Not just a diary

I never pictured myself writing in a diary before… but… i never pictured myself coming to America either…

This… is a story. A story that seems hardly believable now that I look back. A story Ive jailed inside me, screaming to be let out. A story…

A story about me.

Ive decided that every day I shall unleash more and more of this story from inside myself, until I can finally be at ease. Ill bet by now youre wondering whats so great about this story I have to tell… To tell you the truth I dont know. Everybody within my story has gotten something different out of it. Yes, I am not the only one.

Lets see…how do I being something like this?

…In the words of linkin park…It Starts With One…

With me… and the fire burning on the shattered mirror…

Like Ive said before: I really dont think people would read this… but I think you should. If you never listen to anybody in your life you should listen to my story. Im going to free a little mroe of it every day. Heres some stuff about me:

Name: Jessin
Location: None (Youll see…)
Age: 14
Height: 59 or something
Build: Ive worked out since I was ten.
Appearance: I guess Im still a skater. Brown hair, dark eyes, really tan skin from being on the street, and I dont talk much

»—-> ENDING

Id love it if you E~MAILED me. Id love to hear anything you have to say about this true story… comments… advice… OR even if you wanna talk or say HI.

Jessin@skateboard.com

Please drop me a line. Not much could make me happier. Consider it.

Ok I think Im done… wait…

Oh yeah…

Thanks.

Jessin@skateboard.com

Alone.
Before my life really began I had nobody, and I had gotten quite used to it. I was in Australia, literally abandoned by my father, brother, and long lost sister, and I was living in a forsaken building with an older guy and a seven year old little girl. I spent about a year and a half in secret like that. I mean… where was I to go? Nobody found out.

I never went to school and I never made friends. The surprising, yet intriguing thing about it was that I didnt mind much and I didnt really care. Everything was okay. Near us was this cool guy who owned a mini-mart type deal. We made friends with him and he fed us as long as the older guy who lived in the same building as we picked up the trash around his store everyday.

I dont remember any emotions I had around that time. Hell, I dont even remember any of me life before the age of nine or so. Another thing about me is the fact that I dont question stuff… what I mean is I dont let stuff bother me too much. For example… I have this tatoo on the back of my right shoulder. Its extremely detailed… must have taken some one days and a lot of concentration. Its of a fiery blaze engulfing a very fancy black lettered word. I never put any thought into it strangly and Ive had it since before I can remember..but…

I dont know where it came from.

Anyway, I did meet up with my good-for-nothing brother when I was twelve, he being sixteen. He informed me that our father, Jack, had fled to America when he got into trouble with the law somewhere in Queensland. He had been there for less than a year and for some reason we were going to the United States to see him. I didnt get that but it was a big change. We flew first to New York, then to Los Angeles California.

And this is where everything began…

It was like I just woke up on that plane. I started thinking about things and taking a look around me. It was like I just woke up from a dream with a *POP*.

I dont think I stayed in L.A. for more than a week at the most. My brother and I stayed at some shabby Holiday Inn the whole time and acctually got a visit from my father the last day. When I answered the door I just stared, not like a wide-eyed child, but with a more patient look, expecting an explanation.

“Who is it?” I could hear Miguel’s voice from the TV.
There was a silence where my father couldn’t really think of anything to say.
“Hey, I…I, er, came by to wish ya a happy St. Valentine’s Day…”
Another silence.
“Valentine’s-die was more than a month ago, Jack… but still…” I averted my eyes and turned to go to Miguel, “… it’s about time you showed up.”The tension eased after we sat down in the hotel room. I didn’t say much as Miguel and my father talked of where they were going next and what the situation was. Then the subject went to me.

