Ch. 1

Walking to portable A on the first day of second semester, I try to suppress a groan. I hate the shed village next to our main building, and this has to be the worst portable of the bunch. It's the oldest one out here and the aluminum siding is faded and dented with years of exposure to at risk students. There's an abused, warped bike rack outside with weeds snaking their way around the rusted metal loops.

When I open the door and step inside, it doesn't get any better. Odours of mould, stale cigarettes, and cheap body spray overwhelm me as my eyes adjust to the dim neon lights flickering overhead. Looking around I realize there is no way I belong in here with them, student mentor or not. This is the creme de la creme of Carmichael High detention hall and suspension list. Carefully eyeing the other students in the room, I try to pick out who the other student leader is supposed to be. I can't be the only person in here that doesn't have a criminal history, can I? How the hell did I end up here?

One week earlier...

The semester was almost finished and I was pretty pleased with myself. I'd managed to survive a semester from hell, really from hell. Physics, bio, chem and calculus all in one go. To be fair, I'd planned it like that. I wanted to have some really strong grades in first semester so that when I slacked off towards the end of my senior year, I'd be okay. Honestly, I really wanted to get early acceptance into an engineering program and then second semester I could relax. Well, not relax exactly, but at least have a little bit of a break. I can never really relax, but at least I had finished my exams.

And then...

"Justin, can you stay after class for a minute?" Mr. Sway called out as everyone was getting up to go after our physics exam.

I stopped packing up and my spine stiffened. "Sure."

Once the room had emptied, Mr. Sway began, "So, Justin, I can't help but notice you got all your hard classes out of the way."

"I suppose," I shrugged, "but really, English is one of my harder subjects—any of the humanities, really."

"Do you have any outdoor experience?" Mr. Sway took a seat on top of his desk.

"Like what? I mean I've done some camping and stuff if that's what you mean."

A smile crosses his face, "That's pretty much exactly what I mean."

"Oh, why?" This whole thing is feeling really awkward.

"Have you heard of the Beyond the Building program?"

"Isn't that like Outward Bound? For troubled students?"

"Exactly. Although they aren't troubled, they just need credits to graduate—students at risk. Beyond the Building offers up to five credits per semester rather than the regular four," he explained.

"Okay." I was really confused as to why he was telling me this.

"Well, you might not be aware, but usually we have a few student mentors on the trip—they can receive five credits, also. Phys Ed, English, environmental science, leadership, and Psych-Soc-Anth."

"Sounds like a good deal, I suppose."

"Yeah, the other students earn a variety of credits rather than leadership, like biology, math, world issues, or whatever they need to graduate—if they get all five credits. Some earn as few as three, and occasionally a few fail out altogether."

"How does this concern me, Sir?"

"One of our student leaders dropped out due to an injury, and we need another mentor. Your name came up as a possible candidate."

"Me? How is that even possible?" My brows knit together in confusion and I take off my glasses to wipe the lenses on my t-shirt. I try my hardest to avoid notice with very good reason, and I certainly have never, would never, put myself in the position to lead anyone.

"For a few reasons, actually. You need all the credits you could get in the program next semester, you have camping experience—it was in your student profile, and you are lacking your community service hours. You need forty hours to graduate and you have none."

"Yeah, I was going to get them second semester, since my schedule would leave me with some spare time."

"Well, if you help me out and do Beyond the Building then I'll sign off on your community service hours, too."

"How is that even possible?"

"We do enough overnight trips that you'd get extra hours anyway. That's how we can offer an additional credit. In your case you'd get five credits plus the community service. Just think of how nice this kind of experience would look for job or scholarship applications." Mr. Sway was really trying to sell me on this program, but I still wasn't completely sure it was a great idea.

"You do realize that I'm no leader."

"That's where you're wrong, Justin. I think you'll be a fantastic leader. More of a lead by example type, but there's nothing wrong with that."

"What about the additional cost?"

