Properly

Chapter 1: Summer's End

I was simply strolling out in the warm weather, eager to finally get some cooler weather that's safe enough to get out of the house. I was getting a bit worked up from having to stay inside for nearly four days since the heat's been getting high enough to leave you breathless after a five-minute walk.
Not only that, but my dad doesn't really know the meaning of decency... yeah, he sometimes walks around the house naked on hot days to save on AC. And to top it off, being a raccoon where your fur is black and grey can really do a number on you in a stuffy house.

That was what I was doing when I stumbled across the old, yet modern, swanky school that stood as almost a beacon of beauty in a large city filled with pollution, trash, and crappy people.

That's right kiddos, living in the city isn't so great after you realize there's more than shops and food joints to see!
Luckily, I lived in the suburban part of this city where it was as close to nonpolluted as you could get. So if you want to live in the city and don't want to see the unpleasant sights, just move into the suburban area.

Right, back to the story. I was walking down my usual path of occasional greenery with plenty of pavement. I ended up walking all the way into the city, passing the numerous shops, restaurants, and buildings and towards the newly constructed school of Tobagco Academy- where young minds are molded into proper adults.

I never really had an eye for the school, mainly because of the number of kids it hauled in annually and who those kids were. They were kids who were rich or had some amount of money from somewhere or kids who actually had some talent in something and were trying to hone it in.

I didn't think I was talented in something or have the money to even afford to go there, but I would just occasionally think about the school's activities and such that would definitely be an improvement over my old school's funding being only handed to art. Though I did take art, we ended up short on money when tons of kids were put into art since other extracurricular activities were low on whatever they had.

I stood right in front of the front gate, peering through the bars and ended up admiring the work put into it. There were a pair of two-story buildings that seemed to stretch well over a block and another Victorian themed building that was the first thing you would see when you took a look inside. I scooted over to catch more of the school and saw the football and baseball fields in a beautiful land of green.

I felt impressed, seeing this huge school being remodeled by possible donations from the rich side of town. To be honest, I felt a little jealous. The two buildings were possibly bigger than my own school, and it had more to offer than just art.

Maybe they have pottery classes? Classes on how to be a carpenter? Classes on how to cook? I thought to myself.
No... they probably have everything a teenager could possibly think of. Lockers that come with chargers? Check. Vending machines that drop actual snacks? Check. A dispenser that dispenses bubble wrap for test anxiety? Check.

I sighed, feeling the jealousy and realization of my school looking like a shack compared to this palace of a school.

"Wonder if... nah. I won't ever get in with my skills. Oh well. Guess there's always college." I sighed, taking my leave for home.

When I reached the beginning of my block, I texted my dad that I was getting home and to at least put on some shorts and a tank top to protect what was left of my view of him. He'd listened half the time. Emphasis on 'half'. The other half he would pretend that he still didn't know how his phone worked because as he says, "Why'd the flip phone go out of style?! If you had an angry phone call, the slamming the top part would be so satisfying!"

I reached my front door mentally prepared myself. I slowly creaked the door open, letting out a sigh of relief to see my dad napping on the couch and, thankfully, wearing boxers with a shirt.

"Thanks, dad." I smiled and rubbed my dad's forehead. He was a hard-working single father, so naps were something he definitely deserved. He may walk around naked occasionally this time of year, but it is his house and well, as he says, "I'm 41, divorced, and getting fat, Zach. I'm not going to impress anyone soon."

I entered my room and plopped down on my bed, browsing through any websites that interested me on my phone. I had social media, but I had a pathetic amount of followers or friends. I only had five to six followers or friends on anything I had. On the other hand... I was following over 600 people. My recommendations were constantly showing boys who were very... pleasing in the face. And were also very fit. And posted shirtless pictures which I would constantly save. Sue me.

Though, one recommended to me interested me much more than the others. He was a leopard cat and was my age, but had a very nice lean and slightly defined body which was a contrast from my slightly pudgy body. From his other posts, he seemed to be a bit of a dancer. He danced mainly to hip hop and pop, but sometimes other types of music. Line dance, jazz, ballroom dance, and one even showcasing him in a Youtube video were enough to have me follow him and double-tap every post he made recently.

"That Youtube video though... can a fifteen-year-old even do that?" I checked it and discovered that he actually attended dance classes where a professional dancer was teaching his newest choreography. He was given a spotlight where he was in front of four other teens, dancing away, displaying every move nearly perfectly with just a hint of aggressiveness. His lean body twisted and moved smoothly and his tail would occasionally move to the background music in the song he danced to.

Needless to say, I could say I had a new Internet crush.

I began watching his every video of him dancing to music that kids nowadays would disapprove of until they see him dance. His body would be aggressive at times, but I still admired his skill at how he managed to dance to every song he did with a partner or not. Seeing him dance with a partner made me wander to think about how he could do that to me or with me.

Thinking that had me say, "Yeah right. I'll never be at his level of skill. Maybe I can watch along with all those people standing on the side.

After watching him dance, I suddenly felt a rush of energy swell up inside me telling me to start dancing. Though when I tried to commit to it, I just sat back down and returned to watching dance videos. Seemed like a typical summer say to me.