time I’ll see that happen.
But then again, who knows?
“What’s wrong with you?”
That was Haruhi of course, leaning forward to whisper. Somehow, Okabe doesn’t notice that either. He never notices if it’s related to that girl.
“It’s nothing.”
She scoffs. “Well, what’s Okabe talking about?”
“How should I know?”
“You’re the one who’s awake!”
“Doesn’t mean I’m paying attention.”
Another scoff, and she slams back into her chair. “Well, maybe you should.”
What the hell is that supposed to mean?
But when I turn back to ask, Okabe smacks me across the head, reminding me not to disturb the other students. The opportunity is lost.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Crossing the Stars