Fight or flight

Chapter 1

John Watson pulled on his sweater and made his way to the door. His school bag thumped down the stairs behind him.

“Have fun at school dear!” He heard his mother call but he ignored her and closed the front door behind him. The cold morning air hit him like a brick wall but he just sighed. Just another arctic walk to school. Nothing ever changed.

He swung his school bag over his shoulder and started up the hill.

On the other side of the city, Sherlock Holmes leaped out of bed. He pulled on his purple shirt and dress trousers and bounded down the two flights of stairs to the kitchen. His mother was sat at the kitchen table and smiled when he walked in.

“Good morning, Sherlock! Have a nice day!” Sherlock ignored her and grabbed an apple for on the way. He ran outside where his father was waiting for him in the car. Sherlock didn’t particularly like turning up in a huge car to school every morning, he didn’t even really like travelling with his father, but his mother had insisted. Sherlock’s father was a high up businessman so money wasn’t particularly a problem either.

They arrived at the school gates and Sherlock exited the car without a word. He was met with great gusto by his friend group, well he says friends... they were more people who hung out with him for their own sake.

Everyone wanted to be close to Sherlock. He was the smartest in the school and he knew it. The teachers loved him and he got all the awards. He was attractive and good at sports and his brain was incredible. All of this had made Sherlock extremely popular, particularly with girls. Sherlock himself didn’t mind the attention. It made a change from his former school where he was ignored and bullied so he tried to block out the annoying people and focus on the slightly more tolerable people.

“Morning Sherlock!” Sherlock smiled as he heard Greg Lestrade’s voice from behind him.

“Good morning, Greg. And who is this?” Sherlock motioned to the girl who had attached herself to Greg’s side.

“This is Lucy, my girlfriend.” Sherlock looked her up and down and sighed.

“Lose her Greg, she’s already seeing the captain of the football team.” Greg turned pushed Lucy off him.

“Is this true?”

“I swear I was going to break up with him today!”

Greg ignored her. “Get out of my sight.” He growled and she scampered off. Greg turned back to Sherlock.

“I’m sorry- what are you looking at?” Greg followed Sherlock’s gaze to a boy walking through the school gates. “Sherlock?” Greg waved his hand in front of Sherlock’s face and Sherlock jolted back to reality.

“Sorry. What were you saying?”

Greg looked puzzled. “Why were you staring at that boy?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Sherlock! You were staring at John Watson!”

Sherlock turned sharply back to Greg. “Is that his name? John Watson?”

Greg laughed. “Yes. He’s in our year.”

Sherlock looked troubled. “I’ve never noticed him before. How can I have not noticed him? Me!”

“Well, he’s very good at staying under the radar and you’re a bit of a dick.” Sherlock shot Greg a look, which only made Greg laugh harder.

“Come on grumpy. Let’s get to class.”

Sherlock followed Greg into the building leaving the mysterious Watson boy behind him.