Moving To Town

Chapter One: Optimistic Pessimism

*BEEP BEEP BEEP, THE CALM BEFORE THE STORM, BEEP BEEP BEEP* 

That's my phone's alarm. You don't have to understand why it says that, its just a thing from a game I play. I want to get up and get that, but my body is so tired. Here's something to learn about me, I find it hard to wake up for the first few minutes but after that I'm awake for the next few hours straight. 

*BEEP BEEP BEEP, THE CALM BEFORE THE STORM, BEEP BEEP BEEP* 

Okay, that's the second time it's going off. I'll get up and get it now. I rise from my mattress on the floor like a zombie and grab my phone sitting on my desk. I slide and release my alarm from it's duties. Its only 5:15, and I don't have to be at school until 7:15. The reason I'm up so early: long shower. I need it to wake up, and so off I go. I shuffle towards the bathroom in my bare feet, unaware of any other surroundings besides the one room I concentrate on getting to. Once inside, I drop my clothes and begin to shower. The water is cold and is hard, and it works as my wake-r-up-er. Once done, I get out and dry myself off. I shuffle out into my room with my towel protecting me from the cold but dry air in the other rooms of the house. I begin to change into my normal clothes for everyday: Bright-colored T-Shirt, Long Jeans, Knock-off Black Boots, and a Brown Worn-out Corduroy Jacket. Oh and don't forget my Itachi Buckle-belt that I got at an Anime Convention with my dad. I always wear that belt, regardless of the outfit. But I never really match my outfits anyway. When you stand at 6'1 you'd think to match your outfit since it's eye-level with most other average height people but I don't care too much for that. In my defense though, the Jacket goes well with my dirty blonde hair and shaggy beard. I look to my phone, it's filled with messages from the group chat. I'll get to those later, more importantly I notice that it's 6:40. I should probably grab my stuff and start riding to school now. Our house is only 5 minutes from the school by bike, but I could use the extra time to scout out the campus since we didn't get to Lincoln in time for Orientation. 

I run downstairs and grab my bag which sits by my door, and it's got all my materials in it even my personal laptop. After throwing on my backpack, I go to the garage which is left from the stairs if your standing at the door. My mother isn't even up yet, but I'm sure she'll get up on her own. Seeing the time again its... 6:50. Shoot, don't want to be late. Or lose time for looking at the campus. I hurry out the garage with my bike in hand, backpack on back. Its then that the dread sets in. Ugh this day will be crap I'm sure.

I ride my way to school, taking what I think is the fastest way to school. I don't quite know my way yet but I'll work on it. Making quick pace down the street, I see a bigger bulkier blonde-haired boy walking with earphones in. Will he hear me? I might have to go around. If he's a football player, which he could be based on his build, I won't want to make an enemy of him day one. As I approach him, he still hasn't heard me clearly as he hasn't shifted his position on the sidewalk yet, I begin to move around him to his left. As I make my way around him, my bike slides off the space between the road and the sidewalk itself, and I don't get to make out or even see the dude's face as I pass him by. Eh, its probably not important anyway. He didn't seem fazed either.

Soon I make it to school. Right on time as I check and see it's only 7:05. The sun coming up on the horizon, I lock-up my bike at the bike rack. The sense of dread still hangs over me, even though I try not to think about it. Except here I am thinking about it again. This is probably why its still here. I look around at the students walking into campus... None of them stand out to me. I don't know who to try to talk to, or if I should even ask anyone about schedules. I have mine in my pocket, let me pull it out. I pull it out and unfurl it from its 4 times folded size, and begin to walk into the building labeled 100. From what I understand, this entire campus is basically a rectangle with the each of the buildings laying on the edges of said rectangle. Little signs point me to where each building is located, and oddly enough its simple to understand. The buildings rise by 100 in a counter-clockwise motion around the rectangle. My first class is in the 200 building, which thank god means I don't have to walk very far in the mornings. I look around again as kids are scattered about, standing, sitting or walking around and talking/hanging out in groups of all sizes. I still have no idea where to go or who to sit with. This is a social nightmare it seems. And just my luck, I'm bad at first impressions. People are always confused or weirded out after they first meet me. I think it probably has something to do with the fact that I'm a huge nerd in all senses of the word. I was in chorus at my old school, I got tons of really good grades, I play video games with most of my time, I want to be a Game Designer, I watch Anime 90% of the time and the other 10% is spread upon other things that catch my attention enough to make me watch. As you can tell, I've never been popular. But that was okay at my old school, cause I at least had a group that accepted me or at very least tolerated me. Here, I have no one. And it's my Senior year so going up and making friends with anyone is gonna be hard cause I'm the new kid too. 

Just as I'm about to walk into the 200 building, I pass a girl with auburn hair and blue-green streaks in it. She catches my eye for a minute, but its because of the color of her hair. Its kinda nice. I am a fan of the greens and teals after all. But then I notice her bump into a dude who clearly wasn't paying attention to where he was going. She drops her stuff, which she was struggling to carry all of and then he takes off his headphones and looks as though he's gonna say something rude. I shift my path, he needs to apologize or leave without saying anything. 

"You need to open your da-"

I cut him off as I come between him and the girl who's bent over picking up all her stuff. 

"Look dude, don't make a scene. Keep walking, don't say anything. If you do say something, then I'm telling you now that I'll say something. And you won't like me if I have to say it." I glare at him as I say it. He glares back before huffing a sigh. He puts the headphones back on, and forces past me, elbowing me roughly. I shrug, this isn't new treatment for me. I begin to continue walking towards the 200 building doors when suddenly I get a tap on the shoulder. For the love of God, if I turn and am met with a punch I will never forgive my mother for moving us here. I turn, no hesitation, and I'm surprised to see its the auburn-green-teal haired girl. I'm also surprised that she's shorter than me, from a distance she looked about 5'11 but here she's clearly 5'5 maybe 5'6. She looks as though she wants to say something, but shes lost on looking for words.

"Hey, it's no problem. You don't need to repay me, or thank me. I just didn't want there to be a fight scene or a guy being a stupid asshole on day one. He clearly needs to adjust himself and watch where he's going though. Anyway, see you around." I say as I look away from her, I've never been good with eye contact especially when I don't know someone. I begin to walk, faster than before, after saying that. I hope I didn't come off as an asshole. That's the last kind of impression I want on day one. I feel anxiety creeping in however, and it's an ugly beast. 

Soon, I find my class: 209 Psychology One. My teacher, a tall bald man, begins scribbling on the board. I watch and listen but slowly fade out as I battle back-and-forth between optimistic and pessimistic outlooks for today. And its not even over yet.