One Detention Saved My Life

Chapter 1

  As I get out of bed I look out my window. It is dreary outside, the wind and rain hitting  hard against it. Of course the weather is like this. It's the first day of school. I hated school with a passion. The school work I didn't mind, but my classmates hated me.  They've pretty much hated me since fifth grade. After Chelsea died, Kim was furious with me. She said that I jixed Chelsea and that I'm the reason she's  dead. About a week later the whole school knew that my mom murdered a woman. My reputation never came back from that one.
   After I get dressed, I head downstairs to eat a quick breakfast. Mom is sitting at the kitchen table sipping coffee.
   "You ready for your first day of tenth grade."
   "Hardly. My freshman year was a disaster. I got bullied a lot."
    "Honey, all freshman get picked on. It's a fact of life."
   I never told Mom exactly why I got bullied. I guess I didn't want to hurt her feelings. It was two stupid football players, Brett and Chad. They  would always shove me against a row of lockers, or knock my books out of my hands, but worst of all were the comments. They would say stuff like, Tim you'll grow up to be a serial killer, or Where's your father, Tim? I bet he's in the basement collapsed in his own pile of bones.
   The truth was I didn't know where my father was. Mom never talked about him, and I never asked. I just always figured that  he didn't want to take care of a child.
"Tim, is everything all right? You've been staring off into space."
I shake my head. "Everything is fine. I guess I was just thinking about school."
"Please, don't worry about school. You're a sophomore now and it's going to get better."
  "Whatever you say,Mom. Can we please just not talk about school?"
  "I'm sorry, honey. I didn't mean to upset you."
   "It's okay. I better stop talking and start eating."
  I go over to the cabinet and pull out a box of cereal. I examine it and see that it's  Lucky Charms. How ironic. I need a little luck right now.  I quickly eat my Lucky Charms. Nothing is better then going on a sugar high before starting school. When I'm  done, I head upstairs to brush my teeth. I look at myself in the mirror. "Tim, it's going to be a great day."
  Who am I kidding. Today is not going to be a good day. Brett and Chad are going to pick on me. I try to ignore that fact as I head back down the stairs.
   "Have a good first day!" Mom says, as I grab my backpack and start to head out the door.
  "I will try," I reply as the door slams shut behind me.

   I walk to the bus stop, my coat getting soaking wet in the process. When I finally get there, the bus has just come around the corner, it's brakes screeching to a halt. The double wide doors open, and I scramble to get on with the mass of other kids. I'm the last one on, no surprise there. I look for an empty seat. None are completely empty. I hear a small voice close to me.
  "Come sit next to me."
The voice is coming from the boy right next to me. He's clearly a freshman. His voice hasn't changed yet. I take my seat next to him.
   "My names Jason. What's yours?"
  Wow, this kid is way too friendly. He clearly has no clue of what awaits him. I give him a little smile.
   "My names Tim. What grade are you in?"
I already know the answer to that, but it's polite to ask."
"I'm in ninth grade. And you?"
   "Tenth."
"Can you give me some advice?"
  This kid is out of his mind asking me for advice. I'm the least likely person  to give this kid good advice. My ninth grade year sucked.
  "My advice to you is try to avoid the football players. They look for ways to make your life a living hell."
  Jason looks frightened. "Really?"
  "It happened to me. I don't want the same thing to happen to you."
   "Thanks. You're a really good friend."
Friend? Did he just say friend? That's a word I'm not used to hearing.
  "You're welcome, Jason. I'd do anything to prevent someone from experiencing what I've experienced."
   Just as the words leave my mouth, the bus puts on it's brakes and opens it's wide doors.
  "It was nice meeting you, Jason."
  "Same here, Tim."
We both leave the bus. I have a feeling that I will probably never talk to Jason again. He might be my friend now, but the upper classmen probably will change him.