Class 11A

Chapter 3: Pressure Points and New Friendships

Lin Kessler sat in the cafeteria, poking at his food with his fork, his mind elsewhere. Across the room, Rodey was laughing with Kelly, and Lin couldn't help but feel that familiar knot tightening in his stomach. They'd been getting along all morning—talking, joking, and sitting next to each other in class. It shouldn't have bothered him, but it did. Kelly used to be the one who laughed with him. Now, all she did was give him cold looks while she chatted away with the new guy.

"Whatever," Lin muttered to himself. He didn't have time to worry about that. His future was riding on this year's tournament, and the longer he spent worrying about Rodey and Kelly, the less time he had to focus on saving his football dreams.

He glanced down at the list he'd scribbled in his notebook—the names of the boys from Class 11 he planned to ask to join the football team. If they didn't get enough players, the tournament would be canceled, and his shot at a scholarship would go up in smoke. He had to act now.

His gaze wandered around the room until it landed on a group of familiar faces—some of his old friends from Class 10, laughing and talking as they walked past. They used to have his back, playing football together and hanging out after school. Maybe they'd help him out with the team this year.

Standing up, Lin grabbed his tray and made his way over to them, trying to ignore the tightening knot in his stomach. When he finally reached them, he put on his best smile.

"Hey, guys," Lin greeted, trying to sound upbeat. "I was wondering... you know the football tournament's coming up, right? We're short a few players. Thought you guys might want to help out this year?"

The conversation around the table seemed to die out as his old friends exchanged awkward glances. One of them, Malik, rubbed the back of his neck before responding. "Ah, man... I dunno. I'm kinda swamped with my own stuff. Got some school projects going on, and honestly, football's not really on my radar this year."

Another, Jamal, nodded in agreement. "Yeah, same here. I'm focusing more on getting my grades up. Football's cool, but we've got our own things now, you know?"

Lin felt his heart sink as the others murmured in agreement, avoiding eye contact. It was as if their shared memories meant nothing anymore. They weren't rejecting the game—they were rejecting him.

"Right," Lin said, trying to keep his frustration in check. "I get it. No problem."

As he walked away, he clenched his fists, his smile fading as soon as he was out of their sight. His chest tightened with the pressure of it all. Not only had his old friends bailed on him, but they'd made it clear that football, something that defined his future, was no longer important to them.

He dropped back into his seat, staring blankly at the half-eaten food in front of him. Football wasn't just a game to Lin—it was his only shot at a scholarship, his future. Without it, there was no escape from Monarch Academy and no chance for a better life.

He took a deep breath, glancing at the classmates sitting a few tables away. Maybe it was time to ask for help elsewhere. "I'll talk to them tomorrow," Lin muttered under his breath. He'd ask his classmates, the ones who knew how much this tournament meant to him.

Meanwhile, Rodey and Maria sat together in the Work Skills class, their "Hitman for Hire" idea now fully fleshed out. Maria had come around to the concept, though she still had her moments of doubt. They spent most of the class drawing up their business plan, laughing as they came up with absurd services their fictional hitman company could offer.

"We could 'assassinate' unwanted homework," Rodey said with a grin, scribbling the idea down.

"And maybe sneak into the teacher's lounge to 'eliminate' tests," Maria added, a small smile breaking through her usual serious expression.

Rodey laughed. "I'm sure the teachers will love that."

Despite their rocky start, they were getting into a groove. Maria was still intense, but Rodey was learning how to work with her, and the project was actually starting to feel like fun.

When the bell rang, signaling the end of the day, Maria gathered her things quickly. "I'll finish up the rest of the marketing plan tonight," she said, already half out the door.

Rodey waved as she left. "See you tomorrow."

After school, Rodey made his way to the school newspaper club, curious about what it would be like. He wasn't sure if it would be his thing, but it seemed like a good way to stay busy and meet some new people. When he walked into the clubroom, the first thing he noticed was how chaotic it was—papers strewn everywhere, students rushing around, and a guy sitting on a desk in the middle of it all, looking completely unfazed.

The guy was tall and lanky, with messy hair and glasses that looked like they were about to fall off his nose. He was telling a story, and the few students nearby were groaning as he delivered a punchline.

"And that's when I said, 'No, but I do have a pen!'" the guy finished with a grin, clearly amused by his own joke.

One of the students groaned. "Danny, that doesn't even make sense."

Danny waved them off. "It's called wordplay. You'll appreciate it when you're older."

Rodey couldn't help but laugh, which caught Danny's attention. "Hey! A new guy! You must be Rodey," Danny said, hopping off the desk and striding over. "I'm Danny. And yes, before you ask, I am the comedic genius around here."

"Comedic genius, huh?" Rodey asked with a smirk. "I'm guessing not everyone agrees?"

"Oh, they agree. They just won't admit it," Danny replied with a wink. "So, you're here to join the paper? Awesome. We could always use another victim—I mean, volunteer."

Rodey chuckled. "I figured I'd give it a shot. What's the vibe here?"

"Chaotic, but fun," Danny said, clapping a hand on Rodey's shoulder. " Plus, we get to sit in here while everyone else is running laps outside. Total win."

As they talked, Rodey found himself quickly warming to Danny's easygoing nature and terrible jokes. Despite his bad puns, Danny had a way of making the room feel lighter, and Rodey felt like he'd found a good place to hang out after school.

"Alright," Danny said, handing Rodey a stack of papers. "Your first assignment is to proofread these. It's a rite of passage."

Rodey grinned, taking the papers. "I'm on it."

As they worked, Rodey realized he'd made two new friends in one day—Maria during class and now Danny at the newspaper club. Maybe this new school wouldn't be so bad after all.