Attenuated || Book 1 || ✔

·{ 'New Kid' }·

Evan's POV

The entire day our group was being like everyone else, taking an interest in the new kids. The girl not really of my personal interest since she seems like your regular tenth grade girl. The guy however, he interested me greatly. He was tall and I never got a clear shot of his face since everytime I looked at him he was either facing down or his back was turned to me. Apparently everyone else was curious in how the dude looked. To the point where people decided to take a picture of him without his hood on and send it to the entire school.

To say he wasn't hot would be a sin, because he was, but he also looked badass due to the bruise on his jaw. I mean yeah I was concerned of how he got it, but it still made him look badass and mysterious.

"Shit dude. Have you heard the rumors people keep coming up with of how that guy got the bruise?" Tyler spoke up as we all sat at our lunch table eating our food and checking our phones.

"Someone said that he got into a fight with guy and killed him." Brian chuckled. I doubted that probably about as much as he did. Which to be honest wasn't that much because based on how he has acted so far he could so be the one to kill someone.

"Someone said that he ran into a pole." Marcel laughed, the rest of us joining in. A ding from one of the guys' phone brought our laughing down.

"I'll be back." David sends a look to Brock and they both get up and leave. They have been doing that a lot. The guys don't know why, they just think the two are off to make out, but I know. Lui has been having problems at home and sometimes certain things trigger a panic attack. David's presence calms him and Brock actually knows how to make Lui breath properly since he is taking psychology. A thing he is quite passionate about.

"Wow dude. Jameson and the new kid are getting into a fight." Tyler annouces as he looks down at the social media site that seems to connect him to everything and everyone in the school. Also known as Twitter.

I glance up at him and then back down to my sandwich, taking a bite. Honestly I am quite worried for the new kid. Jameson can throw a hell of a punch, I should know. Before I met my friends he thought everything I did was to one up him. He didn't like that very much.

Apparently I had been reminiscing about those days a little too long because I had eaten all my sandwich and couldn't enjoy it properly.

"Guys!" Lui calls out in his squeaker voice before slamming his palms on the lunch table and sitting next to me. "You have no idea what just happened! That new kid threw up in the bathroom!"

"We literally didn't need to know." Tyler said as he grimaced and pushed his tray away, it only had a few fries left which Craig happily took and ate.

"Is he ok?" I, being the one who is generally concerned for the kid, asked.

"I asked him, never answered. He looked at us then left." Brock huffed as he sat next tp Brian, instantly taking a frie from his tray.

"Dude! My fries." Brian took the little bowl of fries and angled himself away from the table. "My precious."

His imitation of Gollum made some of us laugh, Lui and me being the only ones that didn't.

I don't know why though, it funny don't get me wrong, but I was too concerned for the new kid. Did he get punched bad in the stomach? Something like that, I mean no body throws up because they want to.

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The rest of the day flew by. I don't remember much of what I was learning in class, my mind too cluttered with concerns about the new kid.

New kid. Does anybody know his name? That's all I ever hear when people talk about him.

His sister is Jacqueline, people know that. I've seen her the halls with a group of girls. She seems to be ok.

Her brother on the other hand seems to be super anti-social. I wonder why.

Something had to have happened to make him that way, right?

"Keep staring and he'll notice." Marcel whispers from beside me, I face him with confusion. "You were staring at the new kid." I can feel blush creep up my neck, I was staring. Staring. What if he had turned around and seen? What if he thinks I am weird or creepy? I don't want to be seen as either of those things!

Oh my god. Worst thing to happen all day, well besides me eating my sandwich without knowing.

I shrink into a ball of embarrassment, folding my arms on my desk and hiding my face in them.

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The guys were now surrounding the tree we go to everyday after school, our meeting spot. We just chill here until we decide to leave.

"Then he just leaves. Just gone! It's was fucking hilarious!" Tyler bursts into laughter, falling back onto the grass. I joined him in laughing, just I wasn't in favor of falling on grass. Craig had no problem doing that though. Tyler was telling us the story of how he and Craig had made Marcel rage.

"Guys! It's the new kid!" Lui points towards a person walking by the park. They had a grey hoodie with the hood up and black joggers. The laughing died down as the group stared at him, he stared back. I don't think he made any friends, so I should make a move to be a friend of his. Then he won't be lonely.

He turns away, and I see my opportunity fleeing with him. Before I could even think of what to say I had already gathered his attention with a shout of "Hey!"

"Evan! What are you doing?" Brian grits his teeth in a whisper.

"Making friends." I say simply before marching over to him. "Hi, You're the new kid, right?" He responds with a bored expression and a blink of his blue eyes. "That was a stupid question; I know you are. Anyway, I'm Evan and you are?"

His expression contorted into one of confusion and he reached up to his ears, taking out one of his earphones. "What?"

"I'm Evan, what's your name?" I try again, kind of thanking the gods for giving me a second chance since the first one was kind of awkward.

"Why?"

"So I don't have to call you 'new kid.'" I answer. And because I want to be your friend and an introduction is usually the first step.

"Jonathan." He responed, the sides of his mouth tipping upwards only slightly.

"Well Jonathan, wanna hang out with us?" I beam as I point back towards the guys. His eyes follow my action before returning to me.

"I am busy right now." Yes, that disappointed me, but I kept my smile bright.

"Ok, well if you want to hang out with us at lunch tomorrow we sit at a table in the cafeteria, pretty sure if you go there you'll find us."

He nods before clearing his throat. "I'll think about it, thanks for the offer. I have to go now though, so...see ya." He puts his hand up in a wave and I return it. He plugs his earphone back in his ear before jogging off.

My cheeks start to feel as though they were frozen and that's when I realize that I still have a smile spread on my face. I can't wipe it off though, no matter how hard I try.

I spin on my heel and saunter back to the guys. "We might have someone joining us at lunch tomorrow." I annouce proudly and a few of the guys' jaws drop while the others just stare at me in shock.