The views of JoJo McDodd on...

EDUCATION


(headesk)

I wouldn't really mind dropping out of school right about now. Cause we had this exam, right? Just HAPPENED to be one I didn't study for. And it was the only thing I didn't study but it wasn't like anyone believed me about THAT. So after that there was this lecture and I was still sulking over getting a D on the exam and wondering how I'd explain THAT, when the lecture guy (some Who-U grad who was wondering if he liked teaching or something) asked a question, and when nobody answered he asked me in specific and I had no idea and I ccan't believe this, but that's what I said aloud "I have no idea" and he laughed so everbody laughed and it was just a little... I mean, it's not fair, I never laugh at other kids when they get embarrassed but everybody still laughs at me... then after that on the way home I saw that guy Jesse again. Well, I couldv'e been brave and left my sisters and seen what he wanted, but I was a coward and kept going, trying to convince myself I was keeping Hallie and Hester safe. It didn't really work. And I also found out that typing JOJQ looks cool. Sorry yeah I sometimes just type around until I remember what I wanted to say and even now after typing that I can't remember... oh yeah... great now I wish I HADN'T remembered. Class omething or other is coming up and guess who's hosting it. Zattics. Blah blah blah. I do NOT want to go and I told Mom that the moment after I came in the door. And guess what she said? "you need to get out more and get to know people" and I was thinking "No I'm fine alone" but I decided not to argue the point... with Mom. But when Dad gets home... I don't think he'll care whether or not I go. he doesn't do stuff like that most of the time.

Well, I had no other person to go to, and it actually went well... at least better than I expected it to. I walked down our street after scool and passed our house where some of the girls were playing outside. "JoJo, where ya goin'?" "This way." I said bluntly. "I bet you're going to Mayzie's house! Aren't you!" Well, yeah, I was. I knew she knows everything about everyone at school and she'd know if Jane was friends with Ket. But I wasn't about to tell the girls that. "None of your business." and they didn't say anything else but I think if girls had brains they would be thinking up some mischief. (Hehe... sorry.)
Anyway, when I got there I was really wanting to turn away, but somebody saw me out the window and opened it up- a little sister of her's. "You here to see Mayzie?" "Uhhh, yeah, kind of..." And she went away from the window yelling. Now it was kinda too late to turn back. Mayzie opened the door while brushing her hair frantically. "Hi! Come in?" I went inside and the door shut to the world outside sealing me in to my fate. "I look a mess." She said. And the quazi-polite response came out but it was all wrong for this moment "No you don't." "Really? Thanks. Come on and sit down, Mom's baking cookies." Not that I wanted any, but I followed her into the kitchen. "Oh, hello Mr. McDodd, Mayzie has talked..." Mayzie hushed her mother frantically. Now looking back it was funny, but then I didn't feel like laughing exactly. Mrs. Zattic nodded understandingly, then said "How's your mother?" Now why is it that every time I talk to an older lady the first thing they ask is how Mom's doing? I will NEVER understand that. "She's good." "And your father?" "He's... okay." "And you?" "Good..." So far this was getting nowhere except I kept lying to her. "Have a cookie. Or three, you could use them." Mayzie buried her face in her hands, I was just glad Mrs. Zattic was in there so I didn't have to be alone with Mayzie, even if she did keep saying weird stuff. "Uhhhh... no thanks." "We're good Mom." Mayzie looked at her mom like "Get out of here" and I looked at her mom like "No please stay!" But she saw Mayzie and not me and she went out.
"Well then. So what's going on?" I was about to say something like "I have a question" or "Can I ask you something" but that would give her the wrong idea. "Ummmm... I was just wondering if you knew Jane- the dean at the U's daughter." And her face kind of fell and I realized I STILL managed to give her the wrong idea. "Just because... well it's not like I care or anything, but does she like somebody or something?" AND I was STILL giving her the wrong idea, she said gloomily "I don't know." "You don't?" "No..." and she lit up "YES! Well, maybe, I don't know, but she keeps meeting this guy outside of school and he walks her home or something. She said his name before when somebody asked who it was... his name was... oh I can't rememeber right now, started with a c or a k. She also said he was..." "Was it Ket?" I interrupted. "Yeah I think it was now that you say it!" I still couldn't see Ket with a girlfriend, so I asked "Is he kinda big?" "Yeah. Bigger than... why do you want to know?" and now she was looking at my eyes and now I felt like I couldn't make something up so I looked down... kind of embarrassedly, and said "Just wondering." And I think it gave her some sort of wrong idea because after that she started going on about Jane's weaknesses and failures and junk like that and I tried to listen but I really couldn't pay attention to it. So after about 10 minutes I said "Well I have homework." "Oh, I know, we could work on it together! I'm good at science and stuff!" Science? Well it wouldn't hurt to ask her a question or two that I missed on the test (That I got an F on) so I did real quick and she kept going on about them and how it's her favorite subject and blah blah blah... so after about 5 more minutes I said "I really do have to go now." "Oh, okay. Well I'll see you tomorrow then!" And I went outside where I could breathe again. And then I had all the sisters to deal with and I let it slip where I'd been and then I had to deal with "JoJo and Mayzie sitting in a tree..." and stuff like that and no amount of protesting on my part could get their minds off that subject line. So I locked myself in my room where I am now. And I think Dad is home and I will go give him the note the nurse gave me now.

And to make everything worse, guess who showed up. Mayzie. Said she was gonna help with keeping everyone under control. But all she's doing is driving me nuts! I'm surprised she isn't leaning over my shoulder right now reading what I type! And she keeps wanting to talk. And wanting me to answer. I don't want to! I WANT to be alone! I wish everybody'd go away! Just leave me alone! Oh, someone's knocking on the door. Come to see the zoo, I guess. I hear... Mayzie! "I'll get it!" Oh man I can't...

