The Mask He Wears

Chapter 1

Rain poured down, making a drumming noise on the roof as Miles organized his locker, making sure every book was in its place. Chemistry, Literature, Debate, Government, Art, all each with its accompanying notebook. He tried to shove his master planner in with them but couldn't quite get it to fit. At his old school the lockers were much bigger. Miles couldn't figure out why his father figure, Mr. von Karma, had moved them from their luxurious home and lofty private school in Germany to some Podunk hick high school in Nowheresville, America.
A girl across the hall shot him a strange look as she stowed her backpack in her locker. Miles had to admit, he stuck out like a sore thumb. His slick dress pants and white cravat which had been very normal and appropriate at his old Berlin academy, now seemed very...well...much. Miles shut his locker, feeling very anxious that there were no locks, and headed to his first class, art. As he turned the corner another boy ran straight into him.

"Watch where you're going!" Miles exclaimed.

"Sorry." The boy looked him up and down. "What are you the governor's son?"

"No." He breathed heavily with anxiety.

"Well, you sure are dressed funny."

Miles scowled. "Maybe I'm dressed like I actually have some class. Unlike you who is dressed as if he slops hogs."

"Woah now! I actually do slop hogs but that doesn't give a new little rich boy like you cause to insult me." It was true the boy was several inches taller and thicker than Miles, who despite eating constantly couldn't seem to fill out. The boy shoved past him and turned into another classroom. Miles sighed; this was already the beginning of a long day.

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Miles sat in art class, briefly twirling his pencil. This was child's play, the work some of his classmates were presenting would not be tolerated for a second at the school in Berlin. Even Franziska could paint better than that and she was nine. The door to the classroom slowly creaked open and a tardy student walked in.

"Sorry I'm late Mrs. Ash I had to make some finishing touches on my project."

"It's alright Esther, I'm looking forward to seeing your work." The elderly teacher looked up through her horn-rimmed spectacles.

Miles stared at the girl who took a seat a few desks over from him. She was taller than average with long curly blonde hair and finely manicured pink nails. What stood out about her the most though was her clothes. She wore a pair of blue jeans with holes in the knees and interesting patches of different places in Europe. On her thigh sat the Eiffel Tower and right above her knee the Parthenon, Miles could see the Roman colosseum above her right ankle too. It was the closest thing to truly eye catching he had seen since entering the school that morning.

"I suppose since Esther is here now, she should give her presentation?" No one in the class disagreed, in fact many seemed relieved that they would have another few minutes to collect their thoughts.

"Oh yeah, go ahead goody two shoes, give your overachiever presentation." A boy called from the back, throwing a rude gesture in the girl's direction.

Esther rolled her eyes, then popped out of her seat, pulling something out of her backpack.

"Have you ever wondered if Picasso and clothes could be combined? Well, I did and after a lot of research and planning I combined the works of the famous artist with the fantastic material, denim."

With that Esther unfolded a pair of old-fashioned bell-bottom jeans to reveal the abstract works of Picasso all over the pants. The entire class gasped, and Miles even blinked. They were stunning, they were the likes of which anyone at his old school would have been proud to display on a casual occasion.

"Esther those are gorgeous. You really went above and beyond." Mrs. Ash clapped her hands in approval.

"Thank you, ma'am. The process was really quite interesting."

Esther went on to tell of the process of painting the denim while Miles kept admiring her project. This girl was good very good, she already possessed talent that he'd only gained through extensive tutoring. Miles wondered what else she was good at.