Generation X

Chapter 1

"Your supposed to be writing this down!", my friend Emma whispered to me as my science teacher droned on and on about information that I will never use.

I've never really liked science,or any school subject actually, although I have a pretty decent average. I roll my eyes at her. She's always worrying about something. A math test a week away? She already knows all the material and has made Que cards. Minor quizzes take priority in her life. She is obsessed with marks,so she's basically the opposite of me,who would rather risk a bad grade than miss out on fun.

I'm not sure how the friendship works,but it does somehow. We connect a lot  over our love of reading,art and surprisingly,superheroes.Weird, because neither of us act particularly nerdy. I begin subconsciously drawing little designs in my notebook,not paying attention in the slightest to my teacher. So when Emma nudges me and I look up to see a different teacher, I am pretty confused.

"Hey everybody! I'm so excited to be able to have the opportunity to teach you kids for the next week.  My name is professor X and I'm a scientist for SERF-the science experimental research facility."

Professor X? Like the X men professor X? This guy is already giving off a weirdo vibe.

I catalog his features mentally. He's a middle age man, probably in his forties but he has a lot of wrinkles. He's in good shape, and has large muscles and is probably about 6ft tall. He looks oddly familiar and I briefly get the feeling of déjà vu but it quickly goes away.

I feel an odd nervous feeling but I ignore it and sketch a picture of him in my book. "Could you please read that Acadia?"professor X asks abruptly,jerking me out of my peaceful little world."Ummm", I look over to Emma for help who is avoiding eye contact and giggling. Oh thanks, BFF of the year. I just stare at the teacher,look down at my notes embarrassed and shrug.

"Please come and see me after class,and we can talk then." The class interrupted in stupid comments and I just clenched my hand into a fist,dropped my head and went back to drawing.

After that class was finished, Emma and I headed back to our home room for lunch. The gym used to be our cafeteria,but our teachers were to lazy to put down tables and chairs at lunch so we just eat in our class now.

"That class was so boring,that new teacher is crap!" I complained to Emma as we ate . She didn't respond and then I noticed she wasn't looking at me,she was looking slightly behind me.
"Who are you looking at?" I asked.

I turned around and saw a boy surrounded by  about  seven popular blonde girls,paying close attention to what he was saying and giggling annoyingly.

"Seriously? Carson?" He was one of the most popular guys in 8th grade,for some odd reason. He was cute,but he was seriously short and obsessed with hockey. He actually broke up with his last girlfriend because she distracted him from hockey. But in spite of all of that, all of the popular squad was obsessed with him. Our schools female popular group is composed of a few parts. You have the sporty girls,living in there Nike shows and pink leggings. Then there are the golden girls,good looks,good marks,"good" personality (although they talk behind people's backs). Then there are the rude, judgemental girls who pretty much are just your cliche movie bullies. There are a couple randoms thrown in,but these are the 3 main sub groups.

"So? What's wrong with Carson?" She asked defensively I raised my eyebrows and smirked. "Oh,your one to judge! Your crush is a nerdy weirdo! And no offence, but he doesn't like you,it's time to move on."

She was referring to Joey.I've had a thing for him for a while,that no one really understands. I don't know,he used to be so sweet,he would always stick up for me. Everyone thought he liked me, but all of a sudden everything changed. He used to say how nice I was, now he just calls me mean and makes fun of me. He also flirts with one of my x-friends,Amanda.I know I should just move on,but I can't. I feel really bad about it,and even though I get that a relationship between us won't work,it hurts that Emma isn't supportive,or kind about it.I get up,dump the rest of my salad in the garbage and walk away. I know I'm overreacting, but I don't have the best temper lately.

I see my other friend Cyanne and her boyfriend Cameron walking down the hall and I try and ignore them,but of course they notice me.

" Hey,are you okay?" Cyanne asked with a look of concern on her face.

I fake a smile and reassure her that I'm fine.

"Good. Are we still on for today after school?"she asks. I nod in response but then I remember professor X so we decide to do it another time.Recently after school Cyanne and I have started tagging. Learning how to make design come out the way you want in spray paint can be difficult at first, but looks awesome once you get the hang of it. Luckily, no one ever suspects that I do it. At school, I act quiet and shy so no one ever thinks otherwise.

I check the time on my iPhone,say goodbye to Cyanne and make my way to the reading room to study. I have a math test in the afternoon that I really regret not studying for.

I open the door and see a girl hunched over a novel intently. Her long black-blonde hair hung over her face as her eyes scanned the page. She glanced up and her piercing green eyes locked on to mine.

"Hey!" She said energetically. She closed her book. I think we both now when we are together,work is not happening.

"So,any news?"I ask

She is the gossip queen of school. That's because she's good at sneaking around. I'm pretty good at collecting information myself,but I use a different strategy. False security. Everyone trusts me so I get a lot of confessions from people. Horrible, I know but  I'm not claiming to be some role model. I know I'm messed up,at least I own up to it.

After she and I have both shared info, the bell rings and it's time for our next class. We leave the room and go our separate ways,her to her extra help English class and me to my math test.

The math test was fortunately canceled because our teachers husband just filed with divorce so she just let us play the game of life. Except she would randomly come around,pick up a girls husband off her car and scream in her face:

"Your not good enough for him!"
Or " His mother was right about you!" And throw the husband in the trash. It was very emotionally scarring,but at least there was no math test,so that's a plus.

The next class is geography(which is definitely not my strong suit)and I just barely manage to get through it. Thankfully, the rest of the day goes by quickly and school is soon over. After school, I go to the science room for my talk with professor X. But when I get there,he is talking hurriedly on the phone. When he notices me, he looks irritated (he asked ME to come,and now he's upset?)he immediately puts the phone down.

"Change of plans,come back early tomorrow,we'll talk then." And he slams the door in my face.

Huh. Maybe he's getting a divorce too.