School Challenge (2) by Aingeal
May. 21st, 2006 10:47 am![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
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ds_flashfictionTitle: Lying to Nuns
Author: Aingeal
Rating: G (it's gen)
Word Count: 771
Summary: Ray Vecchio faces a question from his teacher.
Notes: This is short and unbeta-ed so I could get it in under the deadline. It could, and probably should, be longer.
The school bell went, and Ray Vecchio felt a funny feeling in the pit of his stomach. He hated this part of the day; this was the time that he had to go home. Most kids couldn’t wait and ran home but Ray preferred to walk as slowly as possible, dragging his feet. He knew what would be waiting for him when he got home, Pop.
He moved uneasily in his seat as he put his school books away in his desk. The bruises from two days ago still ached and although there had been some reprieve last night Ray knew his father would be waiting for him. That was why he loved school, school wasn’t home.
Ray wasn’t particularly academic although his grades were high enough to not warrant any concern, which was good. Ray didn’t want his teachers asking questions. Too many questions would mean they found out things that Ray knew his Ma would never want anyone to know. So he kept his grades up to make sure that his teachers had no reason to look into anything.
He couldn’t help but look guilty as he put his arms back on the desk. His left arm had a particularly bad bruise which sadly hadn’t faded enough. He covered it with his right arm and hoped his teacher wouldn’t notice.
“Raymond,” Sister Mary Agnes’s voice echoed in the classroom as everyone fell silent.
Ray winced. Once of the problems with going to a Catholic school was a number of the teachers were nuns, and nuns, as any Catholic boy knew, never missed a thing.
“Yes, Sister,” Ray said in his most choirboy like voice.
“Where’s your sweater?”
“Danny McGann took it,” Ray told her, remembering the humiliation as the older boy had stolen his sweater off the bench at recess.
Ray could hear Frank Zuko sniggering at the back of class.
“Do you find your classmate’s plight amusing, Francis?” Sister Mary-Agnes turned her gaze toward Ray’s classmate and Ray could breathe a sigh of relief.
“No, Sister,” Frank said.
“I hope so. Otherwise Father Renaldo will be hearing about it.”
There was the noise of the other children coming out of their classrooms. Ray could hear their cheers and happiness. He felt the opposite.
Sister Mary Agnes looked hard at Ray again and he squirmed but her next words weren’t reassuring either. “I see the bell has gone, class dismissed.”
A cheer went up as the rest of the class rushed up and raced out of the classroom, all that was except Ray, who remained firmly in his seat.
“Raymond, are you not going home?”
Ray shifted uneasily. He didn’t really want to go home but he knew if he was late it would only make things worse for himself and his brother and sisters. He just didn’t want Sister Mary-Agnes to see his arm.
“Yes, Sister,” he said as he slowly began to get up from his seat. He got halfway to the door before she noticed.
“Raymond, what happened to your arm?” her voice was stern.
Ray gulped and remembered what Priests said about lying, that it was a sin. Ray hoped lying to a nun didn’t make it a bigger sin. “I fell.”
“That’s all?”
“Yeah, I fell and banged my arm.”
“I see. Is there any reason why you didn’t see the school nurse?”
“It was at home. I er…hit it on the table”
Sister Mary Agnes blessed him with a very hard stare and Ray tried not to flinch under its gaze.
“Well, you might want to tell your mother to put something on it.”
“Oh yeah, she’s got some witch-hazel.”
“Good. I’ll see you tomorrow and I hope it’ll be better by then.”
Ray turned to go again and thought this time he was going to make it before he heard that voice behind him again.
“And, Raymond, I’ll speak to Daniel McGann about your sweater.”
Ray appreciated that. “Thank you, Sister.”
Ray knew that wasn’t going to spare him Pop’s anger at home. He’d be a wimp in his father’s eyes and he’d deserved everything he got. He just hoped Pop didn’t hit his arm again; bruises on his back and legs were easier to hide.
Ray felt sicker as he walked out of the classroom. He was leaving his refuge, the one place his Pop couldn’t touch him. He put on a brave face as he met his sisters and brother. They’d walk home together and he’d make sure they were safe. Ray took one last glance back at the refuge he wouldn’t see until morning and set off home.
Author: Aingeal
Rating: G (it's gen)
Word Count: 771
Summary: Ray Vecchio faces a question from his teacher.
Notes: This is short and unbeta-ed so I could get it in under the deadline. It could, and probably should, be longer.
The school bell went, and Ray Vecchio felt a funny feeling in the pit of his stomach. He hated this part of the day; this was the time that he had to go home. Most kids couldn’t wait and ran home but Ray preferred to walk as slowly as possible, dragging his feet. He knew what would be waiting for him when he got home, Pop.
He moved uneasily in his seat as he put his school books away in his desk. The bruises from two days ago still ached and although there had been some reprieve last night Ray knew his father would be waiting for him. That was why he loved school, school wasn’t home.
Ray wasn’t particularly academic although his grades were high enough to not warrant any concern, which was good. Ray didn’t want his teachers asking questions. Too many questions would mean they found out things that Ray knew his Ma would never want anyone to know. So he kept his grades up to make sure that his teachers had no reason to look into anything.
He couldn’t help but look guilty as he put his arms back on the desk. His left arm had a particularly bad bruise which sadly hadn’t faded enough. He covered it with his right arm and hoped his teacher wouldn’t notice.
