[ Chapter I (1): "6TH GRADE MENACE" ]
Mrs. García, a school teacher under Murray High School, could be seen walking down the halls of the said school; savoring the feeling of being greeted by students left and right. [ "Good morning Mrs. García." ]
[ "Good morning to you too, Eliza." ] She of course greeted them back as well, smiling at the middle school students warmly as she moved on from one place to another, ready to start teaching history, her subject.
But before she could enter the classroom, her eyes flickered just outside the courtyard where a small group of students varying in age were gathered, easily catching her attention. [ "What's going... on...?" ]
That was when her intuition activated as she glanced at each and every single one of those students, her eyes looking at where they were pointing at; onto the biggest tree of the school. [ "Heavens no!" ]
And on top of that tree is a student, a little boy plausibly only in sixth grade, no older than 11 years old. Who's waving at the other students below, taunting them, no fear of death at all as he stands on one of the branches. [ "Hah! I'm on top of the world!" ]
Racking it up and down, which made the other students worry while some actually find it entertaining. Mrs. García on the other hand, didn't find anything funny, as she almost had a heart attack seeing the state of one of the children under her care.
[ "Child, please, get down from there!" ] She approached the crowd, which made way for her when they heard her voice. [ "It's dangerous, you could get hurt." ]
[ "Hi, Mrs. García!" ] But instead of doing what she told him, the child which is yelling in excitement didn't do that. Instead trying to climb further up, out of reach from her, which is trying to reach him. [ "I can't! I need to stay for 3 more minutes." ]
Mrs. García could never fully understand how students think even though she has been teaching for more than a decade now. Longer than most of the teachers, and at the moment, she is having a mini heart attack due to this one. [ "Why?!" ]
[ "To get invited to the party." ] He answered, shit-eating grin plastered on his face as he then sits on one of the higher branches— this one less sturdy than the one before, which scares Mrs. García.
[ "Jesus- child! It's the start of the school year, there are no parties planned by the school. Please get down from there!" ] As far as she could remember, there is literally no party in school, aside from the Halloween party which is yet to happen for months.
[ "But- but I heard there's going to be a party, a birthday party." ] The unnamed child, this time confused, answered back. Brows furrowed as if he couldn't understand what she was exactly saying; hopefully it's not a hearing problem.
[ "Please, student, think of your parents!" ]
[ "I don't think that'll help me get invited to the birthday party, ma'am!" ]
[ "My heart!" ] Not knowing what to do, Mrs. García turned to the nearest child besides her; at the most trusted actually, at a light brown haired girl with braces. [ "Ms. Heck, what is he talking about?! What party?" ]
[ "I-I don't know Mrs. García, Michael just climbed the tree out of nowhere." ] The said student then turned around, eyes glaring at a kid older than her— to be precise, her older brother which is in 8th grade.
[ "Axle, what did you do?" ]
[ "Hey, why blame me?! My hands are clean, sis, I didn't do nothing." ]
Axle Heck answered, eyes shifting left and right, trying to hide his face from the stern gaze of his sister and teacher. But Mrs. García knows that this troublemaker did something. [ "Mr. Heck, tell me the truth." ]
[ "I-I..." ] For a second Axle contemplated if he should tell the truth, if he did then he'll be in trouble; but not wanting to lie, he ultimately succumbed and told the truth. [ "Alright, fine, it was me who told him about the birthday party." ]
[ "Then why is up the tree, Axle?!" ]
Before Mrs. García could ask, Sue was already at it, shaking his older brother up and down amidst the gaze of students and confused gaze of Michael up the tree.
[ "Tell me!" ]
[ "I might not have told him that..." ]
[ "That what?!" ] Sue pushed on, grabbing a hold of her brother's shirt, gripping it tightly in her arms as she tiptoes.
[ "That if he climbed that tree and stayed there for 5 minutes, that he would be invited to Cassandra's birthday party." ]
[ "You did..." ] Axle spoke in a rapid tone, which the others heard and quickly became confused in. Sue who knows more about the said party instantly fumed with anger— especially because she was there.
[ "WHAT!" ] To be precise, it was a week ago. And no, this Cassandra, or Cassie for short doesn't celebrate her birthday twice a year; or at the least, a week apart, i.e. twice. [ "You idiot, t-that was a week ago!" ]
Mrs. García who heard that quickly signalled and told one of the nearest students to go get the school's nurse in case of an emergency, before then glancing up at Michael who's equally both shocked and confused at the revelation.
[ "So-so wait, there's no birthday party? Axle you lied?!" ] Eyes wide, feeling a slight bit hurt as he holds on the tree besides him.
[ "Yeah, uhh, sorry bud. It was just a joke, I didn't know you'd take it that seriously." ]
Axle who's still in the grip of his sister answered, in guilt, as he motion for his younger friend to come down. [ "Come on, let's go grab some hotdogs. My treat, I-I promise." ] He turned to look at his sister, which isn't the slight bit happy on what her brother did. So Axle added, [ "Plus a coke, diet if you want." ]
Michael Vanderbilt, who really wanted to go to that said party couldn't help but sigh in frustration. Primarily because he has a small crush on that said Cassie, to the point that he climbed a tree to get an invite.
[ "So... I climbed this tree for nothing?" ]
[ "Yeah, pretty much." ] Axle then continued, nervousness and sorry tinge in his voice. [ "I'm really-really sorry, bud." ]
[ "Crap..." ] Michael is new to the town, actually having just moved here due to his parents landing work nearby. So he wasn't at all that familiar with the surroundings, which includes the fact that Cassie's said birthday happened a week ago; before he and his family were even in town.
[ "Alright-alright, I'm coming down." ] Michael answered the crowd, which made Mrs. García, Sue and Axle Heck sigh in relief. Some students too, but most of them were sad in not seeing blood, or the kid to fall and hit his head hard on the ground.
[ "Boo, we wanted you to fal-" ] One of the students at the back yelled out, which was then stopped by the sharp gaze of the seasoned teacher. [ "Like I was saying. Get down from there, it's dangerous, bro!" ]
[ "Sorry for the trouble, I just really wanted to g-" ] Huh? Michael paused midsentence, as he felt a sharp pain in his head, which was then followed by blood ticking from his nose. [ "Huh, I'm... bleeding?" ]
The onlookers below were confused why Michael stopped climbing down the tree, but they quickly noticed the fact that he's nose is dripping dozens of blood. Some of which hit the grass and wild flowers below.
[ "Oh no... this isn't good." ] Axle said, as he tries to get away from his sister's tight, iron-like grip; dropping his bags seconds later as he prepares for the worse. [ "Don't worry bud, I got you, don't worry!" ]
And preparing for the worst was the best choice, as seconds later Michael slowly lost his consciousness, drifting off to sleep, losing his strength and balance. Before then falling off of the tree, like a ragdoll.
[ "I got you!" ] The other students nearby screamed, some in excitement, some in fear. But Axle, he ignored all of that as he focuses on the body of his new friend. Which he then caught seconds later thanks to the strength he earned by playing basketball. [ "Sue, g-get the nurse!" ]
Though the impact was painful, he gritted his teeth. Ignoring all of that as he worries more for the state of Michael, blaming himself on why everything happened.
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[ FUN FACT: "The Middle is a sitcom that spanned from 2009 to 2018, for 9 seasons. It is a humorous and realistic look at the life of the Heck family, a lower-middle-class family living in the fictional small town of Orson, Indiana." ]
[ 11/20/2025 ]
[ 11/21/2025 ]