Sherlock was in the schools garden sitting back up against the tree and he was not hiding. The threats from Anderson and his friends to get him when he told their teacher Mr Lestrade that they were the ones who wrote rude words on the board (in permanent marker) in no way influenced Sherlock to move from his usual space in the library to where he was now. The fact that no one was meant to be in here unobserved just meant he won't be disturbed from his book. Idiots like Steven Anderson and Sally Donavon in no way scared him.
It was the fact he was distracted in his book that he yelped when someone crashed through the foliage and fell to the floor in front of him.
"Oww," The stranger groaned sitting back and checking for scrapes.
Sherlock recognised the boy at once. It was the new kid John Watson. He had become a new student 2½ weeks ago. He was, too Sherlock, a boring plain boy. He had short dusty blonde hair and dark blue eyes. He was average weight and slightly shorter than the rest of the class with a steady stance. The reason why Sherlock had not deleted (as he was learning to do) this information yet was because he had yet decided what group to put him in. there were four groups:
1: those who ignored him/avoided him/were uncomfortable with him
2: those who called him names
3: those who physically attacked him
4: those who could be used.
Most adults were in the first group, it being inappropriate to call a child name and against his law to harm one. Most of his peers (in a lose sense of the term) were in the groups 2 & 3 some like Anderson and Wilkes. Others like Donavon were in group 2 while Morgan was definitely in group 3. People in group 4 were wimpy people like Molly Hopper, who Sherlock could get what he wanted from.
There were only 3 people who didn't go into these groups and 2 were members of his family. They were Mummy, whom he loved, and Mycroft, his elder brother, who didn't spend much time with Sherlock anymore, preparing for the exams which would take him to a good university, leading to a job in the government like Farther. Farther was in the first group.
John though was a puzzle, which interested Sherlock. Before the only puzzles that could capture his attention were ones that Mycroft came up with. When John first got here Sherlock presumed he would be in the 3rd group. Jon looked strong and most of the other boys resorted to violence, but as of yet when any of the other children started on Sherlock John had done nothing, but he had not yet seen the beatings so Sherlock couldn't be sure. Sherlock was of course hoping he would be in the 4th group but the 1st would be equally acceptable.
It was ten Sherlock realised he had got distracted and John was now looking at him.
"Hey, you're in my class aren't you?" John asked.
"Yes," Sherlock replied "why are you here?"
"Well it looks nice with all the flowers and stuff, I wanted to look around, and were allowed aren't we" John answered rubbing his nose, spreading dirt form his fall on his face.
"No," Sherlock replied
"No?"
"You are only allowed here with teacher supervision" Sherlock replied, watching bored as John looked around
"So why are you here if were not allowed." John asked challengingly
"I find teachers idiots, they don't know anything." Sherlock replied
Too his surprise John giggled.
"What?" Sherlock asked
"You're funny" John grinned and sat down facing Sherlock
"People don't usually say that" Sherlock stated, placing his book beside him.
"What do they usually say" John asked
"Freak, weirdo, things like that." Sherlock replied.
John frowned "who says that, who calls you names"
"Everyone, well everyone our age, adults tend to avoid me."
"Why, that's cruel" John asked.
Sherlock was confused. Why was John, for lack of another word, concerned for him?
"They say that because they are idiots and I am not."
"How are you not an idiot?"
"Because I observe."
"Observe?"
"While most people see, none of them observe. I do, and because they are idiots they hate me for it. They take out there hate though violence and name calling."
"They hit you. Who?" John gasped
Sherlock shrugged, but internally his mind was whirling. John was not acting how he was meant to. He definitely wasn't in group 1, he was making no attempt to leave and was in fact making Sherlock converse. Neither was he in groups 2 or 3, seemingly angry for Sherlock for what happened to him. Neither did group 4 seem right. John was not family so he couldn't be like Mummy or Mycroft…
"Why do they hate your observations?" John asked
"Because I can tell everything about them from their observations."
"Really? Do me then." John demanded smiling.
Sherlock sighed, looking John over, and then deciding that this was the easiest way to see which group John belonged to.
"You live with your mother, farther and older brother. You moved because of your farther job loss due to his drinking. When you grow up you want to be a doctor, but you also want to be in the army, most likely from your grandfather's influence. There are currently a lot of arguments at home, something to do with your elder brother but they try to leave you out of it. The thing you most miss about moving is being farther away from your grandparents"
John was staring at him and Sherlock was preparing to see what group John would put himself in. he hoped it wasn't group 3.
"That's amazing" John exclaimed
Sherlock stared at him. This was NOT meant to happen. He did not fit. He was meant to be angry, annoyed, leave him. No one found his deductions amazing. Mummy just smiled but never encouraged, Mycroft was just like him and just spoke of his faults. NO ONE was meant to praise him.
"How'd you know that?" John continued.
Sherlock stared at him for a bit before he kicked back into action.
"well you moved because you're here at a new school, I know it was because of your farther job loss because you're wearing clothes that don't fit and are worn, second hand clothes, most likely from your brother, this is because your family is earning less money so cant afford new things. I knew it was from drinking because there is a slight smell of alcohol coming from you, so your living with a drinker and coupled with the move, it show why your dad lost his job. I know you want to be a doctor, you show immense concern for when people are hurt and you usually carry plasters in your pockets. Now your hair cut shows military influence, but giving a description of your family, grandfather seems most likely influence. You loved him and respected him so want to follow in his footsteps. Because you have kept you hair short it shows you miss your grandparents, sentiment. Now the arguments at home, they are between your farther and your brother, with your mother in between most likely because of who your brother is dating, your farther dislikes her and your mother tries to stop the arguing. They argue at night to leave you out of it, but it wakes you up, you have bags under your eyes, a few weeks of bad sleep." Sherlock explained.
