Glass Jaw

Chapter 1

Ryan ~ Age 18

"Who can tell me the two opposing military alliances in World War II?" Mr. Matthews asked from the front of the class.

My hands shot up and I stretched in my seat to be seen from the back row.

"Yes, Ms. Chamberlain?"

I opened my mouth to answer but was cut off by Elizabeth's voice in the front row. "The Axis and the Allies, sir."

"Excellent, Ms. Chamberlain," Mr. Matthews smiled at her.

I slumped in my seat and fiddled with my fingers. I hadn't even noticed Elizabeth's hand up. Although at this point I didn't know why I ever assumed that I was the Ms. Chamberlain that anyone referred to in this school.

Saint Peter's Preparatory Academy was a conveyor belt for society's cream of the crop. Every one of my peers would graduate and go on to Ivy League schools then eventually be the next great CEO or Senator. The teachers here seemed to see me as a threat to their perfect record. A threat that, if ignored, might just go away.

I suppose my tendency to daydream during lectures might have had something to do with it. Or the fact that I habitually forgot to raise my hand before blurting out a random thought. You'd think they would take into consideration that my grades never suffered but that didn't seem to be the point.

From the second I'd been enrolled here, everyone knew I was different. It was like they were sharks in the water who could smell my blood. Sure, I was a Chamberlain by name. Over the years I'd overheard enough snarky comments to realize that wasn't enough. I was the child of the dishonored Chamberlain. The outcasted Chamberlain. The man who disappointed his family and bailed on the business just to traipse around with an actress.

I had made the mistake of saying that I found their story romantic at a charity event once. I thought my Aunt's head might literally explode. Apparently, that had been the nail in the coffin for me with these people. In their eyes, I was the product of bad breeding.

The clang of the bell made me jump to attention as I grabbed my backpack and stood up. Immediately, I was swept away in the throng of students rushing to their lockers. Someone knocked into my shoulder as they shoved past me and I stumbled into a girl nearby.

"Sorry!" I said quickly but she only glared and walked away.

I caught sight of Elizabeth walking ahead of me and a frustrated breath parted my lips. She floated down the hallway and everyone moved out of her way. No one ever stepped on her toes or shoved her because they couldn't even be bothered to look. No one would dare to disrespect Elizabeth Chamberlain. But Ryan Chamberlain? Yeah, that was fine.

A part of me wondered if her acceptance of me would have triggered everyone else's. Her opinion mattered in this school and I guess I just wished she would have used some of that influence to help me. But maybe that would have put her social standing at risk, which would lead to Aunt Felicity's disappointment. I suppose it wasn't fair to expect that of her.

I had never wanted this though. That I knew for sure. I was not a person who operated naturally on my own. I constantly felt unfulfilled because I had so many thoughts running through my mind all day and no one I could tell them to.

My spirit animal was for sure a little otter, like the ones I used to watch at the zoo. I'd always get a kick out of them floating around on their backs holding each other's hands. Sometimes, they'd slowly float apart in their sleep until one would perk up and scuttle back over to their friend. That's all I wanted... for someone to notice that they needed me.