Chapter 2: Chapter 2: New Kid in Town

Monday, May 9th 2005

 

Whack!

Ahh… what the hell’s that sound?

I woke up to the sound of my mom bustling around in the kitchen. I groggily dragged myself out of bed and made my way to the kitchen, where I found my mom and dad sitting at the table, drinking coffee and looking at me expectantly.

"Good morning, John," my mom said with a forced cheerfulness. "We have some news for you."

I groaned inwardly. Great, just what I needed on my first day in this new town - more bad news. My parents had sprung the whole "surprise, we're moving!" thing on me just a week ago, and I was still struggling to come to terms with it.

"What is it?" I asked, trying to keep the resentment out of my voice.

"Well," my dad began, "we know it's been hard for you to adjust to the new town, but we just wanted to let you know that we moved for a reason."

"What reason?" I asked, crossing my arms over my chest.

"We think it will be a good opportunity for you to have a fresh start," my mom said. "A new town, a new school - a chance to reinvent yourself."

I snorted. "Like that's going to happen. I'm just going to be the new kid, the one everyone picks on because I'm different."

This town doesn't get new people often, and it's not very well known. I wasn't sure how accepting the locals would be.

"It won't be like that, John," my dad said. "You just need to give it a chance. You never know, you might make some new friends."

I doubted it, but I didn't say anything. I finished my breakfast in silence and got dressed for my first day of school. As I walked out the door, I couldn't help but feel a sense of dread settling in my stomach.

As I walked to school, I couldn't help but feel out of place. Everything was so different here - the houses, the streets, the people. I felt like I stuck out like a sore thumb.

Just as I was about to cross the street, I heard a loud honking and a scream. I turned to see a speeding truck barreling towards a girl who was crossing the street, her back turned to the oncoming vehicle. Without thinking, I sprinted towards her and grabbed her by the waist, pulling her out of the way just in time.

The truck screeched to a halt, and I turned to see the driver shaking his head disappointedly. 

…Weird.

I thought to myself, surprised by his reaction. I would have expected him to be relieved that he didn't hit anyone.

The girl I had saved turned to me with a grateful smile on her face. "Thank you so much," she said, panting. "I can't believe I almost got hit by that truck."

"No problem," I replied, still trying to catch my breath. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine," she said, grinning. "I'm just happy to be alive."

This girl… She had medium-length brunt orange hair with her hair tied into a ponytail. Her eyes are lavender blue and she has a trim figure and a large bust. She’s also wearing what looks to be a school uniform.

She then started looking at me closely, as if she was examining me. "Hmm, I don't think I've ever seen you before. Are you new around here?"

"Yeah, I just moved here a week ago," I said.

She made an excited expression. "My name is Emily. What's yours?"

"I'm John," I said, shaking her hand.

"Nice to meet you, John," Emily said. "Do you mind if we walk to school together? I'm still feeling a little shaken up. I could use the company."

I chuckled. "Sure, that's fine."

Despite saying that, Emily didn't really look shaken up at all.

As we walked, Emily chattered away happily, telling me all about the town and the school. She was a strange one, seeming so bright and cheerful despite almost getting hit by a truck. I couldn't help but wonder how she could be so positive after such a close call.

…Weird.

As we walked, I couldn't help but take in my surroundings. The city was small, but bustling with activity. The streets were lined with quaint, colourful houses and there were people milling about everywhere - walking their dogs, jogging, chatting with neighbours. It was a far cry from the city I was used to, where everything was loud and busy.

Despite my initial reluctance to move, I have to admit that this place had a certain charm to it. Maybe my parents were right - maybe this was a good opportunity for a fresh start.

"So, what do you think of the town so far?" Emily asked, grinning up at me.

"I don't know," I replied, shrugging. "It's alright, I guess. I'm still getting used to it."

"Oh, come on," Emily said, elbowing me playfully. "It's a great town! The people are friendly, the weather is always nice, and there's always something to do. Plus, our school is really good. We even have a great baseball team!”

"I don't really like sports," I said, trying to suppress a sigh.

"Well, that's okay," Emily said, unfazed. "There's plenty of other clubs and activities to get involved in. I'm sure you'll find something you like."

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I couldn't help but roll my eyes at her enthusiasm. It was like she was trying to convince me that this was the best place on earth.

"I'm not so sure about that," I said. "I've never been good at making friends. I'm kind of a loner."

"Well, that's just because you haven't found the right group of people yet," Emily said, still smiling. "I have a feeling that's going to change here. You never know, you might even make some lifelong friends."

