Bang On The Block

Chapter 2: Notifying Everyone

It was Monday. He stared up at his school bus as the doors slowly opened. The bland yellow metal of the school bus glistened in the morning sun. The bus driver stared at him in confusion before saying, "Kid... Are you coming in or what?" James snapped out of his little daydream and entered the bus. He looked around at the hyperactive kids shouting and hitting each other playfully. He quickly moved to the back where his own friend group was sitting: Daniel, Lincoln, Jamal, Ali, Michael, and Samuel. He sat down, and they all smiled at him but quickly frowned after they saw his gloomy face.

"Yo, what's up?" said Michael. "Did you get grounded again?" giggled Ali as he hit him on his back hard, which made James cough. James shook his head before mumbling, "It's something else."

Daniel tilted his head before saying, "What is it then? We don't have all day." James sighed. "I'll tell you after... I'm still letting the information marinate in my head..."

Jamal nodded. "So it's serious, isn't it?" James nodded again before shuffling into the corner of the bus, resting his head on the window, and sighing. Samuel slapped the back of his neck. "Yo, wake up! You ain't in bed!" James groaned louder. "Bro, can you stop doing that? It hurts now!" Samuel rolled his eyes.

"It's not my fault you're weak." James rubbed the back of his head and sat up, trying to gather his thoughts. The ride to school felt longer than usual, and his friends continued their usual antics, trying to draw him into their conversations and jokes. But James continued to stare out the bus window.

As the bus pulled up to the school and the doors opened with a hiss, the group of friends disembarked, heading towards the entrance. The sprawling school building seemed more imposing than ever to James today.

In the hallway, the morning bustle of students filled the air with a mixture of chatter, laughter, and lockers slamming shut. James kept his head down, lost in his thoughts, until Lincoln nudged him. "Hey man, seriously, what's going on? You look like someone died."

James took a deep breath, feeling the weight of the words he was about to say. "I'm moving. To the UK."

The words hung in the air, and for a moment, the usual noise of the school seemed to fade into the background. His friends looked at him with a mix of sympathy and shock. "Dude, that's rough," Michael said, putting a hand on James' shoulder.

"Yeah," James replied quietly. "I didn't see it coming. My dad got a job there, and we're leaving next month."

Daniel nodded thoughtfully. "Man, that's a big change. You gonna be okay?"

James shrugged. "I don't know. I guess I just need some time to get my head around it."

Ali, usually the joker of the group, spoke up in an uncharacteristically serious tone. "We got your back, man. Whatever you need."

Jamal added, "Yeah, we'll always be there for you, even if your in an entire other country"

The bell rang, signaling the start of the school day. The group started to disperse to their respective classes, but not before giving James one last look of support. "We'll catch up at lunch," Samuel said, offering a small smile.

James nodded, feeling a little lighter from their words. As he made his way to his first class, he realised that while things were changing drastically, he still had his friends to lean on for now. And for now, that was enough. 

The morning classes dragged on, each lesson feeling longer than usual. James found it hard to concentrate, his mind continually drifting back to the conversation with his parents the night before. He could still hear his dad's voice explaining how 'this was for the best of us',  James could only think about what he was leaving behind.

By the time lunch rolled around, James felt like he was walking in a fog. He grabbed his lunch from his locker and made his way to the cafeteria, where his friends had already claimed their usual table. They looked up as he approached, their faces a mix of curiosity and concern.

"So, tell us more," Lincoln said as James sat down. "When exactly are you moving?"

"Next week," James replied, opening his lunch bag without much enthusiasm. "My dad starts his job in 2 weeks, so we have to be there a couple of weeks before that to get settled."

"Wow, that's soon," Michael said, his brow furrowing. "Are you excited at all? I mean, it's a big change, but it could be cool."

James shrugged. "I guess. It's just... a lot to take in. I've lived here my whole life. It's hard to imagine starting over somewhere new."

"I get that," Daniel said. "But think about it—new country, new school, new people. It could be an adventure."

"Yeah," Ali chimed in, trying to lighten the mood. "Plus, you'll get to have a cool British accent. Chicks dig accents."

The table erupted in laughter, and even James managed a small smile. "Maybe," he said. "But right now, it just feels scary."

"You'll be fine," Jamal said, his tone reassuring. "And we'll keep in touch in whatsapp. It's not like you're disappearing off the face of the earth."

James nodded. "Thanks, guys."

"We'll make the most of the time we have left," Samuel said, slapping James on the back. "And when you get to the UK, you'll make new friends. You'll be okay."

Lunch passed more quickly after that, the conversation shifting to lighter topics and the usual banter that James found comforting. As the school day continued, he felt a bit more at ease, buoyed by his friends' support.

After school, James walked home with Michael and Daniel, the three of them discussing their plans for the weekend. They were determined to make the most of their remaining time together, packing in as many adventures as possible before James had to leave.

When he got home, his mom was in the kitchen, sorting through a stack of moving boxes. She looked up as he entered, giving him a sympathetic smile. "How was school today?"

"fine," James said, dropping his backpack by the door. "I told the guys about the move."

"How did they take it?" she asked, pausing in her work.

"They were surprised, but they were supportive thankfully," James muttered. "They said we'll stay in touch."

"That's good to hear," his mom said sweetly. "I know this is hard, but we're going to make it work. And who knows? Maybe you'll end up loving it there."

"Maybe," James said, though he still felt a pang of uncertainty. "It's just a lot to think about."

"I know, sweetie," his mom said, coming over to give him a hug. "But we're a family, and we'll get through this together."

James nodded, feeling a little better. "Yeah, we will."