"Alright girls!" Mr. Burton spouted excitedly. "Nice bouncing- uh I mean… dodge ball playing skills." He stammered.
"Pervert." I hissed, grimacing over at my gym teacher before jogging down the stairs to get a quick shower in.
I wanted to get away from that weirdo as fast as possible.
I pretty much bolted out of the building when I had the opportunity to, sighing in relief once I felt I got a safe enough distance from him. But, even with my quick speeds, the heated glares the jocks sent me as I passed by did not go unnoticed.
"Great, I've been here a total of 3 hours and I already have 12 targets on my back."
As I walked through the school I finally got the opportunity to observe the architecture of the school. Its Gothic designs were beautiful, the small details that ingrained themselves into the old brick building were impressive. If the students who were in this place didn't suck, I might be enjoying my time here a whole lot more.
I had a break in between classes, so I took the opportunity to read through the future assignments I would have to do for English.
"I've read a lot of these before… maybe I still have some of the old essay's I wrote for them…"
"Wow James, you didn't tell me your sister was a complete nerd." Gary's sardonic voice suddenly spoke up.
I held back a sigh, instead lazily gazing up at Gary, my brother, and... some boy who I hadn't met before. I had no idea what happened to him but for some reason, he looked miserable.
"No, no." I began patronizingly, giving Gary a sympathetic look. "You see, I'm just reading... I figured someone who claims to be as intelligent as you would do the same."
Gary let out a subtle huff, and though he tried to hide it. I could tell he was annoyed he couldn't get a rise out of me like he could Jimmy.
"You can be honest with me Gary, can you only read books with lots of pictures in it?" I asked, playfully pouting at the now annoyed be.
Jimmy and the new boy laughed at my comeback, making Gary glower even more.
"Whatever." Gary sighed. "You're no fun."
I simply smiled up at him, collecting my things and shoving them unceremoniously into my bag before standing from my seat. "Is there anything you actually wanted Gary? Or did you just want to bother me?"
Before Gary had the chance to reply, the bell shrilly rang, cutting him off.
"See ya later." I muttered, giving Jimmy a wave before hurrying to my next class.
Which sadly for me, was Geography.
I hate geography...
Geography was bad as it is, Geography with a teacher that hovers over your shoulder makes it even worse. Every choice I got wrong I would hear a lingering comment over my shoulder. Like he was waiting at the drop of a hat to correct me. So, to say I was thrilled to get out of that claustrophobic classroom was an understatement.
But, thrill seemed to be an emotion that was quick to diminish in a place like this... or well, my own actions were quick to diminish it.
I honestly hadn't meant to, I was just a bit zoned out on my locker, leisurely twisting the rusted dial before I carelessly pushed away the steel door. But, instead of hearing the usual cold steel connecting with, well... more steel, a pained groan replaced the metallic crashing. My eyes widened at the sound, before gazing down at it's source. There he was again, Johnny, crumpled on the school floor.
Boy do I make great first impressions.
"I am so sorry." I apologized quickly, kneeling down to Johnny, who was holding his cheek gingerly. "Here, let me see." I add softly, grabbing his hand before moving it away from the injury.
A bright, purple bruise began to blossom on his cheekbone. And before I could fully even realize what I was doing, I gently brushed my thumb against chiseled bone making him wince softly. It wasn't until I locked eyes with him that I snapped out of my dazed state.
I really needed to cool it... how the hell could a boy I barely know make me act so... unlike myself?
I let out a nervous laugh before I stood back up again, not wanting to make an even bigger fool myself than I already had in my mind. "Sorry again, you got uh... bruise." I muttered, sticking a hand down to help him up.
Johnny took my help, smirking at me as if nothing happened. "I'll live, it'll take a lot more than a locker to take me out." He gloated.
"Oh really?" I replied, finding humor in his confidence. He nodded at me, still smirking as cockily as ever. "Well, that hit was nothing... I was spaced out." I added, trying to match his confidence, though it did little to detour his.
"Guess I'll have to avoid you when you aren't then."
My lips curved into a small smile before I turned back toward my still open locker. I took out the books I had been lugging around all day, putting them away in the small space before replying. "You're a smart one." I spoke humorously before casually diverting the subject. "Did you need something? Besides, you know, an injury?"
I could see out of the corner of my eye that his smile lessened slightly and his eyes lost the gleam they had in them before. "I just uh, wanted to say sorry about earlier... and about... her." He explained, almost gritting his teeth toward the end of his sentence.
