The Terrors Of High School

Chapter 1: Something New

Hope is in the kitchen getting ingredients for cereal to start her morning. Her mom walks in.           "There's my freshmen! Ready for your first day of high school, dear?" her mom says excitedly.     "Yeah, mom. It's not that big of a deal, high school is just school for older people who passed 8th grade. I bet you a dollar it'll be the same as 8th grade but harder work and smellier kids." Hope says, flatly. She takes a bite of her spoonful of cereal and milk. She covers her ears. "You, know? I don't know why I named you Hope. You're an introvert all the time. I guess I just thought you would turn out differently. Do me a favor, just smile for once in your life." Hope's mom says, then walks out of the room.                                                                                                   "I've smiled before! I just don't usually! Whatever, just, go away and leave me alone!" Hope yells to her mom. Next, Hope little brother, Tim walks in. Hope was always really close to Tim, he was a good listener.                                                                                                   "Hey. Mom said you were feeling extra pissed and I thought you might want to talk about it." Tim says to Hope as he walks into the room.                                                                                                                      "Nah. I'm fine. I just hate mom right now. I wish she was dead. Really like dead. Like to never return. Hey! I guess I am feeling a tiny bit introverted right now." Hope says. She looks out the kitchen window and sees the school bus.                                                                                                         "But it'll have to wait. Time for school." Hope says.                                                                                                She leaves her cereal on the table, grabs her backpack, and walks out the door.                               "Bye, Tim! Love you!" Hope yells as she rushes out the door and catches the bus. The bus driver says in a raspy voice.                                                                                                                                                             "Good mornin', miss! How are ya?" the bus driver says.                                                                                       "I'm fine. Thanks, I guess." Hope says, sounding not so sure of herself.                                                         She walks to the last seat in the back of the bus but a boy's already sitting there.                                 "Hey! That's my seat!" Hope yells to the boy.                                                                                            "Did you pay for it, huh? I don't see your name on it." the boy says softly but with sass.                       "Well, no but I always sit in the back of the bus. I might as well own it." Hope says back.                    "Well, might as well doesn't mean yes. So, it's not yours, it it?" the boy says.                                           "Whatever. We're not going to get along. Hopefully, we don't have any classes together because you'll be a pain in my ass." Hope says, with a very mean sound to it.                                                           Hope takes the seat in front of the boy. She looks over the seat and looks at him.                                        "I'm Havi. Short for Haviarian." he says as he sticks his hand out to shake.                                                 Hope shakes Havi's hand.                                                                                                                                         "What'd you get saddled with?" Havi asks.                                                                                                                  "I didn't get saddled with anything. It's Hope. Hope Williams." Hope says, sarcastically.                       Havi takes out his computer and searches something but Hope can't read what he searched.        "That's an ironic name for someone like you. Based on your internet history, you're like the inside emo goth." Havi says, reading Hope's search history from his computer.                                        "Hey! Get out my search history! I didn't say you could go through my stuff!" Hope yells.                  She grabs his computer, shuts it down, and stuffs it in her backpack.                                                           Havi chuckles and says something under his breath.                                                                                             "What're you chuckling about?! I've got your computer!" Hope yells at Havi.                                            "It's funny that you act so tough but you're really embarrassed. I guess someone like you, chosen to go to a private school would act like this. Not even mentioning the fact that there's a camera and microphone recording us. So, I recommend that you give me my computer back." Havi whispers to Hope, sounding clever.                                                                                                                     Hope passes him his computer and gives an mean look on her face to the point where the camera can't see it but Havi could.                                                                                                                                 "What're you doing after school today? I've got tickets to the Crackers. They're playing the Astros tonight." Havi asks, still holding his smirk.                                                                                                                   Hope scoffs and gives him a silent "are you serious?!" look.                                                                                 "I'm not that much into baseball. I'm afraid when someone makes a stupid mistake, i'll run on the field and punch them in the nose." Hope says, blankly.                                                                                "Then, it'll be a real show. Baseball's overrated, I'd pay to see that!" Havi says.                                        Hope laughs and smiles at Havi.                                                                                                                                     "Sure. I'll come. But if I get kicked out, you're comin' with me!" Hope says, making a joke for the first time in a long time.                                                                                                                                                       "I'll take that chance. Agreed?" Havi says, sticking out his hand.                                                                     "Agreed." Hope says, as she shakes his hand in the middle of a big laugh. Hope gets up and takes the seat next to Havi. He smiles.