Chapter Four: School – Here we go Falcons G-O!
August ended quickly. Senior year at Bow High School was looking out to be almost disastrous. In order to meet Bow High Graduating standards Drake needed to take a junior class; World Studies, pass his Worlds Fair project, take Senior Seminar, and pass a senior project, take another lab science and one more math class –accounting by his choice. He also needed an art and music class –Photography and Guitar. Not to mention the fact that he needed 20 hours community service and career exploration. In addition, Bow High School didn't have D's, an exception they had for his transcript so far, not one now, he'd have to earn C's to get by here. He'd actually have to apply himself.
His Aunt took them all back to schools chopping and Drake hated all the Abercrombie and American Eagle clothing Sarah and his Aunt made him buy. He was not preppy he was vintage-rock. He didn't like baggy pants or shirts that said; Let's go Streaking. He did however buy some flared pants and a few okay button down shirts. Sarah bought him baggy pants and a few stripped polo shirts. He'd wear them with something a little more rock.
The school day started too early here, 7:30 was pushing it that was the time he normally woke up. In order for almost adequate bathroom time, (they had two), he had to get up at 6:00.
"I'll drive you today." Nate said as Drake shouldered his backpack. "I'll show you around, we have a class together; Senior Sem."
Once in school Nate took Drake to his group of friends. They hung in the lobby, outside the mini gym, along with everyone else. It seemed as though, like in any school, the cliques had their designated areas. Most underclassmen in their appropriate hallways, the cool kids outside the 'mini gym' with the climbing wall inside, the geeks/dorks outside the auditorium, the band and music kids in the music wing. Various branches of those cliques clogged the main lobby.
Nate introduced his cousin Drake Parker to his friends. Instantly accepted into their posse, he had the coolness, the looks, the status of Nate's cousin, and the guitar, not to mention he was from California, Bow's idol.
The bell rang and everyone filed into the auditorium for the first day greetings. The principle gabe a speech and they all shuffled off to advisory. Drake had Mr. Melvin the band teacher. Nate showed him where the band room was, then left for his own advisory.
Drake walked in; there were already a few people there. A blonde at the piano a brunette talking to an extremely metro-sexual guy. He saw the pile of backpacks, threw his down, but kept his baby at his side. He stood a little out of the way, used to the stares and whispered by now.
The brunette came up to him a warm smile on her face, followed by two blondes and the metro-sexual.
"Him I'm Natasha." She said overly friendly but he assumed she was like that with everyone because a few seconds later she saw another boy and screamed. "Shaun."
"I'm Chris." The metro-guy said as he shook his hand.
"I'm Timminy the blonde with short hair and athletic build said. Drake noted a group had slowly formed around him.
"I'm Christina." The other longer haired, fairer blonde said. That's when he noticed her, so did Natasha.
"Emmie, love!" she shouted bringing her over. "Meet our new advisory member."
She looked shocked to see him there but smiled and said, "Hi I'm Emerson, or Em, or Emmie, for short."
"And you are?" Christina asked.
"Drake Parker." He coughed; it was strike three with Emerson.
"So where are you from Drake?" Natasha asked.
"San Diego." He stated as Mr. M came out of his office, everyone forgetting about him for a second.
"I have your assignment books, schedules, and locker assignments." He said as everyone gathered around his music stand. "Alright so we have a new family member this year…" Mr. M began as they all turned to look at Drake. "His name is Drake Parker, so go ahead and introduce yourself Drake."
There was a possibility that they'd heard about what happened, it made national news, normally he liked the spotlight, rock star status, but no not this time. He wanted to hide, to die, to not be who he was. But he couldn't, it was the first step to healing.
"As you know I'm Drake Parker, I'm from San Diego California." They didn't need to know that Nate and Carrie Royer were his cousins. "I have a band back home, I sing and play guitar." They didn't need to know he was on MTV. "I like classic rock." He added, this seemed like an appreciative enough crowd.
"Thanks Drake." Mr. M said. And that was that, no one shouted, hey he's the kid from the news, or hey you were on MTV. He was saved, at least for a little bit.
"It seems like I see you everywhere, what classes do you have?" Emerson asked as she took his schedule from his open hands. Finally she spoke to him. She read it intently waiting to give him advice on his classes.
