Fanon:District Heights/Chapter 3


 * District_Heights_Blues_Chapter_3_Cover.jpg(( Author's Note: Wow this one took a while. Sorry that it did! (Also, I'm sorry that some parts seem a little rushed.) ^^"))

Ever since I was pulled out of school from my parents due to being bullied and bringing home a bunch of cuts and bruises, I since then grew being used to staying home and seeing my parents more often. Now that they’ve decided to put me back in school next week, thinking that this school in particular was different and had more to offer, I was obviously angry and at the same time frightened for a good reason. If somehow this school was just like my last one, I’d be going through the same horror I went through years and years back and trust me, I REALLY don’t want to do that again. Although, the only thing I could actually find beneficial out of this whole ordeal is that the school had a bigger lot, and me being the supposed “tree hugger” everyone teased me to be, this made me a little bit happy. Maybe when I get a break every now and then between classes I can go out there so maybe no one can annoy me, or at least not find me in general. As days grew closer to my first day of school, I grew a little more nervous by the days passing, staying in my room and only leaving when I needed something, like food, going to the bathroom, etc. (I stocked up books and kept them under my bed for future reading and when I needed some entertainment. This finally stopped on the day before my first day of school, and my mom gave me a little “pep talk”. “Sofi, I know you’re nervous and all, but you have to think on the bright side of things. You might make some good friends along the path of your education who you can learn to trust overtime.” My mom reassured me, holding me like she would when I was troubled or scared. “Long story short, you’ll love the place, understand?” I nodded, resting on my mother’s chest before I got out of her lap for her to get up and leave. “One more thing mom,” I finally said with my mother stopping half-way out of the door and turning her head to face me. “Say if the place is like the last school I was in before you and dad pulled me out to homeschool me. Then what?” “Then we’ll just have to find another school to put you in. Hopefully, that doesn’t happen.” With that, she closed the door, leaving me inside my room.

Today was finally the day. After weeks upon weeks of locking me in my room and being worried, the first day of school was here. Honestly I was nervous more than the past weeks, with lightly shaking legs and chattering teeth to accompany my emotions. My parents, as they drove to the school, kept reassuring me that everything was going to be ok and my first day of school was going to be great, but what do they know? They probably went on their website, went over there when I wasn’t awake to enroll me there, and judged a book by its cover. After all, looks can lie, even with schools, teachers, staff, and students. As they approached the school, they gave me one last piece of advice they’ve been giving me this whole car ride. “Have fun and be brave.” Is what they told me before I opened the door, backpack in hand, and they drove off in the distance. I sighed, looking at the front of the school. It was crowded with kids either hanging out on the corners acting like they had all the time in the world, or going inside so they wouldn’t miss class ( I wouldn’t blame them.) Walking towards the entrance, I saw a lot of kids opening their lockers and walking down the hall. It made me anxious and scared once more, but I took a deep breath and reassured myself that there was nothing to be afraid of, after all, it was just the first day and everything will get better, right?

“Ok class, today we have a new student with us,” My new teacher, Ms. Delilah proudly announced. Her smile and dark red hair shined a bright light. She seemed like a nice person from the moment I saw her face. “Sofia, why don’t you introduce yourself?” That’s when I felt the world slow down, my heart was beating fast and I felt woozy. I never liked introducing myself to people, and in front of a crowd no less was even worse. “I…I…Um,” I spoke up in a rather faint voice; they most probably didn’t hear me. “Well?” Ms. Delilah looked over at me, a worried expression appearing across her face the more I shook. Suddenly when it somehow felt like forever, she spoke once more. “It’s alright if you don’t want to speak right now Sofia. It’s alright to be shy.” She put a hand on my shoulder, causing me to blush in embarrassment. I hated it when people called me out on my shyness. I looked at my new found “classmates”. Some were snickering at my poor attempt to introduce myself, while other looked at me like I was insane, but the only one who didn’t do anything was a young girl, who looked fairly younger than me with long black hair in braids and looked somewhat troubled and sad. I then quickly walked over to an empty seat next to the window and the young girl. “Ok, let’s get started,” Ms. Delilah smiled proudly putting on her glasses that were fitted snuggly on her shirt collar and took out a marker to begin writing.

