Merome: Hate is a Strong Word

Chapter 2

+++Saturday+++

+++Chapter 2+++

I woke up to my phone ringing. I look at the clock on my nightstand and see that it's almost three in the afternoon.

I grab my phone and answer. It's was just my Dad calling to see if I'm dead because Mom left for a business trip and he is already at work. I assured him that I'm fine and hung up.

Groaning, I rolled out of my bed and my feet touched the fuzzy carpet. I really hate waking up. Even if its three.

I decide to pull on my red and black checkered hoodie and go downstairs to the kitchen.

"Good afternoon Mitch." Markus says from behind me. "Oh, good afternoon. How are you?" I ask pulling cereal out of the cabinet. "Pretty good." He replies.

I sit at the large table in the dining room, eating dry cereal because we are out of milk. Even if there was milk, I would be too lazy to get it. Besides, I'm still waking up.

+++a few hours later+++

"Ha! I win again!" I yell and Markus throws the controller down on the couch next to him. "You cheated some how!" he exclaims standing up.

We have been playing Mario Kart on the Wii for the past hour and a half. It is a game that both builds and destroys friendships, but its pretty dang fun.

"You're just jelly that I'm better than you!" I laugh. "Another round!" Markus chants but I deny it. "I gotta go to the store." I say and run to my room to get dressed.

I walk into my huge closet and stare and all of the clothes. I hardly ever wear most of them, but a lot of the things I have are fancy so I only wear them for dinner parties.

I pull on a black v neck and some faded jeans. I then pull on my hoodie and red converse. I attempt to fix my messy hair, but it chooses to stay wild.

+++at the store+++

I walk through the endless isles until I make my way to where they keep their dairy items. I push the kart along as I search for the organic milk that my family always buys.

Once I found it, I set it in the kart and reviewed the list my Mom wrote and left on the fridge. I had everything except for the lunch meat and wine.

I push the kart to the other side of the store to where they kept the meat. I decide to dip out on the wine because I'm eighteen and the clerk would never believe I was getting it for my parents.

I finally checking out all if my items, pretending to read a text because I don't want to make awkward conversation with the clerk. She looks pretty young, like a year younger than me. I'm pretty sure she wouldn't want to talk either.

"That will be $28.56 please." The girl says. I swipe my card and sign the tiny screen. She then prints my payment paper and hands it to me. "Thanks." I mumble and try and pick up all of my bags at once since I already put my basket away.

"Would you like some help?" the girl asks. I nod and she takes a few bags. "Jason! Will you please cover my lane?" she yells to another boy as we walk outside.

She hands me the final bag and I shut the door of my jeep. "Thanks again." I tell her. "What's your name?" "I'm Kylee." She answers adjusting her shirt. "I assume you're new around here. Your plates on your car say California..."

I look at the plates. They haven't been changed for awhile I guess. "Yeah, I'm actually starting school at Ridgeway Monday." I tell her and lean on my car. "Cool, I actually go there. I'm in grade 11." Kylee tells me. "Awesome, I'm in grade 12, I hope I'll see you there. At least I will see one face that I recognize."

+++Monday Morning+++

I beat the crap out of my beeping alarm. "Shut up!!!" I yell. I see that the time is 5:30 a.m. before I unplug the clock.

I attempt to roll out of bed and fail. I land on the carpet face down. I moan and stand up.

I take a quick shower, shave and change into a simple gray shirt and jeans. I throw on my jacket and put in my head phones.

"Have a nice first day, Mitch!" I hear Markus yell as I walk out of the house. Usually, that would be a parents job, but not in my case I guess.

I take my headphones out and begin the drive to my new school.

+++

I arrive at the school around seven forty five. I walk through the doors and into the office.

"Hello," I begin, "I'm Mitchell Hughes. I just transferred here. Can you direct me to my first class?"

The secretary looked up from her computer. Her glasses are at the end of her nose and her hair is in a tight bun. "Right... here you go." She handed me a paper that said all off my classes on it. She then directed me to walk down a hallway and turn left to get to my first class, History.

I walk awkwardly into the room. Everyone turns and stairs at me. I walk up to the man I assume is Mr. Howie. "Ahhh! You must be Mitchell!" he says in a cheerful voice. "Class, this is Mitchell Hughes. This is his first day, make him feel welcome!'

No one moved. They just sat there staring at me. I turned my head to the floor. I should be used to this by now. I don't fit in anywhere.....

"Well, Mitchell, you can sit back there." Mr. Howie said pointing to an empty swag near the back of the classroom. I walked and plopped down into the seat. "Can I have a volunteer to show him around today? You will get to miss some classes." Everyone raised their hand except for a boy who sat near me.

In fact, the boy seemed to be hiding from me. "Ahhhh.... Jerome Aceti!" Mr. Howie yelled. The boy raised his head. He was the boy from the park. And now he is my tour guide.

+++