Alex
The minute he had pulled up on to the curb outside the school, Kate--no, what was her name again?--Kit, had jumped from his truck and had legged it down the front of the school towards some dude in a grubby flannel and with a bad haircut.
Guess he wasn't going to be making friends with her anytime soon.
He parked Stella in the school's parking lot and swung his backpack over his shoulder, wiping his greasy hand in his ratty jeans before heading to the office to meet Principal Yann.
Alex didn't want to admit it, but he was damn nervous. The prospect of public school had always been a scary thing for him, even when he was a kid. Maybe it was because of the way he dressed in clothes that nobody else wore, or maybe it was because he wore a lot of black eyeliner, but something about him just didn't belong in a place like public school.
But it was time for change.
His mom had finally saved up enough money for this, and she had decided that if he was to go to college, then public school--where scholarships were a possibility--was where he needed to go.
This didn't stop Alex shaking as he walked baby-steps up to his first class (English with Mr.Carter) through the empty corridor. Turned out school started at a quarter to nine, but he had an excuse today, so he was okay taking his time.
Alex felt his lips tremble as he pushed the silver handle of the door down and stepped inside.
Upon him entering, about twenty pairs of eyes looked up at him.
He cringed, not too fond of all the attention he was getting, and he searched desperately for a teacher.
But instead of an old man with a beard he was expecting, Alex found a man in tight trousers clutching a Shakespeare book, staring at him with curious eyes.
"Who art thou?" boomed the man, placing the book down on a student's desk and slinking slowly through the gaps of the desks, eyeing Alex as if he were a bomb.
Alex swallowed.
"I-I'm sorry?" he asked, his voice an octave higher than usual.
Someone snorted in the back row.
"Who art thou?" repeated the man, now approaching Alex.
Alex racked his brains, thinking back to what he had learned about the old English language with his old tutor.
He took a wild guess.
"A-Alex Gaskarth?" he stammered, and then tight-trouser man raised an eyebrow.
"Do thy question thy name?" he asked, but he sounded full of humour.
"I-I uh..." Alex trailed off, aware that everyone was watching his every move, including that girl, Kit.
She was the one he noticed the most.
The man laughed and patted Alex on the back.
"Alright, alright. Stop looking like I'm going to eat you, kid. Gaskarth right? The newbie? Yeah, you look like it. Right, take a seat beside Kit there, and open your book to chapter two. We're kicking off the year with Shakespeare." said the tight-trouser man (who must have been Mr.Carter).
Alex nodded mutely and sat down, avoiding Kit's gaze and the bad haircut guy's glare.
He took out his book and his battered notebook before scribbling down notes for the rest of the class.
~
Kit
"Dear God did you see that Gaskarth kid?"
"Cam, keep your voice down."
"Did he seriously knock you over with his truck this morning?"
"Yes! And he broke my player!"
"What an asshole. But to be honest Kit, I'm not surprised. Did you see what he's wearing? Leather jeans? Like seriously....and don't get me started on the eyeliner--"
"He did give a ride to school though Cam--"
"Surprised he didn't make a move on you! Rumour has it that he got kicked out of his last school because he hooked up with one of the teachers."
Kit frowned. She had heard differently. Hadn't he been homeschooled before? Her mom's friend used to tutor him. She recognised the Gaskarth name....
"That's probably just Drew's clique making that up, Cam." she said, feeling a little defensive for the Gaskarth kid.
"I'm telling you Kit, he's bad news. I mean, look at him. He's smoking. On the school grounds too!" Cam exclaimed, taking out a box of poppets and throwing them at her.
"My mom said you're welcome in advance." he added, nodding at the poppets now in her lap.
She smiled at him.
"You're still bringing me to the rink tonight, yeah?" she asked, titling her head and smirking at her blonde haired friend.
He smiled.
"You bet your ass I am."
She smiled, opening her box of poppets and shoving a handful on her mouth, but in the corner of her eye, she spotted a lanky boy with shaggy hair and eyeliner covered eyes watching her silently from under the willow tree.
She tried to ignore him as best she could.
~
Alex
They had slashed Stella's tyres.
He had only been in the school for a day and the bastards had slashed Stella's tyres and had spray painted GAY across her door.
He stared at Stella, a weird sort of grief filling his stomach.
Why him? He hadn't done anything wrong (as far as he could see). It was probably that Drew Evans guy (who for some reason hated his guts already).
Alex stood back and considered his options.
A) Use the school phone to call his dad (hah. Too bad he's an asshole)
B) Use the school phone to call his mom (nope. He didn't want to bother her. She already had enough work on her hands).
C) Walk home (and leave Stella here? Not a chance).
D) Sit on Stella's hood and wait until he came up with another idea.
He went with plan D.
Alex sighed as he placed his ass on Stella's hood and let his chin rest in the palm of his hand.
This was the last time he parked Stella here anyway. Lesson learned.
He perked his head up as the sound of wheels on the pavement filled the depressing silence around him.
Kit Parker.
And there she was, books in her arms, hair blowing in the breeze, pink eyeshadow around her eyes, still as bright as this morning.
Upon seeing him, she stopped and folded her arms, giving him an odd look.
"School's over you know." she said as if it wasn't the most obvious thing in the world.
"I know." he said glumly.
"Somebody slashed Stella's tyres." he said, trying his best not to look too upset in front of Kit (in case she thought he was a sissy).
"Oh." she said with a slight frown.
"That's not very nice." she said after a few moments of silence.
"You should really tell somebody. Principal Yann could--"
"No, no, I don't want any trouble." he said quickly, tapping his fingers anxiously off the rusted hood of the truck.
Kit looked taken back, maybe even shocked.
"Well, that's just my advice." she said with a shrug.
They stood (sat in his case) in silence for a while, Alex shifting uncomfortably on Stella, Kit staring at her laces.
Eventually, she cleared her throat.
"I better get home." she said, and Alex nodded.
"I-I think I'll just go and get Gabe. He'll tow it away for me." said Alex, and Kit nodded, satisfied with his answer.
"Alright. See you around?" she asked, already starting to skate away.
But before he could answer, she was gone, a blur of neon colours and a denim jacket with blonde frizzy hair.
"See you around." he breathed, a little flustered and out of breath.
Now she was something.
~
a/n: GUYS I AM SO SORRY. LITERALLY MY LIFE AND THIS FIC HAS BEEN RUINED. I AM SO MAD AND UPSET AND I AM SORRY TO THE PEOPLE WHO WERE READING THIS BEFORE.
literally so mad at wattpad and myself at the moment.
But here's the new version of chapter 2 and I hope it's as good as the last.
Again, apologies and I hope you guys won't stop reading :(