Mr. Terupt Falls Again (15 page)

“What for?”

“Mr. Terupt thinks … and your mother and I think, we ought to give it a try—”

“Give what a try?”

Dad dried his hands on the towel hanging from the refrigerator door. “Wrestling,” he said, looking at me.

Suddenly it was quiet. Dad was waiting for my reaction, and Mom wasn’t singing. Was she listening from the other room? “Terupt can’t wrestle,” I said.

“Actually, he said he used to do a lot of it, and that he can tell you’ll be good at it.”

“He said that? How can he tell?”

“I don’t know. But let’s at least try it out,” Dad said. “Mr. Terupt will be there tonight, helping the head coach, and he’s hoping to see you.”

So we ate dinner and I cleaned up, and then Dad and I drove over to the high school for my first wrestling practice.

We walked into the gym, where mats were spread all across the floor. There were kids running around on them, and some were already wrestling with one another. I recognized a few faces from school, but most of the kids I didn’t know.

“Hey, stud,” Terupt greeted us. He must have seen us walk in. “Mr. Mahar,” Terupt said, shaking my dad’s hand. “I did a lot of wrestling growing up, Jeffrey. You’re going to be a natural at it. Plus, it’s a great way to get your anger out without getting in trouble.” He smiled and jokingly smacked me on the back, but I knew he was being serious. He took me over to the mats.

“Were you good?” I asked him.

“I did all right,” Terupt said.

I knew better. There wasn’t anything Terupt did where he was only “all right.”

The coach blew his whistle and all the kids started jogging in the same direction around the gym. It was time to get started with the warm-up. I joined in. We did some rolls and flips, and then some stretching. Next we learned the double-leg takedown. Terupt came out on the mats and helped me go over the technique. We practiced for a while and then it was time to scrimmage. I was paired up with a kid from a different school.

The only training I’d had before that night was with Dad at home. When I was little Dad and I would horse around. He’d take me down and I’d get out from under him because I couldn’t stand how hot it was underneath him.

The coach blew his whistle for us to start and I moved toward my opponent. I kept my hands out so I could stop him if he tried to shoot for my legs. When I got close enough to him I grabbed his head and tried to pull him down. He fought to stand up just the way Terupt had told me he would. I let go of the kid’s head and tackled his legs when he straightened up.

That was when I found out Terupt was right. I was good at wrestling.

That was the beginning for me—the night I became a wrestler.

M
r. Terupt came back from the holiday break with another unbelievable project idea. I daresay this project was so special and so unbelievable that no other class anywhere has ever tried it. For us, however, it was typical Mr. Terupt.

We rounded up the chairs for a class meeting. The detective in me observed something very much out of the ordinary while we were doing this—Danielle hurried out of the classroom, not even bothering with the girls’ pass, which was already in use.

“Okay, gang,” Mr. Terupt said. “It’s time to get you started on the next major project.”

No one interrupted. We sat up straight and listened carefully. We knew that these were always hard-to-believe announcements.

“We’ve had some pretty awesome projects over the past
year and a half, but this one might be the most important. I’m not going to pass the microphone around this time. I just want to share my idea with you.”

“What is it already?” I blurted out, knowing I didn’t need the microphone to speak up. Plus, I couldn’t take it any longer.

Mr. Terupt chuckled. “Okay, here it is. Ms. Newberry and I have decided to put you guys in charge of planning our wedding.”

Whoa! What? I knew weddings were a huge deal, but what exactly needed to be done to make one happen?

The classroom remained silent, so I think everyone was probably thinking the same thing. Finally, I spoke up. “Mr. Terupt, what does that mean? What do we need to do?”

“There’s a ton that needs to get accomplished,” Mr. Terupt answered. “This is a big task, but Ms. Newberry and I feel confident that you are up to the challenge. Having you guys involved will make it all the more special for us. Many people will tell you it’s the most important day of their lives. For Ms. Newberry and me, it will be.”

Mr. Terupt paused, letting his words sink in. He rose from his chair and walked to the easel. I noticed him wobbling a little. I didn’t like that. Another dizzy spell? I wondered.

Mr. Terupt continued, “Ms. Newberry and I have thought about all that needs to get done, and we thought about what roles would be good for some of you. I’ve made a list under this chart. If you don’t like what we have in mind, let me know, and we’ll discuss other options. Those of you without an assigned responsibility will need to think about what you
might like to do, or where you might like to help, and then let me know.” He flipped the chart.