"There's no cost. The school board actually funds the program through a government initiative to help students at risk, so that wouldn't be a concern."

"So what kind of commitment does the program actually entail?"

"Normal class hours most days, but only one room. You need a mountain bike and some outdoors clothes, but aside from that everything else is provided. We have sleeping bags or you can bring your own, and we've even had bikes donated in the past if necessary. There are three different camping trips over the semester, the longest being five days, and a few different field trips."

"Sounds interesting, but I'm still not sure I'm the best person for the program."

"I think it would be really beneficial to you, Justin, honestly," Mr. Sway starts, then his tone shifts, "Look, I realize that high school hasn't been this 'great experience' for you. Don't you want a chance to make some really good connections and take something with you? You're alone all the time and that's got to be rough."

He doesn't know the half of it, but defensiveness rises in me, "I do well in my classes. I don't need to surround myself with a bunch of people, maybe that's just not who I am. Don't presume to know me." I stand to leave, angry with his assumptions.

Concern flies across Mr. Sway's face, "Justin, just think about it, please? I really think you'd love the experience and we really need you. Ms. Francis and I know you'd be perfect for this."

"Ms. Francis?"

"Yeah, she's the other staff supervisor. Even though there are only 16 students, we need two staff supervisors, one of each gender," he explains, glad that I haven't walked away yet. "I know this is fast, but I need an answer by tomorrow, otherwise we need to cancel the program for this year and fix some schedules. Don't say no yet. Go home and discuss it with your mom, then get back to me. I'll call tomorrow for your answer."

Relieved that he's not pressing me for an answer immediately, I grab my bag and take my leave. The halls are mostly empty since exams are done, aside from the crap people have dropped on their way through. I stop at my locker to get my coat then start on the walk home.

Thinking as I walk, I realize my mom won't care what I do, in fact the more I'm out of the house the happier she'll be. She's not a bad mom but we really don't understand each other. My dad left when I was almost two, and he was just one in a series of bad choices. Although she's never married, most of her relationships get serious really fast then fizzle out spectacularly after some sort of drama filled incident—like Rick who was selling meth on the side, or Bob who was screwing our neighbour.

The men move in and out of her life pretty quickly. By my count there's been at least three or four per year. Some leave a little behind, like the velvet dog painting from Hank, or the hole in the wall by the front door by Stan. She's in the honeymoon stage with Paul right now, and so far he seems really nice, but only time will tell. My dad's the only one who's left her with a kid, though.

Just as I don't get her need for a shit boyfriend, she doesn't understand my need to focus on school. She's always saying how I'm too serious, or how I worry too much, but if I didn't, who would? I want to make something of myself—get out of this shithole—but the only way school will be paid for is through a scholarship. Hopefully enough of one so that I can move into a dorm somewhere and start fresh.

I'll miss my mom if I move but at least then I won't have to listen to her and whatever douchebag she's dating. I think I have a few guys tied for favourite. Certainly Leo, the one that hit us both (but only for our own good) was a winner, but Carl who sold her car and Chris who actually had a whole other family on the side that thought he was out of town on business were awesome. That's not to say all the guys were dirt. Some of them were scared off by my mom's own brand of crazy clinginess. Kyle was pretty nice and he was the one that introduced me to engineering through meccano building toys, and Sal who signed me up for Scouts both made an effort with me, and for that I thank them, but the rest can rot in hell, my dad included.

"Hey Ma, I've been invited to do a special course next semester."

"That's great hon," she said distractedly as she looked at her phone, "anything you need?"

"Yeah, it's got some overnight trips, so I'll need you to sign permission forms, but otherwise I'm good." I've got hiking boots and a decent coat, and I have some savings I can use for a good down sleeping bag if I need it."

"Hiking boots? What kind of course is it?" Her interest is slightly piqued.

"It's an outdoor education course. I'll get five credits and my community service hours," I explain.

She shrugs and goes back to her phone, "Sounds great."

And that's how I ended up here, the portable of misplaced students.