"Life is ugly, but the best people see you for you"
Something you tend to forget is that everyone is fighting the tough environment called high school. Some are just more discreet about their struggles than others, while others are loud. That, however, doesn't change the cut throat competition established, called the hierarchy of high school.
There are a few times when it doesn't seem to exist. For example, today, community day. Everyone is focused on making their workshops coherent and talking to each other. So for 24 hrs, the barriers that separate everyone on a regular basis come down.
"Hi, wanna join an epic dungeons and dragons session?" I turned around. For a split second I was in middle school, on the bus again, sitting next to Luca. But I knew I wasn't. They had very similar builds, except this kid standing in front of me had dark hair instead of brown.
"Sure, I need to go somewhere first," I replied, now in the present, before looking for my friend. Where are you, Rio? I thought as I exited into the stair way and climbed up to the fifth floor. Bingo.
"Welcome, Quinn," my teacher greeted me. "Just take a piece of paper and some charcoal, and feel free to draw whatever comes to mind." I silently nodded before doing so and sitting next to Rio and others. My imagination came to life on my page as a I overheard the conversations around me. I'm not nosy their just loud.
"Is that an elf? That's so cool" I smiled at my friend Arlo. "Yea, I wasn't thinking too hard. Just let my hand lead"
"That's cool. I love drawing but it's a bit annoying because it's so hard to get noses and other facial features right" I nodded, understanding where Arlo was coming from. "Ah a protectionist like me," I said, with a British/Aussie accent.
"Oh, hey Sligo, hey Syd!" I greeted them, not expecting them to be interested in this. My eyes lit up, "Rio!" I tackle hugged them in the doorway. "Hii!" They hugged me back before pulling away. "What kind of character are you gonna play?" Rio asked.
I bit my lip."sh9t, is it bad that only I know how to pay cleric and a paladin?" I felt embarrassed for not having more experience. Yet I called myself a geek. "No," said a voice from behind us. I turned around to see the same individual who greeted me outside. "They are kind of overplayed and more popular than the other races."
"Wait, Quinn, there's printed sheets you can pick form" Rio said, looking at a table. I followed them over. After several moments of debating, I picked up a sheet.
"I think I'm gonna take a dragon born paladin, call it experience." I said before departing to a long table. Several others joined me. Once the table was full, the dms introduced themselves and the world we will be exploring in.
"Zach, you forgot to introduce yourself," Rio spoke up, once everyone had gone. The said guy looked up from his sheet, "huh?" It made some of us chuckle. Dork
"Oh right. Hi guys, my name is Zach but everyone just calls me Freshie. I'm the co-dm of this one shot campaign."