Chapter 1
The first day of school. Junior year. So much fun, right?
I was just bored. Going back to that school with OK teachers and kids who were scared of me, that school I had been suspended from, and hadn't been back in months. Until now.
Lunchtime. When the school breaks into the cliques, the groups of friends. I went over to the long, low wall around the courtyard. I sat down. There was one girl there, Asian, eating lunch and doing her homework. I think she's the girl Rolly likes. The one who punched him.
Another girl walked over. She was average height, with blonde hair. She probably had blue eyes, but I couldn't tell. She kept her head down as she came to the wall and sat down between me and the Asian girl. She looked frightened, busily unpacking her lunch, as though she didn't want to look up and acknowledge that she was here. She glanced around, catching eyes with that popular girl, Sophie. Sophie gave her a tight-lipped smile, as though making fun of the blonde girl. I never minded other kids' reactions to me, but I could tell about this girl: she cared.
I finally remembered the girl's name as she glanced at me. Annabel something. Greene. Annabel went back to her lunch momentarily. She didn't seem as frightened of me as most kids were. I knew I looked scary; I'm big with broad shoulders. And everyone had seen me hit that jerk Ronnie last year. Still, I hoped I didn't seem too scary, especially to Annabel. That thought took me off guard. Why was that? I felt like I wanted to get to know her. She was very pretty, but she also had this feel of the kind of person who understands you. Who will listen. Who cares.
I watched as Annabel looked at the Asian girl, looking like she wanted to say something. All of the sudden, the girl stiffened, picked up her bag, and left.
Annabel looked down quickly, and kept eating. I once again floated into my music.
When there was about 5 minutes left in lunch, I noticed Annabel stiffen, looking a red Jeep with an odd expression. No, not the Jeep, the driver. Maybe she had a crush on him. On his face, there was no hint of recollection. Finally, he pulled his car away. Annabel then turned, one hand on her mouth, and vomited in the grass behind her. Not a crush then. That guy made her sick for some reason.
She looked up. She and I were some of the last people in the courtyard. I met her eyes, and she looked away quickly. In her eyes there was confusion and fear. But I didn't think that fear was of me. I got up and walked to class.