Secrets, Lies, And High School - Rewrite

Hallway Of Lies

Like the beginning of every first day of the school year, the hallways were quiet. Students not speaking a word to each other, tension from not spending summer together in the air, but guaranteed to dissipate before lunch. As the hallways cleared, there were a few students left trying to open their lockers. One student in particular, struggling to get his locker unstuck, at least has a reasonable excuse on why he would be late to class. Unlike the other students in the hall that are just trying to mesmerize their code.

"Damnit." The boy cursed, giving up on his locker, banging his head against the green metal door and leaving it pressed against the coldness. He had scruff looking bruise just under in left eye, on his cheek bone. His blue flannel with a black t-shirt underneath were rumpled, black jeans were torn and tattered, and his bright red converse that had been darked by dirt, on his right foot had a hole at the heel on the left side. His black hair was unkept, pointing every-which-way, and his sea-green eyes were dull but had little spark in them.

"Percy my boy," The said boy, Percy, looked up at the person who had called him. Salt and pepper hair, firm fitting white long sleeve button up, khaki pants, and black sneakers. The person's green lanyard reading:

Teacher
Paul Blowfis
English

In bright white letters. The teacher's smile disappeared a little when he saw the bruise.

"Hey little man, what happened? Get into a fight over the summer?" Paul asked, putting his hand on the boy's shoulder, sliding it up his neck, using his thumb to make the boy's face move to the side so he could get a better look at the bruise.

"No, Mr. Blowfish." Percy batted away the hand. It felt weird having someone touch him and it not hurt. It normally always hurt.

"Just tripped while on a camping trip with my dad."

"Okay. I just needed to know if you would like to do me a favor."

"And that is?" Percy didn't like doing favors, but Pa-Mr. Blowfish was his favorite teacher. He was the only one that didn't think Percy was brain dead, and he wanted to prove it to him. He even managed to get a B- in his class.

"To show a new student around. You've been here last year and know where everything is, and your a sweet kid, so I thought you'd be perfect for the job." Mr. Blowfis used his left hand to guide Percy toward the office by putting it on his back in between his shoulder blades.

"S-surre." Percy hated new kids, they always pegged him the same way everyone else did before he even said a word.

Worthless.
Pain in the ass.
A stupid idiot!

His own father didn't even like him.

"Are you sure you want to do this for me?" Paul asked, noticing his student's stuttering. It only showed whenever he was nervous. He never told Paul what was wrong, but he promised himself that he would help Percy anyway he could. He was hoping this could help him meet an old friend.

"Yeah. Yeah, I'm sure." Percy said a little more comfortably, but flinching as the first tardy bell went off.

"Don't worry, I'll write you a pass to class and you won't be counted tardy."

Percy sighed in relief. He didn't want to think about what his father would do if he had more tardies then last year. He had, right then and there, made a new school resolution: Never be late to class. Ever.

"So," Mr. Blowfis said, opening the office door to reveal a blonde girl in a light grey tank top and a long sleeve red shirt with no shoulders underneath it, turquoise skinny jeans and purple high-tops. Her, what Percy assumed was her's, black backpack was on the floor, leaning against the office front desk.

"Ms. Chase, please meet Mr. Ugliano. Mr. Ugliano, Ms. Chase."

The girl turned, her grey eyes becoming curious, and looked Percy up and down. He eyes widened in surprise and recognition.

"Percy?" she asked, startled.

"Annabeth?" Percy answered her question with another question.

They both smiled, running toward each other, hugging when they met. Smiling and talking a mile a minute, holding each other at an arm's length apart by gripping the other's elbows.

Paul smiled. 'Bout time the kid had something good in his life.