Angie at the Concert -- Chapter Three

In her first class, Angie didn't pay much attention. She was trying to remember the words to a song. When Ms. Penning, her reading teacher, called on her, Angie answered, “Uh, could you repeat the question please?” Her voice drifted off. Ms. Penning frowned.

“Angie, pay more attention next time.” Ms. Penning glared at Angie and then quickly called on another student. Angie shrunk in her seat with embarrassment.

Angie’s next classes dragged on, seemingly endless. She sat upright most of the time but sometime in each class she would start to slide down the back of her chair.

She was very grateful when it came time for lunch. She jogged down the halls to the luch room. She sat down at her favorite spot, the seat closest to the window. She liked to stare out while she ate and daydream as she listened to the other students talk. She liked to eat alone. She didn't need any other distractions while she ate her lunch. Before she was aware, Angie heard the bell ring that meant the next class. She quickly gathered up her things and threw away her garbage. She walked quickly down the hallways, bumping into other students as she went.

"Sorry," Angie moved past a girl from her Science class. "Excuse me," She said to a boy who was headed in the other direction. "Coming through," Angie smiled a forced smile to Ms. Penning as she trotted by. Angie arrived in her class to find that she was tardy. Silently, Angie plopped into a chair and got out her Math folder. She tried to avoid making contact with the eyes that were set upon her for being late. Angie pulled out her folder and set down her backpack, looking up at the teacher with a soft sigh.

"Thank you, Angie. May I begin now?" Angie just nodded her head to Mr. Patrick, her math teacher's words. "Good," He said in return to her nod. She slumped back onto the back of the chair. She listened but didn't pay attention to what her teacher was saying. She pretended to work, drawing music notes instead. She felt relieved when the bell rang, announcing the end of her math class.

She trudged from class to class, taking her sweet time. All of her afternoon classes were boring. All, of course, except music. Music was last hour, and when she entered the bright, colorful room with music notes hanging from the ceiling, Angie felt a wave of relief sweep over her.

Angie sat down at her bench in music class. She waited for the other kids to arrive. Music was one of the only classes that she was early for every day. She sat up straight and folded her hands in her lap. She set her feet gently on the floor and stared straight at the chalkboard, with a broad smile across her face.

Mrs. Stringer, the music teacher, swept herself into the room. Angie admired her. Mrs. Stringer was really unique compared to the other teachers. She wore bright, interesting patterned clothing that hung loosely around her skinny arms and legs. Her ears always had big, golden, hoop earrings attached to them. On her finger was place a silver ring with a peridot gem on the center. It was Mrs. Stringer's wedding ring. Angie had always loved everything about her music teacher. She felt that she could trust her and tell her anything. She always paid attention to her.

Music class began with a song about autumn. The class sang the words, Angie's voice being the most beautiful. Mrs. Stringer, noticing that Angie knew the words and that she had a lovely voice, asked Angie to sing a solo for the class to instruct the other students how to pitch their voices just right. Angie gratefully accepted and got up in the front of the class. She waited while Mrs. Stringer played the piano introduction. She came in right on cue and sang perfectly. Mrs. Stringer smiled thankfully to Angie and dismissed her. Angie proudly took her seat. The rest of class went smoothly, and Angie knew the answers to all of the questions. Mrs. Stringer tried to be fair, though, and called on different people. But she knew that Angie always had the correct answer. Angie ended her school day in a very good mood.