Circumspect [BoyXBoy]

Chapter Two

"Hey, Casper!" Bailey greeted me as I approach the table, a voice a bit higher compared to her plump body.

Bailey Myers

Her straight, raven black hair drops just below her shoulders, shining brightly. She looks at me with her slanted eyes, almost as if she's looking for someone to kill.

"Yo!" I reply happily, my excitement overflowing from earlier. "How's your room? D'ya make any friends?" I sat down, elbowing her gently.

Bailey is the epitome of a 'dead kid'. No offense to her, though, she knows it all too well. She's the person who, despite her size, is invisible. You wouldn't notice her if she didn't so much as talk to you.

She rarely initiates conversations to other people. And when she does, people take a long time to notice her, sometimes never at all.

She's one to easily be manipulated, as bad as it sounds. She gives in rather easy. She looks as though she couldn't hurt a fly, but when you get her angry, you're basically dead to her. Bloody and mangled in her mind. That's how Bailey rolls.

"Yeah I did." She said proudly. It's rare for her to make new friends on a short time.

"Oh really?" I said in a sarcastic unbelieving tone.

"Hey! I did make one!" She crossed her arms, a little annoyed.

"What's her name, then?" I raised my eyebrow, tilting my head to the side. A smirk plays on my face.

"Uh..." She paused to think for a moment. "I-I can't remember."

"Of course you did." I chuckle lightly. "It's fine, Bailey." I said, patting her back.

The four of us hung out here, on a table under a tree. This was our meeting place, near the grassy, open field of the campus. Winds blew, the Sun shined, clouds moved, birds sang, the sky was blue. A perfect normal day of peace. Before we get hit by nonstop projects from our teachers.

"Hey," I said, smirking. "Are you ready for the hardest year of highschool?"

Bailey let out a exasperated sigh, "Dude, don't even remind me. I don't want to think of the projects and homework on the first day of school. Let me have my peace, okay?" She said, snapping her fingers. I swear she gets so sassy sometimes.

"Well, I am. This is gonna be the last chance for me to redeem myself in highschool." I said proudly, pumping my fist in the air.

Senior year is the hardest year as teachers rev up the difficulty to unimaginable levels. Mostly to 'prepare us for the future' or they just want us to suffer like they did.

But no matter what they throw at me, I still keep my grades up. Although, I never seemed to get into the top, no matter what I do. Not to sound conceited or anything, but I always get the highest grades between the four of us. Next would be Jill, then Jamie and Bailey go in a tie. I never studied at home, though. I never had time to. I'd wake up early in the morning, and reach the school just in time, while I get home late. A vicious cycle for someone who lives far from the school.

"What did you do in your class?" I found myself asking, curious at what other teachers made their class do.

"That damn August, serenading me and stuff." She shuddered.

"What?! How? Spill it! Oh My God, Bailey! Someone likes you!" I exclaimed loudly. I only got winked at by him at 8th Grade. Probably was just messing with me, but I don't know. Weirdo classmates, I swear.

August was this really popular and handsome guy, he even has a fanclub in the school. Damn his pretty face. He's even got a hot body. Why is the world so unfair? And here I am, waiting for my Prince Charming to arrive on his mighty steed.

"He introduced himself, and said that he also likes to sing." Bailey paused to twitch, "So everyone asked him to... And he went to me and sang." Bailey feigned a sob, as if her world ended. I laughed loudly, making every passerby look strangely at me. "He dare mock me? Of all people?!" Bailey scoffs, "He's gonna pay, embarrassing me like that. He better sleep with one eye open from now on." I could see the flicker of Hell's flames in her eyes. 

"Oh poor you, you don't know how lucky people think you are." I wiped an imaginary tear. "You're already the envy of all girls." Of course she is, August Serafini is the envy of the whole school. He's even a starting actor in the business. "Better watch out, the fanclub's gonna kill you." I said playfully.

I see August in the distance with his friends. His group consists of the school's bullies. They're the ones who cause trouble in the school. Always getting into fights and all, always getting scolded and reprimanded by teachers. But they always get out of it. Always. Blame my school's corruption. They'll do anything for a little money.

I roll my eyes at them, they're just a bunch of jerks. Yeah. Jerks. 

You say they're jerks, but deep inside, you believe that August isn't one of them. A voice in my head says. Even my subconscious knows me so well. You'd like to think you actually have a chance, huh? Yes. Yes I do.

"Then you go date him." Bailey said abruptly.

"What?" I say quizzically, unsure what brought her to say that. "What do you mean?"

"Dude I'm your so-called subconscious." She stated as-matter-of-factly. I look at her, puzzled. "Ugh," she rolled her eyes, "Dude, you're so dense. You spaced out and I was talking to you okay?"

"But, I was speaking from my mind..." My eyes widen at the realization. "I SPOKE OUT LOUD?!"

Bailey scoffs at me, "Took you long enough. Luckily, no one heard." I let out a sigh of relief.

 I rested my arms and head on the table, closing my eyes. What if he did like you? What if that wink wasn't for nothing? Questions circle my mind, is it possible?

"Hey, wake up." I hear Jamie's voice, hand over my shoulder, "Break is over. Time to go." I hadn't noticed I drifted off to sleep. Was I really that tired?

I sit up, rubbing my eyes. I groan, wanting to resume sleeping, but unfortunately I can't. I want to make a good impression this year. My insufficient sleep gets to me sometimes. I get lazy, cranky, and drowsy. I don't get productive. "Huh? Okay." I stood up, still bleary-eyed. "Where's Jill and Bailey?"

"You okay? You slept the whole time." Jamie asked, gently pushing my back, guiding me towards our rooms. "Jill and Bailey went on ahead. They seemed to be in a hurry." Fortunately, our rooms aren't that far from each other, Jill's classroom is just adjacent to mine. Jamie and Bailey's classrooms were also adjacent to each other, but are on the floor below us.

Jamie Schwartz

She wears her orange-rimmed glasses proudly over her pair of dark brown eyes. Her frizzy dark hair lets loose at her back. Her dark complexion complements every part of her. A tad slim, and no matter what massive amount of food she intakes, she never manages to gain weight. She bears slender arms and legs that give her extra mobility, running as fast as a galloping horse.

"Yeah, I'm just tired, is all." I let out a yawn, stretching. My bones give a crisp pop and a wave of relief takes over, relaxing me. We walk towards the building in silence. For some reason, even though I've been with Jamie for a long time, she's the one I get the most silences with. But it's okay. It's not an awkward silence.

As we reached her floor, we go separate ways, waving a goodbye. I proceed to ascend the staircase to my floor. 

My mind remains blank still. I stare at the floor I walk on, thinking about nothing. I let out a deep sigh, 

THUD

A hard collision sends me to the floor. My bones feel like it fractured. I look at the figure infront of me...

A wall.

I hit a wall.

Damn Casper, this has been your best one yet. 

"You seem to get hurt a lot."