"Sheer-lock?"
I looked up from my book, sighing at hearing my name mispronounced again. I mean, honestly, how hard could it be to pronounce the simple two-syllabled name?
"It's Sher-lock." I said, pointedly putting emphasis on the first syllable.
"Oh, sorry," The boy said, blushing a little bit, "I'm John."
I took a closer look at John. He had slightly rumpled blond hair and brown eyes, which right now he was using to peer at me curiously. He was also quite a bit shorter than me, by at least 6 inches or so.
I took note of the white sheet of paper in his hands. He must be the student who they had assigned to be my "tour guide" of this new school. Noticing the grass stains on his knees, I groaned internally. They had assigned me one of those idiotic football players. I just couldn't see the point of kicking around a ball for endless hours.
"Soooooooo.... We have maths first..." John remarked, clearly a bit put off by my silence.
"Yes." I replied curtly, hoping he would walk away.
"So, I guess we should be going?" John said, confused as to why I wasn't standing up to join him.
"No, thank you." I responded.
John apparently thought that this meant that we should get aquainted. He sat down next to me, oblivious to my obvious distaste.
"I guess you're also in tenth grade... What classes are you in?"
I didn't answer, only returned to my book.
"Um, got any siblings?"
I stood up to leave, utterly disintrested in where this conversation was going.
'Wait!" John yelled, and I turned around to face him, "I'm supposed to show you around classes today!"
"I know that, you brainless idiot! And you know what else I know about you?" I asked, frustrated, "I know that you're the team medic. You used to be the star player, but you got injured and had to be taken off the team until you've recovered. You've been off for about 3 months now. Your parents and Coach think that your injury is psychosomatic- and I'm afraid they're right. Your brother is worried about you and wants to help you. You aren't accepting his help, possibly because you disaprove of him- or wait- he walked out on his long-term girlfriend. And I think that's enough for now, don't you?"
I pouted, waiting for the inevitable barrage of insults and slander that were surely to come. Instead, I heard nothing. I looked up to see John staring at me, a look of amazement written upon his features.
"That was... Amazing!" John exclaimed, much to my amazement, "I've never seen anyone do anything like that before!"
"You think so?" I asked incredulously.
"Of course! That was incredible."
"Did I get anything wrong?" I asked John, curious to see how well my deductions had gone.
"I don't get along very well with Harry. I never have. Harry just split up with Clara, she's moving out in a few days. And Harry is a drinker."
"Good. I didn't expect to get everything right." I said, a smug smile on my face.
"Harry is short for Harriet." John said, a grin threatening to come on his face.
As I looked at him, rather shocked, the bell rang and I hurried off towards my first class, John running behind me.
