An Ice Cold Shower

"April Showers Sad Movie." April Showers Sad Movie Pictures. Pinimg, n.d. Web. 28 Jan. 2015.

As the door opened before me I fell into the longing arms of the living room couch. School had been terrible. My grade in History dropped four percent after the last test. I was no longer eligible for the honor’s list and the semester was only a week from ending. There was no way I could bargain with the teacher to remove the test from my final grade. I decided I would have to live with it.

After finishing my homework and talking on Facebook I hit the shower. Some time passed and I was deep in thought as the sound of the water rushing poured on. I knew my parents would be really disappointed if I couldn’t make the honor’s list. They really believed I was at the top of the class. I would hate to let them down and I wanted to receive the award too. All the seniors had stressed how it looks great for college and that it earns you some respect. The only thing I could do now was try my hardest in school and raise my grades before the semester ended and maybe then I could make it. Besides, there were some tests and assignments left. I could do it. I was interrupted when the water got cold and wouldn’t get any warmer. It had run out.

The next day I learned that I had done part of my homework wrong which caused my grade in Science to drop a point. I couldn’t believe that I had carelessly misread the directions. On the bright side, my Math grade raised one percent thanks to a simple homework assignment of only five problems. When I got home, I had a lot of time to rest since I had not received any homework. I wasted a lot of time playing games, rather than studying, which would have helped my grade rise. I took a shower before going to bed. I had only begun my shower when the hot water ran out. I rinsed and shampooed as quickly as I could.

School was not any kinder socially. I was made fun of and pushed around in the locker rooms. This only angered me even more and I couldn’t focus on academics. Thankfully, the time came in some classes to add participation grades. Only three of my teachers added such grades and each of those classes’ grades raised one percent. This meant I was only one point away from achieving a grade point average eligible for the honor’s list. I tried looking for any sort of extra work I could do to raise my grade in any class, but it was too late. There was only one English test left to take. I studied as much as I could and took a shower. This time there was no hot water and I froze as I washed myself. I fell asleep even though I was cold to the bone.

A few days after the semester ended my test was returned. I had done well but not well enough to raise my grade a point. I was very distraught as we entered the auditorium for the awards ceremony. I fell asleep as I wanted to have no part in the event and couldn't stand seeing other people succeed in my time of failure.

The principal read aloud the opening speech from a paper ending with the official commencement of the first semester awards ceremony. Awards were given in each of the departments: visual and performing arts, social studies, mathematics, science, English, and more. Near the end of the ceremony I sat in disgust as I waited for the calling of Dean’s Honor’s List recipients. Strangely it never came. At the end of the ceremony, I asked the principal why it was not called. I found that was so caught up in an award I could not win, or could I?

“Ah yes, this year Dean’s Honor’s List was made an annual award instead of being given each semester,” the principal said as if it was a known thing.

“Oh, thank you,” I answered and scurried away. By some fortune I had been saved.

After walking home, I told my mom all about it.

“Can you believe how that worked out!” I told my mom at the end of my story of luck.

“Mhm, that's nice,” my mom replied without much emphasis.

I told my dad as well but he was too busy with work to talk much. My parents did not seem to care too much that I almost missed one of the biggest awards in the school. I did my homework and took a shower. This time the water was warm the whole time and was very enjoyable, just like the end of my day at school. Now it was up to me to work hard until the year ended and make the honor’s list. I thought about how my parents didn't make too much of a reaction to the news. I realized that if I were to miss it I would not be letting down my parents but letting down myself.