Zak sat in the classroom with an annoyed look on his face. He didn't care that they would have a new student from a foreign country. He didn't care that this person hadn't shown up yet. He was thinking about whatever the Kur stone could be. Whatever it was it must've been pretty important to have a mercenary and his apprentice go after it. He sat thinking about it. He even drew a sketch of what he thought it looked like. He drew a rough stone with odd markings. It looked just like some old rock. But Zak felt as it was more. Like his drawing was reality.
The door clicked. He looked over.
"So our new student has graced us with her appearance. Everyone, this is Wadi. The foreign exchange student," said the teacher. Zak went back to shading his drawing. He wasn't paying attention to his rambling teacher or whatever this girl had to say. He knew all he needed from living with two mercenaries after all.
"Hi," said a voice that was right next to him. He jumped to see the new girl next to him. She was covered head to toe in reds and purples. She had dark pants. Only her face was visible. Zak looked away in a huff. He didn't want anything to do with someone who had just shown up. She would find friends soon enough. He would just hold her back. He had no "friends". No one liked him. He was popular through connections. Otherwise he was avoided.
"Be quiet," he said rudely. She gave him a look. She looked mostly surprised. Not hurt. Shocked and maybe a bit mischievous. She smiled. She pulled out a yo-yo. She then gave it a quick flick. Zak opened his eyes. He looked down. His belt was gone. His pants were still up because he was sitting. He looked over at her. He saw the belt just barely sticking out from her bag. He sighed.
"Give me my belt back," he whispered. She blinked in surprise.
"How'd you know?" she asked.
"It's sticking out of your bag and my belt went missing when you flicked your little yo-yo."
"Oh and I thought I had it mastered," she complained. She had her lip out like a little pouting girl. Which was weird considering they were in the fifth grade. Unless it was common wherever she was from. She had a certain air to her. A bit of troublemaker and maybe authority. He defiantly didn't want to have to deal with her.
"Tell you what," she started, "Give me a tour of the school and then I'll give you your belt back."
"I'm not walking without my belt," he replied.
"Then I guess you'll be stuck there forever," she said with a mocking smile.
"Tu che," he said rather impressed. She tossed him his belt, "You know that this will stop you from making any friends here."
"Why's that?" she asked.
"Because I am a freak with no friends."
"What does that make me?"
"The new girl who is trying to be special but… Wait what?"
"Aren't we friends?"
"I don't even know you. Besides you stole my belt. I don't know how things work over, wherever you're from but friends do not do that to one another."
"Zak! Wadi! Stop flirting back there!" the teacher yelled. Wadi looked confused. Zak's face turned bright red. He had never had anything to do with girls and now he was accused of flirting? He silently prayed the day would be over soon. He was answered with the ringing of the bell. It was lunch time. He quickly put his belt on, the way Doyle taught him, in his seat quickly. Then he grabbed his sack lunch and walked down to the cafeteria. He sat at his usual table. He sat at one end while sci-fi nerds sat at the other end talking about Argost.
Zak opened his bag and looked inside. A normal lunch for him. Spicy red chili, made with ghost peppers, a mango guava smoothie, a cut of bread from a French loaf and an Americanized form of Chinese stir fried veggies. He pulled out his food as a shadow covered his lunch. He looked up expecting to see some jock or the nerds but saw Wadi. She took a seat across from him. Though she probably didn't realize almost everyone in the lunchroom was staring. A girl sitting at the nerd table? And sitting with Zak?
"Why are they staring?" she asked.
"Because you sat at the nerd table and near me, the guy with no friends," he replied taking a bite of his veggies.
"Stop that," she said.
"Stop what?"
"Stop being so pessimistic. You do have a friend."
"Oh yeah, who?"
"Me."
"What makes you so sure we're friends?"
"You are the only one who is honest in this school. Everyone else is way too friendly. As if they have an evil plan for me," she said mischievously, "besides, you're actually interesting."
"Did someone drop you on your head when you were a baby?"
"No. But I was raised in a secluded area in a mountain desert region."
Okay, sure. That explains everything.
"Look. If you want to have a good schooling experience go sit with the semi popular artsy girls. I'm sure you'll fir right in."
"But I prefer history. And I saw your drawing. It looked like a very historical rock you were drawing."
Zak's face felt warm, "It was just a doodle!"
"Sure it was," she said with a smile. Zak could tell she was one for the records. He would get her to leave him alone. He did not need any girl to keep him from having a shot at a mission with Doyle and Rook.
Poor Zak. Please review.