The sun was not quite awake when the alarm began singing it's obnoxious tune for the world to hear. He hit the snooze button out of habit more than anything else; he had been laying awake for some minutes before his clock had decided to wake up. It was morning. It was the first day of school. It was the first day of a new school.
At last the clock had ticked its way through the snooze time and began singing relentlessly again. This time, he shut it off for good and rolled out of bed. He pulled his light blonde colored hair out of his face as he trudged to the bathroom. This was the only room in the house that was lit up at the ungodly hour before the sun even woke up which meant he would have to wake up his brother and sister soon. It was the mirror that made him pause as he brushed his teeth. His face was still boyishly round, his eyes cartoonishly large. Those orbs that looked back at him were dull gold, hiding the thoughts that went on behind them from the world with their light.
"I need in, Sandy," said Jack, waltzing in to the bathroom with easy steps. "Sorry, little man."
Sandy shrugged at his older brother, finished brushing his teeth and washing his face, then went back to their shared room to dress for the day. Jack was older than Sandy by a year, tall where Sandy was short, thin where he was fat, and impish where he was boyish. Jack was naturally good natured, easy going, and overprotective. Jack was also the reason he was awake so early in the morning.
In the bathroom Jack splashed water on his face to wake up a bit more. They had moved towns a few weeks before. He knew it was coming, they always moved, but he was grateful that it happened in the summer instead of the middle of the school year. He hated being the new kid in the middle of the year. At least at the start of the school year there were more new kids. Jack's father had told him when they moved in that he should dye his hair and make it a more normal color. His hair looked as if all of the hair colors had fought over who would rule his head and no one had won. Instead, they were locked forever in battle making his head a confusing mess of colors. It was almost as if his hair was reflecting the mess he was inside.
"Jacky?" called his little sister from outside of the bathroom. "Are you ready to go?"
"Just need to get my shoes on," said Jack, exiting the bathroom. "Do you have everything you need for your first day of high school? Back pack? Notebooks? Pens? Lunch money?"
"Yes, Jacky," giggled Pippa. "Come on, it's my first day of high school. I'm ready to go."
"School doesn't start for another few hours, Pip," said Jack, ruffling his freshmen sister's light brown hair. "Now I need to get my shoes."
"Alright, I'll be in the car," said Pippa.
Jack went into his room and heard Pippa walk away. Jack noticed that Sandy had already headed down to the car leaving the dark room empty. He put socks on and tied his running shoes firmly to his feet before grabbing his duffle bag and back pack and meeting his siblings in the car.
It was an old car, a forest green 1987 Jeep with a soft top. Sandy was in the back seat sleeping again; he was not a morning person but Jack was his ride to school. Jack had saved up for years working various jobs, doing about anything for money, until he could by the old car destined to become scrape metal, raided the junk yard to fix it up, and got it running.
The drive was short, only two and a half miles, with Pippa chattering away excitedly about her upcoming first day of high school. Jack listened, soothed her worries, and encouraged her to make friends and be herself.
"Now, you can either sit here and read or sleep like Sandy. The school doors won't open for another hour. I should be done with practice by then," said Jack, parking the car in an empty space. "But please, stay in the car. I don't want you wandering about."
"Have fun at practice, Jack!"
Jack raised his hand in recognition and went to the locker rooms to deposit his belongings before starting running practice. He was exhausted but wanted to run, he had to run or he would not feel right.
"Alright ladies!" called the coach. "This is going to be a good year. Show up on time and run hard. Let's do a warm up run and stretch and we can get this show on the road."
The thirty some boys who had gathered to partake in that obscene sport all took off, grumbling or talking, excited for the new school year to begin but still awake too early. Jack had run with most of them every day since they moved into town and knew every one of their names but had not said a word to them the entire time. Indeed, he talked to no one and no one talked to him. It wasn't that he was being rude, Jack honestly had nothing to say to them. The coach had attempted a few times to get him to chat but to no avail, eventually, he too gave up and went on his way.
He was fast. After stretching they began their normal run. Jack kept just a few steps behind the varsity runners, listening to their idle chatter as they headed down the dark road of a nearby neighborhood. Soon enough the rest of the boys had fallen behind and left the varsity boys, the head coach, and Jack to brave the way.