“Raymond,” Sister Mary Agnes’s voice echoed in the classroom as everyone fell silent.
Ray winced. Once of the problems with going to a Catholic school was a number of the teachers were nuns, and nuns, as any Catholic boy knew, never missed a thing.
“Yes, Sister,” Ray said in his most choirboy like voice.
“Where’s your sweater?”
“Danny McGann took it,” Ray told her, remembering the humiliation as the older boy had stolen his sweater off the bench at recess.
Ray could hear Frank Zuko sniggering at the back of class.
“Do you find your classmate’s plight amusing, Francis?” Sister Mary-Agnes turned her gaze toward Ray’s classmate and Ray could breathe a sigh of relief.
“No, Sister,” Frank said.
“I hope so. Otherwise Father Renaldo will be hearing about it.”
There was the noise of the other children coming out of their classrooms. Ray could hear their cheers and happiness. He felt the opposite.
Sister Mary Agnes looked hard at Ray again and he squirmed but her next words weren’t reassuring either. “I see the bell has gone, class dismissed.”
A cheer went up as the rest of the class rushed up and raced out of the classroom, all that was except Ray, who remained firmly in his seat.
“Raymond, are you not going home?”
Ray shifted uneasily. He didn’t really want to go home but he knew if he was late it would only make things worse for himself and his brother and sisters. He just didn’t want Sister Mary-Agnes to see his arm.
“Yes, Sister,” he said as he slowly began to get up from his seat. He got halfway to the door before she noticed.
“Raymond, what happened to your arm?” her voice was stern.
Ray gulped and remembered what Priests said about lying, that it was a sin. Ray hoped lying to a nun didn’t make it a bigger sin. “I fell.”
“That’s all?”
“Yeah, I fell and banged my arm.”
“I see. Is there any reason why you didn’t see the school nurse?”
“It was at home. I er…hit it on the table”
Sister Mary Agnes blessed him with a very hard stare and Ray tried not to flinch under its gaze.
“Well, you might want to tell your mother to put something on it.”
“Oh yeah, she’s got some witch-hazel.”
“Good. I’ll see you tomorrow and I hope it’ll be better by then.”
Ray turned to go again and thought this time he was going to make it before he heard that voice behind him again.
“And, Raymond, I’ll speak to Daniel McGann about your sweater.”
Ray appreciated that. “Thank you, Sister.”
Ray knew that wasn’t going to spare him Pop’s anger at home. He’d be a wimp in his father’s eyes and he’d deserved everything he got. He just hoped Pop didn’t hit his arm again; bruises on his back and legs were easier to hide.
Ray felt sicker as he walked out of the classroom. He was leaving his refuge, the one place his Pop couldn’t touch him. He put on a brave face as he met his sisters and brother. They’d walk home together and he’d make sure they were safe. Ray took one last glance back at the refuge he wouldn’t see until morning and set off home.
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no subject
Date: 2006-05-21 10:40 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-05-21 04:39 pm (UTC)Indeed. :-(
no subject
Date: 2006-05-21 04:40 pm (UTC)Poor Ray had to grow up quickly. He was the man of the household even then.
I'm all teary-eyed at this.
Glad it touched you.
no subject
Date: 2006-05-21 12:59 pm (UTC)My favourite - if you know what I mean - line is this one:
He just hoped Pop didn’t hit his arm again; bruises on his back and legs were easier to hide.
It's exactly the same tone as his "My father taught me two things," line in GOTW. There's something wearily pragmatic about it; it just seems like something Ray would say.
no subject
Date: 2006-05-21 04:52 pm (UTC)It's how I've always pictured it. Which is sad really thinking he had to grow up with that weight on his shoulders.
My favourite - if you know what I mean - line is this one:
It's funny that was a last minute addition becuase I thought that whilst Ray would prefer not be hit he wouldn't want to be airing his family's secrets in public, hence why he wouldn't want bruises his teachers could see. But yes iit was at the last minute I thought of that.
no subject
Date: 2006-05-21 10:11 pm (UTC)By the way, this has to be one of the best titles I've seen in a long time. I felt COMPELLED to read it!
no subject
Date: 2006-05-21 10:19 pm (UTC)Poor Ray. Yeah I always thought his past played a part in why he beccame a cop.
By the way, this has to be one of the best titles I've seen in a long time. I felt COMPELLED to read it!
Thank you!
Titles tend to be my weakest area so I'm glad this one worked out so well.
no subject
Date: 2006-05-22 05:30 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-05-22 08:13 am (UTC)Thank you. It is sad to think that's the sort of situation he grew up in.
no subject
Date: 2006-05-23 02:53 pm (UTC)Poor Ray, but I'm glad to read Ray's childhood story. Thank you!
no subject
Date: 2006-05-23 05:22 pm (UTC)Yes poor Ray isn't angry. Perhaps he knows it wouldn't do any good.
Poor Ray, but I'm glad to read Ray's childhood story. Thank you!
I'm glad you enjoyed it.
no subject
Date: 2007-05-02 11:23 am (UTC)To live with an abusive father-drunk is one of the the most horrible experiences a child could have.
Thank you for this story, it really touched me.
no subject
Date: 2007-05-02 12:01 pm (UTC)I'm glad you found an emotional resonance to the story.