Empire High School

Students Learning About Each Other

"Good, are you ready to enter?!"

Simon, Felice, and Mince nodded.

"Good, enter." They headed in first, unintentionally sitting together before the rude one scoffed and went to the other seat, leading the two to spot the others enter.

"Anyway, Class EFA1. I'm one of your two primary teachers for the year, Kaysar Daksh," said the brown well-built man in his thirties. "Ms. Nyugen will be here in a few weeks. Introduce your name and either your future career or goals for this school. Burp boy, you're up."

Simon pointed to himself. Daksh confirmed, prompting him to turn around equally apathetic and nervous. "Um, Simon Dusky. Just want to have a better time in high school. Unsure."

"Next."

"Um, Felice Haystrum," doing the same with less enthusiasm. "To be the best student."

Snickers were abound that Daksh silenced, asking others to keep going.

"Mince Sorbet. I don't wanna be here, I'm rich, just give me the diploma already!"

"Len Mullins," said a lanky, reserved boy with an inhaler. "Um, to be more rich than him."

The guy next to him groaned. "Nah," slapping his large frame and adjusting his tie. "Devlin Drake," bruxing teeth together, and snapping his fingers. "Yes ladies, I'm single."

The other women laughed to Simon's amusement. I wish I was that confident.

"Kirby Williams," yawning. "Wait, Simon, that's you? Aren't you supposed to move in today?"

Felice looked at him as he turned back. "Wait, you're Kirby," staring at her long loose hair, and light brown skin. "Heyy."

"Your mom wanted us to come to school together...granted I came a little late."

"Save it for later. Next."

Monte Bane, a guy who somehow managed to make a bowl cut look good, had a dismissive look on his face, saying he wants to be a soccer player in the World Cup. Not bad.

Next was Bennett Tate, who claimed to be a podcaster and stock broker.

Afterwards was Nikia...Nyguen. Accusations of special treatment already started flying much to her dismay, her gloomy reddish-brown skin and messy hair already leading her face first to the desk.

Edith was up next, aiming to be the most beautiful beauty blogger in the world, asking everyone to look at her socials. Her hair and face were on point, advising Simon, Felice, Len, Devilin, and Nikia to invest, earning an immediate dislike as she waved the hand of her clear white skin to Mince.

Elize Bell asked for someone, declaring she wanted to be popular with a high pitched voice that made Mince want to cover his ears, with a wide and pudgy face.

"You're cute, follow me, and we'll be the most popular girls in school."

Simon groaned while a tan girl, Arlene Lopez seemed to share similar senitients but with a much higher enthusiasm as she jumped out of her seat. "I want to be financially stable," flicking her ponytail and accidentally smacking Elize in the face. "Sorry."

"It's okay!"

The girl in front of them, wearing a beanie and tying her hands behind her blonde hair and fair skin, was secretly recording them, hiding it before Daksh saw it. "Cute. Um, Mary Kane"

"Felice, watch your back with her," he whispered.

As she nodded, a large jock with a massive bulk kissed his biceps. "Haejin Oxford, future YouTube celebrity and boxer."

"Jarrod Martin," said a more shaggy haired guy with a build between Haejin and Monte, but also asian. "Probably a basketball player."

'Oh, I'm Sharell, I kinda want to be like a nurse or something," said the dark skinned girl with nice curls, looking rather spacey. "Or a lifestyle blogger."

She's got more goals than me, not realizing he was staring and she winked at him.

"Jenzie Gomez, I want to get into E-Sports," said the other light Hispanic-Asian mixed girl.

Edith snickered. "Oh look, she wants to just stare at the screen all day," getting Elize, Mary, Sharell, and even Jenzie to laugh at herself.

Simon sucked his teeth. "Says the girl who wants subscribers to watch her trick them into buying super expensive makeup."

"I don't speak to ugly people," earning monkey noises at him.

Think of something clever. Oh, got it. "Your mirror says otherwise," redirecting it back at her.

"That's enough," Mr. Kaysar Daksh said. "Here's your syllabus and schedules for this semester. Take a few minutes to get to know your classmates, see how you mesh. Can't get through school alone."

"I doubt that," Felice whispered, yet loud enough for him to hear.

What do I say? Uh. "I don't mind sitting with you for now."

"It really doesn't matter."

Geez and I thought I was a downer, twisting his chair, seemingly getting up when she tugged on his shoulder.

"I was just adjusting my pants, wedgie." Wait did she think I was going to leave?

"I knew that. Do you feel good about anyone else?"

"I guess Nikia, Kirby, maybe Arlene, and Jenzie."

"All girls, huh?"

"That includes you, ya know."

"Why?"

He couldn't think of an answer. "You don't hate me, do you?"

"No. But I don't like to experiment with variables I can't predict."

"But if you do the same thing all the time, won't it get boring? Isn't change the spice of life?"

"It's variety."

"Oh...that I didn't know. Well if I'm an unknown variable, let's see if that makes your school life more interesting."

"My hypothesis is you won't," completely deadpan and shutting him down. "But I'll think about it. Besides, your friend isn't in this class with you, right?"

Simon crumbled even more. "Life, why do you hate me so much?"

Felice patted him on the back. "Then just beat life."

"Easy for you to say. Len and Devlin seem...a bit eccentric. But I think we could be cool."

"You also don't want them ruining any potential relationships you'll have in the future."

"As if. Friends are all I need."

"Had your heart broken?"

"Once or twice? You?"

"I'd prefer not to talk about it."

"So are we going to talk to anyone else, or this experiment is up?"

To their dismay, time was up.