Prologue.
( November 2010 )
April
I shut my locker with my hip and absentmindedly searched through my books. It never failed for me to forget something, so in the mean time I double checked.
"April!"Someone yelled from down the hall. I recognized the voice as my best friend Lola.
"Hey Lo,"I answered her without even looking up. We had this same routine where she met me at my locker and greeted me in the loudest way possible.
"Did you hear about the new kid?"
"Hey April."A random girl said making me look up.
"Hi, I like your hair. But back to you Lo, I haven't heard about it. Why?"
"Oh...well because they say he isn't from here and he's some tall weirdo."
"Tall weirdo? How can they figure that-"I was cut off by a male voice.
"What's up April?"
"Hi Tyler, I hope you guys win the game tonight."I waved at him before maneuvering my way around a crowd of people."But back to you again, they don't know this guy. You should stop listening to rumors."
"April, to say you're popular, you don't hold good judgment. One, that girl's hair back there was hideous. Two, our football team sucks - that you should know and three,"she stopped in her tracks looking straight ahead,"that's the tall weirdo right there."
I followed her gaze until I stopped at a boy who was standing near a class door - my class door actually. I couldn't see his face because his black hoodie covered it. His jeans were skinny, but they were black along with his shoes. I don't judge by attire but there wasn't much to judge anyhow saying that everything he had on was black. He was tall, I give them credit for that. I would say about six more inches over my 5'3 frame. He had headphones in his ear and his back was against the wall. Both of his hands were stuffed in his pockets and his backpack hung loosely on his shoulder.
The loud bell made me jump and come back to reality, seeing he was staring right back at me. I quickly reverted my eyes to make it seem as though I wasn't just staring at him.
"See you at lunch!"Lola yelled running off.
*
*
*
"Good morning."Mr.Vagouchi, my English teacher, announced at the board.
"Good morning,"Mostly everyone answered, but they weren't focused on our teacher. Everyone's focus was on the boy at the front of the class who still wore his hoodie over his head. His earphones were still in so I assumed he couldn't even hear anything.
"We have to get started quick today but I want to first introduce our new student,"Mr.Vagouchi turned to him,"tell us your name son and a little about yourself."
With a small sigh from him the headphones came out of his ears. He put them into his pockets and shrugged a bit.
"Ma' name August, I'm f-"
"August? August what?"A girl interrupted him in reference to his last name.
"August was speakin', das what."He barked.
The class fell silent. No one was expecting him to come at her like that - not even Mr.Vagouchi was prepared. With another sigh August continued on.
"Anyways, like I was sayin' befo' I was inarupted,"August reverted his head from the girl back to us,"I'm August Alsina and I'm from New'Awlins, Louisiana."