"We both have six off. We also have photography, senior sem, and accounting together. It sucks that you have to take World Studies as a senior, try to get Iraq for your country that's what I had, I can give you ton's of stuff." She said as she handed back his schedule. "I hope you don't get too sick of me." She laughed as the bell rang and she ran over to grab her bag. "It's a Monday schedule today. We go to first period. You have Guitar, you are in the next room over." She said with a smile as she picked up her bag and slung it over her shoulder. "I'll see you in the art room in 45 minutes." She added quickly. She was nice, but not in the way that seemed as fake as the rest of the kids here.
Drake knew well enough that everyone here had their own friends, their own cliques, and that they had all been established way back in Kindergarten. He knew that everyone in this small town knew each other and had already judged each other and he knew that he'd be judged by who he hung out with here. He also knew that his popularity could shatter around him if he made any mistakes, but he was the new kid. No one knew him, he was not Drake Parker from Belleview High. He was not mister popular, mister smooth, he was not the one who got all the ladies here, but then again, he knew he was the most attractive kid here.
Lunch was a different monster here. Drake had period five open so he could eat lunch whenever he felt like it during the whole ninety minutes he had off. Emerson had told him that if he felt like it he could eat last lunch with her. He hadn't seen Nate since senior seminar. Nate had said nothing about lunch.
Drake had decided that Emerson was the only person he really knew here, he also figured it was his turn to play the fate card, possibly, sitting with her, but was it social suicide? She was in Band after all, he knew that back in San Diego band was not the class that the cool kids took, it was what all the dorky kids took. He didn't know about band in Bow. He decided it was worth the risk.
He spent the first four lunch bells in the Library. Dodging the glares of people who hadn't seen his face before. He was kicked out though when he wasn't doing his homework, it was the first day of school, how much homework did they expect him to have?
He got his lunch at the fourth bell; it was the traditional Falcon Welcome back Cookout, which was inside. He got the mushy looking cheeseburger and the watery pasta salad, not worth the reduced price of a dollar for back to school.
She was sitting with a group of friends and waved him over causing a fight when she said he could sit next to her, apparently she had given him someone else's seat. She just told the girl, Ellie, to shove off.
Outside of the classroom she was talkative, then again so was that Ellie girl, who fought with her about everything and who was not the brightest bulb in the box, and coming from Drake Parker, that was not very bright.
"So why did you move here?" She asked when Ellie took a break from their argument to discuss the issues of East and West with a girl named Sarah.
Drake paused, what would he say he was visiting his cousin for the year or that his parents had decided to move here because of business? Could he lie about it? Should he lie about it? Should he tell her, the first day he met her, what happened? He decided that he'd beat around the bush.
"I had some family problems back home so I moved in with my cousin." He explained as her face went ashen, worried she'd asked the wrong question.
"Who's your cousin?" she asked hoping it was someone she knew well.
"Nate and Carrie Royer are." He said as he looked over at Carrie chatting it up with her friends. All of which were poster girls for Abercrombie and Fitch.
"Oh." She said turning back to her food.
"You don't like them do you." He stated more than asked. He'd figured as much when he sat down and they all started talking about photography and their favorite TV shows. Which weren't Laguna Beach and TRL.
"It's not that I don't like them, Nate is a very sweet guy. It's just that I'm not in their circle." She said.
"I'm not at all like them, don't worry." He said quickly hoping she hadn't already judged him as the type to be completely obsessed with sports and or himself. Though he was known to be conceited, he'd changed after what had happened did. He'd learnt real quick that looks weren't ever going to get you away from everything. Sure he could get out of a speeding ticket, or get a hot date in under two minutes, but his looks weren't ever going to save him if he really needed it.
His whole life had turned around that day. He no longer saw life as a game but as a journey. He'd seen it all flash before him that day and it scared him that he hadn't had a single accomplishment that he'd done on his own. It was always Josh who had given him that nudge he needed in the right direction and if it wasn't Josh it had always been someone else. Drake Parker had never done anything for himself, well anything that was worthwhile. He vowed that night when reality finally hit him that he wasn't going to play his games anymore. He vowed that he would change, he'd change for everyone, but mostly so he wouldn't feel the guilt of being the only one.
A/N: Okay so I know you are "all" wondering what the hell happened. I think I'll get to it soon, because I know what I want to have happened, I just need to figure out the proper place and time to put it in. I've alluded to it a lot and just so you know you do find out something more every chapter if you look closely about what happened. I feel that if you pay attention you should be able to figure it out. Thanks for the reviews! I'm glad this is kind of going over well. I'm not sure what I'm going to do between Drake and Emerson. We'll see. I have to think about my hometown a little more.
-Morgan