Peer Pressure

Typical Welcome

I struggle to carry my homework in my school-bag, rushing to my English lesson. I don't even see where I'm going when I bump into someone.

"Sorry!" I immediately almost whimper.

The person turns around slowly and it turns out to be Kier, that's not even the worst, I've made him spill his drink onto his shirt.

I gawk at him for a while before I pull out some tissues and get to trying to clean up the mess. He laughs at how desperate I am before kicking me in the stomach, making me drop my bag onto the floor. Soon enough, there are pages of my work everywhere.

"I said I was sorry!" I almost shout at him, quickly trying to collect all the sheets of work. He only laughs at this before pouring the rest of his drink on my head. I notice from the smell that it is whisky.

That can't be allowed.

Before I can get up and snap at him, I've already been booted in the stomach, knocking my onto my side as I try to protect my stomach with my arms. He continues to kick me, even stepping on my hand. I let out a little yelp when I feel my wrist snap.

He drops the empty bottle on my head before leaving me in the corridor. I manage to gather the strength to glare at him, seeing Laurence and Shane following him. Shane has again decided that he's too good for me and doesn't even look at me... again.

What goes through that boy's mind?

I try to pick myself up to see the bruising on my stomach, it looks painful. I let out a groan when I realise that I'm now late for my lesson, not to mention my homework, which I spend the whole night working on, is ruined.

I shudder when I hear footsteps returning, expecting it to be Kier again, only it's Shane.

"Get up." He tells me quietly. I try to do as I'm told, cradling my wrist.

"I think I need to go to the nurse." I whimper.

"Don't be ridiculous, you stink of alcohol. They'll be certain that you just got drunk and fell down the stairs and blame it on you." He says as he grabs my shirt and drags me to our dorm.

"Why are you like this?" I snap, remembering how he could've done something to stop Kier.

"What are you on about? You want to explain this to Mr. Jones? He doesn't care!" He snaps back.

"I guess you're right." I murmur.

We finally reach the dorm and he closes the door behind the both of us. He immediately pulls out a first aid kit from under his bed and bandages up my wrist after clicking the bone back in place. I let out a whimper at the pain and he only offers me a reassuring smile.

"Here, take these. They'll numb the pain. You should probably stay here for a while, just until you can use your wrist again. Be more careful next time." He tells me calmly, handing me some painkillers.

"But it wasn't even my fault!" I almost argue.

He doesn't reply right away, he just looks me clearly in the eyes, looking sympathetic. "Don't go anywhere near Kier or Laurence. They will hurt you." He warns me quietly.

"Why do you hang out with them?" I ask him, partly glad to be having something that resembles a conversation with him.

"We've always been close." is all he tells me, his head jumps up as we both hear the sound of Kier and Laurence calling for him.

"Hey Barrone! Where're you at?" Kier calls, along with the sound of metal clanking together.

"I have to go." He tells me quietly. "Who knows how they'll react if they see this." He sighs before getting up and leaving, pulling something out from under his bed and hiding it in his school blazer.

I peek through the crack in the door to also pick up the conversation.

"Hey, Barrone, why'd you disappear like that?" Laurence asks him.

"I was just stocking up on some drinks." He replies as he pulls out the glass bottle from his blazer and hands it to Kier. "What a brat, huh?" He adds, leaning on the radiator as Kier takes a swing from the bottle.

"Trust, what a waste of space." Laurence adds, wrapping an arm around Shane's shoulder. Shane smiles at Laurence.

I immediately get away from the door.

Who the hell is he? Why is he really nice to me, then really rude out of nowhere?

Don't worry Drew, you'll never fit in.