Chapter 1:
The alarm blared, dragging Ryan Vasquez out of his restless sleep. He slapped it off and stared at the ceiling. Summer was over, and 10th grade was here.
"Ryan, breakfast!" his mom called from the kitchen.
With a groan, Ryan slowly got out of bed, dressed, and shuffled to the bathroom. After a quick shower, he joined his mom for a simple breakfast. He grabbed a plate of scrambled eggs and toast, eating quickly before packing his bag and heading out the door.
The bus ride to school was loud as usual. Ryan sat near the window, earphones in, drowning out the chatter. He watched the familiar streets blur by, trying not to think too much about what awaited him. As the school building came into view, his stomach tightened. He stepped off the bus and joined the flood of students heading inside. Faces he recognized, faces he didn't—all mixed together in the chaotic buzz of the first day.
"Yo, Ryan!" a voice called out.
Ryan turned to see his best friend, Marco, weaving through the crowd. Marco always had a grin on his face, like nothing ever phased him. "Ready for another year of pain and suffering?" Marco joked, slapping Ryan on the back.
"Can't wait," Ryan replied dryly.
Inside the classroom, Ryan found his seat near the middle, not too far back to seem disinterested, but not close enough to draw attention. The teacher walked in, calling for silence, and the room settled.
"Welcome to 10th grade," the teacher began, writing her name on the board. "This year will be challenging, but also rewarding—if you're willing to put in the effort."
She picked up a clipboard. "Before we dive into the rules and expectations, let's take attendance and get familiar with who's here."
"Aaron Cruz?"
"Here," a boy from the back said.
"Bea Santos?"
"Present," replied a girl seated by the window, jotting something in her notebook.
Ryan's mind wandered as the names continued. He glanced around the room, counting roughly 25 students. About 60 percent were girls—a clear majority.
"Ryan Vasquez?" the teacher called, snapping him back to attention.
"Here," he answered quickly, earning a brief glance from a few classmates.
After the roll call, the teacher moved on. "Now, let's review the classroom rules. Rule number one: respect each other and your environment. This means no shouting, no littering, and definitely no phones during lessons."
Marco leaned over and whispered, "Guess we'll just text in secret."
Ryan smirked but kept his eyes on the teacher, who continued listing rules about punctuality, homework, and participation. It all sounded familiar—things they'd heard every year—but there was something about the way she spoke that suggested she wouldn't tolerate slacking off.
"Finally," the teacher said, "this classroom is a space for growth. That means you're expected to challenge yourselves, ask questions, and support each other. Understood?"
The class murmured their agreement, and the teacher nodded, satisfied.
As she moved on to explain the schedule, Ryan leaned back in his chair. The year was just beginning, and while the routine felt predictable, there was a small part of him that hoped something—anything—might break the monotony.
---
The morning started with three straight subjects, each one dragging as teachers went over their syllabi and class expectations. English was first, followed by Algebra and Biology. Ryan tried his best to stay focused, but the lessons felt like a blur, the words on the board just drifting past without much impact. The day was still new, but he was already feeling the weight of it.
By the time the bell rang for recess, Ryan was ready for a break.
"Finally," Marco said, stretching his arms. "I thought Algebra was going to eat me alive."
Ryan chuckled. "Yeah, I wasn't sure if I could survive that first lesson."
They made their way to the cafeteria, where the usual buzz of students filled the air. Ryan grabbed a sandwich and a bottle of water, then joined Marco at their usual table.
"So, what do you think of the teachers this year?" Ethan asked, sliding into the seat across from them.
Ethan had been in a different section last year, but this year, he was back with Ryan. The two had shared classes before, but it felt good to have him around again. Ethan had always been the one to make things interesting, with his easygoing nature and quick wit.
"I think they're all pretty much the same," Marco said, tearing into his sandwich. "They talk big about how we're going to be challenged, but it's all the same stuff every year."
Ryan nodded. He wasn't expecting anything revolutionary this year, but that didn't mean he was looking forward to it. "Yeah, we've heard it all before."
The bell rang, signaling the end of recess, and the three of them headed back to their next classes. The second block was a mix of World History, Physical Education, and Health.
World History was first, and Ryan found himself zoning out a little as the teacher went on about ancient civilizations. He was more interested in what was coming next. PE.
PE was always a good break, and today was no different. They spent the period outside running laps and stretching. It felt good to get his body moving after the first few hours of sitting. Marco, of course, was already trying to race everyone, while Ryan just focused on keeping a steady pace.
"Man, I wish we had PE all day," Marco said as they returned to the building for Health.
"Yeah, right," Ryan replied, smiling. "We'd all be dead by the end of the week if we did that."
Health class was next, and it was a nice change of pace. The teacher discussed personal wellness, mental health, and the importance of balancing school with personal time. It was light and easy, and Ryan found himself absorbing more than he expected.
After that, the final stretch of the day began. They had Chemistry, Computer Science, and Spanish left. Chemistry felt like a continuation of the science they had already started, but now they were diving into reactions and compounds. Computer Science was more hands-on, with the teacher introducing coding and basic programming skills. Ryan didn't mind it—he found the class intriguing enough to pay attention.
The day wrapped up with Spanish, where they reviewed basic phrases and vocabulary. Ryan wasn't fluent, but he had taken Spanish the year before, so it wasn't too difficult.
By the time the final bell rang, Ryan was both exhausted and relieved.
"Well, that's it for today," Marco said as they walked to the gate. "One down, a whole year to go."
"Yeah," Ryan replied. "Only like a thousand more to go."
As they walked home, Ryan felt the weight of the year settle in. The routine was already starting to feel familiar.
***
Ryan returned home after school, feeling the fatigue of the long day settling into his bones. He opened the door, greeted by the familiar scent of his mom's cooking.
"Hey, Ryan. How was the first day?" His mom looked up from the stove, smiling.
"It was alright," Ryan replied, shrugging off his backpack. "Same old stuff, just a lot of classes to sit through."
His mom chuckled. "You'll get used to it. Come on, sit down, dinner's almost ready."
Ryan dropped his bag on the couch and took a seat at the kitchen table. He ran his fingers through his hair, trying to shake off the feeling of the long day. It wasn't that the classes were terrible, but the routine already felt suffocating. The same faces, the same teachers, the same lessons. He couldn't help but wonder if this year would be any different.
As his mom served dinner, Ryan noticed the clock on the wall. It was already 5:30 PM. He had about an hour before his homework needed to begin.
After a few minutes of silence, Ryan groaned, throwing his hands up in the air. "I can't believe we already have homework. It's the first day of school! I barely even know what half the assignments are about."
His mom looked at him, trying not to laugh.
Leaning back in his chair. "Why do they always hit us with homework right away? It's like they want to ruin all the fun of the first day."
His mom smiled sympathetically. "It's just how things go. The sooner you get it done, the sooner you can relax. Plus, the assignments are probably to get you started on the right foot."
Ryan sighed dramatically. "I don't even want to think about it right now."
His mom set the plates down and ruffled his hair. "Eat first, then you can grumble all you want about homework. It's only one day."
Ryan reluctantly grabbed his fork and began eating, but his mind was still on the pile of assignments waiting for him. After all, what could be worse than homework on the first day of school?
By the time dinner was done, Ryan cleaned up quickly and then retreated to his room. The clock ticked on, and before he knew it, it was time to start his homework.