Nocens High

A School of Delinquents

Eyes as sharp as blades pierced through her body, following her every move. She gulped in nervousness and tensely smiled out to her new classmates. Muscular men with wooden sticks and bats rested against their shoulders and rugged women also with some sort of weapon dangled dangerously in their hands. Chains, tasers, swords, guns, you name it. She could see it all. All with a menacing look to their face. Her steps were as static as a robot as she made her way to the center of the platform.

A low voice drawled out, "Okay class, we have a new student today. Her name is Aurelia Bennet. Make sure to give her a warm welcome." For what she assumed was the teacher showed her to her seat, well for a more accurate reccount, vaguely pointed with his cigarette through his rough fingers. Her heart pounded as the gazes followed her to her desk.

Her name was Aurelia Bennet, a seemingly ordinary 16 year old student. She had moved schools from East Brooke High and for some odd reason, now found herslef in Nocens High - A school of delinquents.

***

Aurelia mentally blocked her ears from the screeching sounds of chalk meeting a blackboard. Each stroke of chalk let out an ear piercing cry that could burst anyone's ear drums. She could see the clear irritation forming on the other students. "So then this equals..." The teacher's monotone voice dragged throughout the room; however, from the angle of her seat she could see he was clearly enjoying the aggravated scowls of his students. It was obvious he was doing this on purpose, probably wanted some kid to break out and stir some excitement in the class.. "...and that's how you do your times tables." What are we even learning? Everyone should've learnt this in primary school? Was anyone even learning anything? Aurelia looked around the classroom only to be met with looks of irritation from the screeches of chalk, half dead faces of inattention and drools of snoring students. She rubbed her head in frustration. What is wrong with this school? She jumped a little as she felt a tap on her shoulder. She turned to the culprit. "Yes?" she greeted with a smile. The shoulder tapper was a boy with fairly childish features and light brown hair. He seemed pretty normal to Aurelia. He had his books sprawled out over his desk and in his hand held a tipless pencil. Aurelia felt a little puzzled. They were learning grade 3 timetables? No? Maybe he is writing notes from an actual grade eleven textbook. "Hey, Aurelia right? I'm Max" he whispered quite loudly, "Do you happen to have a sharpener? Can I borrow it?"

"Y-yeah sure," Aurelia smiled at him as she passed the sharpener back.

"Thanks!" He said with grin. She took this opportunity to clear her puzzlement and see what the guy was writing. To her shock...

"Pretty hard stuff they teach at this school right?" he said in all honesty as he took the sharpener.

To her shock, he was taking notes of the timestables on the screeching board. This guy was actually intently and genuinely taking notes of the timestables.

"U-uh...the timestables?" She questioned lightheartedly yet concerned.

"Yeah, my mum says I can't get a computer unless I get at least one pass in -"

"GODAMMIT! STOP THAT FREAKIN' SCREECHING!" A student finally cracked. The teacher's lazy smirk grew. As one defiant student rose up, the others followed. The sleeping students woke up from the racket and in their grumpiness of being woken up decided to throw their frustrations on the other students. No one ever said it was a good idea to fight with weapons in a small cramped room. So as some students went to strike the teachers with their long ranged weapons, they swept up other students, causing many little brawls to break out. Admist all this debris, Aurelia sat there, frozen in shock.

"Yeah, so my mum says I can't get a computer unless I get at lea-" continued Max nonchalantly.

"U-u-uuh, shouldn't we do something about this?' she asked pointing to the dust clouds that had accumulated from the battling students.