"Let's go home ladies!" called the coach, turning a corner to head back to the school at the three mile mark. "Run back hard men. Starting….now!"
The boys all took off, increasing pace steadily. Jack quickly took the lead, leaving the other boys behind, eating up the blocks faster than even the coach could. Every step increased his lead, rang with freedom and hope, and whispered encouragement. If he could just run fast enough for long enough then none of his problems would be able to touch him. It was a lie of course but he ran in the hopes of making it truth. Soon enough he was passing the slower runners, all looking on in amazement as he flew by. It was as if he was the wind and no one else stood a chance.
He reached the school with ample time to spare before the others arrived so he threw himself on the ground, laying on his back in the course grass staring up at the dimly glowing sky, breathing hard and heart pounding in his ears. As he lay there he listened to the world move around him, the inevitable chatter as the rest of his teammates arrived, and the pounding of feet as they raced each other to the school. At last the rest of the varsity made their way to the school and the team meandered to the front of the locker rooms to do their push-ups and sit ups.
"Great practice," said the coach. "Have a good first day of school. Jack, can I see you for a moment?"
Jack separated himself from the gaggle of goofing boys and waited until they had disappeared before facing the coach.
He was a tall man, solidly built with a kind face and wide set eyes. There were rumors about what he did before becoming the boys cross country coach ranging from a Navy Seal to an astronaut but the only thing that was certain was that he was the most normal looking man ever created. He was not handsome or ugly, he was just normal. He had a voice that could carry after years of coaching and instill the drive to run faster even when faster could not be reached. The other boys would joke and laugh with him but he had not spoken to Jack since his first week running with them.
"You did well today," commented Coach Moon.
"Um, thanks," said Jack, fidgeting.
"Have you always been that fast?" he asked.
Jack shrugged.
"Well," continued Coach Moon awkwardly. "I guess just keep it up and run like that this Saturday."
Jack nodded his understanding then walked away after seeing that he was dismissed.
Rushing through the shower process, Jack hurried back to his car where he found Sandy still asleep and Pippa reading.
"Hey, are you guys ready to go?" said Jack, tossing his bag full of running shoes, dirty clothes, and shower things into the trunk.
"I don't think I'm going to school anymore," said Pippa quietly to Jack as she climbed out of the car.
Sandy stretched, got out, and locked the door.
"Is that so?" said Jack mildly, throwing one of his long arms around his little sister. "And why not?"
"Because there are so many people and what if no one likes me?" said Pippa, looking up at him, anguish written all over her features.
"Pip, people are going to adore you if you just be yourself," assured Jack.
"Thanks Jack," said Pippa.
"No, thank you," said Jack, giving her a side hug. "Thanks to you I get to walk in to my first day of junior year with the most beautiful girl in the entire school."
Once inside the old red brick building Jack and Sandy walked Pippa to her locker, gave her a hug each, made sure she got her locker open, and then left. Next Jack walked Sandy to his locker in the sophomore hall then proceeded to junior hall. His locker was at the far end of the school, almost the last one in the hall, and that was the way he wanted it. Being so removed from everyone else would make it easier to not interact with his peers. If he didn't have to interact with his peers then he wouldn't make any relationships and then he wouldn't have any obligations to fulfill or good-byes to make when he moved again.
The hall slowly filled with students, none taking too much notice to Jack as he sat quietly reading in front of his locker, his royal blue hood pulled up. With the increase of students came the rising of the noise level until it reached a dull roar.
(with Sandy)
"Hello," chirped a girl, opening the locker two down from Sandy who was sipping a cup of coffee. "I'm Rosemary Toothiana but everyone calls me Rosie. Are you new here? I don't remember see you around before."
Sandy nodded.
"What's your name?" asked Rosie.
"Rosie!" cheered a boy. "I haven't seen you in like, three days! How are you?"
"I'm fine Clint," laughed Rosie. Her cheeks matched her name and her smile was bright and sunny.