"Oh." I said lightly, shrugging my shoulders afterward. "That was nothing, don't worry about it.
"She was outta line." He rebutted, now sounding a bit heated.
"Her words didn't mean too much to me I promise, I've heard worse." I reassured him, closing my locker before facing him once again. "I gotta say though, I'm a little surprised you're apologizing for her. It didn't take me too long to hear that you can be just... a little protective of her."
"I usually don't." He admitted honestly. "But you didn't even do anything, we go after people who act like jackasses, or those... damn trust fund babies." Johnny added, his face darkening with hatred.
"Trust fund babies... oh, the kids in the blue checkered sweaters?" I asked curiously, he nodded in reply.
It was like our words were magnets, before either of us could get another word out. One of those "trust fund babies" leaned himself behind me, patting my shoulder suddenly.
"New girl, why are you talking to that greasy sod?" The boy rudely asked me.
I brushed his hand off me, giving the boy an indignant look. "I don't think it's any of your business."
"Scram Gord." Johnny snapped, I could tell he was agitated by the boy immensely.
Gord brushed Johnny off, ignoring him entirely. "I'm way better company than him. And I know I can show you a better time too." He flirted shamelessly, I faltered for a moment feeling uncomfortable at how closely he had leaned toward me.
If there weren't prefects around, I would've kneed him right in the di-
Then suddenly, an idea popped into my head. I smiled flirtatiously at him and grabbed his wrist. "Let me show you a good time first."
My smile turned devious as I roughly pulled down his shirt sleeves and slammed them into my locker. He let out a shriek as he tried to free himself from my locker. Johnny bellowed in laughter as he watched the scene unfold. I grabbed my bag and turned to leave.
"You evil woman! Get me out of here now!" Gord exclaimed angrily, desperately tugging away from my locker.
"No, I think I'll leave you there. That's what you get for being a jackass." I reply nonchalantly.
Johnny and I both walked away from the extremely agitated Gord, who was still yelling obscenities at us.
"I'm going to get killed for that later." I said humorously. "He's pretty pissed."
"Ah, those preps never do much… worst that'll happen is they'll egg ya." Johnny reassured me.
"I don't want to get egged, that sounds horrible." I replied with a chuckle.
"Gettin' egged is nothing."
"Sure..."
As soon as Johnny and I walked outside, I was greeted by the sight of my brother, Gary, and the new kid that I had seen earlier.
"Jade, speed it up and get over here!" Gary's voice called out from a distance.
I fought the urge to groan in annoyance as I turned back to Johnny.
"I better go with them… I'll see you around?"
"Yeah, definitely." He said with a smile.
He walked down the front steps passing by the curious trio of boys.
Gary eyed me with intrigue as I made it down the steps.
I was in all honesty exhausted, the amount of stuff I had gone through in just a few short hours was getting to me.
"What do you want now?" I asked, looking at the devious boy suspiciously.
"We're going to go torture the homeless guy behind the school, so let's move it." Gary ordered, not even bothering if I wanted to follow him and Jimmy or not.
"Uh, maybe my consciousness is talking here but… I don't think it's okay to torture someone who is down on their luck!" I shouted out, watching Gary and Jimmy move farther and farther away from us. "Alright, ignore me then!"
"That is exactly what I said." The nervous boy muttered, shaking his head in disappointment.
"Well, I'm glad someone else here thinks the same way I do." I replied before sighing in annoyance. "We're going to have to follow them aren't we?"
"Sadly, yes, yes we are." He said seemingly just as annoyed as I was.
"Will you two hurry it up already!" I heard Gary shout from afar.
"No! You keep rushing us, we're just going to go slower to piss you off!" I yelled back.
"Whatever!" Gary said, his voice growing fainter the longer he ran.
I looked over at the boy, who still seemed to be nervous.
"Hey," I started making him look over at me. "I don't think I got your name."
"Oh, it's Pete Kowalski." He answered bashfully.
"Nice to meet you Pete, I would tell you my name but I'm sure you already know it." I say with a chuckle.
"Yeah, Jimmy was talking about you earlier." He explained, he finally seemed to be letting go of his nerves. "I have to say, you're a lot nicer than he is." He smiled.
"I get that a lot." I replied humorously. "He's just a bit harder to get to know. Just give Jimmy some time, he'll come around." I reassured him.
We eventually made it to the front of the broken down bus in the parking lot, we went as leisurely as possible just to piss Gary off. But sadly, we couldn't stall time forever. We all stood in front of the bus, looking at it in complete apprehension.
