Days Like These (DenNor)

Chapter 1

Every day was the same routine; wake up, get dressed, eat breakfast, and then spend eight hours of the day in a dull building filled with angsty teenagers and too much ax body spray. Yet I guess I fit in perfectly well as an average kid- a couple of tardies here and a couple of fights there. You could say I stand out a little, but the trouble of sticking out isn't worth the hassle.

The name's Mathias Køhler, and I enjoyed the consistency of my life. I didn't have to worry about any surprises. I had been through enough of those in the past year.

However, it all changed when some kid named Lukas Bondevik transferred to our school from some place in Norway. He acts as if he's Mr. Perfect, and I would be lying if I said that it didn't piss me off to some extent. The teachers love him and so does everyone else. He doesn't even try, and yet they can't help but praise him. I think that's what I hate most about him. Every conversation I hear that brings up his name makes me want to find him and punch him right in that smug mouth of his.

The tardy bell rang for the first class of the day, and the usual late kids quickly filed out of the now empty hallways. Mathias went to follow everyone else's lead when a firm hand latched onto his shoulder.

"And how many tardies would this be Mr. Køhler?"

A shiver went down his spine. Of course, he just had to be caught by the assistant principal, Mr. Beilschmidt. Even being caught by the principal himself would have been better- especially since he loved Mathias to bits.

"Why don't you enlighten me with the answer since you know that I don't know."

"Very well then. The answer would be 32 if we are counting this one. You're lucky I've been allowing you off the hook so easily, Mr. Køhler. However, this is the last time I brush this off. You should be more responsible with your time management. Any more tardies and you will have to attend Saturday school to make sure you receive credit for your classes. If your mother was here, she'd be very disappointed in you."

Mathias's eyebrow twitched at the mention of his mother. "I've told you before to not speak of my mother. She deserves to be resting peacefully in her grave- not getting bugged by useless attempts to change how I live. You know how far away I live. That's why you allow me to be late like this every single day. If you cared about my attendance, you'd find a way to drive me personally to the school. Yet, you find it more fun to harass me daily. Don't you, Mr. Beilschmidt."

A heavy sigh escaped from the assistant principal's lips as he looked down at the boy in front of him. Mr. Beilschmidt's face expressed what Mathias could only assume was pity. He frowned, not getting the reaction he had been wanting from the uptight man. He wanted Mr. Beilschmidt to be furious at him. He wanted him to drag him to his office, slam the door, and lecture him until his ears bled. Yet that wasn't happening.

Why wasn't that happening?

"Let's continue this discussion in my office, Mr. Køhler."

Mathias walked behind the calm man in front of him that always wore a two-piece suit and tie. He always found it amusing that he took being a high school assistant principal so seriously. When they entered the forbidden room of doom, aka the assistant principal's office, it wasn't the flashy spectacle Mathias had wanted. For months he had pushed Mr. Beilschmidt into getting a rise out of him. He wanted the school to know his name- to know him as the kid who challenged the mighty beast of the school.

Where was that beast?

"Please, sit down. Make yourself comfortable."

"Listen, Mr. Beilschmidt, about what I said.."