Classroom discipline was terrible, and the teaching style was perfunctory. The young couple behind A+ were already making out, yet the white male teacher in front continued to recite Dickinson's poetry as if oblivious. The moment the bell rang, he grabbed his bag and vanished, showing no lingering attachment.
"Sigh…"
A+ let out a helpless sigh. This body's English grades were already poor, and his Indian soul offered no boost. Reading was fine, but writing and speaking were weak points. Unfortunately, this teacher wasn't very reliable. Of course, he couldn't be blamed; it wasn't that he didn't want to manage them, but that he didn't dare.
Even if the teacher didn't teach well, A+ couldn't afford to learn poorly. He had carefully studied the situation and realized that the high-weight English credits were unavoidable. He had to create opportunities even if none existed. "I'll go to the library after lunch to borrow some books and study at home. So annoying, I still have to play that damn basketball after school. What does a transmigrated top student lack most? Time!"
He lingered in his seat for a while, and only when most of the students had left the classroom did A+ get up and head for the cafeteria. He had temporarily settled on a strategy to deal with bullying: become a 'little transparent.' Hmm... he'd have to go say hello to the overly enthusiastic math teacher later and tell him not to attract any more enemies for him!
Trying his best to lower his presence, he slowly and steadily flowed with the crowd into the school cafeteria. This was the most disciplined place in the entire school. The vice principal stood at the entrance supervising the queue, physical education teachers took turns patrolling inside, security guards watched all exits, cafeteria ladies were on high alert, and posters of a black old man were plastered on all four walls, with a prominent line of large text below: 27 Years! Victory Delayed!
Under the old man's'smiling gaze,' A+ quickly devoured a burger with meat, a dollop of mashed potatoes, a serving of boiled broccoli and carrots mixed with white sauce, and a large cup of carbonated drink. Then, dodging the teachers' eyes, he 'flew' his tray into the recycling bin. American high schools finish early, so lunch break wasn't very generous. He rushed to the library, borrowed a collection of Franklin Roosevelt's speeches, then sprinted to the teachers' office, subtly expressing his desire for 'low-key' to the math teacher.
The math teacher was an elegant black elderly woman. After A+'s math grades soared, she now saw him in a favorable light. She smiled and said, "I have a suggestion. If you can pass my ninth-grade basic course exam, I'll transfer you to the advanced math class, how about that?"
"Advanced class?" A+ was stunned.
"Advanced class!"
With the old woman's patient explanation, it turned out that in addition to the annual basic courses, American high schools also offered advanced courses, or honor courses, for elite students with extra capacity. These courses significantly increased in difficulty and came with more credits.
"Okay, I'll do my best!" Hearing about credits, A+ became energized. It was just an exam, something he was good at!
He enthusiastically bid farewell to the math teacher, only to bump into the music teacher at the door.
This white middle-aged woman with a neat short haircut was not so easy to talk to. While the academic subjects might not be strong, this school's arts and sports programs were quite powerful. The music teacher's orchestra and choir were well-known and highly regarded. Her demands were naturally very strict. "Alexander, right? Last week, your trumpet made several obvious mistakes during rehearsal!"
A+ immediately wilted. There were gains and losses. This body originally had excellent musical and athletic talent, especially in music, being the main trumpet player in the school orchestra. Unfortunately, ever since A+ transmigrated, his math grades went up, but his musicality and physical coordination completely deteriorated.
"I'll next time…"
Just as he was about to brush it off, "There won't be a next time!" the music teacher sternly cut him off. "The public performance date is approaching, and I cannot take risks. Don't play the trumpet in the next joint rehearsal. Go play the iron!"
"Play what?"
"The triangle!"
"Alright…" A+ wiped some sweat. "Playing… playing the iron also counts for credits, right?"
"Not if you make another mistake!"
"Okay… okay…"
As long as he kept his credits,
this setback was nothing. A+ diligently finished his afternoon classes, and at three o'clock sharp, he met up with Tony, who was already waiting outside. The two then got into Tony's best friend's car, a Toyota 86… model Eagle wagon, driven by Mutt, nicknamed'Silencer.'
"What's wrong?"
Only after getting into the back seat did A+ realize that both of them were in low spirits.
'Silencer' started the car, turned his head from the driver's seat, pointed next to A+, and then made a throat-slitting gesture.
On the back seat next to him, there was a messy pile of dirty jerseys, protective gear, and two footballs.
"What do you mean? You two were… cut from the team?" A+ understood what Silencer's gesture implied.
Silencer' nodded again, and A+ noticed a faint glimmer of tears in his eyes…
Tony and Silencer' were both key players on the school football team. Tony was on the defensive line, and Silencer' was an offensive running back. Last week, A+ had even watched them play a practice game.
In American high schools and universities, football players could walk around campus with an air of superiority. Quarterbacks or star players were particularly popular, easily able to switch girlfriends. Being cut from the team would indeed be a significant blow to both of them. However, Tony and Silencer' were already in twelfth grade, nearing graduation, so considering the transition to new players…
"Never mind that. Why is someone calling you APLUS?"
A+ hadn't even formulated comforting words yet when Tony roughly wiped his face and proactively changed the subject.
"Uh…"
There were classmates of A+ on the football team, so Tony must have heard the news from there. "Nothing, it's just that I got an A+ on the last math test, so…"
Before he could finish, the faces of the two in the front, who had just been looking grim, suddenly twisted. Silencer,' known for his extreme silence and introversion, turned back and shrieked, "A+?! You?!"
"Wh-what's wrong?" A+ felt a little guilty.
"Hahaha!" Both burst into laughter.
"There's nothing funny about this, is there?"
"It's hilarious, APLUS, hahaha…" Tony laughed so hard he doubled over. "This is very funny."
At any rate, this little interlude managed to dispel the earlier gloom. The three of them laughed and got hyped up. Silencer' casually turned on the car radio, and he and Tony began to sway their bodies to the black rap music playing.
"Is chanting already a thing in this era…" a thought drifted through A+'s mind.