My Lethe

Welcome to Beijing No.4 High School

He carried one single bag in his hand.  It was worn down and a dirty brown color after all these years he's had it.    Truthfully, he never expected that he would ever get a chance to put it to use aside from carrying school books and using it as a pillow at night. 
Zhang Wei didn't have much possessions, simply three sets of pants and two thick sweaters that his grand mother sewed for him.  He came from a poor village and an even poorer family.  All he knew was poverty.  Everything he had ever owned was in that bag.
But today, Zhang Wei had moved.  After being adopted by a well-off family, he was moved from his small and poor village to big and thriving Beijing.  He was nervous to meet his new family and was afraid that they would be cold hearted.  You see, his parents were poor but their hearts were not.  He was showered with their love for so long that now that they were gone, he was afraid he'd never feel that love again.

He carried his bag in his right hand and in his left hand he tightly held a single sheet of paper with the address of his new home written on it.  The day before a nice lady that smelt like roses but had a hideous unibrow said to him "This is your new home Wei, I hope you'll feel right at home," and handed him the paper.  He reread the address for what must have been 100 times.  At least it felt like it. Seeing the address of his new home on that piece of paper made everything real to him.  His family really were gone and now he was going to start over and live a new life.  His heart felt uneasy and it also felt excited.  It was uneasy for his family but excited for what can become of him and his future. 

He lifted up his arm and looked down at the piece of paper. House 23, it said.  He looked up at the light tan brick house and read the number carved into the brick beside the door. 二十三.  His heart felt like an earth quake in his chest when he confirmed he was at the correct place.  He had no idea what to expect, or if he would even fit their expectations.  Thinking of that then he even thought to turn around and live on the streets he was so nervous. 

"Zhang Wei!" The door swung open, and a young and gorgeous couple appeared in the door way. The woman, who must have been around 5'6 with a beautiful peach complexion stood beside his obvious adopted father.  He was roughly 6'2 and was even more attractive than she was.  Wei thought to himself that he wasn't sure if he was at the right house, because they looked like models," Zhang Wei! We didn't expect you so soon. Come in, come in!" She eagerly said and pulled him into the home. 

It was bright and warm in this home, and it had more furniture.  In his old home they didn't have a sofa.  When he walked pass this sofa, he poked it. It was soft.

"Today we are in quite the rush, Wei and don't have much time for introductions.  But I made breakfast and its on the table.  I hope you'll eat it and scope out your room for a few minutes before you head to school," Wei nodded, but he was caught off guard.  He didn't know he was going to go to school today.  That was entirely another event he had to prepare himself for.  The nice unibrow lady didn't tell him this.  He nodded again and waited for the two to exit.  He listened for the sound of the door closing, and once he did, he knew there was one thing he wanted to do. Look around. 

With the few minutes he had before school would start, he looked around the house.  He was curious how it looked.  He looked in each room, looked at the family photos, sat on the furniture and tried out the television.  He never had an actual working television before!   He looked in his room that was furnished for a typical teenage boy.  The walls were white and there was posters on the wall of bands he never heard before and metals he never won.  The bed spread had blue and white stripes, two pillows and on top of it was his uniform.  He picked the vest up and looked down at the knitted badge.  His heart stirred in his chest.  

After putting on his uniform Wei decided to skip breakfast and head straight to school.  It was his first day and he wanted to make a good impression by being on time! He walked out onto the busy street and looked back at his new home.  Nothing was ever going to be the same and he knew that.

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"He could never beat Qiang!  He's no where close to beating Qiang's time!"

Qiang listened to his classmates quarrel over him. He sat low in his chair with his arms crossed around his chest, and listened with amusement.
Truthfully, Qiang didn't care to listen for the arguments surrounding him.  He didn't care what his classmates thought of him, but there was not much else to do but listen.  So without much interest, he listened carefully for why he was the best swimmer in the entire school and why that title was going to be taken away.

"Qiang is a good swimmer, but Chen is going to beat him in the next meet! He's been warming himself up for this one moment!"

Qiang wondered if that was true.  Would anyone take the title away from him?

He sunk lower in his seat.  That could never happen he thought to himself. Never.

"Warming himself up to lose again!" Hai teased. 

"Hmm hmm," there was a sudden sound that came from the front of the class.  All the students that had been talking with their friends and playing had quickly faced the front of the class room.  Qiang still sat low in his chair and looked at the female homeroom teacher.  She always had a condescending look on her face. 

"Students, we have a new student with us today," She said.  The class erupted with chatter about the new student.  Qiang remained unmoved by the news.  He didn't care much to know that there would be a new student.  He didn't expect to speak to them anyway.

"Come in Zhang Wei "

The classroom watched as the new student entered the classroom.  He entered it quietly and nervously and everyone could tell his emotions.  Qiang watched as he nervously stood in front of the classroom.  He could tell that Zhang Wei was trying his hardest to appear brave.  He chuckled to himself at the obvious nerves.  He wondered why people got nervous over being in front of a large group?

"My name is Zhang Wei, please treat me well," Zhang Wei said.  The teacher pointed to the desk beside Zhang Wei and he nodded before making his way to the seat. 

The class watched as he walked to his seat and even as he sat in it. They were still children after all.

"Have a good day students," the home room teacher spoke one last time before leaving the class room.  As usual, the class erupted in the chatter and Qiang just listened.  But for a moment he couldn't resist his urge to look over at the new boy that sat beside him.

"My name is Qiang," he said.  Wei looked over at Qiang who had suddenly spoken.  He looked at Qiang for a few seconds and was too nervous to know that all he had to do was personally introduce himself to him. Qiang laughed again," Nice to meet you too Zhang Wei, and welcome to Beijing No.4 High School "

Later that day Qiang stood on the porch that extended off of his bedroom. He leaned against the painted white bars and smoked a cigarette.  He picked up the habit of smoking when he was only 13 and hasn't been able to shake it since.  His mother often tells him" Sweetie, don't you know people often die from smoking cigarettes?" And his reply is often "Mother, don't you know people often die? It's life," and would share with her a faint smile.  He knew smoking was bad for you, but too him, it felt good.  It was the only thing in his life that had risk, had danger, had excitement. He'd been living the same life that eventually it got so boring that risky behavior excited him. Even smoking.

He looked at the acres of land behind the home and tossed the cigarette over the balcony. Yeah, he was so bored even smoking excited him.  He needed more excitement in his life, fast.  He knew just where to find it and ran into his bedroom.  He picked up his cellphone and dialed his best friend's number.  When he picked up he simply said ," Tomorrow night, we're getting drunk and doing everything we shouldn't," and hung the phone up.  Last time Qiang and his buddies got drunk his father's assistant picked him up from jail. 

Qiang dropped back onto his king sized bed and looked up at the ceiling.  He wondered all the ways he could get in trouble tomorrow, and made an oath to do every single one.

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I hope that everyone likes it/ reads it/ comments on how it can get better ^.^