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connect the day’s subjects back to the Bible. It’s annoying but I just ignore those parts. I even find that I’m not swearing. Without hearing it all the time in the halls, it’s just fading out of my vocabulary. I’m even making an effort not to say Jesus Christ. Not because I think I’m offending god or anything. I don’t want to offend Tess.
    The teachers seem pretty good. For our first book in English class, Mrs. Daniels gave out copies of Beowulf . I’ve already read the graphic novel version so it should be easy. We get to pick some of our own reading. Sadly, I doubt Mrs. Daniels would let me bring in Bone or Y: The Last Man . It’s annoying that teachers still don’t think graphic novels are real books. I’ve learned more about math from Logicomix than I learned from any teacher.
    Up until Friday, I’m able to get by without offending anyone. I’m feeling like a model student. Even if I barely talk. Then Mr. Thompson, the science teacher, answers a kid’s question about creation during fourth period.
    Mr. Thompson says, “Scientists try to explain God’s creation as something that came from a big pile of goo instead of from the Almighty. In my class, we’re only going to study science that is proven and that hasn’t been poisoned by evolution. You know,” he says with a frown, “the belief that humans evolved from monkeys.”
    All the students in the room (except me) crack up like that was the funniest thing ever.
    I raise my hand.
    â€œYes, Ben?”
    â€œWe did evolve. I mean, there is proof. I watched a documentary about it and they had all sorts of skeletons that show what human ancestors were like hundreds of thousands of years ago.”
    The class is silent. Mr. Thompson smiles at me.
    â€œBen, Earth is just under six thousand years old. That’s when it was created. That’s when man was created. That’s fact. What you saw was scientific propaganda.”
    â€œBut they have things like carbon dating that prove Earth is way older. Like a few billion years older. The creation stuff in the Bible is just a myth, right? I mean, every religion has one. A story that tells how the universe was created.”
    â€œAnd you believe you’re related to primates?” he asks.
    â€œWell, yeah.”
    The class starts laughing.
    â€œYou’re new here, Ben, so you’ll need some time to adjust. I recommend you pick up a book at the school library on creationism so you can get the facts down. Otherwise, you might find yourself saying incorrect things without meaning to. Because right now you’re saying things that will get you a seat in detention . . . and in hell. And I don’t think any of us want that, now do we?”
    At this point, I decide to stop talking. I keep my head down and avoid eye contact with the rest of the class. I feel them staring at me. Like I’m stupid and maybe even a little bit evil. Like after class, I might just go sell some drugs in the cafeteria.
    When class ends, I grab my stuff and get out of there as fast as possible. But not before hearing some kid making “Ooh oooh” monkey noises as I run by. Fan-freaking-tastic. I’m going to be the monkey-atheist kid heading for hell at top speed.
    I’m going to have to do something to reverse my rep here. If I were Seth, I’d just be a starter on the soccer team and make friends that way. There is no magic club. I could start one, but I doubt anyone else would join.
    So on Friday I go to Frank’s office to sign up for one of the community service committees. I’ll have something to do after school and be seen as a good guy at the same time. I knock on the door and he invites me in.
    â€œHi, I’m Ben. I wanted to volunteer for one of the committees for the community service project.”
    â€œYeah, of course. Take a seat.”
    I sit down and he takes out a few lists attached to a