TEENAGE DIRTBAGS ❇ SHAWN HUNTER

back 2 school

The bell rang. "That's homeroom, I checked we're all together. Room 218, we have Mr. Turner." Topanga told us.

"Turner, Turner. He's not here." Cory said as he looked at the notebook. "What if he's so bad Eric didn't want to tell me about him. What if he's like Feeny, only feenier?" He panicked.

"Teacher, one thing I'm not afraid of. Haven't met one yet I couldn't take down.' Shawn went on.

An older guy in a leather jacket walked over. "Hey."

"Hey." We responded. "That's Harley, I know it. That's Harley Keiner." Cory told us. I shook my head, I'd Harley before and that wasn't him. "I don't think so Cor-" But he already went up to him.

"Not him is it?" Topanga asked me as the boy talked to the man. "Nope." We laughed.

"They give all the teachers students, I'm Jonathan Turner. You can call me Mister." He said walking to a classroom. "You're late." He smiled as the final bell rang.

"I'm gonna like him." I said following after.

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"I'm here for homeroom, I'm here for English and I'm here if you need to talk." Mr. Turner told us.

"Cool." Cory nodded. "Did I say you could talk?" Mr. Turner asked him. "I thought so." He said quietly. "You trouble Matthew's?" He asked again. "You gonna try to bring down the new teacher?"

"No sir, that would be Shawn and Mandy." Cory told him. "Idiot." I muttered staring down at my desk.

"Wait-" Cory started. "No, Matthew's, good man, good man." Mr. Turner started walking around the room. "Now don't tell me. If these two are real trouble, they're gonna try really hard to avoid making eye contact with me."

He settled between our seats in the back. "Hey, guys."

"How ya doin'?" I smiled turning to him. "I'm good." He smiled turning to Shawn. "So, Shawn. You know anything about the Odyssey?" He asked. "Yes, I do." Shawn told him. "Besides that it's a book?"

"No I don't."

Mr. Turner stood up. "Alright, who knows what Odyssey means?" He asked the class. "It's a difficult journey." I spoke up.

"She's smart too?" He asked Cory. "The smartest of us all."

"Yes, it does." He said loudly again. "An epic journey. About a guy just trying to get home alive. In fantasy worlds, with characters who have these ancient notions about loyalty and heroism."

"Who wants to read that?" Cory said loudly. "Apparently you do." Mr. Turner said walking over to his desk. "What is that, X-men?" He said grabbing the comic book.

Cory tried to lie. "What? I don't know X-men when I see it? It' a great issue." Mr. Turner told us. "You read X-men?" I asked.

"Do I read X-men? Fantasy worlds, epic heroism.... yeah I read X-men. In fact, let's all read X-men. Your assignment is to read the Odyssey and this issue of X-men."

We all cheered. "Finally, a cool teacher." Cory said. "My friend, Mr. Matthews will lead the discussion on the similarities and differences." Cory turned back to us. "Feeny with an earring."

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I followed out behind the boys when the bell rang. "He's onto us, singled us out on the first day." Cory said.

"No, Cor. He singled you out. You singled us out." I said gesturing between me and Shawn. "Sorry." Cory shrugged.

"So what's the next stop on this misery bus?" Cory said as we pulled out our schedules.

"Art."

"Earth Science."

"I've got History."

We all shared panicked looks. "You mean......" I trailed. "We're gonna be separated." Cory cried out. Soon student filled the hallway pushing us in opposite directions.

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We finally were reconnected at lunch. "We had a rocky start but at ;east we made it to lunch." Shawn said as we through open the doors. "My last meal." Cory sighed. "Chicken."

"How appropriate." I joked as we sat at a table.

"You know I wish I chose mac n' cheese, bigger mess when Harley punches me and I puke on him." Cory told us. "Good thinking." Shawn told him.

"I could get Matty to talk to him." I offered. "Would you really?" I nodded and walked over to his table.

I tapped his shoulder with a look of disgust. He pulled back from the girl he was kissing with a glare, but it softened when he saw me. "Scram freshy." The girl snapped. "Go." He told her, she scoffed but left the table.

"What's up? You already in trouble?" He smirked. "Not me." I said. "Shawn?" I shook my head. "Cory?" He said shocked.

"He had a little mishap with Harley." I told him. "Harley? I ain't gonna be no help." He said. "Why not?" I asked. "I told him to make sure no one messes with you, but I may have said he could fuck around with Cory and Shawn."

I slapped his arm. "You asshole."

"Oh c'mon, Cory will be fine. He can buff out." Matt said as I stormed away. "Lost cause, Matty said you can buff out." I said patting his shoulder.

"I wish I didn't sign that contract." Cory whined. "You did but I didn't." Shawn said before going to Eric's table. He sent Cory to talk to him at the water fountain.

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When it hit three I went on a search for Harley hoping to change his mind. "Keiner!" I yelled running up to him. "Hey Runt." He looked down to me. "How's your first day?"

"I've been great, my buddy not so much." I said keeping pace with him. "Yeah? Whose your buddy?" He asked lighting a cigarette. "Doubt you know him, Cory Matthew's?"

He shrugged offering the stick to me. "Never heard of him."

"Real short, curly black hair, punchable face." I said blowing out smoke. "Oh Baboon." He seethed. "You know I got a policy." He told me as we got into the main hallway.

I handed the cigarette back to him when my eyes caught Shawn and Cory looking at us. "Your friend got me in trouble, now he has to pay." He said stamping out the butt.

"Matty even said it was okay." He informed me. I looked Cory's fearful face. "Just don't kill him, " I sighed, "Three punches max okay? He's small, it's all he can take."

Harley glanced at the pair. "Fine, your lucky I like you Runt."

"Thank you." I smiled as we walked to them. "See you at game night." He grinned before turning to Cory. "Time to die." I rolled my eyes as I left with Shawn.