Not Qualified For Friends

Chapter 1: Him

"Everyone in this world is fake," I whispered to myself, almost inaudibly. It wasn't necessarily a bad thing - after all, I could be fake sometimes too, just like everybody else. Suddenly, my thoughts were interrupted by a familiar voice. 

"Max, are you with us?" Mr. Johnson's voice jolted me out of my trance. I looked around and took in the classroom - the chairs, the students, and the board. The realization sank in that I had zoned out again

. "I'm sorry," I spoke up, my voice barely above a whisper. He nodded his head and continued writing on the board. I couldn't help but think about the school I was in. It was made for the best of the best - the kids of incredibly wealthy parents, or the ones who'd studied hard enough to get in. I gazed out the window and watched as snow began to fall, the icy flakes leaving a cold shiver down my spine.

 A jacket was the last thing I had on my mind when leaving home. Just my luck. The sound of the bell rang, signaling the thirty-minute break that teachers used to collect their thoughts. In the meantime, students used the break to catch up with friends or to work on assignments. I usually just watched in silence as everyone talked and studied together. I had no real reason to join them - I didn't have any friends in this school. Suddenly, I noticed Rio approaching me. He was a friendly guy, as I'd heard, and pretty skinny with long black hair and pink eyes. But we'd never really talked, so his approach was a surprise.

"Max," he said, his voice full of nervous anticipation, as if he were bracing for a fall. "Would you like to join our study group?"

I raised an eyebrow, intrigued by the request. "What for?" I asked, trying to discern his intentions.

"Well, I thought since you were the smartest in our school, you could maybe teach us," he said, an awkward chuckle escaping his lips as he twisted his ring around his finger.

I sighed, brushing off his request. "Just ask the teacher," I said, shooing him away. But still, I couldn't shake off my suspicion. Why had he really come to me?

"I can't, please Max!" he cried, desperation creeping into his voice. I gave in, reluctantly agreeing to their request, and made my way over to Rios' study group.

As I sat down in an empty chair beside Jessica, Amy, and Gav, I knew I had only 30 minutes to spare. I showed them how to perform everything in a simple method, not wasting time on useless explanations. And just like anyone I taught, they smiled in amazement, calling me a genius and showering me with compliments.

But as I basked in their admiration, I noticed Kyle walking into the classroom. I had known him since high school, but something about the way he walked caught my attention. Maybe it was the odd way he looked at me, or maybe it was the way he fidgeted with his jacket

"Ugh, this homework is like a monster with a thousand heads!" exclaimed Jessica, frustration etched on her face. "I need a break!" she blurted out, springing from her seat like a rocket.