Changes

Chapter One: Learning to look down

Chapter One: Learning to look down

    Cassidy wakes up like he does every morning, to the sound of his alarm clock. He groans as he reaches toward his nightstand to turn it off. His entire being is filled with dread as he recalls what today is. "Cassidy! Get up! I don't wanna be late to school, you lazy jackal!" His older brother -Bernard- yells, surely already dressed and chipper as ever. Cassidy sighs while sitting up quickly, knowing that today will be full of both hateful and frightful glares from his peers. He begrudgingly stammers to his feet before getting dressed and exiting his bedroom as three of his older siblings have been waiting for him. He meets their judging gazes as he descends the staircase. Bernard and his twin -Michael- both shake their heads at him before exiting the house. "Let's go! Annie's been in the car for half an hour waiting on us." One says as the door closes. "What's with this new attitude of yours Cassie? I thought you were turning over a new leaf this year." His other slightly older brother Jim questions while walking next to him out to the car that their father gave Bernard and Michael on their seventeenth birthday. Cassie gives Jim a look, he scoffs in response. "Oh come on, man! You only got picked on once and all of a sudden you're having an identity crisis." Jim states questionably. "This isn't one of those old action movies where the protagonist alters his personality drastically overnight, is it?" Jim asks. Cassidy grimaces at him, not in the mood to have this conversation again. They get into the car, "Isn't it normal for boys his age to act out?" Michael questions, "Boys his age? What about that one time you dated that girl with the Mohawk and dyed your hair pink? That was just last year." Bernard criticizes Michael for butting in. The twins continue arguing the whole way to school as Cassidy sits there quietly in exasperation, looking out from the backseat window as the sky gradually begins to lighten. He gets out of the car before they even park and walks slowly toward the front of the building where the middle school connects to the high school. Cassie waits until they're out of sight before lighting a cigarette as he continues his long walk around the gigantic building.

   A few kids pass him here and there, though nobody tries to converse or so much as give him more than a glance. Once he makes it to the front of the middle school, he tosses his cigarette down and crushes it out with the rubber sole of his tennis shoe. He thinks about it as he's doing it as if this cigarette is the real him being quickly killed off before anyone gets the chance to see it. Cassie looks up as he hears a car door. He thinks nothing of it until he notices a black 1967 Chevrolet Impala pulled up on the curb just across the street from the school. The car quickly speeds away revealing a young boy who -at first glance- looks way too young to be in middle school. Hurrying his way toward the building with a backpack on his shoulder that looks way too big for him to be carrying and a splint on his right arm, Dennis Manchester keeps a watchful eye.

   Cassie wonders what kind of horrible person would let this adorable boy carry this heavy looking backpack let alone walk across the street without holding his hand, so he doesn't get hit by a car or something. As Dennis gets closer, he notices Cassie watching him. Just as Cassidy takes notice of his big green eyes, one of which has a purple circle under it. Feeling the need to continue checking him out, he nonchalantly observes Dennis' soft looking, freckled, tanned skin, and his styled dark brown hair. Dennis stops no more than five feet away from Cassie with blushed cheeks. For a moment it feels to both of them like they're alone together, far away from the rest of the world. Then the late bell rings.

   Before Cassie can blink Dennis is rushing passed him toward the school. Cassie follows close behind the young boy -he doesn't even know the name of- in order to insure himself of Dennis' safety. Fearing that if he doesn't follow him he might get carried away by a giant bird. Once they get close to the building, Cassie walks ahead of Dennis into the entrance where he waits for him. Once Dennis enters the school, Cassie ducks behind the staircase -where he spent most of his first eighth grade year hiding from bullies- and watches Dennis enter the principal's office. This is the moment when Cassie realizes that this boy must be new, "He's probably a sixth grader for Christ's sake!" Cassie tells himself.