“Well, what are you going to do with Jessin!?”
My father gave an irrelevant shrug, “Ah he’s a fine lad he can go get a job and find his own apartment… what are you know Jessin? 15? 16?”
“I’m twelve.”
“Ah, I think he’ll get along!” My father was so stupid.
Miguel objected, “Jack he’s twelve years old, damn it! It’s the law for him to go to school and live with an adult.”
“Well why don’t you take him?”
Miguel was now standing up making wide jesters, “I can’t take him! I’m going to have a hard enough time fending for me-self!” He didn’t mention the fact that he was also only sixteen at the time. “You’re going to have to take him.”
“I can’t!”
“And why, Jack? Why? Because you’re too damn lazy?”
“No! Because I…” He just broke off in a stare, his eyes wandering.
My brother was furious. They argued a little while longer but I wasn’t listening. I stared at the floor just thinking. It wasn’t my fault I was born.

Although I was twelve I was a very different twelve year old. My voice wasnt high nor squeaky nor childish. I was, and still am, unbelievably grown up for my age. I think I stood 5‘5‘‘ when I was eleven and I was always a very serious child. Part of that was probably from my experiences. I had to be grown up while fending for myself. At the time I think I looked to be about fourteen, and my behavior was at sixteen. Go figure.

After that we ended up in Albuquerque, New Mexico in a large apartment place called Prado Grande (Large Meadow) in the heart of the city. New Mexico is like a big ghetto. Everywhere you go theres drugs, violence, gangs, prostitution, crime… its crazy. You really gotta watch your back and know what youre doing to hang around in some parts.

It wasnt until almost a month later when my brother Miguel looked up at me from his Lucky Charms and said, ‘‘…wait…dont you have to like go to school or somethin?‘‘

The next day I was registered into Madison Middle School. All the mid. schools in Albuquerque are named after presidents. No offense but Madison was really…(I regret having to use this adjective)… GAY. The whole damn thing is painted purple, they have all the kids tuck in their shirts, and the principal is a real bafoon.

The first day I got there the principal came by the counsiling office where they were giving me my schedule and shook my hand and immediatly started trying to be all friendly and buddy-buddy like. Normally this wouldnt have bugged me but his tone of voice was obvious. It was the tone of voice where hes asking you how youre doing or whatever but he really doesnt give a damn. He was so bubbly and barney-like it was creepy. If he didnt walk around with his hands behind his back all the time I would have to run from him for fear of getting a big happy hug.
He kind of reminded me of a constipated pidgeon. His eyes seemed beaty and it was even more creepy the way he made me feel like he was going to peck my eyes out any second.

I was very good at reading peoples expressions…particularly their eyes. I can read anybodys emotions and almost whats going through their mind by looking into their eyes. I have a theory for the reason of this. My eyes are extremely dark… pretty much black. When people talk to me they cant help it but look into my eyes so I got pretty good at this eye to eye thing. When I entered school I became very observant, quiet, quick minded, and dark. I predicted this was going to be a breeze.

Everything went fine until lunch. A few shyish preppy girls even came up to me giggling every five seconds and making small talk. There was this kid I met in Math who sat behind me and started talking to me.

“Who are you?”
I was leaning on the bar connecting the desk to the chair on my right as I glanced back at the highlighted spikey haired kid sitting behind me.
“Jessin.”
“Jessin? Interesting name…”
“So…?”
“Where’d you come from?”
“Uh… L.A.”
The bell rang at that point and I didnt see him until lunch when he was playing soccar with a group of guys on the field. I sat against the far wall, just to get away. Not a lot of kids were on the field. Suddenly, when I least expected it, their soccar ball came flying at me before I could react, and bounced off the wall behind my head as I ducked.

I immediately jumped up, “You idiot!”
The group of kids laughed.
“Ah come on, Jessin! That was priceless!” It was the kid from math. He kicked the ball at me again, this time I jumped as it came full speed at me and bounced off the wall. He had kicked it too hard for me to block.
“Knock it off, kid.”
“Lighten up, Aussie.” Damn, he had noticed my accent even from the little I said. The other kids behind him laughed and they went back to playing. I began to walk off.
When the lunch bell rang the group headed off back to class. The kid from math and some other kid stayed behind, wanting to finish off a game rivalry they had as they tried to score on each other.
And then, like lightning, the ball came toward me again. He had got me from behind this time, but I had been on my guard. I turned around immediately and kicked the ball back as hard as I could with a look of defiance on my face.
Wham! How it flew! The only thing the two kids could do was watch as it flew over the wall faster than they had kicked it at me.
CRASH! They were silent as they heard it smash into the window of a house.

