With Great Power

Chapter Two- First Day

The first day of high school had arrived and Stanley, Gwen, and Alex all chose to walk to school together. They walked down the main street and met up with some other friends, even picking up a few new ones on the way. They were all very nervous for their next step in life.  

The high school was not far from downtown, it was just off the main drag. The school was old, like most buildings in the town: tall with brick work all around it. The front steps were crowded with seniors who were intent on not going into the school, dreading yet another year of what they thought was a pointless act. Gwen was the only one of the group looking forward to the challenge of high school.

Alex also secretly enjoyed school; he had always gotten perfect marks in public school but was never open about his hidden genius. He usually lied about his grades to his friends, in fear that if he told the truth he would be excluded. Stanley on the other hand did not enjoy school at all, his marks were okay but he would rather play videogames or be reading comics than sit in a classroom all day.  

The three friends walked up the front steps, passing the seniors on the way in. They all felt like they were being watched the whole way up the stairs, but in reality the older kids could have cared less about them. They looked around as they entered the school; it was much larger than their old public school. Large paintings of past principals and students' artwork filled the walls (something that caught the interest of Gwen, who was already dreaming of having her artwork hung in the halls.) Alex wandered off to the trophy case, looking at the past success of the school's sports teams. The school was no longer successful at sports, but in its prime it was one of the strongest in the county.

Stanley walked over to Alex, and when Alex noticed Stanley behind him he spoke, "Did you know this school has not won a championship since the 80s?" Stanley nodded in agreement; he knew this because his father was on that last team to win a championship title. His father had been the quarterback, and he expected Stanley to play the same position. Stanley was interested in playing football, and he and Alex talked about playing for the school team often. He just wasn't sure if he'd be good at it because he was small and not very athletic. 

"Tryouts start today don't they?" asked Stanley. 

"Yeah we have to meet at the back field after class, and there are no tryouts; they're lucky if they get enough kids to come out to make a team. Anyway I'll see you at lunch, I have gym first, don't you have English with Gwen?" Stanley had forgotten about Gwen, he waved to Alex and turned around to find Gwen had already left for class.

So Stanley walked to class alone, wandering the halls a little, making small talk with kids he knew from public school by asking about their summers and what classes they have this year. He soon found his classroom and saw that Gwen, being the kind soul she is, had saved him a spot. Stanley took his seat, and then it hit him-he was going to be in this school for the next four years, and he already couldn't wait for it to be over.  

Stanley did find something to enjoy at the school though: his second period history class. The teacher was what made it the most interesting for Stanley because he asked questions that did not necessarily require historical knowledge to answer, just common sense and reasoning. 

The day seemed to go on forever for Stanley; class dragged on, lunch went even slower, and it did not help that Gwen kept talking about how fun class will be. But soon enough the day ended and it was time for football. The two boys found their way to the back field of the school where they saw some kids gathering. Then the coach came out of the school and set up a table in front of a shed and the kids began to line up. Alex and Stanley were the smallest kids on the team because they were the youngest at fourteen and they were the only juniors who came out.