Winds of change
A strong, cool current descends into a sleepy town preparing for the months of hibernation and continues into the red-orange hued tree-lined boulevards from which the current is divided into separate unwieldy gusts. One reaches a couple who stop to hold onto their hats and possessions newly acquired from the shops in the town square. Another meets the aromas from the street vendors making a scented bouquet of the familiar holiday moods - roasted chestnuts; hot ciders; warm pumpkin pies; herbal wreaths
In this compilation, another wind whirls back into the sky and into the trees in search of five special leaves. The first is grasped with ease as a spotted orange-hued leaf glides into the current; the next is taken with force as the green life is still deeply entrenched in the leaf. The other three have to be obtained further into the woods: a deep red one is dragged from the other fallen leaves of a darker, trodden nature, and high above in the rarer, carefully tended trees, a purple leaf of perfect symmetry gently floats onto the growing bundle. Finally, the last is from the oldest trees respected for their heritage and strength in which a silvery blue leaf is offered in gesture to the purpose of this wind's long journey.
The wind carries the leaves from their current existence and into the fray of a new one as they're dropped into a larger collection of unique and different leaves brought from far and wide to play against each other and be part of a significant time.
Garfield Logan
He smashes the leaves into the air and is showered in all the brilliant colors of the cool fall air. He grew up cuddled by his parents since childbirth, more-so since his accident that has altered his genetic makeup (or among meaner people, deformed), which has made him somewhat childish and immature for his age. Even now, his adoptive parents continue to lavish him with affection after his parents' death and the network of friends his parents have gained over the years provide a strong support for his needs. Whether this attention would strengthen him or prove to be a detriment to his growth, only time can tell.
"Wheewhew, do you realize, Cy... this is High School, dude! We can come up with new identities, charm the ladies and be the big man", he cocks his head as he points both thumbs to his puffed chest.
"Ahh shrimp - if you mean they'll be won over by your lame jokes and silly grin, we're in trouble." Vic deflates his buddy back to reality. "Uhh, Cy - you're just jealous. No one can resist the animal in me",Gar optimistically picks himself up.
Vic loves the positive attitude of his buddy of kindergarten. He's been there through the good, the bad and the ugly. Exactly how or when the two have become inseparable friends have been lost to all except that the two complemented each other.
"I here they have a comedy club - I'm going to be the next Chris Rock or Adam Sandler. You know both have sexy wives; and I here they really lived it up!"
"Yeah, Gar - that should do the trick", Vic laughs.
"Seriously, dude. If you get that quarterback position and I become the famous comedian, we are like the coooolest duo to hit high school" Gar trails as he is lost in his fantasies; just then, they hear the alarm.
"I think we should aim for just not being late on our first day, don't you think?" Cy reminds his buddy as he drags him by the collar.
Victor Stone
He's been a quiet kid and probably found his friend's bubbly nature to hide his inability to express himself quite comforting. Further, he allows - no, trusts - his friend to speak for his needs and choices to others. In fact, the two have only their outward habits as a difference since in all other accounts, the two can be considered the same. Victor has had a hard time in life like Garfield but never has a support that his friend has. He watched his house burn down, lose his leg in saving his mom only to see her running back in a failed attempt to rescue his sister. His father retreated into his scientific work leaving Victor to deal with all these losses alone. As if that is not difficult enough, he has been in and out of the hospital for infections that developed on his other limb. Either by denial or stubborness, he would not allow this tragedy to dictate his life and adjusted to the prosthesis. He has become the fastest and most nimble of athletes.
However, his true interest is in technology as he became fascinated with the workings of his first prosthesis as described by a scientist in his father's lab.
The Meeting
The freshmen, wide-eyed and apprehensive, are brought into the Auditorium surrounded now by the rest of the Upper Classes. All the faculty and staff are on stage as the Principal calmly smiles at the impressionable audience before him.
"Welcome to Titan High! This is the beginning of the rest of your life - so make this the best year you can make.
For most, this will be familiar to you and hopefully, a new chance to prove yourselves once again. Let this year become the year you shine."
"Class registration should have been handled this summer - however, any requesting changes or questions can speak to Ms. Quinchsky afterwards in the Administrative office"
The freshmen tentatively look amongst themselves - mostly, to see the mixture of their classmates. Already, they can distinguish the popular kids from the goths, jocks and geeks.
Raven
One girl's cool attitude with sassy sense of style and no non-sense air makes her peers gasp in awe at her. The freshman class has already been divided by their levels. In Raven's opinion, she finds the rest of her level not much of a challenge - even though, she is already in the highest level. She is intrigued by a tall boy who has a commanding aura about him. Victor notices Raven looking at him and smiles.
Garfield tries to pick up his first girl in his level. She happens to be a pretty, blond girl. "So, what you doin' later?" he asks slyly. The blond girl is momentarily shocked by his forward-ness, no his guts, 'does he know who he's talking to' and when she sees his seriousness stifles a laugh. She decides to play along, "Hmm, whatever you're doing." Garfield is completely stupefied, 'Wow, high school is really better than I thought'
Orientation
After the principal's speech, the Student Council President discusses the student agenda and requests each year to provide a student representative for their class to cover the activities, dance and other student life issues for the year as well as distribute a questionnaire for priorities and programs that would be covered along with the student rep's name. The President reminds the Classes this needs to be turned in by the end of the day in the Cafeteria box.
