CHAPTER 8 (excerpt)

In my new school, even before I showed up on the first day, after the holidays in January, rumors were already circulating that D.A.D. was insolent, impolite, abusive, disrespectful. All these bad character traits of mine were true in my old school… But, not in my new school, that character was no longer me at all.

Very few people knew me in New Richmond, by the way. So, I had the opportunity to pull myself together and silence all rumors about me from the very first days. The only benefit I saw from having played the role of the abominable D.A.D. all those years was that at least, this character had allowed me to forge my character to earn respect for who I truly was this time…

A week later, I met Sophie Djowak in my sports class. An upright girl, whom I had to ask out at least a hundred times to show her my true worth for over a year, because I was dazzled by the loving aura she exuded, by her way of being, and I wanted her to accompany me to the prom the following year.

- I'm curious to know what Sophie Djowak told you that made you ask her out so many times?

- Haha, that sentence, you see, I remember it like it was yesterday! She replied with that little snobbish look she always gave me. It was as if she already considered me a Two of Spades without even knowing me, but oh well. I swear, she told me word for word:

« I will never go to prom with a poor, arrogant idiot, who was kicked out of his old high school and, on top of that, got a D average on his report card, » Déreck imitated her in a shrill voice.

- Wow! That girl is pretty clear and direct! exclaimed Sunsya, smiling inwardly.

Sunsya smiled because she had just realized at that very moment that she too had called Déreck a poor, arrogant idiot during their first encounter.

- Yeah!

And even then, she was wrong. I hadn’t even gotten a D average; I had gotten an E average. Which made me smile while listening to her words, since she thought a little better of me than was actually the case.

« Let’s go Déreck, that’s a good sign! » I told myself.

Even trying to talk to her a little more each day while being true to Déreck, a complete IDIOT nonetheless, it was probably the loooongest sentence she had addressed to me for at least the next six months.

Then, she probably thought I was making fun of her when I started laughing after hearing her answer, because she had turned her back on me, right hand in the air, with the same haughty attitude, before walking away a few meters further. And I had heard her articulate very clearly: « What an idiot he is! »

- Wow! Incredible! IDIOT! A POOR, ARROGANT IDIOT! I think that’s your favorite little term of endearment for me, you girls, huh? Déreck asserted, teasing Sunsya a little, realizing in turn that she too had called him a poor, arrogant idiot during their first encounter.

- Haha! I have no idea what you're talking about right now. I never called you a poor, arrogant idiot. I only implied that you were a poor, arrogant idiot, it's not the same! she exclaimed, snickering. I don't know this girl, but I already adore this Sophie Djowak, Sunsya confessed to him with a conspiratorial wink.

- Anyway, you know perfectly well what exotic ballet scene I’m referring to right now, Miss Zamie! And I adored Sophie Djowak too, by the way.

The fact that this girl had the nerve to call me a poor, arrogant idiot, without even knowing me that day, was the insult that made me react. Truly this time! From that moment on, I missed and better accepted the label of ADORABLE SON that my parents had given me when I was younger. That was the label that belonged to me. That was the label I wanted to reclaim to become Déreck again and for Sophie to accept my invitation to the prom.

Thank you for trusting Production EMary and see you soon!