The Life Of Isaac...

Chapter 2: New Kid

I don't get this. Why am I feeling this way? This is the same way I felt in my dream.

    The new kid (River) tries to put on a brave face and says "Hello. My name is River".

      Essie replies with "Hey. Nice to meet you, River. Names Esther".

   Me on the other hand, I don't say anything. I put back on one of  Esther's earbuds and pretend I'm listening to music. Trying really hard not to make eye contact. I can tell he is looking at me. Probably wondering why the hell Im trying to stop myself from saying a word. Really hard for me because I'm a very talkative person. Esther slightly elbows me.

    Then she whispers in my ear and asks "Why aren't you saying anything? He is staring at you right now waiting for you to say something back".

                                  I turn to face River. I almost freeze up, but I manage to say "Hi" and then I quickly turn back to Esther.

       She gives me a face palm. That's basically her way of saying "You're such an idiot" or "What in the hell was that?". Those are the only two that really slip my mind right now. Trust me, their are about two or three others.

     She whispers in my ear again and says "What the hell was that?".

      Yes! I knew it was one of those two! I try to shrug my shoulder to show my answer, but it's hard for me to do that when I was barely able to move my arms to put on one of Esther's earbuds.

      She whispers in my ear again and repeats her question and I whisper back to her and say "I have no idea".

      Because it's the truth. I have no idea.

"Let's at least try to start up a conversation with him" Esther says.

       I just say "Ok".

      We both turn heads to River, trying to figure out what to say. Mostly me.

       Esther starts off with him saying "Hey, sorry about my friend. He is shy around new people".

    Thanks, Esther.

"His name is Isaac".

        River looks back at me with his beautiful blue eyes — I mean, just blue eyes. Shit, what is wrong with me?

       He says "Hey Isaac. And don't worry, I'm just as nervous as you with talking to new people".

     I just tilt my head and go back into my happy place. Esther's music. Less awkwardness. Less me not talking. I just close my eyes and get lost in the music. Mouthing the words of "Stressed Out" by Twenty One Pilots. A song with a title that couldn't even be more relatable. Seriously. Sometimes, I start singing when I don't realize it. This was one of these times. I could feel people staring at me. Especially Tracy. She is the one of the people that are giving a very confused look and want to record me and post it on YouTube or Instagram or something. I open up my eyes to to see 6 other pairs of eyes peeking from their bus seats.

   I just close my eyes and flip them off saying "I can see you, you know".

                    20 minutes later. Just at the end of a Twenty One Pilots song I was listening to, the bus arrives and stops at our school. On point. The bus doors open and everybody is literally killing each other to get off so they aren't late for their classes. Most of the kids in our school talk to each other at their lockers after unpacking. They're so caught up in their conversations that they completely forget that the bell rang. While everybody in front of us is getting off the bus, Me, Esther, and River are just trying to get out of our seat. Its impossible. The bus may not be crowded when me and Esther are on. But damn, it is like a drunken house party when you have about 40 kids on a bus altogether. 20 seats on the bus. 2 kids in each seat, sometimes 3, all talking about different things. Sometimes it drives me nuts. Even when I'm listening to Esther's music, I can still hear them when I am desperately trying to drown out their voices.