A/N: Ok, so iv read so many modern fics, i figured id have a go at one of my own. its also my first multi chaptered fic! itll start with a couple of memories chapters, to set the frame of mind. It might seem a little bit OOC, but keep an open mind. all shall be explained :). Hope you like!

Also, being from the UK, i have NO idea what the american school system is a like. So for a bit of background:

Primary school is like elementary school, for ages 5-11
Secondary school is for ages 11-18
Then university for three or four years after that, studying one subject of your choice.

Disclaimer: I dont own Avatar. Despite my efforts.


Chapter 1

He sat on his bed. Yellow sheets, orange wallpaper. A window looking out onto the turn of autumn. Leaves falling red from the cherry tree, the breeze swirling them away like foam on a current. Eighteen years of age, accepted into university to study climatology. Straight A student.

On the most days, he was a bundle of energy around the house, dancing freely like one of the air currents effortlessly carrying the fallen cherry tree leaves from one side of the modest garden to the other. But with the book he was usually absorbed in lay abandoned in his lap as he surrendered to the memories engulfing his thoughts. Memories of loneliness.

On the first day of primary school, he made an effort. The memories come a little bit fuzzy, but the trip through his childhood is every bit as painful as it once was.

It all started out great. He had made some good friends in the first few days, as every child blended together, slowly forming the circles and groups that would shape the rest of their time at the school. At first, he had just seemed like every other kid, happy, carefree, full of the sparkle of life that made their teachers regret the day they had ever decided to teach the kids. He ran around the playground with his friends, he played stupid games, he was happy.

But then, everything changed. And changed for the worst.

He was clever. Very, very clever. Ten minutes into their year 2 science test, he had put his hand up.

"Miss, I'm finished. What should I do?"

The teacher looked up, shocked. No child had ever finished a test of hers that quickly. Not at this school at least. The school had scored poorly at every report it had ever been examined in. Smart children did not attend Manor Park Primary School.

"Uh, I guess, you can go sit in the book corner and read for a bit?" She responded, dazed.

"Okay. Thanks!" He hurried off into the corner.

She collected his paper. She read through it, marking it before any other child in the class had finished their test. He'd scored 95%.

After that, the other children didn't want to know him. He was an outcast, a nerd, a geek, a dork, everything they could think of the crowd hurled at him in jealousy. Not particularly inventive or witty insults, but a child of seven years old, who thrives off the affection and interaction with other kids, shrunk back into his shell.

Years passed, and every day passed in a similar manner. Despite being by far the brightest kid in school, no one wanted anything to do with him. His intelligence was a curse, and it only thrived because of his lack of social life. Instead of being with the children who mercilessly, incessantly, were outright horrible to him, rather than play with the children who used to be his friends, he read. He was desperate for something to fulfil himself, and, unwelcome by the classmates he could no longer call friends, he turned to books, and spent hours a day after school alone, camped in his room, absorbing the knowledge on the paper.

This continued throughout the years. Those in his class were always finding something to do to put him below them. Harsh names were only the start of it. Almost every day, something of his would go missing. As small as a pen, or even his entire book folder, at one point everything was taken and hidden from him. Teachers weren't entirely bothered that their brightest student was suffering through this; he didn't want to complain either. Complaining only made things worse.

It came worst in his last year of primary school. Everyone had found out what schools they were going to next year, and all the big groups had got into school together. Everyone in the year had gone to the three worst schools in the entire city, and they all seemed proud of the fact. But he, he had managed to ace the entrance test to the best grammar school in the area. He didn't want to go. Despite the years of bullying they'd given him, they were the only people he knew. He couldn't bear going to his new school on his own, with no one he knew.

But once word got out he was going to school on his own, everything came tenfold. He'd be routinely jeered just walking around the playground, at one point one of the groups daring one of the members to spit in his face as he walked past. But finally, eventually, he left.

He jerked out his reverie, and thought for a moment. Wandering aimlessly downstairs, he flicked the playstation on, grabbed the Guitar Hero controller and sat down. The game loaded up, and without even thinking he scrolled to the song he knew best. Choosing Expert difficulty, he began to play the notes, barely even registering the screen, playing mostly from memory. The lyrics slowly filtered into his thoughts, until he was singing along as well.

Hey,

You know they're all the same.

You know you're doing better on your own

So don't buy in.

Live right now.

Yeah, just be yourself.

It doesn't matter if it's good enough,

For someone else.

He smiled slightly at the relevance of the lyrics. Finishing the song with a triplet of notes, green red and yellow all held down, he checked his stats. 95%. Getting better.