I Survived

Chapter Two

Three years.
That's how long it's been.
From what you ask, well from the day I was trapped in a horrible fire and almost died. From the day I woke up in a hospital bed unable to speak because there was a tube down my throat. And from the day I learned my step mom had died and my dad was nowhere to be found. While I mourned I wanted someone to be with me, the kind man from the fire maybe? But he never showed, none of them did. I wanted to blame them for my step mom's death, but I knew it wasn't their fault. So here I stand in front of the Los Angeles Fire Department, Station 41, the exact station where the group that saved my life lived/worked. And I still couldn't muster up the courage to walk in and confront them? Thank them? I wasn't sure which, but little did I know that soon enough it wasn't going to be my choice.
My name is Taylor Jack Johnson and this is my story.

School wasn't that bad, actually scratch that, school was awful! And not like boring awful, it was more like, well bullies.
" There he is! The great survivor " Lucus mocked, he was a very tall, very muscular boy with greasy brown hair and dull green eyes. Five other boys trailed behind him, snickering. If it wasn't already obvious, these were the bullies, Lucus, of course was the leader and was completely obsessed with Taylor. Three years ago when Taylor survived that fire he came out with scars on his face and arms, also no parents so he was an orphan. And that attracted attention, not the good kind though, the bad kind where people stare and whisper, call you names and in Lucus's case hit.
" Hey, you're paying attention to me, " Lucus scowled. Without answering Taylor slammed his locker shut and headed to his next and final class, math.
At school Taylor was a loner and a Freak. No one believed he had survived a fire, they all believed he had lit a firework in his face and had been to stupid to move. Or at least that was the rumor Lucus had spread.
A book hit Taylor in the back of his head, knocking him off balance. Stumbling Taylor crashed into a set of lockers hitting his elbow hard.
" Aw, look, the orphan doesn't even know how to walk. What's wrong Tay, your mom didn't teach you! Or was it your stepmom! Oh wait, they're both dead! " Lucus's gang burst into a fit of laughter. Taylor's chest tightened at the mention of his mom, her bright chestnut eyes flashed in his head. NoNoNoNoNO! He thought, pushing the image out of his head, just walk to math, ignore them, the days almost over, just MOVE! Taylor forced his feet forward, blocking out the taunts being yelled from behind him. He knew he was going to pay for that later, but right now all Taylor needed was to focus on his breathing and subside the panic attack sure to come.
Taylor stared at the page notes in front of him,
Solve the following equations:

1. 7w + 2 = 3w + 94
2. 15 - g = 23 - 2g
3. 4y - 6 = 2y + 8
4. 3x - 7 = 2x + 2
5. 2 - 8g = -2g + 5

The equations were simple, easy to answer. Taylor would already have been done with them if it wasn't for his teachers "no working ahead" rule. This was a "class assignment" that the class "worked on together." The blonde girl who had been working on the first equation finished,circling her final answer. Mr. Winters walked up to the white board, studying her work for a moment before turning to the girl.
"Good job, Morgan. You can return to your seat now." Morgan returned the white board marker to Mr. Winters before happily skipping back to her chair. Mr. Winters began to pace around the room, his dark, beady eyes studying each student.
"Now, who wants to solve the next one?" When no one answered he chuckled,
"We got some shy people, don't we.Well in that case, Taylor..." Taylor jumped at the sound of his name, twisting around in his chair to face the teacher towering behind him.
"Would you so kindly make your way to the front of the class." Mr. Winters held the dry erase marker out in front of him, a smile playing at the edge of his lips. Taylor gulped, taking the marker from his teachers hand and slowly sliding his chair back. Mr. Winters followed Taylor to the front of the class, standing closely to the side as Taylor began to write.