Don't Fear Him

Chapter One: The New Kid

I have never liked the heat. It was oppressive and suffocating, and nothing really made a dent in it for long. So when my mom had forced us to move across the country to Arizona, I hadn't been happy about it. But, I acted happy. My mom was fragile, and I couldn't let her get hurt. It didn't matter anyways, not really. I just hate walking to school in the heat. It's not fun and by the time I get to school I'm drenched in sweat, without fail. I'm used to it by now, after three years of it. Still, I don't like it. How could anyone?

By the time I get to school I'm covered in sweat, just like always. I'm earlier than normal, and there aren't very many others around. I notice a group of older kids crowded around someone I've never seen before, laughing and poking at him. I recognize one of the older kids, Howard Clark. He's in my math class, despite the fact that he's a senior and I'm a freshman. No one really likes him, he's known for being a bully and on top of it all he's a mutt. In fact, most of the older kids with him appear to be mutts. The kid in the middle must be new, probably walked into one of them. I move close, standing against the wall opposite to them. They're too busy to notice me, but I'm still cautious. I'd seen the kids they picked on go home with broken noses and black eyes, and I really didn't want that. 

"Let me go, I didn't do anything to you." The new kid hisses, backing himself against the wall. A few of the older kids laugh and one of Howard's closer friends kicks his legs out from under him. 

"Let me go!" Someone mimics, sneering. I frown and the kid pushes himself back to his feet. 

"You aren't funny! Think this makes you cool? It's just makes you a dick!" He hisses, spitting at Howard. I watch in horror as the senior bares his teeth, each one sharpened like a sharks, snarling at the kid. I wait for him to get scared and flinch, but he does nothing. 

"Is that supposed to scare me?" I hear him ask. Howard growls, a low sound from the back of his throat, and the kid laughs.

"What's so funny?" Howard demands. The kid shrugs.

"I know someone who bleeds acid, you think pointy teeth are gonna make any impact?" He laughs again and Howard decks him. Or tries to anyways. Instead the kid ducks and his fist collides with the wall. 

"Oh you're gonna pay for that." He growls, motioning for someone to hold the kid still. He raises his fists to get an actual hit when a voice rings out from across the hall. 

"Leave him alone." 

Howard looks up in time for another kid, someone else I don't recognize, to punch him in the face. One of his goons goes to attack and the new kid kicks his legs out from under him, placing his heel on the goons chest and grinding down. 

"Anyone else?" He asks, glaring. Howard gets up again and the new kid rolls his eyes. He waits until Howard is close enough and the spits on his face. I expect him to go barreling into the new guy but instead he screams, stumbling back and clutching his face. 

"Should know better than to fight a mutt." The new kid hisses, helping the younger off the floor and dragging him away. For just a moment I lock eyes with them. 

"Enjoying the show?" The older snaps. I look down quickly, ashamed, and hear him scoff. Once their gone I head to class, sitting outside the door until the teacher arrives. Once the bell rings at 7:30 and everyone settles down the teacher stands to make an announcement. 

"We have a new student joining our class. Jason, anything you'd like to say about yourself?" She asks, smiling. The kid from earlier stands from his desk, only three across from my own, and grins.

"It's just Jase." He says quietly, sounding almost shy. But there's a glint in his eyes that makes me wonder, just who he really is.