The Lost Days - Origins

Chapter 3

Located in an office park, JC Heights High is unlike any school Jesse has been to before. He's used to blazers and brown leather Toughees, not students smoking in the quad as they discuss the weekend with their teachers.

As he saunters in, a scowl fixed in place, he notices that some of the students have pierced lips and noses, a few even flaunt full sleeves of tattoos, and more than most look like they just rolled out of bed after a week-long bender.

Jesse feels like he should fit right in... Or maybe not, considering his lack of face jewellery and virgin skin.

His stares don't go unnoticed. Seconds later half the quad has turned their eyes on him.

His throat tightens with a familiar anxiety.

Here it goes again... He's the new guy, the freak, the specimen...

Deepening his scowl he pushes his way through a throng of girls who all sport smudged black eyeliner and false lashes. He feels fingers trail against his thigh as he makes his way towards a sign ahead that reads, OFFICE, in large block letters.

Ignoring what he assumes was an attempted grope by one of the panda girls, he presses his palms to the door and shoves. Its high pitched squeak alerts the secretary to his presence. She doesn't smile. Her skin lacklustre and peeling at the edge of her nose. Her face is void of emotion, and he doesn't blame her. He'd die too if he had to work in a high school office.

"Hi."

Nothing.

"I'm Jesse Valentine."

Robotically she shuffles two papers to the right of her and lifts a printed excel sheet from the left.

"Here."

She hands him the sheet. It lists times and classes.

"Thanks..."

"It's your timetable."

He nods.

"I see."

"You'll find your way then?"

Before he can answer the switchboard lights up, a soft bleeping coming from a taped over speaker. She turns her attention back to the chunky, yellowed PC monitor before her, ignoring the call.

He shifts the strap of his backpack that hangs from one shoulder and leaves the office. The chatter of students engulf him as the door clicks shut.

He glances around, unsure of what to do or where to go. His eyes accidentally greeting those of a girl with candy cane streaks of pink and blue in her blonde hair.

He looks away as she grins.

As she flounces over to him, Jesse thinks of how she should have a lollipop in her hand or something.

"Hey, you're new!"

"Ah... yeah, thanks for the observation," he replies.

She shrugs.

"Anytime, I am the queen of the obvious after all. So you need help?"

"No."

He steps away from her and much to his annoyance, she steps with him.

"I wasn't asking, merely observing."

She holds out an arm covered in colourful stretchy bracelets.

"I'm Jezebel, and you are?"

He drops his eyes to her hand, shuffling his bag from the one shoulder to the other and replies, "Jesse."