Update: Whoa that was really really bad. Mayzie was going for the door, I ran out of the office and tried to get the door before her, we both tripped and I was getting off of her when Dad came in. "Dad!" I said at the same time as Mayzie said "Mr Mayor!" And he said "JoJo! Mayzie? Where's your mom?" I stood up and dusted off and said "Upstairs." "Okay. I'll talk to you later, JoJo." and he gave us both a funny look before running up the stairs. I looked sideways at Mayzie. She was red. And she said "Maybe I'll go home now." I was releived, but then Hallie had to come in and ruin it by saying "Mayzie! Help! JoJo! Get in here!" And I reluctantly followed Mayzie. I REALLY hope I wasn't blushing. Now Dad's... hever mind, but he's home. I think al the girls were relieved, but I can't help remembering.

Another thing...

Today I felt well enough to go to school. So I did. Mayzie wasn’t there. And something bad happened. The teacher decided someone needed to take her her homework. Funny, nobody needed to do that for me. But anyway, it had to be someone who lived pretty close to her. She lives on First Street. Guess who else lives on First Street. So I had to take her homework over to her. When I knocked on the door, there was a little girl at the door. She gasped. And ran away from the door. “Mayzie! Guess who’s here!” Oh drat. I thought. I dropped the package and called “Give that to Mayzie!” and I started to get out of there as fast as I could without being rude. But… “Hey, JoJo!” Mayzie called. I sighed and slowly turned, trying to smile, but it wasn’t working. “You want to come in?” she asked. “Uhhh… no… I gotta go home right away…” And I left fast.
The reason I didn’t post yesterday was because I went to the observatory. I shouldn’t have been out of bed, okay I admit it. Nobody missed me though. Which made me upset. But with a strange morbid feeling of satisfaction. I don’t know why though. I’m feeling the sick feeling in the pit of my stomach again though. I don’t know why. It can’t be about the baby. It’s got to be a girl. It’s like my parents can’t have boys. I just think I’m some sort of freak. So it’s okay. I know that’s weird, calling myself a freak makes me feel better, but it does.

Bad Day

Ughh! Terrible day today. First off, after lunch, I looked out the window for some reason- good thing I did. Who should be walking toward our house but Mayzie Zattic. I said to my sisters "I'm not home" and I went to my room. While I was in there- she was here for like three whole hours- I started to feel sick. Not "I can't wait until she's gone" sick, like real sick. I went out of my room when she left and Holly tackled me for some reason. When she fnally stopped pummeling me and stalked off some of my other sisters said that Holly had been showing Mayzie around and she must have thought she was interested. Then Mayzie asked where I was and Holly got really mad and Mayzie left. I was really glad nobody told Mayzie where I was, but I still feel really sick. I went to my mom, who was talking with my dad. Dad said "Oh, JoJo, Mayzie was here today. She was looking for you." I said to mom "I feel sick." Dad said "I know how that was." while he was looking fondly at mom and I was thinking WHAT? but mom said "I think this is a good time to talk about the baby." And I was thinking Oh, No, but I said "No, I seriously feel sick" And mom felt my forehead and told me and dad I had a fever (which I already knew) and said I should go to bed. So, I'm- well, technically not, I'm at the computer- laying in bed and feeling sicker and sicker. And wondering why when my dad said that about knowing something my mom said it would be a good time to talk about the baby. *Gulp*
Ps. I'm smart enough to realize that if I keep feeling sicker I won't get on tomorrow or the next day probably- so if you don't hear from me...

Well, a little more on the lighter side- I embarrassed myself again today. I uhhh... wanted to see if I was any taller and I uhhh... hopped up on the bathroom sink. I found that my hair isn't as long as it seems, I just am always looking up... but then one of my sisters came into the bathroom. "What in the... What are you doing up there?!?" she said. "Uhhh... nothing!" I said and sat down. "Mom's coming, JoJo. If she sees you up there..."I hopped down and didn't stay to hear the rest. I just don't want to... see my mom right now.
Oh, and yesterday... my dad saw me walking through his study and stopped me. *sigh* and asked if something was wrong. I didn't really want to... tell him, but fortunatly he guessed what was also on my mind yesterday. Actually, not-so-fortunatly, but better than the other thing.
"Has that Mayzie Zattic been bugging you? She came by the house and asked where you were." "Uhhhh... I... no, nothing." I stuttered and left the room. I don't know what dad's thinking now, but I'm not gonna ask.

Whoa Bad timing

Today at school... I didn't want to go home right away. So I sat at my desk while everyone else was leaving. And I still sat there when the teacher left. But something didn't feel quite right and I only noticed when it was too late to have just ignored it. I looked up. "Whoa! Mayzie! How long have you been standing there?" Mayzie is a girl in my class. She was Miss Whoville last year, so I have to admit, she's kinda pretty. But I don't like girls. "Oh, just since class ended. Fifteen minutes ago." Whoa, I didn't realize it was that long. Mayzie continued. "Are you feeling okay, JoJo?" "Oh, yeah. I'm good." I replied and left the classroom. She followed. "Are you going home? Cause we could walk together." She said. "Uhhh... no. I'm not going home." I was, I'll admit, trying to get away. "Well, then, are you going to the observatory? I'd love to come!" Oh, boy, I thought. "No." I lied. "Oh. Well then, see you at school tomorrow." And she left. Wow. Just at the absolute wrong time for romantic troubles. I'm doing okay except for that little episode.