(Ticcimask) One In The Same

A New Start

        The Roger's family had just moved to godless Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Toby now found himself in a brand new environment, crawling with huge buzzing insects, home to rednecks, and intense weather conditions that were just marvelous on his fair complexion. All a far cry from the cool and well shaded temperate boreal forests of the northern hemisphere.

However, that wasn't the most distressing news. No, the cherry on top was the decision to enroll him into public school.

His parents and his newly assigned therapist had advised that socializing would be a good way for him to cope with the recent traumatic events he had endured. The change would get his mind off of things, if he remained focused on school work and socialized with a fresh start, he could begin to thrive and heal.

Toby knew his mother meant well. That this decision was for her benefit as well as his. But what really pissed him off about this whole thing, was that he was told these life changing events just a month preparatory towards their moving date. That wasn't a lot of time to really give him a moment to process or even grieve. There was little he could say or do about it, however. His parents had already made up their minds.

The teen dreaded the idea of public school the most. It wouldn't have been so bad if he was used to it. Unfortunately, due to a few incidents during his kindergarten years, Toby had been urged to do homeschooling and had been so ever since.

Now, he was expected to adjust to an entirely new social lifestyle that was anxiety inducing, stressful, as well intimidating. He wasn't sure how he was meant to cope. While on the plane ride he had an intrusive thought about pulling the emergency handle to the door and contemplated jumping to his death and saving himself the mental anguish. But, he was too much of a coward to go through with it.

Upon the week of enrolling, Toby's teachers had been informed to give the teen special amenities by his mother and counselor. An embarrassing meeting he had to endure, because he had to be present for it. He didn't like being treated differently, he already felt like a freak at home, why would he want to be treated like one at school? He knew why though. They all had to assure that Toby wasn't a threat given his history during his development. It was for the safety of the school, for legal practices of the Medicare industry, and other adult stuff his mom told him not to worry about. So, he had to bear it, despite feeling like it wasn't his feelings or safety that were the priority.

The staff were kind enough to introduce him around the school and excuse Toby of first semester assignments, given the circumstances at least. Which had thankfully stirred no complaints from him. The school was spacious, tailored made for athletes. Which he wasn't. So seeing the track field, baseball field, and football field weren't really high on his interests. They showed Toby his locker, gave him the school's binder, planner, combination, textbooks, schedule, all that stuff that came with enrollment. All the while his mother did most of the talking, his dad absent, and all the while he said nothing. Wondering if a fall down the second story stairs would be enough to at least break his leg.

The first day of school life began normally enough. The first period in science was a few hours of taking notes, overviewing the following spring quarter. The students however, looked at him curiously whenever he made his.. Noises. Soft little hiccup or abrupt hums that would be followed by a jerk of his shoulder, knee, or neck. He was aware they were staring. Painfully aware. But he didn't acknowledge them, not even when he would occasionally knock his pencil off his desk. He just hoped beakers and test tubes weren't a thing in science classes anymore. He doubted anyone was going to trust him to handle a Bunsen burner.

Homeroom was a free period in glasswork to indulge in his sheepish nature and gave him an excuse to isolate himself into the farthest corner of the room. There he could ideally doodle away in his notebook, keep to himself like he preferred and not have to talk to anyone. A few other kids that were sitting around him also gave him strange looks at his peculiar sounds and habits, once again they said nothing.

Then, the second period in math started. It was hard enough to concentrate given that it was math. However, to top it off, his infuriatingly loud timer that was attached to his wrist went off. He stopped it quickly, slapping a hand over the button, trying to muffle the noise. Toby grimaced and glanced at his math teacher, who paused in the middle of his lecture, nodding to Toby with an understanding smile.

Of course— noticing that the students were starting to turn their heads out of curiosity— Toby scurried off in a heartbeat to the bathroom. The rest of the day went the same, beat for beat. It was only until fifth period, English, that the loud beeper went off again. The noise is very jarring in a relatively silent room. But no one questioned it.

Toby ironically really liked English. His handwriting was shit and the teacher, Ms. Crowell quickly discovered that asking him to read aloud was a nightmare for everyone involved. But, he liked it because he was pretty good at being analytical and thinking abstractly. There were no real wrong or right answers he could screw up in English. It was mostly subjective and that's where he felt the most comfortable. The students on the other hand...

A boy named Devon, only a few years younger than Toby, red hair, freckled face, had the meanest pair of eyes Toby had experienced aside from his dad. They sat next to each other and every time, Toby dreaded giving his papers to this kid for the student grading session. Because, this kid also had a snide mouth on him. Leaning over and whispering 'You really don't know how to spell that?' or 'Did you mean to put that word there?'. And Toby would say nothing. Because that's exactly what this ginger asshole wanted. He knew he was riling Toby up, that much was clear. The real kicker was when he'd come back after his beeper went off and occasionally would prod Toby, asking why the fuck was it so loud and why it went off everyday. Toby still said nothing which pissed Devon off, leaning over to his other neighbor, a girl with long brown hair, saying, "I think he's deaf." Toby scoffed.