"Amazing!" John smiled at him.
"Really" Sherlock asked, cringing at how needy he sounded.
"Yeah, so why don't people like your deductions." John asked
"Because their idiots. I can easily see what they've been doing but when I tell them they react violently or avoid me."
"They are idiots," John declared then added "is that why your hiding here, did they threaten you?"
"Anderson was the one who wrote the rude words on the board, he had ink marks on his hand the same colour of the writing, I told Mr Lestrade and Anderson planning to get me" Sherlock confided.
"Right" John replied.
John got up and dusted himself down and then offered his hand to Sherlock. Sherlock just looked at it until John grabbed Sherlock hand and dragged him up. Sherlock quickly grabbed his book while John dragged him out of the garden. Immediately Anderson and two of his friends were next to them.
"Hey freak, I've got detention because of you." Anderson called making his way too Sherlock.
He was stopped by John putting himself between them.
"Move, new kid, you seem ok so if you leave the weirdo alone you'll be ok, we will even let you join out gang." Anderson smirked.
"No" John replied coolly
Anderson started at him for a moment before speaking "you're protecting the freak"
John continued to stare at him, anger and distaste apparent on his face.
"He is not a freak or a weirdo, his name is Sherlock he is brilliant and my friend."
Sherlock stared, John had now let go of his hand but Sherlock was rooted to the spot.
Anderson also stared until his tiny little brain decided to tell him to do what he always did, and went for John. Sherlock expected John to be on the floor, hurt, but he was surprised when Anderson was on the floor in seconds. Anderson was also surprised but as quickly up and tackled John to the ground. The boys were rolling on the ground, punching and kicking, and a crowd had gathered. This attracted a dinner ladies attention.
"Stop this idiocy at once!" screamed Mrs Hudson, the other one of Sherlock favourite people.
The crowd dissipated except for Sherlock, John and Anderson.
"Anderson, John to the headmasters at once, Sherlock you stay with me. Boys I will know if you go there or not and no fighting on the way." Mrs Hudson fumed at them.
While she was talking another teacher assistant, Jeanette had come over and escorted the boy to the headmaster.
"John was protecting me" Sherlock whispered to Mrs Hudson
"Really dear, well I'm sure John will tell the headmaster and I will inform him myself, but still he should be fighting," Mrs Hudson replied "is John your friend?"
Sherlock didn't reply. John was in trouble because of him and that wasn't what friends did, they didn't get each other in trouble.
John wasn't in class for the rest of the day and after school he was whisked home by the chafer.
The next time he saw John was in class but John was late so he scurried to his seat before he could say a word. As soon as it was break Sherlock shot out of class like usual and sat where he did the day before.
"Hey Sherlock"
Sherlock turned and saw John.
"Why are you here?" Sherlock asked
John deflated a little but still smiled
"I'm your friend"
"I don't have friends"
John face fell, and he stood still, looking down and trailing is foot in the dirt.
"Oh, ok then" John turned to leave and Sherlock felt his heart clench.
"Because one person doesn't count as friends does it"
John turned and smiled
"Yeah guess your right"
"I'm always right"
"I have a sister not a brother" John replied cheekily.
Sherlock frowned and glared upwards before shuffling over
"Sit down, you're hurting my neck."
John sat down next to him.
"Why sit here?" John asked "there are pliantly of places why here?"
Sherlock looked at him, weighing his options. If John was now his friend…
"Bee's" Sherlock replied
"What about them" John asked.
"I like them, their interesting, I like to watch them and there all around here. The teachers make an exception for me and ley me here all the time, it means less fights and I stay out of this way."
"What else do you like?" John asked
"Pirates, I even have a ship at home" Sherlock replied thinking of the wooden planks around his tree house that make his 'ship'.
"Cool" John gasped
"Do you want to see it?" Sherlock asked shyly.
"Yeah I'll ask my mum if I can visit Friday if that ok" John replied.
The bell signalling class went off and both boys got to their feet and stated to walk.
"It will be fine, mummy would be happy I have a friend," Sherlock replied then added cautiously "we are friends?"
"yup." John beamed
They entered class together to be met with glares from most the class. Sherlock sat in his usual seat and was surprised when a few seconds later John had put his stuff next to him and sat down.
"Sir, John's moving seat" a winey voice, Jim, Sherlock surmised called out.
Mr Lestrade looked over to the two boys and back to Jim.
"I told John to move, seeing as he was sitting next to Anderson I believed it to be best." Mr Lestrade informed the class.
Sherlock looked over to John, who looked confused; he figured he was covering for the both of them. Sherlock decided that this teacher may be less stupid than the others.
There were murmurs around the class, 'poor John', 'stuck with the freak', 'ha servers him for punching me' and Sherlock was ignoring it. John however did not.
"Sherlock is my best friend so you can all shut up!" John demanded.
The whole class fell into stunned silence.
"Now that's over, we can continue with lessons." Mr Lestrade commanded.
The class got out their books and started to work, although many looked over to them.
"You didn't have to do that" Sherlock whispered
"Yes I did" John replied quietly
"Because were friends" Sherlock asked
"Best friends" John corrected.
Sherlock smiled and pretended to take notes (he had already studied this himself years ago) and decided that there needed to be another group.
5: John Watson