Skaia Elementary

Chapter 2

John climbed up the steps of the school bus. Sitting near the front were Rose and Dave.

"Hello, John," Rose greeted. "Are you excited for school?"

"Are you kidding?" John responded. "Not even if I get paid."

"I agree," Rose sighed. "I was making small-talk."

John sat down next to Dave. The bus driver closed the bus door and continued driving.

"What have you been up to this summer?" Rose asked John as she leaned over Dave.

"Nothing, as usual. You?"

"I mostly read and knitted. My mom's teaching me." Rose pulled a light purple cap made out of yarn.

"Cool," John said as he looked at the hat. "Do you think you could make me something?"

"Well, I guess," Rose said. "I'm only new to the craft. What did you have in mind?"

"Can you make sweaters? A new sweater would be nice."

"I'll try." Rose smiled at her friend.

They sat in silence for a second. "Dave," Rose said. "You seem oddly quiet today."

Dave was playing on his DS. "I'm getting into my game," he told her. "These Japanese RPGs are the bomb."

The bus screeched to a stop in front of a tall and oddly-built house. From the front door, Karkat scurried to the bus and rushed on. He took a seat on the opposite side of Rose, Dave, and John. The bus started up again.

"Hi, Karkat!" John said to the grumpy boy.

"You sound way too cheery for someone who's going to school," was Karkat's response.

"Jeez, you seem pretty ticked. I thought you didn't like summer anyway."

"Well, it sure beats the rest of the year." Karkat dug through his bag until he found a worn-out, half-inch thick book.

"What's that?" John asked.

"It's called Midnight's Revenge," Karkat mumbled as he read the novel attentively. John didn't even have to ask to know that it was yet another one of Karkat's dense romance books.

"Are books like this even appropriate for a kid your age?"

Karkat didn't reply, hinting to John that the conversation was very much over.

Soon enough, the bus pulled into the school. Everyone seemed to stand in unison, as if they had been doing this routine for six years (which they had). The students exited the bus, some eager to start school, others eager to end it. John walked with Rose and Dave to the cafeteria and waited until the bell rang. Now was the beginning of a new and exciting year for the kids.