Notes from Ian

Chapter 1: August

    Ripped black skinnies. New converse shoes. FOB bro tank. Black hair gently placed for the ultimate devilishly handsome effect. A touch of black eyeliner, and a favorite metal stud in the center of his tongue. It was show time: back to high school. Senior edition.
     August gave himself a once over before descending the flight of stairs, that lead to the garage. Ever since his dad had uttered the fateful words, "if you can fix up the attic, it can be your new room," August had his own pad, as far away as he could get from his family. It's the life.
     Hitting the button that opened the garage door, and revving the engine of his ancient Subaru to get it to creak to life, he took off into the early morning, blasting Pandora as he went to Trident High. And yes, it was regrettably home to the Sea Monkeys. Goooooooooo Primates!
     After a brief excursion through suburbia, the labyrinth that it is, Autumn arrived at the epicenter of the maze. A stone brick building constructed in the 70's, but constantly being refurbished with new lighting, and stereotypically motivational posters stood at the center of it all. Over hundreds of classes were taught in its halls. Everything from philosophy, to computer sciences; music, to trigonometry; and model united nations, to the ROTC program: Trident was a marvel.
     "If you have a passion, we have a program," was printed on the outside of the entrance. Colors exploded off of the word passion in dizzying arrays and designs that were modified, and added to by each and every senior class. This year, Autumn would get to add his own flair, but what?
     Walking up to the wall, he started to vocalize his thoughts. "Maybe I should add a bit of black to give a different side to this spectrum of colors. Or maybe I should shade a few areas and give some of the building designs a 3D look to them! Or-" His muttering was suddenly cut off by a hand being gently placed on his shoulder. It was a warm touch; soft, gentle, like the first hint of summer in the wind.
     "Hey stranger, I was wondering if you help me find my classes. I've very helpless, and very much at risk." Smiling, Autumn turned around and enveloped his best friend in an embrace. Nothing bone crushing, but more than just a greeting. The type of hug that you can only give to someone who knows you better than you do.
      "Hi Raven. I've missed having to deal with your sarcasm." Winking he pulled away and looked her up and down. Stilettos, plaid mini skirt, rocker T, and dark purple hair with bangs enveloping a soft, oval face. Raven.
     "Rambling about your art project again? 'The shading, the shading!'" She mimicked, hands waving exasperatedly. "You need to calm down nerd, with that attitude we'll never find you a man." She said with a subtle wink.
     "Ha. Ha. Ha. You are SO funny. You know, maybe with your fine acting skills, you'll finally be able to land a lead in the play, but then again..." Quipped August.
"One more word, and I swear to God that I will drag your scrawny ass across the hallways, and into a locker like I did to Ramona last year!" Raven screamed, fists clenched furiously at her sides, with a hint of red leaking into her face. "Ever since that BITCH took my spot as lead in Cinderella, and then rubbed it in my face- UGH!" Stopped a sharpened heel into the ground, she took her fist and threw it has hard as she could against the wall. The lightning behind her eyes ignoring everything else aside from her target.
Thankfully though, August was the true definition of best friend. Stepping in front of the wall he took the brute of the punch. Her fist landed in his solar plexus, hard. Crumpling to the ground, August caught his chest and landed on his side. Spittle flew from his mouth, and cascaded onto Raven's heels. Only when the liquid hit did her rage fully subside, and she noticed the vehement coughing at her feet.
"August! Oh my god! I'm so sorry!!!" Dropping to her knees, tears flowing freely from her eyes, she scrambled to help August up. On his feet he stumbled a little, still holding onto his chest.
"Damn." He said coughing. "You hit harder then you did last year. Sure the lesbian rumors aren't true?" Starting the laugh a little, Raven enveloped August in a tight embrace. His hacks gently subsiding from asthma attack, to the common cold level.
"I'm so sorry. I really need to calm down about the whole Ramona thing."
"Yes, but don't worry. It's our senior year, and you'll kick her ass. Just like you kicked mine! But in a more... Theatrical way." August said smiling. "Let's go find our new lockers. My lady?" He said, offering his arm.
"You're a dork, but I love you." Accepting his arm they walked off. "I missed you too. Let's kick this year's ass together."