I highly doubted it, but I didn't want to rain on Emily's parade. She was just trying to be nice, after all.

As we approached the school, my nerves started to kick in. I had always been a bit of an introvert, and the thought of starting at a new school filled me with dread. What if I didn't make any friends? What if everyone hated me?

But as Emily and I walked through the doors of the school, I found myself feeling a little bit more hopeful. Maybe this wouldn't be so bad after all.

Her positivity seems to have rubbed off on me… yuck.

As we walked into the classroom, I saw Emily going over to her desk and begin chatting with a few of her friends. I couldn't help but feel a twinge of jealousy as I made my way to an empty seat. I had always struggled to make friends, and I wasn't sure if I would be able to fit in here.

I sat down in the empty seat next to Emily and waited for the teacher to arrive. As the minutes ticked by, I found myself fidgeting nervously. I hated having to introduce myself to the class. It always made me feel like I was being put on the spot.

Finally, the teacher arrived and called for everyone to quiet down. "Good morning, class," she said with a smile. "We have a new student with us today. Would you like to introduce yourself, dear?"

I stood up slowly, feeling the weight of everyone's gaze on me. "Hi, my name is John Fairfield," I said, trying to keep my voice steady. "I just moved here from the city."

"Welcome to our class, John," the teacher said with a warm smile. "I'm sure you'll fit right in."

I sat back down, still feeling a bit nervous.

After class, Emily showed me around and introduced me to some of her friends. I tried to be friendly, but I couldn't shake the feeling that I didn't belong. I was the new kid, the outsider, and no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't fit in.

As the school day went on, I tried to make friends, but it was no use. No one wanted to talk to me, and then came lunchtime.

I didn’t want to intrude on Emily and her friends, so I decided to sit by myself. As I ate my lunch, I couldn't help but reflect on my experience at the school so far. It wasn't looking like it was going to be much different from my old school. I had always struggled to make friends, and it seemed like that was going to be the case here as well.

As I was lost in thought, I couldn't help but think about the truck driver that had tried to hit Emily earlier that morning. Something about the way he had acted seemed off to me. Most people would have been relieved that they hadn't hit anyone, but he had looked disappointed. I couldn't shake the feeling that there was something more to the incident than met the eye.

As I finished my lunch and made my way back to the classroom, I was lost in thought. I barely noticed the commotion happening in the classroom until I heard a voice that stopped me in my tracks.

"Do you really think you can just sit there and act like you're all innocent?" A girl's voice cut through the classroom, sharp and accusatory.

"Leave her alone, Sarah," a soft, feminine voice said. "You don't have to be so mean."

I turned to see a beautiful girl with long, straight black hair sitting on the floor, groaning in pain. Sarah, a girl with blonde hair and piercing ocean-blue eyes was towering over her, sneering and saying cruel things.

I couldn't just stand there and do nothing.

I marched over to the two girls and stood between them, blocking Sarah's view of the other girl. "What's going on here?" I asked, trying to sound confident.

Sarah sneered at me. "This is none of your business, new kid," she spat out.

Sarah looked like she was about to argue, but the other girl spoke up before she could. "It's okay," she said, laying a hand on my arm. "I can handle myself."

I looked at the girl, noticing the determination in her eyes. She was right, she didn't need me to fight her battles for her. I nodded and stepped back, letting her handle the situation.

Sarah looked at both of us with a mixture of anger and disbelief. "Fine," she said through gritted teeth. "But this isn't over."

She stormed off, leaving the other girl and me standing there in the corner of the classroom. I turned to her, feeling a bit awkward. "Sorry, I didn't mean to interfere. I just couldn't stand by and watch that happen."

The girl smiled at me, her eyes sparkling. "No need to apologize. I appreciate your help. My name is Lily, by the way."

"I'm John," I said, returning her smile.

"Nice to meet you, John," Lily said. "And thanks again for standing up for me. Not many people do that around here."

I shrugged. "I just couldn't stand by and do nothing. No one deserves to be treated that way."

Lily nodded, a look of gratitude in her eyes. "Well, I better get back to class. See you later, John."

"See you," I said as she walked away.

I couldn't help but feel a sense of pride as I made my way back to my seat. Maybe I was starting to fit in here after all. And who knows, maybe Lily and I could become friends.

As I sat down, I couldn't help but wonder what Sarah's threat meant. Was this really over, or was there more trouble to come? I couldn't shake the feeling that this was just the beginning of a long and difficult conflict that would lead me down a deadly road.

…Weird.

---

To Be Continued ⇒ Chapter 3: The Feeling of Getting Your Teeth Kicked In 

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