Breaks between classes are chunks of time given to students to take five before they go on to the next class, and I couldn’t be happier that it existed. I put my things in my locker and zoomed off outside at the school’s park. It was beautiful to say the least. Trees surrounded the other half, with vines and wild flowers covering and patching some parts of the ground that seeped a little through the tall wild grass, waiting quietly for a gardener’s touch. I smelt the crisp smell of the outdoors that surrounded me, exhaling happily as I walked into the small “woods” the trees created. Looking around, I found a small berry bush; its bright red skin coated the small fruit, tempting anyone who was hungry enough to eat it as a last resort. Luckily, I had already ate and wasn’t hungry to eat one of the delicate mini organic snacks. After all, the least thing I needed was eating the wrong kind of fruits and getting myself killed. I suddenly heard a rustle coming from one of the bushes with a certain hissing to accompany it. I nearly froze, knowing fully well that I had encountered a snake. Backing away slowly as the reptile came closer to me, I felt like this was most probably going to be the end of me. I tightly closed my eyes shut waiting for the bite that would end my life, only to hear chuckling. I opened one eye to see a young boy with no shoes, or socks, on and freckles that were scattered all over his face. He was playing with the snake, as it slithered and curled around his arms and neck as if he was a tree. “Don’t play with that snake!” I managed to squeal out in an alarming tone to only hear him burst out laughing. “She’s not going to hurt me! Molly ‘ere wouldn’t hurt a fly.” He came closer to me only to have me shuffle back in fear. I wasn’t a fan of snakes as I was of the big city that I now currently live in. “H-How do you know it’s a girl?” He looked at me with his head cocked for a second before smiling and explaining, “I just know.” He then looked at “Molly” and smiled even more. “I visit her every day during breaks in class just to make sure she’s doing ok. Speaking of which,” He got out something out of his back pocket, which was a dead rat that reeked of dried blood. I felt myself gag a little as he gave it to his somewhat of a pet and watched “her” eat it whole and slowly but surely digest it. He looked at me once again, laughing at my reaction as if it was some joke, making me feel embarrassed once again. Great, first I get embarrassed in class, on my first day nonetheless, and now I’m once again getting embarrassed at a barefooted, redheaded, freckled-faced, reptile loving jerk. Sometimes I wonder if I have the worst of luck when it comes to making an appearance for the first time at places. “W-Well aren’t you supposed to not be here? It is dangerous after all.” I finally said, stumbling on a few of my words trying to get the thought of his pet snake out of my head. “I’d say the same to you, friend.” He gave a slight peck on the snake’s head and put it down, making me slightly jump a little as it slithered away. “I’m not your f-friend, I don’t even know y-your name.” I looked around on the forest’s ground, making sure that the reptile was nowhere near my feet. He looked at me once more, extending a hand as if he wanted me to shake it. “Name’s Tobias. And you?” He asked, smiling a little showing very little of his teeth. “…It’s Sofia.” I said, not taking his hand and turnt back to the path where school grounds was. “I’ll be going now, and unless you want to be late to class too, you should be going too.” “Oh! Right…” He said, sounding a little shocked and followed me. He probably thinks that he has all the time in the world right now, in the days and not remembering that it’s a weekday and that he has school just like I do. As we approached our school, (and yes I said our, because I’m going to guess that he goes to this school too.) he finally asked me “So, does this mean we’re friends?” I stopped and looked at him. His dark emerald green eyes sparkled a little even though it was very cloudy outside. “…No. You first scared me with that reptile of yours and then you laughed at me like it was nothing. Why do you even have a snake in the first place?!” I asked him, only for him to pretend like it was nothing. “Well? Aren’t you going to answer my question?” I said, a partial bit of annoyance rising in my voice. “Shh.” He put a finger on his lips and quieted me, pointing to students close by. Hopefully, they didn’t see us coming from the woods. “Anyways,” he turned back to me, looking a little disappointed that I declined his request of friendship. “It was just a reptile, Sof. Like I said she doesn’t hurt anyone.” “That doesn’t change things.” I mumbled, crossing my arms and walking away from him and towards the entrance. “Aw, c’monnn. Pleeeease? I’m sorry that Molly scared you.” He pouted and whined, running towards me. “You’re still not going to change my mind Tobias.” That’s when he finally got on his knees and began to full on beg me as if he did something terribly wrong. “Please Sofia, I beg of you to please be my friend.” I looked at him one last time before opening the door and saying it once more. “The answer, is no.” And went inside, leaving him high and dry outside, alone.