Verse by Moses Roth Read Free Book Online Page B

a teacher who you’ve already got mad at you. What are you going to do, hope for a B? Maybe a C+? Because your participation grade is already in the toilet.”
    “I’ll participate!”
    “Like you participated today?”
    “No. I mean, I’ll be a good student.”
    “You think that’s going to matter?”
    “He can’t give me a bad grade because of one day of bad behavior! You’re the dean! It’s your job to make sure he’s not biased!”
    “You being argumentative in class is not him being biased!”
    “Whatever.”
    “Whatever! Who cares! You think I don’t see through your phony indifference when you say stuff like that?”
    I shrug.
    He exhales loudly and leans back in his chair. “Why are you doing this? Are you angry at us teachers for some reason?”
    “You think it’s all about you.”
    “What’s it about then?”
    “Are you going to punish me or can I go?”
    “You’re not in trouble. I just want to see you doing the right thing.”
    “I always try to do the right thing.”
    He sighs. “But I want to make sure you’re not gonna start any more conflicts.”
    “I’m not trying to start any conflicts, I’m just being the way I am, and sometimes conflicts start as a result of that. I can’t help it.”
    “All right. Just stop. Just stop! Just because you say you’re the messiah doesn’t mean you need to be a martyr at every opportunity.”
    “I’m not!”
    “Then do what your teachers tell you to do! Be a good student!”
    I huff.
    “And don’t roll your eyes at me. Sit out the rest of class and go to your next one afterward.”
    I leave the office.
    In the hallway, Sydney is waiting for me.
    “You are the messiah,” he says.

Chapter 21
     
    Faye and I walk down the hall, through students milling between classes. She says, “My parents are so mad. They keep saying we’ve been brainwashed and stuff. They don’t get it at all.”
    I say, “A new revelation always brings division between family members. All the way back to Abraham and Joseph.”
    She says, “Yeah I know, it’s just like, they keep saying, my mom was like, ‘I forbid you to talk to him,’ you know?”
    “Yeah, I—” there’s a commotion up ahead and Garrett and Kyle are in the crowd. I rush ahead and Sydney and Erwin are fighting, grappling with each other.
    I get in the middle and push them apart, Sydney is clawing, but I hold him off and Faye is right behind me, grabbing onto Erwin.
    They both calm down a little and Sydney says, “I would so love to switch places with you right now.”
    Erwin lunges forward, out of Faye’s grip, but I push him back. Sydney is laughing.
    “Stop it!” I say. “Sydney’s coming with me, Erwin you stay here.”
    I pull Sydney through the crowd and around the corner.
    “What was that about?” I say.
    “Nothing.” Like he’s a little kid and I’m his dad.
    “Come on,” and I lead him down the hall.
    “Erwin asked me…” He sighs. “Erwin asked me if I masturbated. Like he wanted to know if it was okay or not. I think he was too embarrassed to ask you.”
    I bite the inside of my lip. “Okay…?”
    “And I said…” He sighs. “I said, ‘I do it all the time when I think about your girlfriend.’”
    I suppress the laugh as best I can, but Sydney sees it and laughs and then we’re both laughing.
    I say, “Damn it, man. You can’t say that to him.”
    “I know. That’s why I said it.” He glances at me. “Her tits have gotten so big.”
    Like I didn’t notice. I say, “Just don’t,” and we go to class.

Chapter 22
     
    Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.
     
    “Remember, God is everything. The first and the last, the light and the darkness, the belief and the disbelief. There’s no escaping