Avoiding August (ONGOING)

Chapter 2

The first few hours of school consisted of me following my new-found friend, now introduced as Louis, around the never-ending corridors. I was fortunate to have someone to show me around.

Every class always had at least eight people running in through the door, disheveled and apologising to the teacher as they explained that they got lost on the way. None of the classes included any bookwork, as all the teachers did was lecture us on the already-known classroom rules, what they expected, and what we should expect to study over the year.

Louis would lean his head on a hand and sigh as each teacher picked out a smart aleck and argued with them until they were red in the face.

It happened fifty minutes into the hour-long lesson.

We were playing naughts and crosses, while the teacher berated a disrespectful boy sitting at the back of the classroom, when we heard the door burst open.

I jumped in my chair, and I'm pretty sure Louis did, too.

There, in the doorway, stood a tall boy. I was pretty sure it was the same boy that sung at orientation.

He took in the state of the classroom with a blank face, disinterested and cool with every move he made, no matter how small. He gave the teacher a long look, seeing her red face, then his classmates. He waltzed in without apologising for his lack of punctuality, and took a seat surrounded by empty chairs.

As he sat down, the teacher turned a scowl his way. "Mr. Right, explain to me why you were not here on time."

He smirked, his eyes ablaze with the same amusement he'd shown just a few hours ago. "Sorry, miss. I was lost."

"Mr. Right, you've been going here since last year. I don't believe you were lost."

He let out a noise, somewhere between a scoff and a hollow, disbelieving laugh.

He turned to look at another boy who sat two rows behind him with an undone tie. "Rodrick, do you believe I was lost?"

He grinned at the late boy. "No, of course not."

The late boy lolled his head forward, and his eyes landed on a quivering boy wearing glasses. When their eyes met, he got up and stalked toward the supposed nerd.

Everyone froze as he wandered in front of his desk, placing a hand on the edge.
"What about you, Edward? Do you believe that I was lost?"

Edward slowly looked up with fear drenching his eyes.

The atmosphere had frozen into a tense mess. The air was thick and steaming with tight anxiety. I couldn't bring myself to look away from the dangerous boy as he slowly let a malevolent grin grow upon his lips like cancer. His eyes were locked onto his prey.

"I'll bet," the boy started slowly, leaning forward. "That you wish I was lost. Is that right?" He tilted his head.

Staying silent, Edward looked down at his shaking hands in his lap.

The late boy hummed. His eyes were bright as he leaned down to stare at Edward.

His dark hair fell around his face as he grinned. "It's nice to at least look at the person who's talking to you, Edward." His voice was rough and growling.

"Mr. Light-"

His head snapped upwards. "Yes, miss?"

"I will not tolerate you intimidating other students in my classroom. Go back to your seat immediately." Her face was even more red than before.

There was no smile on the boy's face as he stood up straighter, and tilted Edward's desk with a loose grip. It fell with a loud thud and the shudder of disturbed wood.

"I'll get lost immediately, if you'd like. I'm sure you'd like that, so I'll go wag." He took his bag and bowed at the front of the classroom. "Thank you. You can all go back to class, now." He sauntered out. The teacher didn't go to stop him. His friend laughed as he left.

The teacher sighed and told us to do our own things until the bell rang for lunch. We did just that.

I turned to Louis. "Who was that?"
"The bitchy late kid? He's August Right. Always picking on kids and vandalising things." He leaned in to me as he let himself gossip away. "They say he was kicked out of his old school for sleeping with the principal's daughter and destroying his house the morning after. Nearly got arrested, but no one saw him. The daughter doesn't remember much, either. But all of us know exactly what happened."

"I don't know what I'm supposed to say about that."

"Most people don't bother with words when it comes to August Right. He's just an insignificant pain in the ass."
A hand slammed down onto Louis' desk. We both jumped as we saw August's friend staring back at us with steady eyes.

"What's up over here?"

"Oh, nothing."

"Talking shit about August, are you, Louis? You know better than anyone where that got you last year." He shot a perfect, charming smile my way. I frowned back at him. "Who's your pretty friend here?"

"Stay away from her, Roderick."

"Okay. I'll deal with your insolence in the change rooms. You have gym after lunch, right?" His eyes flickered down to Louis' schedule and back to me.

"What's wrong with you?" I asked, frowning more and more by the second.

"Don't frown like that, sugar. It doesn't suit you." He pouted, and it felt condescending more than anything.
The lunch bell rung, and his eyes were chilling as he left with his bag hoisted over one shoulder.

Louis and I got up, too, and he patted my shoulder. "Don't worry about Roderick and all the rest. They're just a bunch of idiots."

"Okay." Frightening idiots.

He gave another reassuring pat on the shoulder. "Anyway, forget about them. Let's go introduce you to my friends."

I grinned at him, but my mind still lingered on August the late boy and his friend, Roderick.