What Do Children Really Learn In School?

What Do Children Really Learn In School? "Michael"¦ Michael get up your going to be late for school" mom yelled. "Not again" I said, as I rolled out of my warm and comfortable bed into the floor. I dragged myself to the bathroom and splashed some cold water on my face. And then it hit me "Sarah!" Sarah was my girlfriend. We had grown up together, only living a few houses apart. Her hair was as black as night, witch set off her deep, blue hypnotic eyes. She had two storybook dimples, and a smile to match. Her southern accent, and country manner could charm the boots right off your feet. And her mature nature was far beyond that of most fourteen-year-old girls. Sarah was the down to earth type that would give you the shirt right off her back if it would help. And I loved her for that.

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Pam Halpert

I jumped in the shower, threw on some clothes and darted out the door. This was the second time this week I had been late to meet her. When I got to the bus stop I could tell by her frown that she wasn't happy with me. I kissed her hello, she blushed a little and her look softened a bit. "Problems this morning?" she asked. "The usual," I replied. She didn't force the issue any farther than that. That was golden about Sarah; she never pushed buttons that didn't need to be pushed. She got her point across with out saying much of anything.

The bus arrived, and everyone got on. We headed to the back, were the older kids sat, and took our usual seats. Sarah and me had been going out now for close to a year. We had been through a lot of things together. She was my first girlfriend, my first kiss, and my first love. We sat there holding hands, and talking about our futures. She wanted to be a teacher, and I was going to be a doctor. We would get married, live in a big house, and have lots of children. We both knew that we would be together forever.

When we got to the schoolhouse I kissed her, and said goodbye. Me being a year older than her we didn't have any classes together, and rarely had time to see each other during school.

I headed down the freshman hall, stopping to say hi to friends along the way. When I opened my locker, something fell out and on to the floor. I bent over and picked it up. It was a note with "To Mike" written on it. I unfolded it, smiling, thinking Sarah had put it there. When I read the note I discovered it wasn't from Sarah but from a girl named Pamela Roupe.

Pam was a new girl who had just moved to our school a few weeks before. She had wavy blonde hair, with little curls at the end. Her bright green eyes sparkled under the fluorescent lights of the school. And her body was very well developed for her fourteen years of age. She was a bit flighty, at times, but very sure of herself. She had already made her way on to the cheerleading squad. And was probably already the most popular freshman female in the school.

I read the rest of the note, in which she asked me to meet her during lunch that afternoon. Confused and curious, I put the note in my back pocket and headed to English. The day drug on slowly. I was dying to know what Pam wanted to talk to me about. Don't get me wrong, nothing could take me away from Sarah, not even Pam. I guess I just liked the fact that she wanted to talk to me.

When lunchtime arrived, I went to the cafeteria, and got in line. A few minutes later, Pam walked in and came over to me. She said "hi," and that she would save me a seat. I got our lunches and sat down across from her. It turned out that a friend of hers told her I was good in math. And she wanted to know if I could help her with her algebra. With a breath of relief, I told her that would be fine. And we agreed that we could work on it during the study hall class we had together later that day.

When lunch ended, I gathered my books and went to my next class. When I got there Sarah was waiting for me. She grabbed my arm and led me out of the room. When we were in the hallway, she reached into my back pocket and pulled the note from Pam out. She waived it in front of my face, and asked me to explain. I told her to calm down. And that all Pam had wanted was a tutor for math. Tears streamed down her face as she replied, "yea right" and ran off down the hall, with one of her friends giving chase. I stood there in a daze, not quite understanding what had just happened. I went to the door of the rest room where she had gone, and asked her to come out to talk with me. She didn't answer. Finally, her friend Missy Simmons came to the door and told me to get lost.

I decided to go back to class and let her calm down for a while. When I got back, a friend of mine told me what had happened. Apparently Missy Simmons, a heavyset girl, with brown eyes, and dirty blonde hair, saw Pam put the note in my locker. She had also been present somewhere in the cafeteria and seen me talking to her. Missy didn't like me very much, since I had went out with Sarah instead of her. I was amazed that they were even still friends after the incident, but they were. And In any case, Missy went running to Sarah and told her I was messing around with Pam.

When I got home that evening I called her house several times, but no one answered. My heart broke. I loved Sarah; she was the world to me. The thought of not having her in my life was unbearable. My heart sank into my shoe. My stomach began to knot, and I began to cry. I couldn't help it; I had never felt that way before. All I wanted was to hold her and tell her I was sorry. I just needed to explain what had happened, and show her it wasn't what she thought. Sarah and me had been through a lot of things together. She had always kept a mature manner about her, until now. I didn't know what to do. This was a side of Sarah I had never seen before.

I finally cried myself to sleep sometime that night. When I woke up, I realized that it wasn't just a bad dream. I was dying inside, and the thought of losing Sarah was making me sick. I got dressed and ran to the bus stop, she wasn't there. I finally found her later at school. She wouldn't have anything to do with me. She called me a jerk, and ran off down the hall crying. I tried to talk to her several times over the next few weeks, but she wouldn't listen to me, she just kept telling me that I was lying to her. I was devastated. I couldn't eat. I couldn't sleep. I was miserable. All I could think of was Sarah and I holding hands, talking about our futures together.

A few weeks later, Pam called me. She asked if I would come over and help with her homework. By then I had reached a point of numbness about Sarah. And decided it would do me good to get out of the house. I said okay, I'd be there in a little while, and hung up the phone. For the first time in weeks, I started to feel a little better about the situation.

I went to Pam's house and helped her with her algebra. After we were through, she asked me about Sarah. She hadn't seen us together for a while, and was wondering if we were still seeing each other. I told her we had split up, and that Sarah wouldn't even talk to me. She told me she was sorry and came over and put her arms around me. "If you need someone to talk to I'm here okay?" She kissed me on the cheek, and smiled. I said goodbye, and went home.

I found it hard to concentrate on my homework that night. I couldn't stop thinking about Pam, and the smile she had given me before I left. My mind was racing. I kept thinking of the times I helped her on her math in study hall. She was a very nice person, and beautiful at that. I decided that I would ask her out the next day.

I got up early and hitched a ride to school with one of my friends. I went to Pam's locker and slipped her a note, asking her to meet me at lunch. Just then Sarah came walking by. I saw her glance at me, and then turn her head. My heart fluttered. I still cared a great deal about her, but I realized that it was over between us.

I went to my classes and then to lunch. When Pam got there she sat down beside me and we began to talk. I finally got the nerve up and asked her if she would like to go out. She said that she would, and we agreed that Friday would be the day.

"Michael"¦ Michael get up your going to be late for school" mom yelled. "Not again" I said, as I rolled out of my warm and comfortable bed into the floor. I dragged myself to the bathroom and splashed some cold water on my face.

And then it hit me, "Pam!"

Sorry, Little Sarah

Say Something Nice to Sarah

Sarah + 2