Bravaday

New Beginnings

August 17th, 2015

They say your first day at a new school is exciting. New building. New students. New teachers... No new siblings. Jimmy was still the same. He got me kicked out of my last school. He's probably going to get me kicked out here.

-

"Oh, why are you so quiet?" I'm not.

"Why are you so different from him?" Why? Do you want me to start selling spliffs to the kids down the street?

"You better not be like that Jimmy Fosters. Bloody satan's spawn." Trust me, I know.

It's weird being overshadowed by a kid like that. He wasn't intellectual. He wasn't particularly talented in any way either. He wasn't even a looker. He was just my brother. He made life hell.

-

"Charlie! Are you even listening?" My mom unbuckled my seatbelt with a press of her finger, looking sternly at me through her glasses.

"What?... yeah. Sorry. Just thinking about school"

"Well, we're here. Enough thinking, more getting out of the car and going. Don't talk to boys!"

Haha.

"I won't." I shoved open the car door right after my brother had gotten out of the back seat, stepping out onto the pavement.. or sidewalk, now I'm in America, I guess. Ellston High, or something?

I walked toward what I assumed was the front door, taking in the sight of so many fresh faces, generally huddled in groups, talking about god knows what.

"Move it, squirt" And it was the familiar voice of Jimmy, as he managed to shove right past me and make his way to a group of tall kids under a tree, instantly blending in with them all.

Ok. I got this.

Nonchalantly, I marched on up to a group of what looked like.. theatre kids?

"Hey, uh, I'm new" I graced eye contact with a couple of them.

"Oh my god are you British?" A nasally voice asked.

No shit.

"Yeah, I just, uh, moved.."

And the fucking bell rang.

And they all walked away.

-

First two periods were spent doing nothing of interest.

Break time? Nothing. I sat on a bench and drew a rose coming out of the eye socket of a skull. I thought it was pretty neat, if I do say so myself.

Lunch time. I'd collected my food.. Sat down, sketchbook in hand and..

Finally! Someone said something. A tall, lanky guy. He had dark brown hair styled into a quiff and wore one of those Varsity bomber jackets I thought were exclusively available to the cast of a mid-80s coming of age movie about football.. or soccer. The guy had rings on 9 of his 10 fingers and a big cheesy smile. He didn't look like a theatre kid, but he didn't exactly look like someone who was on the football team either.

"Hey! No way you drew that" The guy said as he picked up my sketch book and began to examine the skull I'd drawn. His voice was deeper than I thought it'd be, as if he was hiding all his testosterone in his larynx, or something.

"Oh, hey!" I didn't take notice of the fact he could've just run off with my sketchbook. It was take the risk or be Little Miss Loner for the next year.

"Yea, I mean, it's in my sketchbook. I didn't just get some kid to like, sketch it for me and then keep it in my sketch book. How stupid would-"

"Oh shit! Can you draw me?"

I paused, pursing my lips. He looked so hopeful.

"Yeah.. sure. Can I eat first?"

"No shit. I'm Kevin" the kid slid into the opposite side of the bench I was sat at, holding a hand out over my meal tray. I took hold, shaking it with a grin. He didn't exactly have a 'manly grip', but his fingertips were calloused as if he played guitar.. or liked sanding things.

"Hey Kev, I'm Charlie. I can call you Kev, right?"

"Shut up and give me your number, Lie"

Y'know, maybe this new school wouldn't be so bad. As long as I had little ol' Kevin to keep me company.

//

P.S. Billie's on his way 🙂