Chris has always been a troublemaker. Since he was born, he’s always liked to act tough, and in another attempt for attention is how he got into the most trouble he ever got in his life.
Taking out one of the legs of the teacher’s seat was going to be just a harmless joke that would make the teacher fall to the ground. Ms. Campbell fell to the ground as he had planned, but hit her head on the way down with the desk. She didn’t sustain grave injuries, but no one in the class wanted to take blame for that joke. They all pointed fingers to Chris, and so he was expelled, and his family ashamed of his behaviour.
His family, not wanting to take much blame either for having a troublemaker son, sent him to a further away High School next year, so that he could finally finish Grade 12 and do something with his life.
The first day in the new High School. Chris wasn’t excited for this change, in fact he doesn't like meeting weird new people, being in a brand new place, and, worst of all, being forced to interact with them, and that was pissing him off.While he was thinking about that, the bus finally arrived at the bus stop, he grabbed his backpack and got on the bus.
Upon entering, some people looked at him, and he looked back at them. He looked around searching for a seat but only one was empty. He saw it and walked to the seat. There was a boy sitting by the window, right next to his seat, but he looked different from the others. He looked rude and tough, something that Chris liked, because he looked like his friends from his previous high school, but because he had been betrayed by his previous friends, he no longer really wanted to make new acquaintances.
As he was approaching the seat, some people seemed to be whispering about him, but since he was tired he sat down immediately without asking the boy, who looked surprised by what Chris had done. The whispers became slightly louder and Chris got a small paper note that fell into the floor. The boy next to him seemed a bit angry about the paper note, and before Chris could grab it and read it that boy snatched the note and saved it in his pocket. He seemed to want to hide what the note said. Chris was confused by what he had done, but he did not give it much importance and sat, since it was a long trip and maybe sleeping a little would be the best thing he could do. Chris was nervous from all the looks, including his seatmate, Chris sighed again and turned his head slightly to get a closer look at the boy.
After turning his head slightly and opening his eyes a bit, he saw the boy staring down at him. Chris’ heart started to beat faster, he didn’t know if he had been caught looking at this tough-looking guy, but all he could do now is pretend he was asleep. “Why is he staring at me?”, he thought to himself, “And why did he snatch the note from my hand?”. He was lost in his thoughts when the school bus finally arrived at his new school. As he was going to step into the bus corridor, the guy next to him forced his way out before he could, pushing Chris on the way. Chris found himself a bit annoyed by that, but that was the kind of people he liked to be around, those like himself, who only look after themselves.
First class of the day, seat assignment day. And, of course, as fate wants it, he’s seated right next to the rude guy who pushed him on the bus. He was determined to be his friend, although his musk was putting Chris a bit off. “How can someone smell bad first thing in the morning?”, thought to himself.
This school was definitely stricter than the one he came from. First day of school, and they were already sending group assignments, and pretty long ones. Before Chris could think, the guy talked to him: “You’re doing the assignment with me”.
Chris took this as the best chance to befriend him, and said “Sure, why not”.