3. Welcome To Hell

Chase.

✙ ☠ ✙

I sigh as I drive my car into the school parking lot.

Back to school. More like back to hell. These past two years in high school have been terrible and I'm sure this third one won't be any better.

At least back then I sort of had Sky to protect me. But he's at home with Rose and Loren's just gone off to Yale yesterday so I guess it's open season on me.

I step out of my shiny black Range Rover and walk towards the entrance, shoulders slumped.

As I walk by some of my peers, I notice they start to whisper and laugh and stare at me. Great. Here we go again. I'm already the laughingstock.

"Hey, man." Lucas Donovan, my mortal enemy, joins me side.

Confused (and annoyed) I say "Hey." ready for an ambush of sorts.

"How was your summer?" He asks.

I frown. Why is he acting like a human? Shouldn't he be breathing fire at me right now?

"Uh... good?" I shrug.

I'm waiting for the catch.

"Cool, dude. Hey, I'll see you later." He waves at me and walks off.

What the hell was that?

I'm thoroughly confused as I enter the building.

I notice the people laughing at me are mostly girls. It's just like at the grocery store.. Am I that unattractive? Am I that laughable?

"H-hey." A girl I don't know approaches me. She has pale skin, light brown eyes and red-ish brown hair that reaches her shoulder. Her features are soft and small.  She's really pretty.

"Uh.. Hi." I say, confused she can see through my ever-present invisibility wall.

"I'm Fawn." She says.

I nod awkwardly. I look around and notice a group of girls staring at us full of anticipation.

"I just.. wanted to ask you out on a date." She says quickly.

I look back at the girls. They pretend not to look at me.

Oh. Now I get it. This is a dare.

Very funny.

I sigh and walk past her.

As I said: Welcome to hell.

× × ×

I'm headed into the cafeteria after my first classes while making my math homework. I wanna get it done before I get home so that I can spend some time gaming later. It should be possible since it's the start of the year and the teachers don't have us swamped with work. Yet.

"Yo Chase!" Lucas calls from a crowded table.

I look up confused, yet again and raise my hand.

"Come over here!" He yells.

I close my eyes and steady myself. I'm totally stupid for doing this. Here's the catch.

I walk over to the table. As I pass by, everyone stares at me.

"What's up, Lucas?" I ask.

"Dude, call me Luke. Sit down, bro." He pulls out a chair.

Bro? Since when am I his bro? Last year I was his toilet brush.

"Uh.. are you sure?" I ask.

"Dude, just sit." A guy with dark skin and black dreads chimes in.

I frown and sit down next to Lucas. He puts his arm around my shoulder.

I'm hyper confused now.

"I.. I thought you hated me." I say honestly.

"What?" He begins to laugh. Everyone at the table does the same.

Are they laughing at me? Am I stupid or something?

"No, dude. We had our issues in the past but now that we're juniors, we're so passed that shit. We're gonna rule this year!" The guys all start cheering and hollering.

"So, I'm just gonna introduce you to the guys. Over there we have Wayne, our quarterback"

The guy with the dreads raises a rock sign in the air.

"Next to him is Tom, student president, little goody two shoes."

A guy with blonde hair and green eyes raises a middle finger to Lucas

"Next to him is Alex, he's a total tool—"

A red haired guy kicks Lucas under the table.

"Then there is Zane and Max, brothers and kings of the school for throwing the best—"

"Hey!" Alex protests.

"Second best parties."

They nod proudly.

He introduces me to like six other guys.

This is way too much information.

Soon a bunch of girls join us. One of which was the girl that asked me out earlier.

She looks really uncomfortable and sad.

What's her problem?

I feel the hairs on my neck stand up as Lucas begins to whisper in my ear. There's something about your enemy getting close to you that just triggers a physical response. His breath is hot and it smells of onion. Gross.

"Dude, why did you turn her down? She's fucking hot and she's like best friends with Melissa."

Melissa is Luke's girlfriend. She's the head cheerleader.

I pull away, sort of confused. You mean, she was serious before?

I look at her. Just as I do she looks away and blushes.

"Uh.. I don't know." I answer.

"Damn, you're hardcore. Player." He smirks proudly and slaps my back.

This whole situation is beyond confusing. Since when does anyone care what I do? And.. Since when does turning a girl down make you a player???

The rest of the conversation is dominated by Lucas. I just pay attention in an attempt to make sense of everything.

× × ×

I walk through the hallway after my last class. I'm dying to get home. I've been talking to people all day. It's exhausting.

As I make my way out of the school I'm constantly met by people saying "Hey Chase," or "Yo, dawg," or "Wassup, man?" And It's driving me crazy. I feel like I'm living in some weird alternate universe.

I'm annoyed when I reach my car because there are a bunch of people crowding it. Great. Now I have to find a way to get through without disturbing anyone.

I'm surprised when they actually acknowledge me instead of ignoring me.

"Hi." Melissa smiles upon seeing me.

"Hey." I smile politely.

She's watching me with intense green eyes. It makes me really nervous.

"I thought we should talk. I heard you turned down Fawn. Just wanted to know why." She's twirling her hair as she says this.

It's only now that I notice Fawn is standing right beside her.

"I'm really sorry about that. I thought you were joking."

Everyone starts to laugh.

How was that funny?

"So.." Her eyes look hopeful.

Honestly, I've never gone out with a girl before. This could be a good way to prove to myself that I'm straight. Sky was just a fluke. I like girls. Fawn's cute.

"I'd love to go out with you." I say.

Fawn blushes and looks down kind of shyly while all the other girls start whispering.

"If you still want to." I add quickly.

"Of course I do!"

We trade phone numbers and decide to go later this week.

× × ×

I sigh of relief when I'm finally home. Well.. not my home.. Sky and Aron's home. Honestly, it feels more like home than my own, which is actually quite sad.

I lay on the couch while I munch on some delicious churros Aron made before he went to school.

"Was it really that weird?" Sky asks.

"It was insane! Everyone was super nice to me and staring at me.. It took me so long to realize they were staring in a good way!"

"I told you everyone would fall for you." Sky says.

"I thought you were just trying to make me feel good!"

Sky shakes his head and walks over to the couch.

"Scoot."

I sit up and he sits next to me.

"And get this! A girl asked me out! She asked me out!"

"Wow!"

"I know! She's really pretty and she seems nice. We're going to a restaurant on Thursday."

Sky seems a little taken aback by this.

Somewhere inside me I'm hoping it's jealousy. The other part of me is screaming 'shut up'. I hate my mind.

"Awesome!" He shrugs happily.

Ignore my disappointment.

"You have to help me! I'm not good at this! I'm totally gonna make an ass of myself!"

"Don't worry, you'll be fine. If she asked you out on the first day she probably really likes you. You can't do wrong."

"Uh.. I'm Chase, I can always do wrong."

Sky sighs.

I tell him about how Lucas is all buddy-buddy with me now and he seems really happy. He seems to be glad things are looking up for me. He's been so joyful all this time and he was really wishing the same for me.

I have faith that it'll be a good year.