Cursed Hearts

The Teenage Life

Storybrooke High was certainly a unique school to attend. Not that any of the students knew any better; it was just hard to life a normal life when every single person knew one another. It was especially hard when everyone knew Roland's mother ruled over the town- that was something that stayed on the fifteen year old like a stamp on his forehead. There was a certain level of greatness he was ordered to carry around with him everywhere he went; when he fell below that standard, it seemed the whole school knew about it.

"I can't believe you failed that test," his best friend, Alex Boyd, stated with a smirk. "Your mom is going to kill you."

Slinging his backpack across his shoulders, Roland sighed. "I didn't fail it, I just..."

"Didn't pass? Anything below a seventy is failing," Alex said, continuing to give him a hard time as they exited the class.

Roland gave her a lopsided smile as he nudged her from her side. "Who cares, I can talk myself out of any sort of punishment my parents have for me."

"What'd you do this time?" A voice came from behind the two friends, one that belonged to a lean, cocky redheaded boy with a face spotted with acne.

He opened the door for them, finally getting out of the school and back outside. They were homeward bound, so tired and exhausted after another day in high school.

"I failed a test in world history, so Alex thinks I'm doomed for life."

Both of his friends exchanged glances with one another and laughed.

"Dude, you're screwed." August said, patting him on the back as they started down the sidewalk.

Roland rolled his eyes. "Gee, thanks guys."

Alex and August had been his best friends since they were first placed in school. August was two years older than them, but he still managed to spend most of his time right by their side.

"Hey, wait, don't you have to pick up Caroline today?" Alex asked suddenly, noticing just then that he didn't have to stay for baseball practice.

Roland tonight for a moment, remembering he had to, cringing inside because he really didn't want to do it.

"She can walk herself," he concluded, his laziness winning over, "she's old enough."

Alex gave him a look, reminding herself that her best friends were teenage boys.

"Come on, you know she hates walking by herself!"

"Well, she needs to grow up!"

Letting out a groan, she forced Roland to a stop and turned him around, August finding amusement in the show in front of him. Reluctantly, they walked back to the deserted school, finding the fourth grade classroom on the other side of the building. In normal circumstances, Roland went directly from his last period to the baseball field, where he would stay for another two hours. And since he didn't have his drivers license yet, he either had to walk everywhere or be faced with having a relative drive him. That's what he hated most about being fifteen; the freedom was so close, he could almost taste it.

"You're late again," Caroline muttered, seeing her brother walk through the door almost twenty minutes after the last bell had gone off. She was worried she would have to stay for another half hour and wait for Snow to get out of her meeting in order to take her home.

"I remembered though, didn't I?"

His sister responded with a huff, grabbing her backpack and following them out of the empty room.