"And who is this dapper young fellow?" questioned Clint, prancing around Rosie to open the locker next to Sandy.
"You goof can't you talk like a normal person?" chided Rosie. "He's new here you fool so be nice to him."
"I'm Clinton Maximus Polonius Impressimus Fantabulus Fall the third, at your service," introduced Clint, holding out his hand.
Sandy shook it but said nothing, looking a bit awed.
"Clint you had better not be making a move on anyone but me!" yelled another girl, marching down the hallway looking furious.
"Here comes the dragon," muttered Clint.
Sandy raised an eyebrow at him.
"My girlfriend," explained Clint, turning to greet her. "Josie, my darling, hello!"
"Don't try to sweet talk me, Clinton," hashed Josie. "Now explain to me what you were doing flirting with this-oh, that's a boy."
"Well my dear, yes, this is a boy and he's new here. He, I'm sorry old chap, what was your name again?"
Sandy blinked blankly up at him before realizing that he was addressing him again.
"Oh my goodness you guys!" gushed another girl, running up to the group that had gathered by Sandy's centrally located locker.
This locker was beginning to look like a bad choice to Sandy.
"Not now, Emma," warned Clint.
"No, you guys will not believe this!" insisted Emma. "There's a new boy in our class who doesn't talk ever! As in, he doesn't talk at all! At first I just thought he was quiet because, well, his brother is on the cross country team and boy is he fast but anyway this boy just sits and sleeps or doesn't talk at all, even to his brother. But yeah, I thought he was just quiet but then we asked Moon this morning before his brother got there and we had to go on our own run and he said that the boy can talk but he hasn't talked in years because-"
Emma stopped short when she saw Sandy sitting there, listening to every word.
"What is your name?" demanded Josie, clearly unaware of what Emma had just said.
"Josie," said Clint quietly.
"What is your name?!"
"Josephine!" yelled Clint. "Leave him alone! I wasn't flirting with him because a-he's a boy and b-I'm with you, I was just introducing myself!"
"His name is something exotic I think," whispered Emma. "Something like Shimmershime."
"Shimmershime isn't a name stupid!" said Rosie, swatting Emma's arm.
"Serendipity?" guessed Emma.
Sandy stood up and opened his locker. His books tumbled out; he had forgotten that he had placed them so precariously. Clint helped pick them up and handed them to him.
"Here you go, Sanderson?" said Clint a bit questioningly.
"Sanderson!" snapped Emma. "That's his name, Sanderson."
"Can I just call you Sandy?" asked Clint.
Sandy nodded.
"Great! Now that we know his name, let's stop talking about Sandy as if he isn't here."
"What's your first class?" asked Rosie sweetly.
Sandy handed her the class list to read.
"Oh, you have history with Mason first," read Rosie.
"So do I!" cheered Clint. "I'll take you there!"
Just as he spoke, the bell sounded, sending the students in a frenzy as they scurried off to their respective classrooms. Rosie handed the class list to Clint and rushed to her first class. Sandy followed close behind Clint as he wound his way through the sea of bodies, afraid of being swept away and lost forever.
(with Jack)
Jack was the first one in his Art class so he chose a seat in the back corner by the window. It was a table large enough for four people, one of those industrial black topped tables with scratches and paint stains from years of use.
"Here," said a tall well built boy with jet black hair and green eyes. "Let's sit here."
The boy sat across from Jack so he was also next to the window and a large boy who looked as though he ate four dozen eggs raw for breakfast sat next to him. They seemed to know each other.
"Hello," greeted the larger of the boys. "You must be knew here. I'm Nikolai St. North. Who are you?"
"Jack," said Jack, one eyebrow going up, lips pursed, giving him a cocky look.
"Jack what?" asked the other boy.
"Just Jack," replied Jack easily. "Who are you?"
"Aster Bunnymund," said the black haired boy.
"Bunnymund?" chuckled Jack. "Alright then, Bunny, what year are you?"
"It's Aster to you, pintsized," growled Aster.
"Aster's a junior," said Nikolai. "I'm a senior. What about you?"
"Junior," said Jack.