I was already on my way back to class… satisfied.

Trouble. I woke up for my second day of school sensing it. I hadnt seen that kid for the rest of the day before but I had a feeling I would see him soon: I was going to ride the bus.

The bus picked up infront of the main entrance to Prado Grande. The only problem was, the kid also rode that bus along with about 20 of his buddies. I wasnt afraid though… why would I be? I was twice his size and I wasnt afraid to kick peoples asses.

I got my lazy ass out of bed, grabbed my backpack, and got to that bus stop just as it was rolling around. I saw the kid. He was telling a group of kids how he had ISS that day. I got on last. The bust driver immediately stopped me with his hand.
“You new on dis bus?”
“Uh…yeah.”
He took out a clipboard and handed me a form as he looked over a paper.
“You sit on 10 red.” He then put the bus into gear abruptly and started truckin’.
I almost fell flat on my face.

The school bus looked like your average school bus… 12 seats on each side and yellow…and my enemy…sat on seat eleven. Wonderful. Kids were very hyper on the bus it seemed, but a lot of them still noticed me as I made my way back. I ignored most of the “Who are you?”s and “Are you knew?” There was another kid in my seat. He looked older than me but I was still taller than him. He was on his knees turned around in his seat talking to people.
“Move over, I’m sitting here.”
He knocked his backpack down to the floor with his foot and went back to talking, then looked over at me for a second.
“Hey TK isn’t this the kid you said got you ISS?”
God this kid was bold.
TK caught a look at me. I rolled my eyes up at him and looked strait back. It was a slow awkward moment. I looked into his eyes. He, of course, looked into mine as a lot of people who first saw me did because of the darkness. It was because of that reason that I got so good at reading peoples’ emotions and thoughts by their eyes. His were a very unique color. If I didn’t know any better I would’ve said they were purple. At first he was furious, then understanding, then almost scared… and finally he got the look he was aiming for, big shot.
“…TK…?” said the kid next to me.
“… Yeah that’s him Todd.”
“You little fucker why the fuck didju do somethin like that!” I wasnt expected to answer. Both Todd and TK were standing by now, TK in the asile.
”You idiot, I should just kill you right now.”
I stood up, a head taller than him, and I took a step towards him, “You want to try?”
A flash of fear and desperation.
“Not on the bus!” He said in a no-duh type fashion.
I sat back down, “Ah give me a break kid I could take you anywhere.”
I heard an “ohhh…” from the bus. They could smell a fight coming.
“Oh, lighten up, Aussie. ” TK sat down too as Todd jumped over the back of our seat.
“Ahh, great! And I have to sit with him!”
TK was obviously trying to change the subject, “Well..well at least you dont have to sit next to Miss America Chelsea over here…”
The girl sitting next to TK putting on make-up hit him in the arm.
TKs whole attitude changed as he said, “Im just kidding! Im just kidding…” Ahh, yes TK had a soft spot for girls. Ill remember that.

The sad thing was… my soft spot was worse.

We pulled into school and got off the bus.

It was perfect. The old lady whos window got busted complained to the school the next day… but the thing was …nobody was around when the ball crashed into the old ladys window. Old lady Biggens said she only saw two kids around when it happened, neither of them being me.

The assistant principal was positive one of the two soccar-playing kids kicked the ball… after all… the name T.K. was on it in big red letters. TK was the kid from Math. It was obvious this kid had gotten into trouble before from the tone of the assitant principals voice.
”How could it have been Jessin when it was only his first day here, TK?”
“I dont care! He was the one who kicked it!”
Finally the assitant principal spoke to me, “Jessin? Was it really you?”
I kept expressionless. “No.”
TK was pissed.

There was a lot of arguing after that but I ended up getting away scratch-free, having only said one word.

The coming three days were defidently going to be on easy street considering I had gotten rid of TK on the count of his In School Suspension. The kids on the bus pretty much ignored me except for the girls. I couldnt help overhearing almost all the girls I met talking about my ”cute accent”.

