Constant Navigation

Constant Navigation-Chapter 1

High school. The one place everyone says you find yourself. You embark on it and hope that eventually there is a step to stand on or a ledge to fall off of, depending on who you ask. Sure it isn't all bad if you ignore the terrible teaching styles and the lack of cliches, like Homecoming evidently going to the popular kids and the loners are long forgotten or possibly mistaken as a potential flight risk. High school is, well. It's High School. That's it in a nutshell.

But I, Jordan Langermen never found my place in social circles. I wasn't willing to conform to the ideological thoughts that I had to be someone to fit in somewhere. If I couldn't be me then who will I become?

That being said, it doesn't mean I never found friends, well a friend. Jackson. Jackson is the type of guy you can entrust with just about everything. He's a true artistic type. That's how we met in freshman year, through art and photography and being his friend has been my fondest memory, especially when he trusted me enough to come out. He's transgendered. No one would know unless they've known him his entire life which in this town isn't likely since he moved here our freshman year. He's been pretty quiet about it and I don't blame him. It's hard to be who you are here. I dealt with that enough after my own coming out.

At this point, I think everyone is sort of in their own bubble dealing with their own dramas, their own stresses to care about anyone else's miserable tendencies.

"How's the writing coming?" Jordan snaps around to see Jackson hovering over her like an obnoxious child. She lets out a deep breath she didn't realize she was holding before closing her laptop.

"You scared the shit out of me," she grumbles as she places the computer into her backpack.

He holds his hands up in surrender. "I'm sorry," he laughs. "I think it's pretty cool you want to write about the struggles of high school in this day in age."

Jordan flips around to face him fully. "Yeah and thank you for letting me talk about you in it. I feel like your story could help a lot of struggling kids who just don't know how to navigate."

He smiles. "We all have our stories, so if I can help at least one person I say I can die happy." Jordan smiles at this and shakes her head at his simplicity. It's moments like this that she thinks that really this year could go smoothly.

The five minute bell sounds for the first time of Senior year as Jordan continues to pack up her belongings. "We better go." Jordan sighs deeply as they grab their backpacks to trek towards first period.

If you feel different or feel alone finding the right people to center yourself around is a tough feat, but it is beatable and you may think that is the hardest challenge of all, but I'm here to tell you. You're wrong.

If there is anything I can teach you in this book is this one thing.

Rule number 1: Navigating the halls.

Yes! Especially when it's during the rush hour traffic of the first bell that signals you are on thin ice. That moment where you are told you have five minutes to get to class and if you're not in your seat precisely then it can be the end of your weekend, maybe even your social life as you know it.

So okay, I'm getting dramatic with that last part because Saturday detention isn't the end of the world, but it does suck to be cooped up in the cafeteria on a Saturday for four hours forced to do something productive till your time is up.

But navigating the halls requires discipline. Perseverance. Determination. Determination to use force on anyone who is in your way. Use your shoulders and elbows if you have to in order to push through the crowd of stopped student body bullshitting like there isn't a place to go. You are on a mission to keep that Saturday.

That is until things backfire on you.

"Ow!" Jordan lands on the ground with a grunt followed by another weight. She groans as the hard tile floor presses against her back and whoever landed above her tries to collect themselves.

"Shit Jordan! Are you okay?" Jackson kneels down beside Jordan to lift her head up to check if she hit it or not.

"Are you kidding me? She ran into my girl." Jordan looks up to see a big football player slinging his backpack on one shoulder, pulling the other girl up to her feet.

"Seriously Drake? Your girl was the one on top of her so if anything it's her fault," Jackson argues as Drake approaches Jackson with immediate defensiveness.

"You want to go right now? It's the first day pretty boy, don't test me," Drake steps up and Jackson gets ready to approach him but the girl beside Drake, who Jordan knows as Shay pushes him back.

"Drake I'm fine, okay?" She says. "Just forget about it," she practically begs bringing his attention to her. He sighs deeply and eventually nods.

"Fine," he mumbles then turns back to Jordan and Jackson. "This ain't over for you two," he threatens pointing his finger at them before stalking away from the scene.

Jackson watches them leave and by now the crowd has thinned a bit. "What a dick," Jackson says as he grabs Jordans shoulders to help her up. "Are you okay? You hit your head or anything?" He asks softly and Jordan shakes her head slightly.

Jordan brushes her jeans as she stands. "No I'm okay, thanks."

He nods. "Let's get out of here before we're late."

End of Part 1