Back; Back to that place again. Surely, after a while it gets old doesn't it? But it seems that only I am getting tired of this whole charade. What joy do they get in tormenting me about my every move? I clearly don't comprehend, if I did then maybe I would be tormenting them as well. It has been part of my routine actually. It is now 7am, Monday, in the classroom with a 3% chance of precipitation and a humidity of 35%. Any moment now, Aaric Johnson is going to walk in the door with a quiff for a hairstyle and a black Hawk bag full of his textbooks.
"Good morning everyone! And Ohayo to you Forte. I doubt you would understand greetings in English." Aaric said in a really teasing voice.
Yes, all according to schedule, the said short and stout male appeared. I placed my copy of the Illiad on my table and looked at Aaric straight on in the eye. He was completely pathetic, I don't see the joy in just teasing people first thing when you arrive in class. My two closest friends, Rochelle and Frannie, seemed to be annoyed with his presence as well. I mean who wouldn't be? We are all simply having a good time discussing our love for mythological stories, only to be disturbed by head dumbo over here.
"Well then, Sir Johnson, will you please explain to me as to why you completed that sentence in English? How dumb of you to say that I don't understand English and talk to me in the language." I answered back to him and got back to my book.
He huffed and walked away after getting fetched by his little group of friends. Honestly, I'm not even shaken anymore. Admittedly, the first time I answered back to him, I felt terribly doing so but now after realising that his actions are completely uncalled for and I have a right – I'm completely unfazed.
"Thanks for playing the big girl again, Forte. " Frannie told me with clear disdain in her tone. I patted the brunette on her hand and smiled at her. Frannie is on and off with Aaric but at moments like these, she is completely done with his BS. Honestly, Frannie is the only one who is flexible with personalities in our friendship group and is definitely the more popular one. I was concerned of how people would view her because of my very, very well known reputation but she seems to not mind and I truly appreciate this.
Rochelle on the other hand is like me. She also fancies books and we both share the same interests. We're both outcasted in this school but honestly, we're enjoying living our lives earnestly. We often hang out together even outside of school and go to conventions and expos.
My two friends are all I need to get through with school life here, I don't need anyone else. I don't mind the tormenting they do on me because I know the power and skills I have personally; I know to myself who I truly am that alone is enough for me.
ΔΔΔ
The day has ended and I am completely exhausted. Aaric is really persistent into annoying the living daylights out of me for some reason. He's really dedicated to his little charade.
The breeze is blowing strongly, sending shivers down my spine. It's really Autumn. The scent of pumpkin spice latte is in the air. Autumn is a really relaxing time of the year, and is my personal favorite. Everything is in warm colors despite it becoming gradually colder and colder as the time passes by. I adjusted my scarf and went inside the bus, which was filled with students. Most people wouldn't want to walk in this cold weather, even people who I usually don't see in here are hitching a ride. Only one spot at the back was free, beside a face I don't recognize.
"Excuse me... May I sit beside you?" I asked Mr. Unfamiliar-To-Me.
He looked up with a shocked expression and nodded abruptly, overly moving aside. He seemed shy and completely quiet, I knew that this bus ride would have an extra air of uncomfortable awkwardness if I didn't say anything. And so I tapped him on the shoulder; again he looked up to me with his brown eyes open wide. Am I really that terrifying to look at? Regardless, I smiled kindly and introduced myself.
"Hello, I'm Forte Krischelle Harris, I believe we haven't met. Welcome to Hardon Hugh Academy! Hopefully, you have a swell experience here." I said in a really cheerful tone. I am also doing this as a prefect. It is only my duty to make the students in this institution to feel safe and to make sure they are all on the right track.
"Oh yeah... Hey, I'm Chase..." He answered in a really quiet tone. He hid his face in his bag, with his hair I feel like I'm just talking to a really black chinchilla as it scavenges for food. I disregarded his actions and continued to read "The Illiad", I swear this part is literally only about Achilles putting on his new armor.
A small girl appeared and sat beside me. I looked up and saw that it was one of the younger children that I looked out for in Hardon Hugh. I smiled at her and she widely smiled back.
"Hello Forte! I'm riding with you in the bus today? I don't see you here often!" The girl happily said. I nodded at her and explained that since I'm older, I have more subjects and go home later than her. She nodded in understand and pointed at the book I'm reading.
"Wow, that's a big!" She said in an amazed tone. I laughed at her surprise. Children think this is much to read but honestly, if you enjoy a story, it's all too short. She borrowed the book and started skimming through the pages quickly.
"I bet the contents are even bigger!!" She exclaimed even louder than the first. I took the book back from her and she just looked starstruck. An old woman calls the girl and she runs back to her after waving goodbye.
As I opened my book, I heard some muffled chuckling beside me. I looked beside me to see that the chinchilla was shaking. I lightly hit him with my book and crossed my legs. "You dirty-minded person. It's a young girl."
"I bet the contents are even bigger." He quotes with a straight face only to burst out chuckling again. I smiled softly at the sight of it and rolled my eyes. Men will be men, no matter how offensive that may sound, it is true.
"So, where are you from exactly, Chase?" I asked him, trying to take advantage of this small moment of him opening up to me. He properly sat up and looked at me with lazy eyes.
"I'm from Alabama." He answered courtly and went back to hugging his bag. Is there something special about this bag of his? It may be a shield of some sort.
"Oh I see, what year are you in?"
"In the third, I'm in Fidelity. "
Oh he's the same year as me? How have I not been informed of this? Well, that's oddly convenient. I suppose this can be a start of a new friendship.
YOU ARE READING
Close as Strangers
Teen FictionA peculiar girl who gets tormented for her interests has always accepted the fact that she will never be accepted in their school openly but what if new male exchange student also felt the same way as her?
