Manipulation High

Chapter 7: Introduction

Clay POV.

My group was gathered around the row of lockers which we had, thanks to me. We were all just hanging around while waiting for the first bell of the day to ring. I was standing next to Sapnap and the two of us were telling the rest of the group about something funny that happened during football practice yesterday.

Gathered around us were our friends Quackity, Wilbur, Skeppy, Bad, and Techno. Besides Wilbur, Karl, and I, none of our friend group used their real names, instead preferring to be called by nicknames, or their gamertags from certain games.

All of us were just joking around and waiting for the bell to ring when Karl called out excitedly to us from down the hallway. We stopped our conversations to look over at him to see he had his arm wrapped around a shorter kid's shoulder. It was the new kid from yesterday, the one with the fluffy brown hair and the thick British accent.

“Guys, this is George.” Karl introduced as he pulled the brunette over to us. “He was the kid I was giving the tour to yesterday. I was planning on introducing him at lunch but he was busy with something else.”

“Hello.” George muttered, seemingly not enjoying the fact he was being dragged around the school by Karl to meet some strangers.
The entire group all began smiling at him and introducing themselves, and invited him to sit with us at lunch today along with some other stuff, all the while I watched quietly.

“I’m Darryl, but everyone calls me Bad.” Bad greeted, and George smiled at him, one of the many skills of Bad’s overly friendly nature was that people opened up to him quickly.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you.” George responded. Bad then introduced the other people who hadn’t spoken up yet.

“That’s Techno, that’s Clay, that’s Sapnap, that’s Quackity, and that’s Wilbur.” Bad said happily, pointing at each person he named in turn. George gave a small hello to each of us as well, while looking us each in the eyes.

He seemed especially nervous when he said hello to me and Wilbur, and the Brit standing beside me explained that he and George had been sitting next to each other in history, so they’d already met. After introductions were out of the way I noticed George inching closer to Wilbur and asking him something quietly, but I was still able to hear him clearly.

“Um, was I in the wrong place yesterday for detention?” He questioned, “I didn’t see you there. I was on my own for it”
At what he said Wilbur raised an eyebrow in confusion, speaking loud enough for the entire group to hear him. “I didn’t get a detention yesterday. What are you talking about?” He asked.

George seemed just as confused as the taller. “But we were given detention at the same time for talking, in the same class. So did Clay, he got detention too but he wasn’t there either.”
“Clay’s never gotten detention though.” Quackity responded. “He’s a perfect golden boy.” He sent me a playful glance at me and I glared back at him.

The brunette continued to look nervous and confused and most of us were feeling confused as well, but I didn’t say anything. My phone vibrated from my pocket and I pulled it out to see a text from Sapnap, I opened it to see what he had said and saw a furiously typed question.

Sapnap

Why the fuck does he know abt detention?!!?!/1!
U did make him 4get 2, right!?/1?!

Of course!
Idk wtf is going on either?
I'll ask him tho

K u bettr

I turned my attention back to the group where George was still getting ridiculed for pointing out that Wilbur and I had detention, his gaze was downcast and Quackity kept making a huge joke about it. “Cut it out Q, no need to tease him on his second day.” I scolded, and Quackity’s gaze shifted to me and he immediately nodded.

When I looked away from him to look at George again I noticed him scurrying down the hallway with Karl following after him to see if he was okay. “Good job Quackity, now you embarrassed the new kid on his second day.” Skeppy glared at the shorter as he said that.

Bad seemed upset. “I didn’t even get a chance to ask if he wanted to come over and play minecraft with us sometime.” He huffed.
“Don’t worry, Karl will ask him that.” Sapnap reassured him.
“Yeah, Sapnap knows his boyfriend. If he says Karl will ask then Karl will ask.”

The ravenette turned to glare at Quackity as he said that. “He’s not my boyfriend.” Sapnap said firmly, glaring down the shorter, and his face turned even redder when Quackity added ‘yet’.
To avoid Sapnap getting into a fight in the hallway I grabbed his arm and began pulling him towards English, which was our first period of today.

Thursday was easy. Easier than most of my days at least. I had a free period this afternoon, during the last period. The bell rang when we were just around the corner from the English class and the two of us slipped inside before the flood of students arrived.

The teacher, a kindly woman who seemed way too old to be teaching, was standing in the corner of the room talking to the only student who was already in here, and his desk was right next to mine. When the teacher walked away I headed over to my seat and felt George watching me out of the corner of his eyes.

He seemed worried about sitting next to me, but I sent him a small smile as a way of showing that I wasn’t planning on being a dick to him, or teasing him like Quackity was. The brunette just kept his attention on the posters on the wall, refusing to meet my eyes again, and I sighed.

Throughout the class I found myself glancing at him, until the bell rang, then took the opportunity to follow him so I could talk to him, although I knew I probably looked like a weirdo and had to get to the gym for PE. He looked over his shoulder at me worriedly, and slowed down slightly so he was walking beside me.

“Uhh, I wanted to say sorry.” He said quietly, and I raised an eyebrow at him, wondering what he was apologising for. “I am sorry for accusing you of having detention… I-uh must have been mistaken.” He avoided eye contact and my worried expression turned into a happy one.

“It’s fine,” I responded, feeling grateful he wasn’t questioning it but wondering if I wrote something wrong in the pocketbook. “If you wanted though, you could come and sit with me and the others you met earlier at lunch.” I decided to offer him. “Wilbur and Karl will be there, you ran off before we got the chance to ask earlier, plus my friends want to apologise.”

The brunette gave a small nod. “I will think about it.” He said, his smile faltering slightly but still remaining nonetheless.
“Then I’ll see you at lunch.” I smiled, before running off to my next class.
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