The Glory Days

"Please don't forget to review for next week's test. I know there are many festivities happening this weekend, but remember that it's just as important to study as it is to have fun!" Mr. Walman proclaims to the crowd of students rushing to exit the classroom.

Beau and Ryan had already sprung up from their seats to be the first out the door before the final bell even had a chance to ring.

"I'm directing this mainly at you, Mr. Coleman," the calculus teacher calls after Beau. "We don't want another repeat of last year!"

He had just barely passed Mr. Walman's pre-calculus course the previous year, but no one needs to know that. Without turning his head to face the teacher, Beau loudly responds, "Calm your tits, Wally. I'm gonna make that exam my bitch on Monday!"

This elicits chortles from his buddies and giggles from the girls in the surrounding area. He has failed all three quizzes leading up to this test, but he absolutely refuses to offer up that information to his peers.

So what if math isn't his strong suit?

Beau knows that he has plenty of other skills that will be far more useful in the long run anyways. His dad has always told him that he could be a lawyer with how much he argues. He also says that Beau can follow in his entrepreneurial footsteps and create his own financial planning business.

Sure—he may not know what 'financial planning' is, but that's what Google and college are for. He has plenty of time to figure out adult shit over the next couple of years.

Ryan suddenly rams his shoulder into him, but he barely moves despite the force of the playful shoving.

"Bro. That dude seriously needs to get off your dick. I swear he gets some weird hard on from calling you out like that," Ryan says while tossing an arm around his latest girlfriend. She's in the grade below and Beau cannot for the life of him remember what her name is.

Letting out a chuckle he replies in a dry tone, "What can I say? No one, not even The-Wall-Man, can resist all of this." He gestures to his body and then winks at a blonde that he's seen around at parties as they walk by. It's important to lay down the groundwork so he can make a move at a later time.

The group continues to stroll towards the front of the school while he scans the premises. Suddenly Beau spots his own current fixation.

Catching the tiny cheerleader in his arms, they share a steamy kiss in greeting before separating. Beau copies Ryan and puts his arm around his latest fling while guiding them down yet another hallway.

"I missed you, baby," the cheerleader, Sloane, blinks up at him while playing with the fingers on his hand dangling around her shoulder.

"'Course you did. You gonna put on a show for me today?" He brushes off her comment.

His buddies walking behind them poorly attempt to muffle their laughter at the question.

She doesn't seem to notice or mind their reaction and instead puts on a broad smile as she responds, "Mhmm. Me and the girls have been working on this routine for weeks now. I hope you like what you see."

One of his friends interjects before he can respond to the suggestive comment. "I don't know about Colesy, but I think he likes what he sees." His buddy points at a pathetic-looking boy standing at a locker nearby.

Beau rolls his eyes at his scrawny neighbor who has seemed to have caught the attention of his group. The kid always manages to make himself look meek and jittery. Peering over the crowds of students hurrying to exit the building, Everett meets Beau's eyes and gives him a nervous wave.

"Jesus Christ," Beau mutters to himself knowing that his friends definitely saw the gesture.

"Looks like Walman isn't the only one with a gay little crush on you, Colesy," Ryan snickers.

Beau now has to throw a comment at the shy boy staring holes through him. "Can I fucking help you? Quit staring, pussy!"

Everett's face turns pink and he promptly swings around to face his locker again.

Satisfied with the interaction ending as quickly as it has, Beau continues marching on and hopes that his friends change the topic from the nerdy boy.

The front doors are finally in view.

Soon the group will be able to find their spots on the field for the homecoming pep rally. As Beau is about to reach freedom, a bony hand latches onto his bicep and yanks him back.

He clenches his fist, preparing to punch the lights out of whoever just put a hand on him when he looks down to see decrepit old Mrs. Rooney. Unclenching his fist, he turns his head briefly and gestures for his group to go on without him.

"How can I help you, Mrs. Rooney?" He asks with faux politeness.

The vice principal crosses her thin arms over her chest and glares up at him through her pointy glasses.

"Well, Mr. Coleman, it has come to my attention that you already have an F in three of your classes," she grunts out. "I'm not sure how you managed to achieve these impressively awful grades so early in the year, but you know the rules. Having a failing grade in more than one class prohibits you from participating in team sports and events such as school dances."

His fists are clenching again, but even he knows that beating the shit out of this elderly sack of dirt won't do him any good.

"Ma'am, I'm the quarterback. The team is nothing without me," he states. "Are you seriously gonna sit me out because of some missing homework assignments?"

