Chapter Two – The New Kid

As Josh pushed opened the door, he saw the most bland chemistry laboratory he'd ever seen. He was expecting Chemical set ups and demonstrations ready to be shown and lectured on. But he saw eight tables, all with sinks in the middle, gas and air pumps, and four chairs around them. The tables were shaped like a "+". He already saw a few students sitting at seats around the room, he walked up to old man who he assumed to be the Professor.

"Hi." Josh said, smiling. The Professor looked at him and just stared. "Uh," Josh continued, "Do you need to sign this?"

"What is your name?" The man asked.
"Josh, Joshua Halliwell."

"Well, Josh Joshua Halliwell, how much intelligence does it take to see that there is a sign in sheet and place to put your schedules in the table next to mine?" He barked.

Josh walked over to a smaller desk that was next to the Professors desk, and could have been easily missed. "Well if it was higher I would have seen it." Josh said.

"Mr. Halliwell," The Professor's head shot up, "Would you like to go see Headmaster Winston, cause I think there is a spot in the office for a smart ass like you."

Josh sighed and put his schedule down and signed a paper. He saw a table chart and looked for his name. He saw he was a table where no one else was assigned, he didn't feel like pushing the old mans buttons so he walked to his seat. As he walked over he noticed a few people watching him, and he put his book bag down and his notebook ready to take some notes.

"I haven't seen you around before." Said another boy coming over with shaggy brown hair but a polished uniform.

"I am new." Josh replied back, but he had an uneasy feeling about this kid.

"Ah, Where you from?"

"Haven High."

"A Public High School?" The boy said with disgust.

"Uh yeah, my name is Josh. What's-"

"Wannabe." The boy said walking off ignoring his gesture. Josh put his hand down and heard a few kids laughing, he didn't look but he was pretty sure it was at him. He heard a few taunts about a "High School Kid" and "The New Guy." The Bell rang and the Professor closed the door.

"Alright listen up children!" He barked, "This is Chemistry, I expect Superior effort and Zero tolerance for animals." He then sneered at Josh. "Any missing assignment will result in a swift and fast punishment from me. Homework is mandatory!" He said pounding his desk, "No excuses! I expect everyone has read Chapters 1 & 2?" He said looking around, everyone was shaking their head except Josh, "And those who didn't read it." He said looking at Josh, "Will need to realize that this school is for gift, and those who don't do the work, shouldn't be here. And probably cheated on the entrance exam." He then turned to the rest of the class, as everyone else was sniggering at Josh, "My name is Professor Rosald, and I don't care what you're names our. I am passing out the tests now. Silence!"

Fifty minutes later to Josh's relief the bell rang, and as he made his way to the door, many pushed him aside or said "Out of the way!" And yet he was last out. He walked out, keeping his head low and then someone tapped him on the shoulder. Josh turned and looked at a blonde boy about his height. He had longer blonde "surfer" hair, brown eyes, and a nice aura about him.

"Sorry about that kid, most of these kids are spoiled."

"Yeah, I figured." Josh said, he then walked on, not feeling sociable. But the boy walked up with him.

"Not everyone is like them, some people at this school give you a chance." He said.

"Well you guys have been real convincing about that." Josh said looking up, but not at the other boy.

"My name is Chad. Chad Winston." He said putting his hand out. Josh stopped, and looked at Chad for a few moments.

"My name is Joshua Halliwell." He shook his hand, it was warm; almost welcoming.

"Nice to meet you Josh."
"Isn't Winston the name of the Headmaster."

"Yea, he's my dad. He's never home, and he's as shallow as the other teachers here."

"Ah, okay."

"What do you have next?"

Josh pulled his schedule out and looked, "Spanish."

"Oh, I have Calculus. But hey, maybe we'll meet up at lunch, me and few friends eat in the garden and leave our trash on the statue, you're welcome to join us."

"Thanks, I'll consider it."

"Awesome, I'll see you later then."

"Okay, bye!"

"Bye!" Chat smiled and walked off toward the math building, Josh went the opposite direction towards the English & Foreign Language building.

Chris drove back into Hollows Hill, he looked around at the very small town. Living here, he didn't miss San Francisco, it was the escape from everything. No busy city life, cleaner air, the stars night were amazing. As he drove up to where he worked, the nationally acclaimed, Spell Caster restaurant, it was a white building, very contemporary, and had two large windows in the front with an old fashion duel French doors and a patio area on the outside, behind a gothic waist high railing. He parked his car around the back and walked in through the employee's entrance.

Once Chris walked through, he saw his blood, sweat, and hard work of six years. The Spell Caster Restaurant was the finest of Hollows Hill and the State of Connecticut. Nationally ranked in the top fifty restaurants in the country, the inside was more then he or anyone could have seen just from the outside. There were nearly one hundred tables with white table cloths, black iron chairs with white coition's, a bar laid in the middle of the restaurant with high stools made of steel, one side of the restaurant had second level that went about five feet above the floor, usually for private parties and meetings.

"Christopher," Said a Woman's voice coming from the kitchens behind him. He turned and saw a rather tall, woman with Reddish-Brown hair and deep brown eyes. His business Partner Nora. "Someone didn't place the order! We didn't get this morning's delivery didn't happen."

