Twenty Four Seven || Adam Park

one

There was no doubt about it, I was the new student at Angel Grove High School – and I stuck out like a sore thumb. Not that I dressed or acted differently than the other students... it was actually the black swollen eye and the several bruises that caught everyone's attention. The stares were enough to make me want to walk back out the main doors of the building, but I pushed through it as I held my schedule in my hand and looked around for my locker. It was hard to read the locker numbers with other students standing in front of them – blocking the numbers. I peered through them, looking for locker number 321.

I found it at the end of the hallway, just next to the library. I approached it and started fidgeting with the lock, but it seemed to be stuck. I tugged at it and retried the combination. Still nothing. Great, as if I wasn't already being stared at for the marks on my face... now I was being stared at for not being able to open my own locker. I sighed, dreading having to carry around my backpack all day full of heavy textbooks. I'd much rather carry two hours' worth of things instead of all of my belongings. I tried the locker combination one more time before finally giving up on it.

"Need some help?" someone asked as they walked up and opened their own locker. I stared at the boy, looking him over. He had curly black hair that sat just below his ears, chocolate brown eyes, and tan skin. He dressed in a pair of black pants with a belt to hold them up, a plain-white t-shirt and a black jean jacket with the sleeves cut off.

"Sure." I nodded, "I've tried a few times and I just can't get it."

"Can I see your combination?" he asked.

"Here." I handed him my schedule, where the combination was written at the top. 03-05-14. I stood to the side and watched the boy try it, failing on the first time around but when he tried it a second time, he lightly smacked the front of the locker with the side of his fist and then it popped open.

"These things can be tricky sometimes." He told me as he stepped back from my locker, allowing me space to put my things away and gather what I needed for the morning.

"Thanks." I told him as I pulled two textbooks and a folder out of my book bag and then grabbed for a pencil.

"I'm Adam. My locker is just two down from yours if you ever need help again." He told me.

"I'm Danielle." I responded to him.

"Nice to meet you. Do you need help finding any of your classes?" Adam offered.

"Chemistry with Mr. Henderson?" I asked, reading from my schedule that he handed back.

"Hey, that's my first class too. Come one, I'll show you where it's at." He told me.

"Thanks." We slammed out lockers shut simultaneously and then I began following him.

I was appreciative of his help, otherwise I would have never found my first class before the bell rang. It was up the stairs on the second floor, and then just down the hall to the left. I would have never found that on my own.

Adam let me walk into the classroom first and then pointed out the teacher to me. I handed over my schedule at his request and then he looked at his seating chart, finding a place for me among all the other students who were piling into his room. It took him a few minutes to decide but then he assigned me to the first row, the last seat in the back. Coincidentally, Adam was seated to my right, so I wondered if that had anything to do with his decision in seating me there. I wondered if he had saw us walk in together. Either way, I didn't mind. Adam had been friendly and helpful.

Mr. Henderson took a moment to take attendance before he started teaching. I felt like I was already behind in the class, which I technically was – but then when I paid more attention, I realized I had already learned this section at my last school and that gave me a little relief. I tried to focus on what he was saying, but I couldn't help but zone out since I had already covered the material. Thoughts of last night blended into my mind and I shivered at the thought of them.