It's Just High School

Chapter 1

Daniel Leonard Villanueva. Dean for short sometimes.

It’s my name and I carry it with pride. It’s my name that many around here admire. It’s my name that people respect. It’s the name that everyone here doesn’t dare cross, don’t dare mock, don’t dare insult. It’s the name that everyone wants to have, and that only I can have.

I carry it around because I know that I made it for myself. My parents are prominent, and I know that, but I made my name beyond my parents’ fame. I made my name mine.

I’m the star football player of the school. I have scouts approaching me for how I play. I have colleges laying down scholarship for football. I play hard in my sport. I play hard in any sport. I play hard each game. I bring it hard. And I make it hard.

But I don’t drool. I study hard. I’m a straight A student. And I have a scholarship offer for it too.

I’m no bully. But that doesn’t mean I’m a push over. I’m not into violence, but anyone who crosses me will be into a world of pain. Anyone who thinks I can’t is already in his own world of pain.

I’m not a social guy, but I’m not a loner. I pick my friends very carefully, because I don’t want anyone I don’t like surrounding me. I don’t like any losers who can’t strike up a conversation or can’t keep up with a 5 kilometer jog.

It’s for these things that people consider me as someone of a league of my own. Personally, I think so too, but I don’t let it go into my head much. I still consider a few of the people around here as equals, though there are certainly a few times that demonstrated that they aren’t. But I don’t act like a jerk. I am a snob sometimes but not rude.

“Hey Dean!” Kyle called.

I’m stocking up my things in my locker. I was just about finished with arranging my books and headed for class when he slapped my back.

“Hey man.” I replied when he caught up to me and we bumped fists.

“Coach called. Practice is cancelled this afternoon.”

“Sweet. Anything planned up?” I asked. Knowing that whenever practice is cancelled, somebody is bound to make plans for a part, I kind of expected he’ll say yes.

“No man. We have a book report rush. Some of the guys have a few errands too. Maybe some other time.”

“Yeah, some other time. Aren’t you finished with that one yet?” I asked. Mine is finished in advance seeing that there was no reason to delay but him, I’m quite certain why. Kyle would never say yes since he has half a brain to know what a book actually is, but there was no point in rubbing that fact to him by not asking.

“No man. It’s just hard to start on that one. Maybe I’ll have one of the nerds assist me on this one. I’ll go ahead and ‘talk’ to one of them now.” By ‘assist’ he meant force, and ‘talk’ meant intimidate. I can already picture some kid hanging on a wall a few hours from now pledging three book reports if he’ll let him down.

We bumped fists and he headed his way. I just closed my locker and headed for class. I’m not going to stand around and watch him ‘talk’ to some nerd.

Personally, I’m against bullying. But anyone who let’s himself be pushed around is his choice, that’s why I don’t stop any. It wasn’t my fault loser push overs let themselves get dragged to do somebody else’s work.

I was drinking my energy drink while walking down the hallway when someone bumped me and spilled my drink all over me, soaking my shirt.

“Hey watch it!” I yelled. But by the time I looked back on who it is, she was already out of sight. I only saw a flash of blonde in one corner then she was gone.