"Did you check our records? Cause I placed that order last night." Chris replied.

"Are you talking about the order still on the computer screen?" She snapped.
"What?" Chris then walked passed Nora and pasted the kitchens and into the Office. It was a very comfortable office with two desks, and two computers. Chris went to his and saw the order for food was still pending to be sent.

"Oh man!" Chris said, he picked up the phone, "I'll call them and see if we can still get it, I'll pay for Rush Delivery. Can we get through Lunch?" He asked Nora.

"Yes,"

"Good. Mike, hey buddy!" Chris said into the phone, "Look, we have a dilemma, I was so busy to get out of here for my son last night, that I forgot to submit the order. Can I send it in and pay the rush charges? – I know it's an extra 30 - Yes I know that too. Look, I don't care, can I get it by 2pm? – Thank you Mike. See you this afternoon buddy." He hung up the phone, "We got it."

"Excellent." She said, "How is Josh?"

"He's good."

"First day jitters?"

"Yeah I could tell he was nervous." He replied.

In the bathroom, a man with blonde curly hair appeared. He had blue eyes, a very muscular body for a man in his mid thirties, and standing tall. Wyatt Halliwell, looked over the brim of the bathroom stall just to make sure no one was in there. He then walked out, and stood in his usual Ocean Blue button down shirt with a white undershirt, black dress pants with die and polished shoes and the Dior Sunglasses. Wyatt had finished his years at UC Berkeley and got his degree in Sports Medicine and now is in partnership with his own Sports Medical Firm for the Youth.

He walked out of the bathroom and into the restaurant. He still stood at amazement most times he came back at the Spell Caster, he whistled. He then heard two people talking as they walked out and he saw Chris and his business partner Nora.

"Baby brother!" Wyatt said, arms extended taking his sunglasses off.

"I have a phone call to make." Nora said before disappearing back into the kitchens.

"Wyatt!" Chris said walking up hugging him. "How are you?"

"I am good. How are you? How was everything this morning?"

"Everything went great. Josh and I had a debate on Presidential politics-".

"Do you always where this to work?" Wyatt asked looking at Chris in his jeans, sneakers, white shirt and leather jacket.

"Uh yeah, well its morning, we don't serve breakfast." Chris said

"Umm." Wyatt said, he then snapped his fingers and blast of magic Chris was wearing a polished suit and shoes, and sunglasses. "Hey! – Whoa." He said looking at himself in a mirror reflection from the bar, "Nice."

"That's more like it." Wyatt replied, "And you're clothes." He picked up a grocery paper bag, "Here you go."

'This is smooth, I like this." Chris said admiring his new suit.

"So, you and Josh had a debate this morning on politics? Can you imagine us at his age?" Wyatt said sitting at table.

"If I recall at sixteen you were a prideful jock and I was a new father."

"Ahh, the good ol' days."

"You, I guess." Chris replied, "Just playing, I miss those days."

"I bet you do, Waking up three to four times a night, to those pair of screaming lungs." Wyatt smiled.

"He did have a set of lungs that's the truth." Chris replied, taking his sunglasses off and sitting back. "I wanted to thank you so much again for paying for Chapman for Josh."

"Oh it's no problem. He's my nephew I got to spoil him."

Chris laughed. "How are you and Alicia doing? Am I going to see any nieces and nephews yet?"
"Two! Both girls." Wyatt smiled, "that's one of the reasons I came here."

"Oh! How do you know?" Chris asked, "Wait – never mind, look who I am talking too."

Wyatt laughed.
"How far long is she?"

"About three weeks." Wyatt replied. "We celebrated last night – and this morning."

Chris rolled his eyes. "Have you thought of any names?"
"I want Bryn and Summer to be the names, but she's not sure yet."

"Cute names." Chris said.

"Cute? Wow." Wyatt replied.

"So what are you doing today?"

"Oh nothing much, I had a patient earlier this morning and then I came here to chill with you guys."

"Oh cool, cool."

"Hey I was wondering," Wyatt began, "Could I pick Josh up today?"

"Uh I promised him I'd be there, but you can come with."

"Awesome."

"Until then, you can help us in the back with stuff." Chris said getting up patting his brother on the back.

Josh left his English Literature Class, with the same reaction as in other classes.

"I expect all of you read? Cause I am passing out a test. I want Silence!" He must have left the most remarkable first impressions. Spanish and English were okay cause he reads a new book every few days and he's been studying Spanish since he was about seven years old. As he looked around for the lunch lines he saw them off to the side behind the Science buildings. He went the cart and was greeted with the first smile he'd seen all day.

"Hello dear," the brown hair lunch lady asked. "What can I get for you?"

"Just a turkey sandwich please and diet coke."

"Four dollars sweetie." She said. Josh reached into his wallet and gave her the money. Then as she put the sandwich and soda on the counter for him to take. "Take care!" She said.

Josh walked with his lunch and he looked around, he saw the brown hair kid from his Chemistry class and his gang of friends. They all looked at him, then they rushed into conversation and seconds later laughing. He walked into the gardens he saw when he first walked into Chapman Preparatory, and saw it was the place to be at lunch. He walked to the Bronze statue and sat on of benches he looked around for Chad. But he never came.