"Well, go on Mr. Torture, you go in first." I challenge.
He scoffed at me, pushing open the bus doors with an ounce of hesitation.
We followed in after him, the place looked desolate at the moment. All that was in there were a few boxes and a mattress on the floor.
"Where is this dirty old perv?" Gary asked as he scanned the area.
"You know, you're not very nice Gary," Pete replied as he approached him.
"And you're a loser Petey, one of life's unfortunates."
"Is it really that hard to not be a dick to your friend?" I asked, getting tired of Gary's cruel jabs.
"Fuck off, Jade."
"Hey! Knock it off Gary!" Jimmy said tensely as he approached Gary. Gary seemed to have realized his mistake, he raised his arms in the air and backed away slowly.
"Sorry, Jade." He sounded like he had been scolded by someone.
"It's whatever…" I jumped at the sound of a new voice, it sounded angry… and a bit drunk.
"Get out of here you little scum!" Gary merely laughed at the drunk homeless man.
"So I guess the rumors are Jade, your dad does live on campus."
"You jerk!" Jimmy yelled out as he tried to attack Gary but the homeless man beat him to it and threw a brick at him.
"Ow! Let's leave this guy to his welfare payments. Come let's get out of here!" Gary took off with Pete following behind him. Jimmy and I looked on as they ran back to the dorm. We turned back around to see the old man glaring at us.
"Just get out of here kids…"
"Why should we?" Jimmy asked.
"Because otherwise, I'll kill you."
"What's your problem?" I asked.
"That's a long story girl… you got any liquor?"
"No, we're 16…"
"What about drugs."
"No!" I exclaimed in disbelief. Jimmy just shook his head in shock.
"Then why shouldn't I kill you?"
"Okay tough guy kill us!" I said raising my arms in a defensive manner.
The man just smiled at us and then chuckled.
"I like you two… you got guts. When I was watching my friends on that ridge in Korea getting killed by friendly fire I could've used somebody like you two."
"Yeah?" I questioned.
"Thanks," Jimmy added.
"But I bet you two can't fight… listen if you two can find me a transistor for my radio I could teach you some moves. These are real moves, real classified moves, real special army stuff."
"Like what? How to get shot by your own side?" Jimmy asked.
"Exactly." The man said as he went to sit down.
I slowly backed away from him, not daring to take my eyes off him until I had reached bus. Once Jimmy had followed after me, I quickly closed it's door, thankful to see that the man hadn't followed us. I had set my eyes toward the dorm, fully prepared to hide out their for the rest of the day. But, once I saw that Jimmy turned in the opposite direction, my plans flew out the window.
"You're seriously going to help him out?" I asked my brother, completely bewildered.
"Yeah, why not?" He replied nonchalantly.
"Uh, cause he threatened to kill you maybe?"
"He's no different than anything kid around here." Jimmy argued before turning toward the auto shop.
For someone who claims he has street smarts, he sure ain't using them right now.
With a huff I followed after him, making Jimmy eye teasingly. "Thought you didn't want to help him out?"
"I don't, but, someone has to keep you from getting murdered, don't they?"
Jimmy rolled his eyes at me. "You're always so damn dramatic."
I elbowed him making him wince away from me. "More like intelligent."
We were able to find a transistor quickly luckily, and quickly got out of the auto shop before the other greasers we had seen before got to... uncomfortable with our presence.
"So-" Jimmy began as we casually walked back to the parking lot.
"So," I repeated.
"Johnny, huh?" Jimmy vaguely questioned.
"What about him?"
"When did you get so friendly with him?
"I just got lost on the way to the gym and bumped into him. He helped me find my way." I reply nonchalantly.
"And he didn't want to kill or seriously injure you?" Jimmy asked curiously.
I shook my head in reply. "Nope, he was pretty nice if I'm being honest."
Before we could get back to the homeless man behind the school, Jimmy stopped me from getting on the bus.
"Look I'm not going to tell you what to do but I think you should stay away from him."
"What, why?"
"I just- uh- well you know how boys think…"
I rolled my eyes understanding why he didn't want me to be around him.
"Okay dad." I jabbed, making Jimmy glare at me bitterly. "You are older than me by 6 minutes yet you treat me like I'm four. I'm not going to get a boyfriend on my first day at a new school. Besides he has a girlfriend, so settle down there James."
I walked onto the bus before he could say anything else. The older man got up from where he was sitting and walked toward us.
"You found one?"
"Yep, here it is."
"Alright let's begin."
This had to be the most... unusual first day of school I had ever had.