The teachers start to find their classes to bring them into the rooms. Among the agendas
New Kid
Rob crosses from the world of serious adulthood to juvenile high school - at least, that is what he is feeling. In all honesty, high school should just be a younger, sillier adult version of life before innocence has been taken away. However, not all who enter these austere halls can fortunately claim that.
Quite a few come in with stubborn ignorance to that loss, while others hide and yet others force their own stained worlds onto others. Each in their own way will be changed by these truths and forever carry the effects into their future.
"Hey did you hear about the new kid?" Blake, top student of his sophomore class, says to his buddy and rival. Kareem replies, "I overheard Principal Jameson say to Mr. Corrigan he's a child genius, who should be finishing his JD from law school. His father thought he'd be best served experiencing high school life among his peers."
"He must find this all boring then. I can't imagine myself among first-graders."
"Well of course, Blake - you're fifteen and they're six. I'd imagine the three feet difference and nine years gap should have you quite noticeable."
"I mean this figuratively. My, Kareem."
"Yes, I know - I just like seeing you react. However, in all outward appearances, he should fit in with them."
"Outward being the operative word. How long do you give this?"
"Two weeks." "Two Days."
Library
In a dark corner of the library, Rave has been too busy to notice much outside her created world. Due to her quickly gained popularity since her charm and smarts awed her freshmen crowd, she has been elected for almost every representative role of her year.
She has already created mini-committees among her peers for laying the freshmen campaigns. She has truly inherited her father's strategic saavy. If they only knew, she finds all this mundane and would rather spend her time on a grander scale like her father's world. Her closest friend, Donna, walks over to her and says, "Looks like you have competition."
Rave peers up from the carefully laid paperwork neatly stacked among sections before her, "Huhh?"
"There's a new kid who is so smart he's finished with a college degree."
"So what is this person doing here? Research?"Rave snides. Donna laughs.
"You should know since he's in all your classes."
"Hmm, not really. Ms. Kelly and Mrs. Wang have allowed me to skip a few classes since I've finished the assignments for this quarter to work on the campaigns."
"Sheesh, Rave. Go ahead and make me feel more inadequate," Donna grumbles.
She's seen Rave try to vie for her father's attention by becoming the best just as her father is the best in the cut-throat business world. Of course, Donna is the same, trying to rise above her older sister's successful shadow. Rave just seems to do this with much ease and talent. Even now, Donna is struggling in the A2 level, which is just below Rave's group. Both feeling they have something to prove - just not sure if this is to the dominating figures in their lives or to themselves.
Just then, Kori walks in with another smart freshman, Sarah and a smart alec, Tara. Sarah would describe Kori as a girl bursting to come out of her insecured shell- she knows Kori's rough past. Her mom took her to their home after finding her in a raid of a warehouse full of illegal workers - her mom would not elaborate further. Kori came to their home with her older sister, Cammie; however, the two have not stayed together since Cammie showed her abusive side to Kori. Her mom thought it best they be separated. Kori has stayed with Rave, which Sarah has noticed centered the girl. She has become less nervous and jumpy and more bubbly and sweet; however, there is a darkness that she hides, almost seems unaware herself - almost; hardly visible but to Sarah's trained eye is there. Cammie has been less fortunate and wound up in various foster homes until recently.
Sarah herself has her mom's caring and intuitive nature; she hopes to one day unravel the mysteries of the mind and truly reform criminals - her great contribution to Peace on Earth.
Tara, on the outside looks so different from Kori. Although, they share a similarly violent past – Tara's stepfather has been tough on her and abusive – the difference is in their attitude, where Kori absorbed the blows and internalized, Tara fought back and is confrontational. She believes that there are no victims but only pushovers, which she tries to break Kori out but so far just manages to frighten or shock her.
Tara has taken this so far that she ended up so beaten up she nearly died where her stepfather dumped her in a back alley. That is where her new family, a bunch of street rats and stragglers, found her and life started to become smoother. She decides to go to high school not for education but for business.
Ironically, even though she considers herself average among the smart kids she gravitates towards, she has the intellectual capacity to be in their league if given half-a-chance; but life is not always fair. None know about Tara's situation except that she is very independent.
"Seriously, Kori. If you just smack Cammie, she would never expect that from you, and leave you alone from sheer surprise."
Tara has just been saying.
"I..I don't know, Tara," Kori now wanting to hide in fear Cammie or her friends overhear them.
"Great guys. Here is a schedule plan that I'd like you each to accomplish along with the priority and estimated time." Raven states as she starts handing out task lists to the girls.
"Girl, are you insane? This list looks like a Harvard kid's missing syllabus." Tara states ghastly.
All the girls laugh.
Rave sighs in exasperation, her father has always said there is a troublemaker that will break a team's morale - a loose cog on a wheel so to speak.
As Rave gets them back on track and working, Bee comes in halfway through Study period, "I finally made it. Mrs. Wang wouldn't let us go. She had a few of us stay to discuss the Literary Readings Series that she wants us to be involved."
"That's fine, Bee. Here is your agenda", Rave states.
"Ohh, ok. We have a new schoolmate --" Bee begins.
Rave interrupts her in the hopes to keep to the agenda, "Bee, we have much to accomplish - please, no distractions."
"Ohh, Rave, we can do both. Yes, tell us about the boy genius", Donna interjects
Bee resumes" Yes, as I was saying. He seems cool and calm on the outside; the teachers are a bit star-struck. However, he seems unfazed by all the attention."
"Ok, can we get back to the business at hand."