Burned Out [Completed]

Dealing With the New Kid

The next day I was no less cheerful. First period, English, started off pleasantly enough, all until Mrs. Nelinski announced that she had great news.

"We've got a new student!" She exclaimed.

No way.

"He's not from around here, so let's be sure to make him feel welcome."

I swear, if it's-

"Nickolas, come on in!"

Can I just die now?

My new "friend" Nick waltzed into the class with that bogus superiority of his. And what are the freaking odds? The only open seat was behind mine. Awesome.

I hid my irritation the best I could, but when Nickolas sat down behind me, I could feel his eyes glued on me. That guy could make it seem like he was reading your thoughts. What a grade A creep.

The class uttered a few disinterested greetings and the day moved on. Next was home room, no chance of seeing Nickolas there, thank whatever god was out there.

Then came third hour: writing. The teacher's a you-know-what, the kids in the class are all you-know-whats, and the class is just stupid. We've been writing papers all our lives, why do we need an extra class?

Useless.

I managed to get through it without killing someone or myself and then went to the library. Technically it was my lunch period, but Martin and I just ate in the library. Better than socializing.

I started munching on my sandwich in the empty room, waiting for Mart to show. I heard some footsteps and I glanced up to see a guy browsing the shelves on the far side of the library. I turned back to my lunch and continued waiting...

...And waiting. I was ready to track Martin down and bite his head off for ditching me when he jogged into the room. Mrs. Pitchfield, the media specialist, as she liked to be called, hissed at him to be quiet and he slowed to a fast walk.

"Okay," I started before he could open his mouth, "I have no idea where you were but one: who did you ditch me for? I know you don't have any friends! And two: you ditched me? What the hell, man!"

He held up his hands, palms out, like he was being stared down by an angry bull...which was a pretty accurate analogy.

"I can explain!"

Oh yeah? Try.

"I was talking to Nickolas-"

"Nickolas? You mean the one who's a total toolbag?" Not my best name calling, I'll admit. "It's bad enough that weirdo shows up in my classes, but now he's stealing my friends?"

"Okay, okay, he caught me off guard! He saw the book I was reading and we got into this conversation about the moral implications of the climax and the characters and the plot and-"

"Yeah, yeah, whatever." I tried and barely succeeded to hold in a smile. How could I stay mad at that big barrel of nerd? But of course he couldn't know that. "You owe me one, Smelt. Maybe several 'ones.'"

"Yeah," he shrugged, nudging his shoulder against mine, "Probably."

"Positively." I corrected, shoving back.

...

Martin had the sense to avoid Nick for the next few days. Nickolas, however, didn't seem to get the memo.

For once Mart and I didn't spend the morning together because he was late. I was sitting in Mrs. Nelinski's room, waiting for class to start and guess who walks in? Yeah, Nickolas.