She sneers at him in response to his question. "I have personally reviewed your grades and spoke with your teachers. You have been skipping class, avoiding assignments and failing tests. This is much worse than simply failing to turn in your homework."

Beau's jaw now clenches with the same anger as his fists while he tries to physically refrain from cussing out the old bag.

"Mr. Coleman, you are banned from attending the homecoming dance and participating in the football game this weekend. I hope that you take this opportunity to learn and better yourself. Your senior year is no time to mess around with your grades."

She straightens out her blazer before looking him in the eye one last time, "Enjoy the pep rally—it may be your last school event for awhile." The vice principal turns swiftly and is out the door before Beau can even process what was just said to him.

Five seconds later he swings around and punches the locker closest to him. The school hasn't been renovated since the 80's, so the rusty blue locker dents easily under his fist, but still bruises his knuckles.

"FUCK!" He screams into the empty hallway of the school before taking a deep breath and removing his hat so he can run a hand through his dark wavy hair. When he feels that he has pulled himself together enough to be in public again, he walks out the door.

-

"What did Looney want with you?" Ryan asks as Beau joins him on the field.

The students have filled the bleachers and are speaking loudly to one another while they wait for the pep rally to begin.

Beau doesn't look at him as he responds, "Nothing. Just wishing me good luck for this school year."

Ryan gives him a perplexed look, but doesn't press the issue any further.

"Hey—what did you get on the last calc quiz?" He asks his friend.

Huffing out a laugh, Ryan says, "A one-hundred percent. You'd have to be brain-dead to not pass one of Walman's quizzes. Why?"

"Just thinking about next week's exam—I'm sure it'll be just as easy," Beau lies through his teeth.

Eventually, the pep rally begins.

The student-body president kicks off the rally with a speech and introduces the cheer team who performs a routine that walks a fine line between appropriate and inappropriate for school.

When the football team spontaneously joins their routine towards the end as a joke, the crowd roars with applause and laughter.

Beau feels a sense of pride when him and Sloane get the loudest cheer out of all of the football-cheer pairings. Showing his strength, he holds onto the girl as she practically walks up his body and onto his shoulders before skillfully rolling off of his back.

They end with a lewd kiss that prompts whistles from the crowd and scolding from the principal.

Beau stares up at the bleachers soaking in the applause and praise from his peers. Little did he know that this would be the last time he would be on top of the world during his final year at Rockwell High.

-

His façade quickly unravels when Beau's friends and teammates notice how he had missed the homecoming game and dance. Never in his life has he felt embarrassment the way that he does over the months following homecoming weekend.

With no football or access to school events due to his failing grades, he throws himself into his schoolwork.

His dad, pissed at the school for handing out such cruel punishments, fights tooth and nail to get his son back onto the football team. The man refuses to believe that Beau is the loser that they are making him out to be. To counter this, he fills Beau's head with exaggerated stories of his greatness. Tales are told time and time again of the boy's 'high IQ' and 'superior athleticism'.

Beau's resentment towards the school builds as he is informed of all of the ways that they have sabotaged him, according to his dad. The principal, vice principal, teachers and even the janitors must be plotting against him!

In a desperate attempt to better his grades, Mr. Coleman has their neighbor, Everett, over to tutor Beau. This proves to be a pointless effort considering how useless the boy is at teaching.

Beau knows that Everett thinks that he's an idiot and is probably trying to sabotage him too. He had held his ear up to the door of the kitchen one day to hear what his failed tutor and his father were discussing after another unsuccessful study session.

"Why is my son still failing his classes? What are you good for if you can't help him improve his grades at all?" His dad asks venomously.

Everett sounds afraid when he answers, "I'm working very hard to help Beau, sir. I think-"

Mr. Coleman makes an impatient noise when the boy pauses.

"Well? Spit it out."

"Um. I think—I think that Beau may be dyslexic. He has been really struggling with reading and it takes him a moment to work his way through a page of a book-"

"Get out of my house," his dad sounds frighteningly calm.

"I-I'm sorry, sir. I didn't mean to offend-"

"I SAID GET OUT!"

He never returned to help Beau study after that. The next time he saw the small neighbor boy was at graduation.

"Everett Samuel Fowler," the announcer reads.

Beau watches as Everett stands with a bright beaming smile on his face. He makes his way across the stage to shake the principal's hand and receive his diploma while his parents cheer him on in the crowd.

Having seen enough of the graduation ceremony, Beau turns around and walks back to the parking lot where he will get back into his car and drive home diploma-less.