The break-through in my social status came the first day I was rid of TK. It was in Home Economics…(theres a long story behind why I had to take Home Ec. for my elective.)

. I entered late with a pass from the office stating that there had been some “difficulties” so I was excused.
She told me to throw my backpack into the sewing room and then she made some remark about the bottom of my jeans, which were very ripped up.
“My name is Mrs. Hanson. I am the Home Ec teacher and there is no fooling around in my class. First off I would like to give you the sheet of rules for the kitchen. Make sure you have it signed by a parent by next week.”
I nodded. I already didn’t like her.

She led me to one of the tables with four girls sitting at it.
“Jessin, this will be the kitchen you are assigned to. Please sit down and read that sheet I gave you while I explain to everybody what we are doing today.”
I sat down and didn’t look up at the people at my table yet. I felt a few eyes on me as I skimmed over the sheet. . Number one… always wash hands before and after… never eat anything you make until it’s cooked… use polite manners whenever blah blah blah… long hair is to be tied back at all times in the kitchen… follow directions…
So basically all I have to do is not kill anybody while in the kitchen. I stuffed the list in my pocket and became aware of Mrs. Hanson’s dribbling on about how we were going to make cookies today.

I glanced over at the girls at my table, which were now listening to the teacher. They all looked pretty preppy. There was one with long blond hair down to her butt (tied back of course for Hanson), a Hispanic girl with short black hair, and a extremely short shirt…(who was Chelsea from the bus), a brown haired girl with her hair shooting out of each side of her head in “pig tails” I think they’re called… and one more.

This last girl was different. She wasnt dressed in skimpy clothes, nor was she decked out in a gallon of make-up, but she was amazingly attractive. She had long copper hair that almost directly matched her skin, with platinum streaks in the front, blending into the tan part of her as they went back. She had long eye-lashes and the only make-up she seemed to have on her face was the light blue on her eye lids…none of that black line stuff that made girls look like they got punched out. This girl was also some what short and small, probably not even breaking a 90 pounds. I tried not to stare, although I did see some other guy glancing at her a lot from the other side of the room…

“Okay everybody you can start now!” and the whole class rose.
The girls pretended to not notice me at first, a typical preppy sort of thing. They went over to our kitchen and started getting out some things.
Chelsea started to organize, “Okay, who wants to set the table?”
“I’ll do it!” the pig-tailed girl cried.
“Okay. Jessica you get the ingredients today?”
The girl with blond hair to her butt smiled, “Okay!” and shed turned to go to the desk at the front of the room to get them.
“Who wants dish duty?!”
The girl who I had been looking at smiled a cute little smile, “Not me!” The way she said that made me jump. She had a British accent! But it wasn’t deep British, it was very light, yet still noticeable. “We do have a new person you know…”
Chelsea had been pretending not to notice me but I saw in her eyes that she knew I was there. Now she looked over at me.
“Oh yea,” she smiled and came over to me along with my girl and the pig tailed girl. This is what preppies do. They pretend to ignore you and then when they get up the courage, they mess around with you in groups.
Chelsea smiled and tried to act cute, “What’s your name?”
My head nodded up and I spoke with confidence, “Jessin.”
“Oh okay cool. Where are you from?”
The real answer for that was supposed to be ‘Australia’, “LA. I got here Thurs-die.”
I had always said ‘day’ as ‘die’. She made a start of a giggle at my accent, and smiled. That was getting old.
The pig-tailed girl spoke, “Okay well this is Chelsea, and I’m Tracey.” Before I could get the name of the other girl she had left to help Jessica with something.

After meeting all the girls we had the BEST time in that class. What happened that day was halarious. Its long, yet funny, so Ill put it in another entry.

After that day I became pretty popular with them. They were preps all right but they kept strutting around with me through the lunch periods showing me to all their friends and junk. Girls giggle a lot. That intrigues me.

The thing was… I still didnt know the name of that girl I…well…really liked.

