2 Chapter Two

NO REST FOR THE DWEEBIEST

Through hallowed halls I trudge, just one of the nameless and faceless masses. Though strictly speaking that isn't technically true. We all have names and faces. If we didn't have faces I would really be creeped out. Not grossed out, but creeped out. I mean can you imagine a whole generation of people walking around with nothing but blank flesh where their faces should be? Really.....think about it...but I digress. I speak metaphorically when I say about us being nameless and faceless. However I speak truthfully when I call us the unseen....we the unpopular...we the quiet....we the dweebs.

I walked down the hallway headed toward homeroom. Other teens walked, talked, and laughed together as they headed toward their homerooms. I was just a small wave in an ocean of humanity. A small smile curled my lips as that thought passed through my brain, sometimes I just amazed myself with how poetic my thoughts were. If I had been at home I probably would have snorted at myself at the sheer audacity to even think such a narcissistic thought. That is sooooo not me.

I kept my pace the same as it got closer to homeroom, but noticed that some of the other students slowed their pace, while others sped up their pace. They must have homerooms further away from their current position and actually cared about reaching it in time. Not everyone did and of those who didn't there were those who could get away with doing this and those who couldn't. Those who couldn't were students who were usually one of the unseen, at least they were until they decided not to show up on time.

I secretly admired some of the ones who didn't give a fig about their tardiness, not for the fact that they were tardy but more for the fact that they would continue to show up late until everyone was punished or not punished equally. I had overheard a few of them unpopular kids saying that once, after they had been written up and other students who also showed up late were let slide. I didn't hold out any hope that that would happen. But I supported them in their fight against the man so to speak.

I walked into my homeroom and slid into my seat dumping my backpack on the floor by my feet. I turned my head and gazed out the window as I heard the buzz of talking from the other people in the room. This was my usual morning ritual. I would ignore everyone else and they would ignore me. Let me tell you it was working out very well for everyone involved.

My perusal of the browning lawn of the school was interrupted by a spike in the level of the buzz going on around me. Normally I wouldn't pay any attention to it, but normally there wasn't a change in volume no matter how exciting the latest party or game or whatnot had been. This was something different. I didn't know how it was but I was sure to find out.

At first I kept my gaze locked on the windows leading to the outside world, but soon noticed that many of the kids were turning their bodies or their heads for the front of the room. I wasn't usually a follower, especially not with most of the students in my homeroom. This time the sound hadn't really changed much but I could sense the undercurrent of excitement in it. I heard a few girls giggling after whispering something to each other. Out of the corner of my eye I saw some of the popular boys give each other the look. Well at least one of the looks they would give each other every now and then. I admit I was no expert on what the look meant. However for some reason it struck me that they didn't seem too happy or maybe that was just wishful thinking on my part. Even though I had turned to the front of the class just like the rest of the class, I couldn't see what had everyone's attention. I was sitting down while there was still a group of the populars standing around at the front of the classroom soon though that all changed.

I heard our homeroom teacher clear his throat as he came in through the door. The group that had been obstructing my view parted like the Red Sea and headed toward their seats.

I think I failed to mention that the tardy bell had rung a few minutes earlier. Everyone seemed to have made it to homeroom before him entering. Was I missing something here? My guess was riveted to Mr. Kinoots as he walked towards his desk, but I could see that most of my classmates were looking elsewhere. This time I didn't follow everyone elses doing, I kept my eyes on Mr. Kinoots. He cleared his throat once again as he sat down. Once he took a look around he started to speak.

"Ladies and gentlemen I would like to introduce you to a new student to Ferndale High School, Jackson Willows." he said, waving his hand in a general direction to his left.

I found my eyes straying from my teacher to this Jackson Willows person and once my eyes settled upon him I felt my heart stop beating. At least it felt that way for a second. Now I understood why all the girls had been giggling and the boys had given each other those looks.

The girls had been momentarily giddy from lack of oxygen or at least that was my opinion of the mindless twittering. While the boys had been suffering from that green eyed monster: envy. Well maybe not envy but they probably saw Mr. Willows as competition. I really couldn't blame them if they were envious though. Jackson Willows was quite a specimen.

I can hear the groans now; please no waxing poetic about his charm and handsomeness. No worries, I didn't really lean that way. At least not that I would have meant to wax poetic about someone I was just seeing for the first time.

Jackson Willows stood at the front of the class a small cool smile curving his lips.....ah what lips they were. Sorry but really, come on, how could I not take note of them, of him really?

Mr. Kinoots spoke again after everyone had a few moments to take in his introduction and the person he had introduced. I noticed that his gaze was Jackson when he spoke. "For right now you can just take the empty seat next to Shay Lynn. We will get you situated tomorrow." his gaze then traveled around the room. "Some of you will be moving to new seats so be ready."

I heard the last part of his statement in stunned disbelief. The new kid was going to sit next to me? Me? I quickly put my head down and studied the top of my desk. I didn't want to see the murderous looks I was sure I was getting. I bet any money that if looks could kill I would probably have burst into flames several times over. It wasn't my fault that the only empty desk was the one beside mine all the way in the back of the room. I can almost smile at the irony of it all, but I knew that it was just dumb luck that things happened that way. Still I couldn't help the little thrill of happiness that shot through me at the thought of Jackson Willows having to sit by me even if only for a few minutes and there was nothing anybody could do about it. Of course that would probably turn out to be the only highlight of my day.

The world wasn't going to somehow reverse its axis and spin us into an alternate reality.