Chameleon

Chapter 1

His first day wasn't the first time Jackson Jekyll had stepped foot in New Salem High School. The last time had been five days ago, the day before Lilith Van Hellscream had been put into a coma. He'd spent the day locked in a broom closet, but in the few minutes he had been able to walk the school freely, he'd fallen in love. He could tell his eccentric fashion sense drew attention, but he was already seated in class, and even though he'd been shoved against the locker for some stupid reason he couldn't even remember, he was proud to say he hadn't been called a slur once.

Sitting next to him was a boy by the name of Semaj. He was on the short side with dark skin and a boyish face.

"Hey," Semaj whispered to catch Jackson's attention. "You're new, right?"

Jackson nodded enthusiastically. "Yep, today's my first day."

Semaj nodded once and surveyed the boy. "You ever think about joining the basketball team?"

Jackson raised his nonpierced eyebrow and said, "Yeah, why?"

Semaj dropped his voice and leaned forward saying, "well, we're down a player. Donnovan broke his leg last week skateboarding. I'm captain of the B team, and my system doesn't work with nineteen players. I need twenty."

"You want me to join?" he asked with a strange vigor in his voice.

Semaj was taken aback by his vivacity. "Yeah. I need a twentieth player. Have you played?"

"I played at my last school," he beamed.

Semaj took a moment to survey Jackson again before holding his hand out. "Semaj."

Jackson shook his hand firmly. "Jackson."

"Jackson," he started, "Why are you so energetic this early in the morning?"

"This is the best first day I've ever had at a school," Jackson confessed.

"I can see why," Semaj snorted.

"Why?" he pouted slightly.

"Come here," Semaj said, leaning over. "First of all, lose the bowtie."

Jackson glanced down at his clothes. "Why?"

"Trust me."

Jackson unhooked the band of his tie and slide it off.

"Now you gotta untuck your shirt," Semaj giggled. "You look like you can't decide if you want it tucked or untuck. Commit. Untuck it."

Jackson obeyed that order as well, tugging his button-down shirt from his jeans.

"Unbutton a few at the top too. You look too stuffy. And roll up your sleeves."

"Why am I rolling up my sleeves?" he asked as though that were where he drew the line while his fingers blindly found and messed with his shirt buttons.

Semaj opened his mouth to answer honestly, but the words caught in his throat, so instead, he just said, "Just do it."

Jackson rolled his eyes. "Fine, but just for this period." He haphazardly unbuttoned his sleeves and pushed them up, showing off wrist bands too retro to be cool and a watch so old timey it made Semaj question who the heck he was looking at.

Semaj smiled at Jackson. Both could say the other was odd, but they embraced that oddity and decided right there: This boy is going to be my friend.