“Okay everybody you can start now!” and the whole class rose.
The girls pretended to not notice me at first, a typical preppy sort of thing. They went over to our kitchen and started getting out some things.
Chelsea started to organize, “Okay, who wants to set the table?”
“I’ll do it!” the pig-tailed girl cried.
“Okay. Jessica you get the ingredients today?”
The girl with blond hair to her butt smiled, “Okay!” and shed turned to go to the desk at the front of the room to get them.
“Who wants dish duty?!”
The girl who I had been looking at smiled a cute little smile, “Not me!” The way she said that made me jump. She had a British accent! But it wasn’t deep British, it was very light, yet still noticeable. “We do have a new person you know…”
Chelsea had been pretending not to notice me but I saw in her eyes that she knew I was there. Now she looked over at me.
“Oh yea,” she smiled and came over to me along with my girl and the pig tailed girl. This is what preppies do. They pretend to ignore you and then when they get up the courage, they mess around with you in groups.
Chelsea smiled and tried to act cute, “What’s your name?”
My head nodded up and I spoke with confidence, “Jessin.”
“Oh okay cool. Where are you from?”
The real answer for that was supposed to be ‘Australia’, “LA. I got here Thurs-die.”
I had always said ‘day’ as ‘die’. She made a start of a giggle at my accent, and smiled. That was getting old.
The pig-tailed girl spoke, “Okay well this is Chelsea, and I’m Tracey.”
Before I could get the name of my girl, Jessica called from the counter, “Hey can somebody help me get all this?”
“Sure,” my girl offered and was off.
I watched her go for a second.
“Okay I think we’re going to give you dish duty today, okay, cool. Now lets start!”
I gave Tracey a look like ‘ahh man, pleeease anything but that!’ and she giggled. I really didn’t mind.
After that we began to make our cookies. Hanson told us not to eat the batter but of course once her back was turned we dug right in and added extra sugar. They giggled and laughed as they licked their fingers and giggled and laughed even more when I licked mine. At that I looked over at Chelsea and said, “You have got flower on your nose.”
“Omigod, I do?!” She began to put her hand up to wipe it off.
The other girls burst into laughter.
“Oh, no I don’t!” she said.
I snickered, only for show, and she nudged me in the ribs.
“ ‘ay don’t be gettin’ violent on me here…”
Just then Hanson had looked over at us.
“Kitchen three you need to stop horsing around or points will be taken off! And Mr. Allaniel, put your hair back and tuck in your shirt!”
The girls laughed at me and continued licking what was left off their fingers.
“Your last name is Allaniel?” Tracey asked.
“Yeah…”
“Is that Australian or something?”
“I’m not Australian what are you talking about??”
She looked up at me with that kid like look of awe.
“I’m just kidding! I know I speak like an Aussie.”
They laughed.
“Well I think the way you talk is so cute!” Chelsea enlightened.
I sighed in an exaggerated way, “Greeaat… now I’m ‘cute’…”
Tracey was setting the table now, “Don’t worry Jessin that’s a good thing!”
“Oh okay I feel better now.”
Mrs. Hanson’s voice boomed out at me again, “Mr. Allaniel didn’t I tell you to tuck in your shirt and put your hair back?!”
I quickly rolled under my shirt before coming from behind the counter where she could see me, “What the hell! Me hair isn’t that long!”
“You will do as you are told Mr. Allaniel!” I wished she would stop calling me that.
“Yea, yea, yea…” I mumbled and grabbed a rubber band out of the jar. As I was walking back and trying to tie my hair up at the same time I discovered something.
“By crike I can tie it!”
The girls laughed. And it was a true shock to me… time had gone by so fast since I had gotten off the street in Australia.
“I need a haircut…”
Hanson’s voice sprang out again like a smashed cat, “By now you should be done!”
We went back to joking around a little more, and the front of my hair wasn’t long enough to go back so it started to curl into my lips.
Finally my girl spoke, “Hey, shouldn’t our cookies be quite done by now?”
A look of panic circled around each of our faces.
“Shit.”
We opened the oven and immediately a cloud of smoke puffed out of it.
The girls jumped back and screamed. Luckily Hanson was dealing with a spilt milk mess and hadn’t noticed the cloud of smoke yet. About half the class did though.
“Take it out! Take it out!” screamed Chelsea.
“Jessica you get it!” screamed Tracey.
I shushed them and laughed inside myself about the whole situation, not wanting to get into trouble today. I grabbed the oven mitt things, grabbed the cookie tray and through it on the stove. It burned my hands even through the mitts.
I shook my hand off and the girls were panicking amongst themselves behind me while I turned off the stove and fanned away as much of the smoke as I could. It wasn’t very thick smoke but it was still a smelly faint cloud.
I shook my hands and clinched my teeth, “Shit, shit, shit…”
“Omigod, Omigod…”
“What are we going to do?!”
I looked over at my girl and saw that she was not panicking with the others, but rather laughing to herself. That made me smile and laugh myself and we just cracked up looking at each other.
The sight of our cookies was just as hilarious, and that got all the girls to laugh. Hanson still hadn’t noticed.
Tracey got us together, “Quick everybody lets just stick ‘em on the plate and sit down before she comes!”
Trying not to burst into laughter we did so and sat around the table. We each had a few lumps of black gooey cat-poop looking cookies in front of us.
We looked around at each other, (them mostly looking at me) and at the pathetic excuses for cookies. There was silence for a while.
“I dare you to eat one…”
“No, Tracey, you first!”
“Eww… this is soo disgusting…”
My girl spoke again, “Okay how about we all try them at once?”
“All right I’m up for that.” Said Tracey.
“I’m game if you all are,” said Jessica.
Chelsea sighed… “umm… Okay…”
“All rot let’s go…” I said.
Tracey counted, “One… Two…. Three!”
We all looked at each other, a cookie still about an inch away from our mouths.
“Okay lets try this again… One… two… Three!”
After a few sure glances we all stuffed it.
After a few sure glances we all spit them out in our napkins.
After a few more sure glances we all chugged the rest of our milk and were grossed out.
“Oh man, what will we do?!” Chelsea was panicking again.
“Uhh… stick them all in me pocket.” I said and opened my pocket. Chelsea and my girl who were sitting on either side of me quickly dumped them in, then the other two. Luckily my baggy pants had very large pockets. Tracey also enlightened everybody that I had a hole in my pants where the cookie tray had burned through all the way to my boxers…which I didn’t really care about since sagging was the thing anyway.
We all did the dishes that day. We were trying to be silent, but we couldn’t help chuckling every few seconds. I tried not to make any eye contact because that would’ve surely put me over the edge of cracking up all over again. Home Economics was going to be very amusing.

