Will
I hear the bell ring warning us that it is five minutes until first period begins, just another day. Just another school. My fifth school in five years. I am a statistic according to my guidance counselor. She wants to keep close tabs on me because I have moved around so much. It's whatever, dad has had it tough since mom died and his job allows him to move, if he wants to. As I am his only child, I tag along.
Walking into my first period class I arrive right as the final bell rings and take the last seat in the back corner of the classroom. No one here knows me yet. I can be whoever I want to be, I could be William and be proper and fancy or I could be Billy like my mom used to call me. Although Billy makes me feel like I am a kid again. Then, I hear my whole name like my parents shouted when they were upset with me William LaMontagne, Jr. For whatever reason when I raise my hand I say, "I go by Will." The teacher nods and continues with roll call. I have never in my life gone by Will. What have I done? I have surely messed up my senior year, that's for sure. The teacher then passes out the syllabus papers and rambles about how awesome English Lit 101 will be this year. She is young, probably right out of college. I'm sure that she thinks that English Lit will be fun, but will it really? The end bell finally rings, and the twenty-nine other students dash from the room. I quickly leave not desiring to tell my life story to the teacher.
I'm not super concerned about getting to my next class quickly, but I also hate this part. The part where you're in-between classes and everyone is hanging out at lockers and talking and they all seem to know each other, but I don't know anyone. It happens every time. I've never been really good at going up to people and talking to them, if I don't know them already. Making friends looks a little different for me. I usually make them after crashing into someone and I mean that quite literally. Generally, I make my friends after tackling them on the football field. I have found over the years that first, people like other people that play sports and second, my dad likes that I can play sports and that I am athletic and third, the ladies like boys that play sports and finally, I like to play sports, football specifically because it gives me a place to assert my aggression. I pass a poster on my way to class announcing that football tryouts would be tomorrow, so I guess maybe after that I might have some people that could at least tolerate me.
J.J.
A new year, and I am beyond excited. Not really about the academic side of school, though I know that I have to keep up my grades, but after summer training I am stoked to start the year. For those that don't play other sports we will begin conditioning and scrimmaging now, in August. Having to go to class today is a drag. I only have two classes with Emily, one with Penelope, one with Derek and one with Hotch. We do happen to have one altogether which should be fun and the highlight of my day. Luckly, we do all have the same lunch period, so I suppose it rectifies the situation a bit.
Em plays on the team with me, so we also have that. Penelope on the other hand is sports challenged and excused from any physical activity. Derek is the star player of the football team. All summer he was bragging about how he and Hotch were going to bring home the state championship this year. Who knows maybe he is right. Every year they get close, really, they do, but the team just isn't complete. Not that I know much about football, because I don't there just seem to be something missing. I just enjoy going to cheer on my friends.
As seniors at lunch, we are allowed to sit outside to eat lunch at the covered patio. A coveted perk that we have all had since freshman year. I arrive first choosing for the group a secluded table that had enough seats. Quickly Emily, Penelope, and Derek join me, and we catch up on the day. Emily describes her trip to London to visit her mom right before the start of school. Her mom is a U.S. Ambassador posted there. Penelope then decides that we will go together over spring break. I suppose planning six months in advanced gives us time to figure things out. The last of our group of five Hotch arrives. He transferred last year and fits right into our shenanigans pretty well. The other four of us have known each other forever. I met Emily in kindergarten, and we met Penelope in the third grade. I feel like I have always known Derek as he has been my next-door neighbor all my life.
Lunch is then over too soon and the five of us are to split again this time I am headed to my advanced science class that I can't remember the actual name to. My mom insisted that I take this class because it would look good on my transcripts for college. She says that life can't be all about soccer all the time. She's right, but right now soccer is everything.
Will
At this school seniors get to sit outside at lunch, that's a pretty cool perk only I don't know anybody, so I sit at the concrete table alone. It's quieter out here without the hustle and bustle of everyone talking, eating and throwing away garbage. The bell finally rings ending my lunch in solitude and I am thankful as I gather my stuff onto my blue plastic tray and search for the nearest trashcan then, I see her. First just her long blond hairlike curtains framing her face. Then, I see her face, her smile and I hear her laugh at something someone said. I never knew someone could look so incredible throwing away trash. As quickly as I saw her, she was gone leaving the lunchroom with four other people. I continue to think about the girl with blond hair as I make my way to my second to last class of the day, psychology.
Being the first day, like all other classes we don't do much. We go over the syllabus and what is expected of us in the class. As I am mindlessly staring at the syllabus not actually reading anything a wad of paper the size of a gumball hits my back and rolls under my desk. I turn to see who threw it and see a buff dark-skinned guy wearing a simple dark blue t-shirt, his arms are obviously jacked from weightlifting. Clearly the sports type.
"Hey," the paper thrower whispers, "You play ball?"
I shrug not understanding the question.
"Football. Do you play," he asks doing a throwing demonstration with his arm.
I nod.
"You should come tryout tomorrow. We could use someone like you on the field," he states.
The bell rings and I gather my stuff. The boy walks over to me from his seat and sticks his hand out to greet me.
"I'm Derek, Derek Morgan."
I take his hand shaking it and I say, "Nice to meet you Derek, I'm Will."
We leave class together and begin to walk to our next class. I notice that we are going in the same direction, so I continue to walk next to Derek. It seems like Derek is well known, like maybe he hangs out in the popular group. We arrive at the door of the next class and it's like he just realized that I was still walking with him, and he says, "You have Walker next too?"
I nod again and follow him inside. He walks over to a dark-headed boy and a raven-haired girl sitting behind the boy. I sit next to him behind the girl.
"Hey Derek," the girl greets him.
"Hi," he starts then he gestures to me, "This is Will. He's going to try out for the football team tomorrow."
I wave and the girl then speaks, "Hi, I'm Emily." She then gestures to the dark-headed boy and says, "That's Aaron but, we all call him Hotch."
Hotch simply nods and sticks his hand out to greet me. We are then joined by another girl she has red hair, but bright like she dyed it. Then she enters. It's like the whole room falls silent for her. My mystery girl. Her straight blond hair still perfect though it's the end of the day, not a hair lay astray. The two girls take their seats, the blond behind Derek. He introduces them, the red-head as Penelope and the blond as Jennifer, but that everyone calls her J.J..
I just listen as they talk before the class begins. Forensics science is the class we are in now. Generally, this class is reserved for seniors only, but I notice a small guy sitting right at the front. When I say small, I mean like he shouldn't be in high school much less a senior only class, but whatever maybe the teacher brought his kid.