03 Recently

High school was an ordeal for sixteen year old Arnold as well, only for much different reasons. His anonymity theory was completely blown out of the water and he wasn't sure why. Thankfully, it didn't take him long to figure it out. Unlike in both primary and middle school, the students in high school did not completely ignore him, nor did the teachers. He couldn't understand why, though. As far as he knew, he wasn't any different. He still acted the same way, indifferent to everything around him.

What Arnold didn't realize was that in the eyes of his peers, he was particularly handsome. His blonde buzz-cut and his height of five foot ten, along with his slightly muscular build, attracted a lot of attention from the girls. He had attention from some of the boys as well, only for different reasons. Some of them hated him on sight, just because the girls they liked were looking at him and not them. Others saw a nice and easy target to pester. They loved razzing the new kids.

The teachers on the other hand, had heard about his academic achievements and wanted to keep an eye on the rising intelligence and wanted to see what he would become when he gained their knowledge.

No one would tell Arnold why he was so interesting, so he floated through his classes and did his work, depressed that his work was delayed and would be for as long as he couldn't get rid of all the unwanted attention.

Because of his previous outstanding work in biology, Arnold had been advanced past the high school refresher course and put right into the University Prep class. At first he was upset that he was going to miss something important by skipping what he thought was an important step in his education, until the third month of the year when the teacher announced that they were now ready to upgrade from small animals to pigs.

Arnold had to fight his instincts to go to the front of the class and hug the man. Not because he would be rejected if he tried, and he would be; but, it was because anything he did would be witnessed by pretty much the whole class. It would have to wait until another time. He absorbed all of the information the teacher gave him, and when he heard that pig tissue was used as grafts and implants for heart valves in people, his desire rose and almost burst from his mouth in a shout.

Luckily, Arnold had caught himself before he gave himself away like that. His reaction hadn't gone unnoticed, however. One girl had stared at him the entire time she had been in the class and paid the teacher no attention at all. She had seen him tense up at the news and let herself hear what the teacher had said.

He must want to be a surgeon. The girl thought and then she smiled. I think I need a new study buddy this year. She looked at her friend that sat beside her, who was just as attentive in class as Arnold was, and whom she had relied on for studying in middle school and now high school. Maybe the three of us could work together.

Plans formed in her head about how she could manipulate the smart and handsome boy and get him into her clutches. She smiled again as she decided the best way to give herself a head start. Her mother had told her that the best way to a man's heart was through his stomach, so she would ambush the unsuspecting boy at lunch the next day, with her friend's help. When the class ended, every teenager bolted for the door, even the girl and her friend.

Arnold let the everyone pass and then approached the teacher's desk. “Excuse me.”

The man looked up from his desk and then smiled. “Ah, Arnold. What can I do for you?”

“When is the first scheduled dissection?” Arnold asked and tried to hide his enthusiasm.

The teacher noticed anyway and chuckled. “I heard you were eager for more practical experience.”

“I...” Arnold couldn't lie and say he wasn't. “I enjoy the work so much, sir.” He admitted instead.

“Good!” The man said to Arnold's surprise. “I've had glowing reviews from several sources about you, with some of them permanent parts of your academic record.” He said. “Your professionalism in handling these tasks at such a young age is remarkable.”

Arnold wasn't sure how to respond to that, so he stayed quiet.

“I normally dissect the specimen in a private lab and then bring it to class, mainly because some of these children...” The man gave Arnold a depreciating smile. “...can't stomach seeing me work.”

Arnold knew he had to do something in response, so he nodded.

“If you're okay with skipping lunch tomorrow, meet me in the lab. We can work on the beast together.”

“Sir!” Arnold said and came to attention. “My mother packs my lunch!”

The teacher laughed and stood up. “Very good, young man.” He said and clapped the boy on the shoulder. “I'll see you tomorrow.”

Arnold was bolstered at the thought of getting to work on something so big, so he left the classroom at a fast walk and was happier than he had been in a while. It was time for him to use his tools again and he couldn't wait. He had a smile on his face for the rest of the day, which passed by before he knew it, and he went home with a smile still on his face.

When his mother saw his face, she walked over to him and gave him a hug. “Did the biology teacher give you good news today?”

Arnold's mouth dropped open and he stared at her. “Mom? What? How?”

His mother chuckled. “They wouldn't put you into a university prep course without giving your parents the itinerary.”

“You knew?” Arnold asked. “Why didn't you tell me?”

“Because I wanted to see this smiling and happy face, that's why.” His mother said and bent his head as she kissed his forehead, because he was as tall as her now. “If you knew months ago it was coming, you would have been pestering everyone in the school to get the teacher to hurry up!”

Arnold opened his mouth to argue and then sighed. “I'm too eager.”

“Having a passion is good. Letting it rule your every action is not.” His mother warned him. “If you forget everything in pursuit of it, then it's not a passion anymore. It becomes an obsession and it will destroy you.”