The day finally came when TK got out of ISS. I had completely forgot about it since he hadnt road the bus. It was a total surprise.

I woke up early and took a shower before grabbing my duck-taped black backpack and heading to the bus stop. I wasn’t late so I sat on the curb, and soon enough Chelsea came and sat beside me.
“Hey Jessin guess what TK’s riding the bus today.”
“…so…?”
“A bunch of the kids are saying there’s going to be a fight because you got him in ISS…”
“…so…?”
She was silent.
I heard somebody behind me and turned around to see it was none other then TK himself. He didn’t say anything. I had glanced at him but then turned around pretending not to notice him. He wouldn’t jump me from behind.
When the bus arrived I slid into my seat, already occupied by Todd. He pretended not to notice me. It was awkward how the bus was so quiet that day.
The day went pretty normal until lunch. Chelsea and her friend Christina came to my locker wanting me to come eat with their group. Naturally I agreed. . They always ate in this one part of Madison called “The 6th grade tree” which was this big oak tree surrounded by benches where only 6th graders sat. It was a very preppy place, but it wasn’t like I had anywhere else to go. I stood out like a neon sweatshirt amongst their short shirts, tight pants and khakis but wasn’t just girls. There were guys that would come along and hang out with them for a while until they went to play football. I soon figured it was also where all the ‘popular’ kids came.

