Shoot For The Stars (Wesley Stromberg)

Chapter One: School's in

Scout-

My hands reached up and rubbed my eyes as I prepared for the first day back after summer vacation.

The sun beamed through my open balcony door with the curtains blowing softly in the cool morning breeze.

It was too early for the sun to heat anything up yet but it still graced us with it’s presence.

I stretched my muscles out and rolled out of my luxurious bed laden with more pillows than you could shake a stick at.

As soon as my bare feet hit the pale wooden floor, a shiver ran up my spine.

A small sigh escaped my lips as I looked in the mirror; my messy hair was looking like an un-tamed beast was resting on my head.

After much reluctance to comply with my wishes, I finally managed to tame the beast and pull a brush through my hair.

Eventually, the waves fell loosely on my shoulders just the way I liked them.

My fingers gripped my phone that was resting on my dressing table and clicked down on the unlock button to see the time.

“Oh shit.” I mumbled as I came to realize I was already late.

There was no time for the little makeup I wore usually and breakfast was a no-go.

I grabbed my snapback and put it on backwards before grabbing my skateboard and school rucksack.

I flew down the stairs, jumped the last five and landed on my feet… just.

In my hurry, I flung the front door open and ran through it.

“BYE MOM!” I yelled on the way out and ran to the gate.

I placed my board on the ground and let it fall completely to the pavement before pressing my foot on it and heading to school.

**

“Scout Taylors? Has anyone seen Scout?” I could hear my teacher calling from my class.

I continued running and burst through the door out of breath.

The teacher stared at me with a stern yet sympathetic look on her face.

“Not a good start Scout…” she shrugged it off and continued on with the register.

Everyone else has already taken their seats and left only one seat at the very back for me.

Nobody paid me any attention as I made my way backwards.

But then again, nobody ever did.

Mrs. Peters began her lesson on English Literature.

I felt myself drift into a state of sub-conscious state of dreaming.

“Scout? Can you please answer my question?” Mrs. Peters said, growing impatient.

I began to shake as I realized I hadn’t been paying attention.

A lump stuck in my throat as I tried to open my mouth.

Mrs. Peters turned around to write my name on the detentions list on the board.  

Before she had even picked up the pen, something flew through the air and hit me on the head.

I picked it up off the floor and unscrewed the piece of paper.

It read ‘1853’.

“1853” I stuttered finally.

Mrs. Peters turned around and pursed her lips.

“Correct. Well done…” she smiled suspiciously.

I let out a sigh of relief and shoved the paper into my bag.

My head craned to the left of me to see who had thrown me the paper.

The only person sat there was none other than Mr. Popular; Wesley Stromberg.

Ever since he, his brother Keaton and another boy Drew who had already graduated; had auditioned for some stupid talent show on tv over the summer, they’d been catapulted into a life of glamour and celebrities.

Everyone adored them and was rooting for them to win when eventually the live shows would start.

However, I had no interest in such things.

I never watched much tv anyway, I only knew because it was the talk of the school.

Well that and my friend had made me watch their youtube clip.

Regardless though, it couldn’t have been him who’d helped me because populars don’t acknowledge the nobodies.

Because we’re just that: nobodies.

Wesley looked up from his notes and looked over in my direction.

His eyes met mine and he silently chuckled a little.

I knitted my eyebrows together but he ignored me, instead ran his eyes up and down me.

I couldn’t help but feel uncomfortable.

I hadn’t exactly dressed up for school, I never do and I don’t think I ever will.

Quite simply; I wore a pair of slightly torn on the knees skinny jeans rolled up a little to expose a small bit of skin of my ankles, A baggy band t-shirt with the sleeves cut off that revealed the material of my bra and a little skin. Tied to one of the loops of my jeans was a tattered old shoe lace; a skater tradition that when a shoe lace breaks off, you must tie it to your jeans and leave it there. On my feet were a pair of tattered and ruined pair of blue and white vans but to me, were my favorite skating shoes.

Wesley brought his eyes back up to my level and then looked back at the board.

I shrugged it off and waited eagerly for the bell to ring, signaling the end of first period.

My foot tapped against the floor impatiently until the bell sounded.

I jumped up rapidly and took my bag off the back of my seat.

Before anyone else even had a chance to react, I was up and out of there.

Hmmm, this semester was going to be a long one…