I didn’t even read the entire chart. I stopped once I got to my name. I’ve always wanted to earn the highest grades and be the best student, but that’s always been for me. Suddenly I was presented with a challenge that I
had
to do the best for someone else. For Mr. Terupt
and
Ms. Newberry. Counting blades of grass had been a tough project last year, but this one had it beat. I was excited.

“C
lass meeting,” Mr. Terupt announced. I was excited. We were back from our holiday break, and I just knew he had something special planned to kick off the new year. I started to move my chair over to the circle, but then stopped. I could feel it. The girls’ pass was already out, but I beelined to the bathroom anyway. Mr. Terupt didn’t say anything. I’m sure he sensed something was wrong, because everyone knew class meetings were my favorite.

Once in the bathroom I ducked inside one of the stalls. I fumbled with the button on my pants in a rush to get them down. When I finally got them off, I glanced at my underwear and saw the red stain. I started crying. It was terrible. This was my third time bleeding, my first in school. I was scared. I didn’t want anyone to know what was happening to me. I hadn’t told a soul. I sat on the toilet and buried my face in my hands and cried. But not for long, because my stall door was suddenly pushed open.

“Are you okay?”

It was Lexie. I didn’t even look up.

“Whoa! Like, you’ve totally got your period!” Lexie sounded thrilled. I took my hands away from my face and looked at her. Then her excitement vanished. Her head lowered and her shoulders slumped. “You’re so lucky,” she said to the floor.

“Lucky?!”
I looked down at my underwear. “I’m bleeding. How is that lucky? What does this even mean?” I used my shirtsleeve to wipe my face.

“Every girl’s gonna get her period,” Lexie said, “but you’re the first. You are lucky. When you get your period it means, like, you’re a woman … not a little girl. Congratulations. I try all these things, pretendin’ to be grown up, but you really are.”

“Lexie, I don’t know what to do. I haven’t even told anyone.”

“Don’t worry,” she said. “I’ll help you.”

“I’m not telling anyone!”

Lexie put her hands on her hips. “Like I said, every girl gets her period. You’re just the first in our class. Now c’mon.”

I finished in the stall and then followed Lexie back into the classroom. The class meeting was over and everyone was at their desks again, including Mr. Terupt. I wondered what Lexie’s plan was. I found out soon enough. She walked right up to Mr. Terupt.

“Teach, Danielle got her period. I’m gonna take her to the nurse.”

I couldn’t believe it. Lexie just came right out and told him. Thank God she whispered it. I was so embarrassed.
Now it wasn’t just my down-there that felt warm, but my face did too. And then I saw that Mr. Terupt was blushing.

“Oh. Gee. Yeah. Good idea, Lexie,” he said. “You better go to the nurse. This isn’t exactly my area of expertise.”

Lexie brought me to Mrs. Barton, who took care of me. She gave me some new underwear and this thing called a maxi pad. Then Mrs. Barton taught me all about my period. I’m actually going to get it every month for something like the next forty years. Afterward, I felt better. She also called my mom and told her the news. That helped, too, because now
I
wouldn’t have to tell her. Mrs. Barton also said that I could ask to come and see her anytime during my period, because I guess there are some times that I might not feel so great. According to her, Mr. Terupt would understand. I told Mrs. Barton that he had said this wasn’t his area of expertise, and she laughed.

“Well, sweetie, this is no man’s area of expertise. In fact, there’s a lot about us women that men don’t understand. Ever.”

Things were better after that. I know I should feel good about what Lexie said. She’s not the best at handing out compliments, and I know she tried. Plus, she meant what she said. But the truth is—I’d still take her fake breasts over my bloody underwear any day.

Dear God
,

According to Lexie, I’m a woman now. If that’s the case, I’m hoping I can find out about the man from our fields. You must think I’m growing up if you sent this period thing my way. What next? Hopefully not too much too fast. Amen
.

L
ike, so there I am, in a bathroom stall, when I hear someone come walking in. Whatever. But then I hear her start crying in the stall next to me. Once I finished I checked to see who it was.

Danielle was sitting on that toilet seat with her pants yanked down and a big red bloodstain on her underwear. Her period! Like, I totally couldn’t believe it. Why did she have to be first? I’d been waiting on my period for over a year and still wasn’t getting it. Instead Danielle got hers, and I know it’s ’cause she’s bigger. Bigger girls can get theirs earlier. I know that ’cause I read it somewhere. But like, I didn’t say it out loud. I used to be mean like that, but not since last year. Danielle’s my friend. And she was upset.

Come to find out, Danielle didn’t know anything about periods and what they are or how they work. She was really
scared. Like, she actually thought she was hurt or that something was wrong with her. I got her calmed down and took care of her—the whole time wishing it was me instead of her.

Someday. It has to happen someday.