Reintegration program - Elmax

Chapter 1 : The new students

The school year was beginning. As usual, Max went to her locker with the motivation of a dead rat, wanting to go away from school. Her best friend, Beverly joined her.

- Hey Max, how are you? asked Bev.

- I'm...like a first day at school! answered the annoyed redhead.

- You know we will have new students, right?

- Yeah, I received the mail too! But if they thought I would babysit them, they could put this idea deep in their asses!

- Well...I will "babysit" two of them...

- Oh! It's fine, you do what you want, reassured Max.

- I hope they will be nice, smiled Beverly, a bit anxious.

- I'm sure too, and plus, everybody likes you, so why not them?

- Yeah, I hope you're right.

The two girls had been cut by Lucas and Dustin running to them.

- You've seen outside!? asked Lucas with wide opened eyes.

- Good morning to you too, replied sharply Max.

- Yeah, yeah, sorry, anyway, there is a weird bus, like not a school bus, this one is blue and the teens inside are...strange!

- Like super scary, added Dustin.

- Oh! It's the new students! I can't wait to meet them! said happily Bev.

Her wish was going to be granted. The entrance doors opened, letting appearing a group of teenagers, all more cold than the others. They were so many, maybe thirty! Some wearing piercings, tattoos, oversized clothes, punk clothes, gangster style with a scary expression on their faces.

- Oh god, why did I write my name on the list! told Bev with a worried tone with her hand on her forehead like if she wasn't realizing.

- You did what!? exclaimed Lucas.

- I, I wanted to be nice with the new students, I didn't know it was...that!

- How many time are you supposed to babysit them? asked Max.

- Just today...

- It's not long, don't worry, they won't hurt you.

- I hope you're right!

- I'm always right!

Lucas and Dustin looked at each other before pouting to the girl, making her understand it wasn't really true. Mike and Will approached them.

- You've seen the garbage in the halls? asked Mike, pointed behind him with his thumb.

- Don't be mean Mike! told Bev, tapping his arm. They are human beings.

- Do you really think they are coming from a church with good intentions!? Don't be too kind with them, they are the kind to stab you in the back! Literally.

- How could you know that! You've never talk to them for now!

- I just know, believe me, you can't trust them.

- You were scared of them the second before! stated Dustin.

- I know! I'm still, but maybe they are not this bad...

- It's scum, they are, by definition, bad, said Max.

- They are just more bullies...intervened Will.

The others agreed with a nod while Bev just pouted. She was beginning to regret her name on the list! Maybe Will was right, it was more bullies...

As every beginning of the year, the principal conveyed everyone in the gymnasium for a speech. He began with encouragements, some quotations about motivations and all this kind of blah blah. But they were waiting for him to explain why there had policemen and weird teenagers with them.

- This year, our school has the honor to participate to a reintegration program, began the principal. Which means, we are welcoming new students coming from Alacazam.

When they heard this name, the entire gymnasium protested. Alacazam was the underage jail of the town. It was explaining why they looked so scary and why there had so many policemen. Beverly's face paled, feeling like she was going to have an awful day.

- SILENCE! ordered the man. Thank you. The goal is to give them the opportunity to have a second chance.

- SEND THEM BACK IN JAIL! yelled one of the student.

The others agreed loudly with him. The principal gave a "I told you" look at the chief of the police. The man asked again for the silence before continuing:

- It's like that, whether you like it or not! Now, I'm going to ask those who wrote their name on the list to join me, the others, you can go to class.

The students left the gymnasium in a loud hubbub. Beverly waved weakly to her friends, feeling the stress and the apprehension growing inside her. Well, it was the moment, she was going to meet her two new friends.