Humbug

Chapter 1 - Three Musketeers

"The two means you multiply the number by itself TWICE." explained Mr. Kurt. He passionately wrote out the numbers on the white board, explaining each step as he went along.

"But why would it say 2?! That's so confusing, it's as if it wants me to mess up." groaned Ashley Johnson, while loudly chewing gum and smacking her lips at each bite. She starts to erase a whole line from her paper in annoyance.

I roll my eyes and take a deep breath. Dumbass. I was definitely not the best at math but some students were clearly in need of some serious help. I glance to the left to see Ashley staring at Mr. Kurt's messy writing with a dumbfounded look on her face.

Ashley was one of my best friends, but I definitely couldn't stand her. It seemed as if her brain cells died every time she tried to think too deep. Conversations with her were those conversations you had to dumb yourself down a notch, maybe two.. or six, to get her to understand. She didn't have a lot going for her. Don't get me wrong, Ashley had looks. A dirty blonde, green eyed beauty. She constantly had guys in line, but usually denied it once rumors would get out. I knew all of her little secrets. A girl full of stories. She even had her intellectual moments that would surprise me. However for the most part, Ashley was rotten inside with not a lot to offer. Yet of course, she was disgustingly popular.

The bell rang causing me to jump a bit on my seat. Ashley looked to me and laughed as she gathered her bag.

"Girl, you have got to get it together," she playfully rolled her eyes as she approached my desk. I grab my textbook and pencil and quickly try shoving it in my bag. The sooner I get the hell out of this class.. and away from Ashley, the better.

"So, I'm talking to this guy.. name's Levi. He sent me a text asking to bring a couple friends over to his house tonight," she smirked. She had her head tilted slightly as if her brain was too lopsided to keep it straight.
"He's having a couple of his friends over and he just wants them to have some company."

Oh hell no. "Oh," I sarcastically laugh, "so you want me to accompany you to some guy's house so you could leave me awkwardly sitting in a couch with another guy that's just trying to get in my pants while YOU'RE getting some in yours?" I squint my eyes.

She stares back, again completely dumbfounded. "No, thank you." I get up from my desk and walk out the class. I feel her run up behind me.

"C'mon. He was cute, you're just a debby downer. Look, I promise it won't be awkward and I won't leave you alone. Plus, you'll also be with Julia." She quickly batted her eyes as she walked in front of me.

Julia Martin was our best friend. In my opinion, she's just Ashley number two. They're similar in so many ways. Julia's a blonde, blue eyed girl with a bit more common sense, but I guess Ashley's stupidity just rubs off on her everytime they get together. Men are wrapped around her pinky, but unlike Ashley, she's a bit more open about her sex life. Sticking by her belief that women are entitled to as much freedom as men and if she wants to screw every guy in town, she can. I can stand Julia a bit more than Ashley, but I still despise them both.

"I really just have to finish like three essays, Ash. I don't have time for thi-" I get cut off as Ashley's big mouth interrupts.

"It's for like two hours! Oh my god, when was the last time you even had a little fun?" she started to get a bit aggressive. "seriously.. how many freaking books do you read on a daily and how much do you write per hour, I bet you've got calluses all over your fingers." She scoffed and rolled her eyes.

I looked down at my fingers and saw a baby callus forming on my ring finger. Quickly looking back up at her, I sigh. "Fine. Fine, whatever. Just send me the address and time." I start speeding away from her and to my next class. I'm probably so late already.

"Yay! I'll text you!" She yelled behind me.

I thought to myself on the way to my next class. Swear to god, if I just had the balls to punch her in the face. I couldn't really explain why I didn't like Ashley so much. She was just annoying, self entitled, selfish, only caring about her image, and just overall pathetic... or maybe I can explain it. As much as I didn't like her though, I was a lot like her. Which is the main reason why I involved myself with her and Julia. I hide behind this image of a perfect, popular girl. I hang out with the wrong crowd because I'm too scared to be myself. At the end of the day, I'd rather put up a front than expose my true skin. I've been like this since the first year of high school, when everything just became too intense for me.

I enter my English class and walk my way over to the back, where I've been sitting the past week. I was about three minutes late and it was already settled down and quiet.

I notice the teacher silently makes her way over to me and hands me a paper. "Schedule change." She whispers.

Already? It's only the first week of school.
I scan through the paper and notice I had to make my way over to the 3rd building for my new English class. Great.

I walk out and make my way over to my new class. The most annoying thing about a new year is the constant switching around. It's like I get accustomed and finally comfortable around new people and then I have to do it all over again in some new class. I hate it.

I slowly open the door and enter. It's completely silent with a bunch of eyes staring at me. I should be used to the staring but it never really settles in.

"You are?" I hear a voice come from the front corner of the class. It's the teacher. A brunette lady, seeming to be in her 40s. She was a bit short and seemed kind of sweet, actually.

I then hear a whisper come from the back of the class "-one of the three hoe musketeers." Clearly referring to Ashley, Julia, and I.
A couple silent snickers. "Shut up, she's hot." I hear another.

I glance back to the whisperers and quickly look back at the teacher who's waiting for my reply.

"My name is Eva. Eva Pierce. Schedule change."

—
Hey guys! This is my first story and chapter on the Humbug book! Please give me back any feedback you may have and any constructive criticism to help me out.
This is sort of a tester chapter to see how people like it and how it turns out.
Thanks for reading!
Much love.