Sorry for taking so long but I've had much to do lately. :(

But now to the story! ;D

It's the first day of school and the students enters the building reluctantly. They make it look like a death marsh. Lifty and Shifty stands by the bus stop. They have just arrived and now they're inspecting the big school building. It's old and the only building except the mall that's made out of brick stone. It's only one floor and that makes the whole school look like a labyrinth. But it's nothing special about it, just a normal school.

"Well I guess this is it. Here we come hell." Shifty pops the bubblegum he's chewing. He then turns to his twin brother who's biting his lip while keeping his eyes on the school's bullies. They're tormenting one of the first year students by using the poor boy's backpack as a football that they're passing to each other.

They're laughing and grinning at his weak protests. Lifty thinks for one second that it looks like they're kicking his head instead of the backpack. He swallows with a "gulp" and puts his hand on his neck to make sure that his head is still there.

"Lifty, you okay bro?" Shifty asks when he realizes what his brother are looking at. Lifty have noticed that Shifty has started to care a lot more about his feelings. Mybe because they're getting older and more mature.

"Maybe no one will notice if you're discrete?" The older one says popping his bubblegum again. Lifty shakes his head. "The rumors, remember? And what's the meaning with life if you have to hide who you are..?" He mumbles. Shifty blinks a few times. "Dude, that's profoundly." He gives Lifty an impressed look.

Lifty starts to look for people he know. He can see Cuddles skateboarding towards the school entrance.

He can also see Flaky, unsure and nervous as she walks past the bullies. He sighs and looks at his brother. "Come on or we'll be late."

As soon as they walk through the doors to the school building Lifty can feel the familiar school-smell. It's a mix of the greasy school lunch, old books and zit cream.

The both raccoons waves at each other as they takes off in different directions to get to their lockers.

Lifty takes a deep breath as he puts his backpack inside his locker. It's so small he can barely fit all his stuffs in it. He looks at the owner of the locker to his right. It's a turquoise sea otter with wooden legs, a hook instead of a right hand and an eye patch. He's always wearing black pants and a red-and white striped t-shirt.

"Neighbors this year too, huh?" Lifty smiles at the otter who's trying to fit a fish bowl, with the fish in it, in his locker.

Russell smiles back at him, revealing a golden tooth.

"Yar, Like every year mate." The pirate says with a jolly voice. The raccoon guesses that he's having a good day. But then again, he's always nice, even when he's grumpy.

Lifty likes Russell. They're not "friends", more like "friend's friend". They can talk with each other about pretty much anything but they don't socialize private. The locker to Lifty's left belongs to Truffles the pig. The raccoon glances over at it with a wondering look. "You haven't seen Truffles, have you?" He asks the pirate. Russell looks at the locker for a few seconds before he turns back to his own. "Yar, ye know that jack isn't a big fan of school."

It's true, Truffles skip school so much that Lifty barely remember how he looks. 'Guess I won't see him this semester either.' Lifty thinks for himself. His thoughts are being interrupted by the catchy melody of 99 red balloons. He turns around and sees that it's a certain green squirrel who's on his way to class, listening to his i-pod with way too loud music.

Lifty can't help but to smile when he eyes the skipping squirrel up and down. Nutty hasn't noticed Lifty though. But maybe that's for the best, the situation would be rather awkward for both of them.

The raccoon gives a slight sigh, takes out his math book and closes his locker and locks it.

"See you round Russell."

"Yar, yes mate."

And now it begins. Two years of school left before he can get away from this godforsaken institute of disgrace. Maybe he will be all right since he and his brother are known as two "bad guys"? Maybe not.

He knows one who will kick his sorry ass if he gets to know about this. Someone who's as red as the blood of all the pupils he has beaten until they start to bleed and sometimes until he can hear their bones break.

Lifty swallows hard and looks out for the bushy red tail. He has always been afraid of that guy but the red giant have never had a reason to hurt him before. Even if this is not such a good reason, but maybe he thinks so? He manage to get to his classroom without being noticed by any bully. He takes a deep breath and enters the room.

'Here I come hell...'

It's sad that some people have to feel this way. :( R&R please.