I remember deciphering the school. There were three preppy groups… one for each grade. There was a group of dark dressed people with black slick hair that the preppies called ‘the goths’. They kept to themselves so I didn’t know them yet. Then there were the freaks. The freaks were pretty cool. They were always the ones joking around but they also looked like dorks. Of course there were also the nerds and geeks… who actually follow the dress code and pull their pants up over their stomachs. And last were the skaters. That was the group I belonged in. They dressed like me, they sounded like me, they didn’t care what other people thought of them and best of all, they skateboarded.
Unfortunately the preppies ruled this school. Big bummer. That would have to change.

As I was thinking about this low and behold TK and some of his friends came over to hang around with the girls for a while. Chelsea left my side and went over to him, throwing her arms around his neck.
“Hey TK! Hey Michael… and Travis,” Chelsea hugged each of them and then sat back down very close to Cody.
Jessica and a few other girls I couldn’t sort the names out of did the same thing and they all flirted and laughed.
Then I saw ‘my girl’ again. She came up from behind TK and covered his eyes. He played along and then turned around and hugged her, picking her off the ground for a second.” Oh no not you too! God! Does every body know this idiot?
I noticed there was a lot of hugging at this school. Must be a middle school thing. I sat near the trunk of the tree, my feet out in front of me, and my arms hanging loosely over my knees. I heard a voice from behind me.
“Who’s that?”
There was a pause from Chelsea, “T-That-s um…”
An unknowing girl spat it out, “That’s Jessin the new kid!”
I could tell Chelsea had shot a ‘you idiot’ look at the girl.
I turned and shot a strait on look at TK. His face was expressionless.
Silence…then a whisper.
“…fucking bastard…”
He jolted over and shot out at me like a tornado driving for my neck. I swiftly hopped backwards onto my feet and threw my hands up, “What the fuck-dude!”

Chelsea, Travis, and Michael all held him by the shoulders for a second until he turned around, “Get off me!”
He stared at me again.
I stared him back, defeating his stare, “You know what just screw it! Get off me back and get out of here.”
“Yeah right you think you can just come to this school and screw me up!”
“You shouldn’t of been kickin’ shit at me.”
“What’s a matter, too much of a wussy to be able to take it?! Too much of a chicken?” What was wrong with this kid? I was at least a head taller than him and it was obvious I could take him out in a wink.
“You’re the one who be the chook…well why don’t we get it over with and figure out who really is the one who can’t take it!” I threw that at him, figuring he couldn’t back down for a fight.
“Fine! Let’s do it!”
“Let’s go!”
Chelsea butted in, “No! Please no!” She came from behind TK and put an hugged his arm.
“Tomorrow then.” TK said.

“Fine. We’ll see what you’re packin’”
“Don’t forget any of the game you might possess.”
“Bring it.”
And like that the bell rang. I looked around once for ‘my girl’ but she was nowhere to be seen. Jessica pulled on my arm to go to Language.
I didn’t take the bus home that day. Walking would do me some good.

The next day I walked to school again, not wanting to see any sight of TK until 3rd period when we had Math.
During 3rd period he didn’t even look at me. He was actually pretending to pay attention to what the teacher was explaining on the black board. I took a good look at him. He was short all right. His hair was the exact same color of his skin, which was a smooth tan, and his hair was jelled forward in streaks, once again making me realize I needed a haircut.

Finally lunch came. Was this fight going to happen? Now? Was he really going to go through with it? Maybe the only reason why he wanted to fight me was he thought I would back down being the new kid. Well I wasn’t. I had never backed down from a fight in my life.

The end of 4th period bell rang, drilling into my head like an electric screw driver. Immediately the 3 girls in my kitchen came over to me.
I didn’t budge.
Tracey’s eyes filled with fear, then sorrow, “Jessin you’re not really going to go through with this!?”
I played dumb, “Go through with what?”
Tracey whined, “Jessin…!”
“Oh yeah I’m supposed to fight that one bloke today…”
Chelsea jumped, “The whole school knows! Everybody knows TK and they all want him to beat you up!”
“You know he can’t.”
“But still… I like you both, I don’t want to see one of you get your ass kicked.”
Tracey and Jessica agreed.
I didn’t say anything and rose heading for the door, along with cries of, “No! Jessin! Please don’t!”

