Part *Four* of "Homeschoolers in Highschool"

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"Yes he had a great time." Summer replied smiling. "Actually I wanted to talk to you about my dad. Alipang had the idea to create a sort of parallel bars so he could start building his leg strength. And I was wondering if we could work on it in class."
 
Mr. Trask smiled back. "As a matter of fact, there's no reason why we couldn't do that. Do you know the two decorative benches in front of the public library? Those were made in THIS classroom three years ago, before you were a student at East. Community service always goes over well; and I have some design sketches on a disk that could be adapted to make what your Dad needs."
 
Meanwhile, Alipang's _body_ sat through his first three classes, while his mind was up against a firing-squad wall...waiting for the horrible moment when he would have to sit in Trigonometry next to Kim Tisdale. There she would be, in all her ha-ha-you-can't-get-this beauty, _knowing_ that he had been so dorky as to think he had a right to wish that she could love him. And no matter _what_ she did, it would equally have the effect of mocking him.
 
Alipang's robotic body came within sight of Summer; but she had to hail him three times to get his mind re-activated. "Oh, hi, Summer. How're you doing?"
 
Summer laughed. "I think I should be asking you that. You must have been on autopilot. I'm good. Mr. Trask said we could work on the bars for my dad in class."
 
In a lifeless voice, Alipang said, "That's great, Summer. I wish I didn't have the cracked rib, or I could help your Dad with exercises...but of course, by the time the parallel-bar set is actually finished, I may be recovered enough."


OOC: Remember, Summer knows that Kim now knows of Alipang's crush.
 
Summer looked at Alipang concernedly. "Are you alright?" She asked. "Well I don't suppose you are alright but just remember it's not the end of the world. Everyone goes through this kind of thing." She hugged him. "Could you please cheer up? For me?" She asked.
 
He managed to hug her back, at least a little. When she stepped away from him, he had not yet succeeded in smiling again; but he said gravely and quietly, "Summer, did I ever tell you you're a--excuse me, I almost said 'a nice person,' but of course that _really_ means 'totally insignificant.' What you are is a really great girl. You deserve to have someone tell you that."
 
Summer smiled at him. "And you are and amazing person who needs to cheer up. Would it help if I told you that my dad really enjoyed talking with you yesterday? He really starting to talk. Now he talks all the time. It's hard to get him to stop talking." Summer was smiling widely.
 
THAT broke through to the neural control center and switched on Alipang's smile. "I enjoyed cheering him up. Which gives me an idea. My family was going to--" He stopped himself. He had been about to invite the Heron family on the Assateague Island excursion this coming Saturday; but with his luck, if he did that now, then in Trigonometry class Kim would proclaim her undying love for him, only to repudiate it in a jealous rage upon hearing that Summer was asked along on the Saturday trip. He revised the end of his sentence: "--going to have a backyard cookout next Sunday afternoon. Even though I'll be back at work at the Pansit by then, I'll bet my folks would be okay with your family coming over to join them. We can do the parent-consulting, but I think it would work out."
 
Summer grinned. "Sounds like fun. I'll check with my parents. I'm sure my dad would love to get out of the house again. He really seems to enjoy it."
 
Alipang had to get going to the next class; but he touched Summer on the shoulder in parting. She WAS a great girl, but it was a little soon to be planning a rebound.
 
Summer ignored him. She was sick of people being rude and obnoxious. She wished she could still be homschooled but with her mom working she couldn't anymore.
 
The same boy, obviously infected with the ego-virus common to football players, kept on trying to get Summer's attention as much as he could get away with...until at one point Summer could see him suddenly look intimidated and lower his gaze to his notebook. The line of sight the boy had had when his expression changed led Summer's eyes to see the glass panels beside the classroom door. Mr. Kramer was there; and just a faint afterglow could still be seen on his face of the sudden-death glance he must have shot at the rude jock.

As soon as Mr. Kramer saw that Summer had noticed him, he calmly nodded to her and went his way.
 
Alipang could find no refuge in daydreaming. Daydreaming had never brought his birth mother and birth sister back down from Heaven; and it would not change the fact that Kim had him pigeonholed as a little boy, beneath her serious notice merely and entirely because of an age difference. That was math, as Trig was math; fitting, perhaps, that the feeble hopes Kim's well-meaning mother had cursed him with should now be dashed in a mathematical setting.

The time was creeping nearer, like a date with a lethal injection.
 
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