The Books of Delusional Teenagers Book One

It Wasn't My Fault - Noah's POV

For the record, none of what happened was my fault. It was the other guy's. All I was doing was drawing. I'm not saying what. But anyway, I was a student at Echo Valley Public High School. Notice how I said was. So I was just in a tree. Technically, I wasn't aloud to be, but all the punks can't climb it, and it's nice and empty up there. 

Where was I? Oh right. For context, no one at my school likes me, and I don't like them. It's a good balance, except for the fact that it scores me a lot of bullies. A. Lot. Which just so happens to be how I got booted out of school. 

 I was just hanging out in my tree, of which I named Nico, and with my sketchpad in my hand, lunch was going relatively nicely. Until Adam, a tall boy with a muscular build, pulled me out the tree by my leg. Ow.

I fell onto the ground, my sketchbook landing right next to me. Great. I got up and leaned against the tree, pain shooting through my body as I did.

"What do you want from me, Jack?" I began, before I felt a fist in my gut. They normally at least said something before hitting me. I groaned, sliding down the tree as he pulled away.

"Do I get an explanation for that?"

"You've been making moves on Lily again, don't deny it." He stared down at me. What a sadistic prick.

"I'm sorry, I don't know what you're talking about. Who even is Lily?"

"My girlfriend, dumbass. And I said don't deny it, didn't I?"

"But I don't know her! I've never talked to her before!"

Well, I couldn't avoid it much longer. The bottom of his shoe hit my face. Again, and again, and again. He crouched down. I got the feeling I was gonna end up like Yoshino, from Jujutsu Kaisen. I already looked the part. Instead, he just grabbed my collar of my hoodie and lifted me off the ground. Why did I have to be so short? I was literally eye level with him, but I was several inches off the ground. I managed to speak, my voice quivering.

"I promise, I've hardly even seen your girlfriend in the halls, I'm not flirting with her!"

"Bullshit." He sneered at me.

Now you're probably wondering how me getting beaten up got me booted out of school, and to that I say, I don't know. Probably because I tried to beat him up, and nobody listened to me when I said he started it.

Just minutes later the two of us were sitting in the principals office, her beady eyes staring down at us. She tapped her nails on the desk before speaking, her tone cold and stern.

"Who started it?"

Before I could even open my mouth Adam spits out,

"He did."

"Wha- no I didn't," I stammered, "You pulled me out the tree!"

"False. I was sitting under the tree and he jumped down on me. Noah wasn't even suppose to be in the tree!"

"Is this true, Mr. Ren?" The principal shifted, her cold stare to me, her eyes like daggers.

"No!" I protested, "Well, the tree part is true, but he attacked me first!"

Adam and I began to argue before he states that he has witnesses. His friends. This day just keeps getting better and better. 

I got asked to go stand outside the office. I huffed but obliged, walking out and slumping into the chair that was next to the door. Seconds felt like minutes and minutes felt like hours. They had apparently called my dad, because I saw his car in the parking lot through the window. Oh, boy, was I gonna be grounded. 

My father, a tall man, unlike me, walked in. We looked nearly identical, except he was six-foot and I was five-three. Same fluffy black hair, same green eyes, same pale skin. 

 He spotted me and took the chair next to me. This wouldn't go well. 

"What is it this time, Noah?" He asked 

"I got... pulled out of a tree and beaten up." 

"I'm guessing the same thing happened as last time?" 

He was talking about how Adam had all his friends claiming to be 'witnesses', and shifting the blame all on me. In case you're wondering, that's how I've gotten expelled from most of my schools. 

"Noah, this is the third school in two years. If this keeps happening, you're gonna run out! You know damn well I can't homeschool you." 

"I know. it's just... not my fault... I tried to avoid them as best I could." 

My dad just sighed. He knew I was telling the truth, but he did have a point. He couldn't leave New Jersey for anything, even if it was for my school. 

The principal walked out, and looked at my dad. 

"I'd like to have a word with you. Privately." She said, holding the door open for him. 

Adam and his friends walked out, sitting across from me. But I wasn't focused on them. I was focused on trying to hear what she had to say. I could faintly make out the words 'another school' and 'expulsion'. 

I knew it. Adam and his cronies had gotten me kicked out of school. I heard yelling followed by my dad storming out and grabbing my arm, pulling me along with him to the parking lot. We got into the car, he started it, and began driving home. 

"So... I guess I'll get my stuff-" 

"Later." My dad interrupted, "I'll pick it up for you later." 

 "Cool... I guess." 

"The principal said she had a school recommendation for you. More like they requested you while you were there." 

"Let me guess, juvie? No, adult prison. I got it, didn't I?" 

"No. It's called Hunter G. Warren Private School. Apparently you'll love it there." 

"Oh... okay. A private school. Got it." 

The drive back home felt like forever. Forever translating to twelve minutes. My dad parked and I walked in through the garage, which was cluttered with canvases, kid and adult paints and my amps. What a mess. 

I ran up the stairs to my room and flopped on my bed. I groaned and took out my phone, beginning to scroll until I fell asleep.