parting the red sea

As if I didn't have enough teen angst problems on my own.

Now, I'll admit, maybe choosing to switch to Theatre Arts I instead of wallowing in my misery in third period Wind Ensemble was my own choice, but in all reality, it wasn't. Really. When you've only got one other available course during your lunch period, and you've already spent five miserable years playing the same bell set, you'll pretty much go for anything. Which is how I ended up listening to shy freshmen murmuring in front of the class, supposedly reciting monologues from secondary characters in their book of choice, and contemplating a way to escape without anyone noticing I was gone. Not a likely notion.

"Aren't you that Noah girl? The one from junior year?" One bubbling freshman, who had been eyeing me quizzically with her friends all period, finally leaned across her table to mine as "Len Levy" returned to his seat, amid timid applause.

"Moses," I correct, silently cursing my non-religious parents for choosing such a righteous name.

"Moses what?" she queeried, eyebrows cocked as she glanced to her friends, who giggled. Obviously they thought I was delusional and spouted the names of random holy figures whenever the mood struck me.

"My name...it's Moses." I was desperately trying not to totally blow up on her, but the temptation was enticing. It was strange that so many people had heard of 'that Bible girl', but they couldn't ever get my name right. Believe me, I'd been called things from Abraham to Tamar. Even last year in Spanish, I'd been nickname Jesus, much to the amusement of...well, everyone.

"Ohhhhh, righhhhht," she drawled, rolling her eyes like of what importance could a name be to me? Instead of apologizing, though, she quickly launched into her next question, one I had also heard oh-so-many times and which still never failed to irk me.

"Weren't you, like, some stellar drummer or something?"

Were. Was. As in the past. Not any more: no longer. As if I hadn't heard it enough from my 'band mates' last year when I'd had to - er - 'resign', I still couldn't escape the third degree about this seemingly insignificant detail of my seemingly insignificant life. Oh no: that would just be too easy.

I sighed, clearly displaying my annoyance so maybe she wouldn't ask me any more questions, um, ever. "Yes, I used to be. Last year. In sophomore year."
When you were still in middle school and weren't here to ask so many stupid questions, I considered adding, but didn't. Besides, the next student was getting settled in front of the room and clearing his throat quite audibly.

"Oh. Ok." And with that, the blonde turned back around, her friends peering at her quizically. "Yeah, she used to be," she reported to them, and they all shrugged nonchalantly, turning to face forward once again. Apparently, this kid in front of room was performing something with PlayRadioPlay! (although I couldn't decipher what. Maybe he was just as 'angsty' as I was.)

The beginning strains started to buzz through the speakers, and after the first line, I was lost to it.

If we try hard enough, I'm sure we could forget it..

I wish everyone could. I wish kids I'd never met could. I wish I could.

Simon.