"Aster!" squealed a girl with hair down to her waist who was running towards them. "No way, you have this class too? What a strange coincidence. I just love art, don't you? Of course you do, how silly of me, you're the best artist ever. Oh this is going to be such fun! I'm so excited that we have a class together!"
"That's Titania Toothiana," said Nikolai in a hushed tone to Jack. "She's a sophomore who is obsessed with Aster and her parents are a bit on the wacky side, hence her name."
"Oh, and you must be that new kid who doesn't talk," gushed Titania, finally looking at the boy next to her. "I'm Titania but everyone calls me Tani."
"I'm Jack," said Jack, scowling at the girl a bit. "And it's not nice to refer to people as what makes them different. For instance, I don't think you would want me to refer to you as the hyperactive girl with hair that looks like a unicorn vomited on it."
Before Tani could respond that bell rang.
"Good morning, young learners," greeted who Jack assumed was the art teacher. He was an older man with a wild grey beard and big grey eyes wearing a smock covered in dust, clay, charcoal, and paint.
Jack tuned the man out after he heard that they would just be spending the period warming up and could draw as they pleased. Absently Jack drew with a charcoal pencil creating a picture of a small lake that was more of a pond than a lake. It was at once beautiful and sad but no one looked. Tani prattled on about how she spent her summer in India with her parents and Nikolai would ask questions to keep her going.
Jack went through the morning like that, mindlessly going from one class to the next, sleeping through English and History before the bell rang signaling lunch. Jack had figured out where the lunch room was by that point and slipped away from the crowd long enough to get his lunch and situate himself in a deserted gazebo on the grounds of the school. It was the first bit of silence he had snatched all day long and he was grateful for it. All summer long he had tried not to think about the upcoming school year and now that it was here he was shocked at how it was playing out. People here were being nice to him, making an effort to know him, and making him feel guilty for not wanting to know them. It was not that he did not want friends but he could not find the time to invest in them.
"Do you mind if I join you?" asked quiet voice.
Jack looked up to find Aster gazing at him uncertainly so he scooted his lunch over in a gesture that meant the other boy was welcome to sit if he wanted.
"Thanks," said Aster gratefully. "It's always so crowded in the mess hall and it's just such a nice day out that it seems a shame to waste it sitting inside the entire time."
Jack nodded, not knowing what else to say.
"I'm sorry about what Tani said this morning, she doesn't always think things through but she's a nice enough girl. And I know that Nikolai can be a bit overwhelming but he means well."
Jack took a bite of his sandwich.
"You don't say much," said Aster. "Are you always this quiet?"
Jack shrugged.
"I know that boy, the one Tani was talking about, is your brother."
"So?"
"Just making conversation."
"You don't have to do that."
After that Aster didn't say anything and they finished their lunch in comfortable silence. Aster, out of all of the people he had met so far, seemed the most at ease with his need for personal space. He did not feel the urge to fill the air with pointless, one sided conversation which was a nice break for Jack's aching ears. Jack packed up his lunch waste, nodded to Aster, and went to slip lunch money into Pippa's locker because in the rush to start school she had forgotten to ask him for it and he had forgotten to give it to her. As Aster stared up at the wooden boards blocking the sun he decided that he liked the quiet, sarcastic new boy who enjoyed being alone just as much as he did.
"Aster?" called Tani, her voice shrill and grating.
Aster sighed, got up, and went to humor the girl before his thoughts could ponder more on why the new boy was so reserved because if he thought too much on it Aster would wonder if they had the same reasons and he hoped that was not the case. No one deserved that type of life.
*Hello! I swore I wouldn't start a new story until I had finished at least one of my other ones but then I got a request by Caithlinn13 who had this idea but wanted me to make it a story and write it out and well, what can I say, I'm a sucker for awesome ideas and nice people who think I'm good enough at writing that they would intrust me with their ideas. So yeah, here is an involved story promised to be filled with angst, drama, all that good stuff that makes a story interesting.
As always, I welcome feedback. I still don't own Rise of the Guardians nor do I own this idea, I'm just taking the characters our for a spin but I'll put them back when I'm done, promise. However I do own the story itself.
Hope you enjoy this! Always-Ari