I went strait to the field. Nobody was with me. A bunch of kids pointed and talked about me as I walked. One girl out of a group I didn’t know shouted.
“Hey are you really going to fight TK today?”
I walked on and took a seat on the steps between the track and the field. I sat there waiting.

The ten minutes that passed seemed like an eternity. Without any notice it started.

Wham! TK dove at me like a tiger. I flung him over my head and he somersaulted up facing me. I immediately rushed him, smacking him to the ground and knocking the air out of him. He swung his hands blindly at my face in defense, clunking his knuckles hard against my right temple. I punched him square in the eye socket and he jolted, bringing a foot up with his arms outstretched in front of us, forcing me to jump back.

We stood and looked at each other.
I looked over to my right and saw about twenty kids come racing over. TK had obviously told them to wait so he could ambush me. Then some kids from the field saw those kids hording over so they ran over as well. I stared at him and soon noticed out of foresight that about a hundred kids were surrounding us. I could hear the girls screaming from the edge but they dared not step in.

The thing about mid school fights is it is hard to get one going. You cant just say, Okay were fighting now and all of a sudden be swinging at eachother. People just stare at eachother until one side decides to attack, and how to go about doing it since the other person is on their guard. That is why many mid school fights dont hold true.

I began to get impatient so I decided to say something.

“That was such a cheap shot. What’s a matter? You’re too afraid to try to get me when I’m on me guard?”
Most of the kids wanted a fight. They started screaming and yelling things.

“Rush at ‘em TK!”
“My bet’s on the new kid!”
“Fight! Fight!”
“Let’s see some action!”

Sure they talked the talk but could they walk the walk? Of course not. They were just a crazy mob of people.

I put down my guard and gave myself a relaxed stance.
“Come on, bring it at me. Give it a try.”

He started to walk slowly toward me his shoulders slightly back. He began to go slightly toward my right but I wasn’t going to play the circling game. I just faced him wherever he went.
Finally something happened, but it wasn’t a swing or a dive.

“Stop it! This is madness!”

I recognized the voice. The English Accent. It was the girl.

To me she seemed pretty bold when she stepped directly in between us. I was almost sure TK would push her out of the way like he would any of the others. He did not. Instead he completely took his eyes off me and looked strait at the girl, surprised rather.

“L-Lauryn? What are you doing here?” Oh no… could it be TK really liked this girl as well as I?

She stepped toward him and put her hands on his shoulders looking quite practical, “TK why are you doing this?” She saw the cut on his forehead made by the wooden steps. Blood was slowly starting to bubble up and creep down his head.
“Laury what’s the matter, you didn’t step in last time I…”
“TK whot is this going to accomplish?”
“The guy screwed me over Lodi!”

I was kind of dazed out. Okay her name was Lauryn AKA Lodi. Every sense within me was hopeing she wasnt TKs girlfriend. That would be just my luck.

“Fighting with him isn’t going to solve anything!” I was surprised TK didn’t show any signs of anger or disappointment. He stood there completely off his guard.
“I-…”
She flung her arms around him and put her head on his shoulder, “TK please… I don’t want you to get…”
Her eyes had the plea of a child that had lost all hope and wanted nothing more, yet she was not crying or desperate.
Slowly, TK put a hand on her back and sighed.
She backed up and clasped her hands behind her back, “So will you?!”
TK didn’t say anything.
Lauryn whipped around and turned toward me. She smiled.
“Please let there be no fighting today…? It’s not that I have doubts about either of you…”

“Laury!”
Travis, a blond spiky haired kid, spoke, “Lodi it’s going to make whoever agrees look like they back out!”
“Look, Neither my brother nor Jessi is backing out…”

A giant sigh of relief was inside me as I heard to word Brother.

She looked between us, “Can’t we just consider it a favor..? …for me?”
I found her looking at me with that expression I seem to see inside a lot of sweet girls, reminding me of a kid. The innocence of a kid. But as we looked into eachothers eyes, I Strangely saw neither curiosity nor fear as she looked up at me, just innocents… she was one of the only people that never broke eye-to-eye.
I found myself turn from surprise to reassurment, and for once I couldn’t help it. I almost smiled.

“…no one is going to fight today…”