Hi, my name is [Dan] - COMPLETED

After 08: Mean girls

I avoided the main hall where all the other students appeared to be going. I wanted some time alone. I hadn't seen anywhere this busy since I went Christmas shopping last year and it was all a bit overwhelming. At least no one at the shopping center stared at me like some strange creature. 
"It's because you're new,"  I tried to tell myself but my heart didn't want to believe me as it thumped harder and made my chest ache. 

I felt like someone was watching me and sure enough I turned to see a boy staring at me from a distance. He looked like he had come straight out of an anime, which coincidentally I would not be able to watch so much of now I was back at school. He had straightened black hair that fell down one side of his face, it was still slightly wet from the rain and a single drop fell down his face as he looked my way. His eyes were large and crystal blue and soft, I couldn't pull myself away. I didn't notice the girl walk towards him until his eyes turned cold and I noticed the girl had whispered something into his ear. It wasn't just any girl, though. It was Jessica! I had purposefully made sure we didn't share any classes but the world seemed to hate me and was forcing our paths to cross.

Without looking away, I started to walk in the opposite direction of the pair and whacked full force into someone. Water splashed over the both of us as his cup was squashed in between our chests. The guy looked shocked at first and I prepared myself for the abuse to come. I knew he would yell at me, I had watched plenty of school shows in preparation for coming back, granted most had been American ones but I knew the school dynamics now. 
Instead of yelling, the boy let out a chuckle. His entire face filled up with the laughter and his Cheshire cat grin didn't leave his face even after he had calmed down. 
"Something bad always happens on the first day, right? Can't escape it. If this is all that happens today I'll be happy." The boy wiped down his blazer where there was a large wet patch.
"I'm so sorry!" I outburst and moved away from him. I nearly banged into someone else but the boy grabbed hold of my wrist, squashing the cup a little more so the last droplets of water fell to the floor.
"Don't apologise, bud. It happens to the best of us," he told me and pulled me away from the crowd of teenagers walking behind me. 
"I did't see you, sorry. I can get you a fresh cup of water if you want?" I tried to straighten myself up and looked around the hall but couldn't find any cup dispensers or any kind of fountain. "If you point me in the direction of the water fountain that is." I stroked the back of my neck anxiously but the boy just chuckled some more and placed a hand on my shoulder. I dropped my arm back down to my side. 
"Don't worry about it. I've gotta get to class soon anyway." He twisted to glance up at the big clock on the far wall before turning back to me and looking deeply at my face. He pushed his face forward so our noses were nearly touching. "Are you new here?" 
"Yeah," I replied and nervously leaned away from him.
I thought the boy was going to say he knew me because he looked like Chris, someone I saw in Primary school every now and then. We were in separate forms so we never spoke but I was sure it was him. But the boy didn't mention anything like that.
"Thought you weren't here last year,"  he let go of my shoulders and smiled at me, "need any help finding your next lesson?" 
"Oh, no, I'll be fine!" I reassured him. I didn't want to be any more of a burden to someone I had just soaked.
"As long as you're sure," he told me and gave me a second to change my mind before glancing back at the clock. "See ya around, hopefully next time we'll both be less wet," he put a cheeky smile on his face, "Or more wet." He winked at me flirtatiously. 
"I-I," I stuttered. My mind turned to mush, did this guy know nothing about how to be appropriate when in a conversation? I also noted that he seemed to know nothing about personal space either. 
"I'm joking, don't worry yourself." The maybe-Chris laughed again.
"I'll try. Sorry again," I said awkwardly.
"It's okay, bud." He patted my shoulder and then he just left without another word. 

I shook off the conversation with the strangely too nice student and looked at my timetable. Drama was first and it turns out I did need the help, I ended up being ten minutes late to lesson. I stumbled into the class but thankfully everyone was too caught up in their own conversations to even look at me. I walked to the teacher.
"Take a seat, Mr. Howell." She clicked my name on the register to switch it from absent to present.
"Sorry I'm late," I told her but she was already walking away to speak to students.
"Famous last words," I heard a cheery voice say and looked to see the boy from earlier. "The sorry guy returns."
"I'm British, I'm allowed to apologise," I told him with a shrug and began to walk to his table. "Can I sit here?" I pointed to the second empty seat on a table for four.
"It's all yours."
"Thanks!" I took the seat next to the boy and didn't get any longer than a five second breather before he started speaking again.
"So, what's your name?"
"Dan," I told him and was suddenly reminded how nice it was to be able to say your name with no hesitation.
"I'm Chris." So it is the Chris from primary school. "Welcome to drama 101. Don't feel too intimidated by me." He put his hand to his chest and pointed his chin up high in the air. If this were an anime a beam of light would have cascaded onto his face but it's England and no light was in sight.
"Why would I?" I laughed and his chin fell back down.
"Because Chris is drama god!" The second boy on the table said, he flicked his curly hair out of his eyes as I turned to look at him. "Names Peej. PJ. PJ the great, whichever you'd prefer."
"Ooh now we're all introduced we can be drama buds!" Chris outburst.
"How exciting," PJ chuckled but I could tell he had only said it so Chris would keep the smile on his face. He turned to me, "You new?"
"Yeah."
"Sorry, you just look familiar," he told me and it was then I realised he had been staring at me since I'd sat down but I had been too caught up with Chris's antics to notice.
"He's got one of those faces," Chris interjected before I could panic too much. He brought his hands up to my cheeks and pinched them, moving my face from side to side. I managed to knock him off me.
"Chris! I've told you about personal space," PJ scolded and Chris pouted.
"It's okay, really," I said.
"Yeah!" Chris recovered from his sulking quicker than I'd ever seen capable. "See. Dan and I are the best of buds, he doesn't mind."
"Whatever you say." PJ rolled his eyes. "So, Dan, we can show you around if you'd like."
"That'd be great," I snapped up the opportunity right away this time. I couldn't afford to be so late to all my lessons. I had forgotten everything I once knew about the building. I thought once I came back everything would come back to me but that hadn't been the case.
"We can be like Janis and Damien!" Chris told us and suddenly jumped up out of the chair. I tried to hide myself from the stares people would give but no one looked our way, I guess this was just how Chris was and everyone was used to him by now. "Ooh can I be Damien? The flamboyant homosexual!" He struck a pose. "You can be Janis! We'll get to kiss in the end." He pointed at PJ and puckered his lips. 
"In your dreams," PJ laughed. 
"Looks like I'm stuck being Cady," I cut in and Chris cut me with a hard glance.
"You better not leaves us for..." He took a dramatic pause. "...The plastics!"
"Couldn't if I wanted to," I replied with a chuckle and finally Chris sat down when the teacher looked at him. At least one person in this class could control him. I could already tell this year would be interesting with Chris and PJ as friends. 

AN:
Well done LucyLockett03 and wolfstarforever for getting the YouTube appearances correct! ^-^
- Rach x