Arnold nodded and she gave him another hug and a kiss on the cheek. “I won't need lunch tomorrow.”

“I'll put extra snacks in your pockets for you.” She said and let him go.

The next day couldn't go fast enough for Arnold. He took his mother's advice to heart, though. He didn't ignore everything and paid attention when he was supposed to, answered verbal questions when asked, and then the lunch bell rang. Unlike every other time that class ended, Arnold was up and out of the room before everyone else. Everyone was stunned, because they had never seen him move that fast.

Where is he going in such a hurry? The girl who had planned to trap him asked herself.

Arnold arrived at the lab and no one was there. He didn't panic, though. He knew he had rushed to get here, so that he wouldn't be delayed by the other students in the hallway. He had to assume that was why the biology teacher wasn't there yet. A minute later, the teacher in question stepped into the lab and saw Arnold.

“Did you fly here?” The man joked and waved Arnold to follow. He walked over to a door at the back of the room and Arnold followed him in, who gasped when he saw what was inside. Shelves and shelves of dissected animals of all shapes and sizes adorned the shelves. Some were sealed in wax on wooden plaques and some were in large specimen jars, with their organs splayed out in arrays.

“S-s-sir!” Arnold managed to say.

“Wonderful, isn't it?” The teacher asked. “It's taken me decades to gather them all.”

Arnold couldn't say anything as his eyes flowed around the room, his mouth agape.

The teacher chuckled. “I could stand here all day and enjoy the delight I see on your face; but, we have work to do.”

Almost like a switch had been flipped in his brain, Arnold took a breath and pushed his awe aside, then came over to the table in the middle of the room. The teacher had been impressed at the boy's compartmentalization. Just like him, when it was necessary, he could push all other concerns aside and would work. Enjoying things was secondary and could be done later.

Arnold pulled a small wooden box out of his backpack and set it down, took out a sanitized cloth and laid it out, then opened the box and placed the bright and shiny silver tools out in the order they would be used.

Once again, the teacher was impressed. The meticulousness motions and respect that Arnold showed the tools of the trade, confirmed the recommendations he had received and the rumors he had heard. He prepped his own tools, just as meticulously as Arnold, then the two of them got to work. Under the teachers direction, they opened up the specimen and carefully dissected it. When they had all the parts removed, the teacher handed Arnold the laminated name tags.

“You can have the honors.” The teacher said.

Arnold nodded and in reverse order, attached the name tags to the underside of each organ, and placed each one back inside the specimen. The only way to find the name was to take out the organ. With it reassembled, the teacher laid the skin flaps closed and tacked them to hold them in place. They cleaned their tools and put them away, took off their gloves, and washed up in the sink.

“That was very good work, Arnold.” The teacher said. “Thank you for the help.”

“It was my pleasure, sir.” Arnold said with a smile on his face.

The teacher looked at his watch. “We have twenty minutes left until the class starts.”

“Can I stay here and look at your work, sir?” Arnold asked, clearly excited.

The teacher chuckled. “I suppose... if you let me show you the best specimen I have.”

Arnold nodded and the teacher walked across the room and opened a cabinet. He brought out a large wooden box and put it on the table.

“Most people don't appreciate this when I show it to them.” The teacher said.

“Most people are ignorant, sir.” Arnold said automatically, then he looked at his teacher with wide eyes. He hadn't meant to say that out loud.

“Ha ha!” The teacher laughed. “Well said. Well said.” Then he lifted off the wooden cover.

Arnold gasped at the sight. Inside the specimen case was the largest spider he had ever seen. That wasn't the best part, though. Each and every part of it, both inside and out, was suspended by some method and made it look like the spider had exploded.

“It took me almost two months to make this display.” The teacher said and then chuckled. “Removing the little eyes without damaging them or the retinal cords was a pain in the ass, let me tell you.”

“It's...” Arnold wasn't sure how to put into words what seeing such intimate and intricate detailed work meant to him. “I can't describe it.”

“People usually just make a sour face, say it's disgusting, then ignore it.” The teacher said. “I knew you would see it for what it truly is.”

“A work of art.” Arnold said when he finally found the words he needed.

The teacher smiled. “Yes, my boy. That's it exactly.” He said. “I've got some work to prep for the class, so look around as much as you want until the bell rings.” He walked to the door, not worried about leaving his prized possession out like it was. “When it does, get out here with the rest of the class, even though we both know you don't need to attend.”

“Yes, sir.” Arnold said. He knew all about keeping up appearances.

Thanks to that event, Arnold was free to enter the rear lab during lunchtimes and he abused that privilege as much as the teacher would let him.

The girl who had designs on him never had a chance to catch his eye like she had hoped, and the bullies that had designs on him also had to leave him alone. He was too popular and had too many eyes on him to get at him like they wanted.

They only had to bide their time, though.