Entering school for the third time, I hold the door open for Mia, who is followed by Jack, Pike, and finally Ves. We just waited for Pike to park his car, and then walk into the school together. Nothing really to it, though it was somewhat inefficient. "So, the only thing we have together today is Bio?" asks Pike to me. I nod my head, and Pike frowns a bit. "Why did you even pick art?" asks Ves. "I didn't," I say, "theatre was completely full. So was music." "Well, I guess it sucks to be you," says Jack with a grin. I lightly punch him in the shoulder. "At least you guys get to do something that you got trained for," I say bitterly. "True," says Mia assuringly, "but art might be interesting. Now you get to try something new out." "Art is anfractuous. It is a complete lack of discipline." "That I can endorse," agrees Mia."Maybe I'll learn to draw my face," I say jokingly."Why would you want to do that?""So I can use it to hide my face of disgust!" I say. We all have
I walk out of the class, the bell not finished ringing over my head. But what is anybody going to do? Suspend me? That would just be what I want. I could hang out at the mall, and still have a great time. Most likely. I hear heavy footsteps behind me, but quicken my pace and disappear into the huge crowd of students and a few teachers. I manage to walk all the way to the entrance. Stepping outside, I wrap my scarf around my neck and make my way over to Pike's car. I approach it and try the door, but it's locked. I look around, but none of my crew is here yet. "Reza," says the dreaded voice. I roll my eyes and turn to confront this kid. He looks down at me with his grey eyes swirling in anger. The dying sunlight catches his brown-blonde hair and makes it shine golden. "We need to talk," he says firmly. "No," I say as I cross my arms and lean against the car, "we don't." "Why are you acting like this?" "Like what?" I ask. I don't look at him. I just look at the schoo
Walking into the Politics classroom, I look around to see if Dane is here. He isn't yet. But he should be soon.Heading over to the table with Ves, Pike, and Mia already there, I set my bag down."Where is he?" I ask aloud."Not here," says Jack smartly as he takes his seat. I give him a fake glare."I figured."He doesn't show up. Until the bell rings. Then he stalks in. He gives one glance but looks away as if I'm nothing to him. He sits down at a table but doesn't even try to acknowledge how I'm literally staring only at him."He's pissed," remarks Ves.I know dammit! Why won't he look at me? He's always staring at me. But now he decides to not do what he does all the time? Great. Just great.The class is about political statements, and what and how it should be delivered. At one point, we all stand up to find random people to practice with. I take it as my cue to get to Dane.Walking over to him, I raize my hand to tap his shoulder, when he stands up and walks over to Mia."Wanna
So, my life with the new school and the new kid friend of mine began. Most of the time I didn't really bite out at people, but occasionally I did. But luckily, I had my crew as well as Dane to get along with.Dane turns out to be alright. He has this sense of morality that sometimes got on my nerves, but I either found a way around them or he convinced me to heed to them. Either way, we had little fights.Today, I have art again. Walking in, I make my way to the table with Dane, as well as Abe. Abe turned out to be okay too. We talk every now and then. He turns out to be a rather quiet and honest boy.I invited him to join me instead of the repressive Stars, but he said he would think about it. His way of saying no. We aren't on the basis of hugging and holding hands, but I guess you could say that we're on likable terms. The other Stars somewhat tolerate me. They don't lash out at me but just ignore my presence.The weather changes bit by bit so that it isn't cold and bitter, and the
The address turns out to lead to a church. An old one too, by the looks of the faded white marble and the cracks crisscrossing the stone surface. The warm spring air blows some of my hair around. I really need to cut it. It's gotten longer since I got here.Funny, really. None of us are religious. Back in the program, they did make us attend sermons and communion in the chapel, but I never took it seriously. My parents were apparently Jewish, but I might as well be atheist. I only believe in myself.Stepping out of the car, we all do a quick survey of the parking lot. There are three other cars here, but nobody is in them. And the trees that surround the edge of the premises seem empty."Let's go," I say.We make our way over to the church. I notice off to the side a graveyard with tilted headstones and rock-hewn angels with dirty rain-water tear tracks. They mourn the loss of now rotting body and bone.Opening the heavy doors, I hold it open as Pike and Ves step in, surveying the ins
The days grow warmer. We recover from the coldness that we had in the car. It turns out Mia was on her period, and Jack on his man-period. Or something. But I understand what they were saying. They both wanted to know what happened to their parents. Some people they cared about. I guess I would care about mine if they cared in turn about me. But not really.After the incident at the church last month, nothing really happened. No team of highly trained professional killers on my doorstep. Or anybody else in my crew. I guess he didn't really have anything that he could do against me, that Mr. Avezedo. He must have lost his office. Or maybe he already had.I don't care. If he comes for me, I'm prepared anyhow.And anyway, summer break starts soon. The April air has turned into days that rise in temperature through the day, and the nights are becoming cool and breezy, the humid air being stirred by the fingers of the summer wind.Walking into the class for Chemistry, I remember that today
June, and early summer rains down on Lonewood in golden rays of light. The green of the pines is firmer, and the smell of pine wanders in the air, like a fly that has been hit but somehow manages to stay aloft.The other trees grow their leaves, shielding the people underneath the harsh rays. Summer break started, and I began to spend much more time with my crew.Most of the time we spend at the community pool. Occasionally at the mall. Nights we sometimes are at each other's houses, playing cards and watching what the normal people of the world watched when they were kids or were 'classics' to them. And yes, there was some booze. I didn't drink most of the time because it hurts my head, and I swoon easily.It's a very big pool and the whole town could go and there'd still be enough chairs and water space to relax comfortably. A good deal of children swim in the pool, and high school kids from Lonewood played in the area with volleyball nets strung across a portion of the pool.Today,
Pulling on my shorts that are a little tight, I walk out of my apartment. The morning summer air is damp, and my shirt does little to keep the chilly feeling off me. The t-shirt that I'm wearing matches the navy blue of my shorts. My little sports bag I sling on my shoulder. I'm not going to work out, but carrying a backpack seems a bit too much. And because I can't wear a jacket, there's not a lot of pockets on me. Hence, the sports bag. It's hot pink, but because I'm just too lazy to go get a new one, and because I don't care about the color, I just use it. It was in the closet anyway. Walking to the curb, I notice the dew on the grass that sparkles like broken glass in the morning sunlight. A warm breeze sweeps through the tree's foliage. Rustling and making that peaceful sound.I see that Pike has his car already parked, and I walk up to it and open the door. "Morning," says Ves. "Morning," I reply. I crawl up into the car and close the door. Buckling up, I nod to Pike