Main Protagonist and the Current Working Title

Chapter Two

Carter Collins sat in the shadow of George Washington High School during his lunch break, typing away at his laptop.

Dear Jeniffer Mulligan,

I regret to inform you that you are being blackmailed. Attached to this email are pictures taken on the night of October 27. My demands are small and reasonable, barely even an inconvenience. However, if you don't comply then I will print out three hundred and forty seven full-color copies and then plaster them over every inch of Miss Holt's English classroom...

"Hey Carter, what's up?"

Carter looked up to see his best friend, Ben, holding a lunch tray and sitting down next to him.

Carter closed his laptop. He trusted Ben, but it was better not to take any chances.

"Oh nothing," Carter said. "Just working on my fantasy novel."

"Oh yeah," Ben said. "You mentioned that you just started on the second draft. How's it going so far?"

"Not too bad. Just finished the first scene where the main character tries to get the ring from the emperor's vault."

Ben nodded. "You still haven't figured out a name for him, have you," he said, less as a question and more as a statement.

Carter's ego momentarily deflated. "I've got... ideas," he said.

"Ideas like Ace Thunderlightning'?" Ben said. "Or 'Rex Flamesword'?"

"I have a flair for the dramatic and I refuse to apologize for it," Carter said, keeping his face passive and blank.

Ben smirked. "If you say so."

Carter rolled his eyes. "Look, it's a work in progress. I'll figure something out eventually."

Ben laughed. "Sure you will, and I'm gonna get a date with Hannah."

Carter rolled his eyes again, but this was just how things were with Ben.

"Speaking of Hannah" Ben continued, "are you still pissed about what she said the other day?"

Carter gave Ben a suspicious glance. There was no way he could have seen what Carter was typing. And even if he had, there's no way he would've connected that to the class presidential election.

Then Carter plastered a smile on his face. "What? Oh, that? I'd totally forgotten. I was gonna just let it go."

"Well, that's awfully mature of you," Ben said. "You know, after she insulted you to her face."

Carter did his best to stay smiling while he internally seethed in impotent fury.

Is that your idea of a joke? Carter remembered Hannah saying. You come to school looking like you fight racoons for the good trash, and if I wanted to commit suicide then I'd climb all the way up to your ego and then jump all the way down to your IQ. No, you wouldn't be elected class president even if you were the only one running!'

Carter's teeth clenched and he had to force himself to keep smiling.

"I decided to not let it bother me," Carter said. "After all, words only have the power that you give them."

Carter had read that line years ago in a coloring book. He hoped it sounded cliche enough that Ben would take the hint and drop the subject.

"That's too bad," Ben said. "I bet one of Hannah's friends twenty bucks that you'd try and prove her wrong just out of spite."

"Seriously?" Carter asked.

Ben shrugged. "It seemed like a safe bet at the time. Of course, if you're gonna be all mature about this..."