It's always been like this. For as long as he can remember, he has been neglected by everyone, apart from is cousin, Dez, and baby sister, Rydel. He didn't mind this too much though. Sure, it would be nice to have his father say, "hello" in the morning, or have his mother smile at him, or even for his brothers to send him a friendly nod his way. He knew it wasn't that his family didn't like him, they were just busy, but at times he couldn't help but feel like that was the case.
School was different, he wasn't ignored, just shunned. Un-like at home, these people really did not like him. He was shy, awkward, and because of his big, hand-me-down clothes, he appeared smaller then he was. Bullying was an everyday thing for twelve-year-old Austin Moon.
"Hey four-eyes!" someone shouted from down the hall. Austin flinched when he heard the familiar voice shout a less-than clever insult at him. Austin turned around to find himself face to face with the popular Dallas Wilson. "Nice shirt! Haven't seen that for what? Two days now?!"
The sarcasm is strong with this one Austin thought to himself right before he was shoved to the ground by one of Dallas's faithful minions.
"Eyy! He was talkin' to you! Are you death or something?" he spat.
"I think you mean deaf" Austin muttered.
"What?" Dallas said with what looked like confusion, shock, and anger written all over his face.
"He said death, as in the loss of a life, but what I think he meant was deaf, as in lack of hearing" he whispered under his breath, hoping Dallas would not hear him and let it go. However, when was the last time something went his way.
She rounded the corner to see a small boy with short blonde, unkept hair laying on the floor with what looked like an older, brunette boy towering above him, ready to attack. Her fists clench as she is brought back to the night she saw her dad for the last time.
It was like every other night, except this time her father forgot to lock the door. She sat in the corner of her room, legs pressed to her chest and hands covering her ears as an attempt to block out the sound of her mothers sobs. She remembers what it was like before he was like this. When he smiled, and laughed, and loved. She believed he was still there and there was just something holding him back, but that was her and her mother's downfall. Suddenly her mom's piercing scream gave young Allyson, the courage she needed to run at her door, only to have it swing open.
Ally shook her head, temporarily relieving her of her thoughts of that night and charged at the blonde boy, stepping in between him and the small one right before he pounced. The blonde kid froze. "Can I help you?" he said.
"No. But you can get out of my face." Ally snapped at him. She knew this wasn't the first impression she wanted to make at her new school. She had no idea what had come over her, however as she looked down at the blonde boy beneath her, she was glad she had. He looked frightened, but at the same time calm. Dallas seemed to have left, she was thankful for that because she wasn't sure if she still had the courage to tell him off again. Rowen cleared her throat, attempting to catch the small boy's attention.
He was ready. He always was, everyday, so why it never came today was a question he would be asking himself for a while.
He opened his eyes, expecting an angry Dallas to be standing above him, only to find a small girl with brown hair down to her shoulders, wearing a light blue knee-high dress with black combat boots, grinning at him like the cheshire cat.
"Hello. I'm Ally" she said, extending her hand. He ignored it.
"Hi" said Austin. His eyes wide with disbelief. People don't usually smile at him at school, let alone talk to him without insulting him in the process.
"Are you going to get up?" Ally said, breaking him from his trance.
"Uhhh... Y-yeah. Sorry." He stuttered while getting up off the ground. Unaware that he was speaking out loud, Austin muttered "I haven't stuttered since the fourth grade when they made everyone give presentations on their favorite animal. I chose the Orca because they're the smartest mammal on the planet, they have no enemies, and as an awesome plus, they can kill great white sharks. No big deal."
"Well" Ally said in between laughs. " As interesting as that is, the bell just rang and I need to get to class. See ya!" She then turned around and skipped down the hall.
Embarrassed, Austin shrugged, figuring it was all a matter of time before she realized she didn't want anything to do with him. This fact upset him, she was the first one at the school to give him a shot, and he repaid her by rambling about Orcas. He wonders what it would be like to be friends with her. Is she nice? Does she like animals? What does she like to do? He doesn't know why he was suddenly overwhelmed with curiosity towards this girl, but he knew he had to drop it quickly, because he knew he would never find out.
Entering her first class wasn't the scariest thing she's ever done. She knew what that was already, and this wasn't it. This however, was very intimidating. People stared as they walked past, whispered things in their neighbor's ear, all except one. He entered with his head down, avoiding all possible eye contact, even though he had nothing to worry about because everyone's attention was directed at her. He was the same boy she met in the hall earlier.
The final bell rang, signaling the start of class, however the whispering did not stop when passing period did. An old man, probably in his sixties, walked to the front of the class and cleared his throat, "Today we will be continuing our lab from yesterday. Begin from where you left off with your parter yesterday." He sat at the desk in the front of the room and began rummaging through papers.
"Excuse me?" Ally said as she approached who she assumed was the teacher.
The old man's head snapped up to the young girl in front of him. " Ahhhh, a new student. I wonder when admin will let me know before they send students to my class." he muttered. "I guess I should introduce you then? what's your name?"
"Ally. Ally Dawson." she replied
"Okay Ally. I'm Mr. Thompson. Welcome to the seventh grade." he smiled up at her for the first time. Mr. Thompson stood up and addressed the class, "Kids! If you could stop what you're doing for a moment, I would like to introduce you to a new student. Her name is Ally." The blonde's head snapped up at the sound of my name and we made eye contact before he quickly looked away, and began staring at his hands. "Ally please wave to the class" Mr. Thompson said, diverting her attention from the boy. Ally waved and was told to take a seat in any one of the empty seats. There was four open, but she chose the seat next to him.
This had to be the most uncomfortable he has ever been. Why did she have to sit next to me? he thought. There are plenty of other open seats. It wasn't that he didn't like her, he didn't even know her! The problem was that now, they had to be lab partners, and she would have to talk to him, and he would have to talk to her. He was shy, and awkward, and if she hadn't been freaked out by him this morning, she would be soon.
"I don't think I ever caught your name." He heard her say while she read through the lab instructions given to her by Mr. Thompson.
"Austin" He responded in a voice barely above a whisper.
Ally looked up, sending him the same smile she sent him earlier in the hall. "Cool name. Are you named after a person? or a place?"
"I don't really know, I've never asked." At his response, she gasped dramatically.
"You never wondered where the name you are to be called, and referred to as for your entire life came from?!" She said, her volume rising with every word.
"I never said I hadn't thought about it. I've just never asked my parents. They probably don't remember anyways." He said, muttering the last part to himself.
"I'm sure they do."
Austin left it at that. This day has already been more memorable then his entire sixth grade career and he wasn't going to push it. Besides, there was always tomorrow.
That thought brought a smile to his face. He didn't know why, maybe it was just because she was the first person to make any civil contact with him in the last month. He would not scare her away like he did everyone else. This time would be different.