wingspan chapter five

I didn't know what I thought would happen. School was school. Except it wasn't. Since I was put in the system as first year classes were, to some extent, different than what I hoped. The people were nice. Mostly. I had Toby in one of my classes and, well, he wasn't entirely fond of me. I didn't know what his problem was. Being a new addition I wasn't around long enough to personally offend him.

"Yes, alright, settle down now." Mr. Baryo was a unique character who, on occasion, had conversations with himself.

Although, I liked him slightly less for partnering me with Toby. Since he was my lab partner every assignment we had was graded solely upon our ability to effectively work together. Since Mr. Baryo had a strict policy on seating arrangements so I couldn't get him to put me elsewhere.

"To kick start the begging of another school year I thought it appropriate we do a project, hmm?" Mr.
Baryo passes around a sheet to each group.

He walks by our table heading back to the front. "Bring me ten rare items on that list by the end of today and you won't have any homework to do."

It was a list comprised of different plants. Most of which were foreign to me. Baker's Larkspur, Wollemi Pine, Gingko Bilboba, Virginia round-leaf birch, Syringa Vulgaris, Cordia Blobosa, Brides Tears, Spartium Scorparius, Thymus Serpyllum, and Dianthera Pectoralis.

I look at Toby in hopes of some translation. "Do you recognize any of these?" I ask him.

Toby examines the paper we shared.

"You better catch up. I won't get a bad grade just because you're slow." Toby snatches the paper from my hands and pushes his way through a group of unsuspecting guys.

They mumble a few unkind choice of words and stay quiet when they look up going their respective ways once they see who it was that bumped into them. I felt bad Toby was rude to them and I wanted something clever to say that would ease the resentment but at the same time I just met the guy.

I couldn't help but feel compelled to speak on his behalf during the many instances he thought it unnecessary to explain himself. I had to admit it was difficult to be around Toby and not take offense by his sour disposition.

Thank goodness he was tall otherwise I'd have a difficult time finding him among the pushy horde of sleep deprived class mates that were passing me by. Either Wildlife and Agriculture was a preferred class or it was merely overpopulated due to an excess student roster.

Staying focused on the back of Toby's head I follow his lead all the way to a much less crowded section in the back. I couldn't help but notice the lucky people were in the front where the more colorful easier to find plants were.