Whatever Keeps You Sang

Chapter 1.

Marie voted to ride the bus. I wanted to ride with Dad. We rode the bus.

     I sat in the front seat right behind the bus driver. Most of the students already on the old vehicle gravitated to the back. I could hear Marie chatting loudly from the back with someone else. Still, more and more people got on the bus, filling up the seats so my peers were sitting on each other's laps and some on the floor. I was squeezed against the window, my shoulders cramping from slouching. The boys next to me never even looked my way, but instead played games on their phone while discussing sports. I slipped off the bus, allowing the flow of students to bring me inside the depressing school building.

     First day at a new school nerves, slipped through my body as it was swallowed by the noise of the crowd. The sheer number of students crammed in the building was disheartening. I pulled the schedule of my classes from my back pocket and checked once again which ones were outside in trailers. I forced my way to a wall so I could stand still for a moment. I ended up next to a few rough looking boys that smelt of cigarettes. They did not glance my way and I kept my back slightly to them, keeping myself out of attention.

     When the bell finally rang to announce the start of the day, I rejoined the flow of students, exiting at my homeroom without problems. I took the first seat open. Second row, closest to the door. My favorite. Students reacquainted themselves with friends they did not see over summer. The teacher called for order to go through roll-call with mild success. Halfway through the roster he gave up, grumbling, "suit yourself if you don't show up. Doesn't hurt me."

     My dreams of a nice public school were nonexistent at this point. With little interest in embarrassing myself by stuttering through an introduction, I decided to doodle in my notebook instead. I had a pretty elaborate paisley design going until the door crashed open, slamming against cinder block walls. I cringed at the sound and glanced up through my pale bangs to see who was late.

     Two boys came in unapologetically late and found seats towards the back. The one who sat furthest back was not a morning person in my opinion. He seemed to growl—yes, growl—at the people looking at him. It fit his brooding attire of all black, from his shirt to his jeans to his combat boots. His gold hoop earrings caught my attention. I'd never seen guys wear such hoops, even if they were small and masculine. When guys pierced their ears not as a sign of their sexuality, but for fashion they tended to go all out. Bars, gauges, multiple studs, etc.

    The other was a ray of sunshine in comparison. He smiled with a mischievous glint in his brown eyes. He had a suffer look to him, a perfect tan, long blond hair, shirt partially unbuttoned and exposing his bare chest. He laughed and joked with the dark one as if they have known each other forever. The two looked like yin-and-yang next to each other but it worked. I could see the two being able to do some amazing thing together if they tried.

    I ducked my head back to my doodles, not wanting to be caught looking. Eye contact means attention, and attention rarely is a good thing.

***

      Third period was interesting. I signed up for an art class so that I could have a de-stresser built into my schedule. A brilliant idea when taking several AP course in the day. The teacher was obviously an art teacher, as every art teacher is. Something about their free spirit and way of expressing themselves always draws you in. They all shared some down to earth qualities to them, appearing as sages in the world of textbooks and standardized tests. Mr. Schroomer was no different. He allowed the student to chuckle over his name, gave a quick "Say No to Drugs" line, and paired us all up boy-girl, by spinning a bottle as we stood in a circle in the middle of the room. Best method ever.

      Our class of eighteen slowly was paired up and moved away from the circle. When we finally got down to six students left, I got picked. Mr. Schroomer simply pointed at me and then the boy on the other side of the bottle. "Let's have the two newcomers pair up. I hope to see good work from you two." My new partner came over to stand next to me, sticking a hand out for me to shake. I couldn't really refuse him or we would be off to an awkward start this year. I made sure the handshake was kept to a minimum time of contact before breaking it off.