I'm Feelin' so Low

"Hey, Aiddy, wait up!" I turned round to see Johnny frantically running after me.

"Don't call me that, ever", I snapped. My mother called me that, everyone else was strictly to call me Aidan and Aidan only.

"Sorry, uh.. what you got now?" he asked, panting heavily.

"I have music, you?" Please don't say me too, I begged in my head.

"Me too!" Great.

My music teacher was named Mr Anderson, he was exactly how I pictured him. Moody, old, fat and balding. His voice was hoarse, like he always had a sore throat. Come to think of it, he coughed practically all the time. I missed the sweet tone of Mrs Michaels' voice as soon as I heard his.

"Class.." he grumbled "Today, we will be working in partners. But first, we have to welcome the new kids.." his voice droned towards the ending of the sentence, his attitude showed me that he actually didn’t care in the slightest.

"I'm Aidan." I could hear muttering and loud whispers. I knew what they were all saying. 'What kind of name is that for a girl?' I heard it so many times it was getting sickening.

"And I'm Johnny." I was surprised that there was whispers for him as well, I didn't expect that at all. But I guess, being the 'new kids' you're always going to get the odd whisper hear and there.

I spotted the kid that had shouted out; "Are you sure you're a girl?" to me during registration. I rolled my eyes, I didn't want to start any fights. I wasn't in a fit state to do that, even though I badly wanted to. I was one for fights in my old school, always getting into trouble for it. “I’m so disappointed in you, Aiddy.” my mother would declare day in, day out. Though, just before her sudden death she told me to promise not to fight anymore, to just get good grades and be the daughter she expected me to be. That hurt, that really hurt, your mother telling you she’s disappointed in you is a lot worse that her saying that she’s mad at you. Don’t you think?

"You may take a seat now..", the teacher grumbled again. I wanted to be back in Mrs Michaels' class badly, I felt safe there.

"That dude, is like so freakin' weird man. Look at his balding head!", Johnny said, looking at me and grinning a goofy smile.

"Yeah, he should totally be locked up for weirdness!" I replied sarcastically

"Hell yeah!"

I sort of liked this Johnny guy, he seemed pretty cool. Not the most clever person I've ever met, but still pretty cool.

"Right.. today, children. We will be working in partners.." Mr Anderson's voice almost made the tables vibrate, it was a rough, loud voice and I wasn't fond of it at all.

"You already said that dude!", shouted out that guy from registration, he really thought he was something.

"Hah! Good one Matt," another said, and the whole group began laughing

I wondered if this could be the same Matt that Dixie mentioned, no, it couldn't be. She wouldn't hang around with guys like that, would she? I feared in case she did. This Matt guy seemed pretty tough, 'one to watch' as my mother used to say.

"Yes.. Matthew. Good spotting," said Mr Anderson, his moustache beating off his bottom lip. "If you let me finish. Today, you will be all put onto instruments, of your own choice."

Darn, I didn't know what I wanted to do. Biting my bottom lip while I thought, drums, bass, electric, what could I do? I would probably be useless at it all. My arms weak, my fingers weak, everything was weak.

"I'm gunna do bass, I'm amazin' at it, dude," said Johnny as he pouted.

"Fair," I replied, still trying to think what I could do.

"Any more for drums? We need another for drums," called out the teacher. I suppose, I could do drums. I didn't have anything else.

"I will." I stood up

"Oh, why do I have to be stuck with the girl?", asked a tall boy, one from Matt's group, I suddenly began regretting my choice. He really seemed like he didn't want to work with me, at all. "She won't know anything about drums!", added through gritted teeth. Though he was right, I didn't know anything about drums, I still felt a little annoyed that he happened to quickly assume. Fair enough, I was a new kid. I was bound to be shit at everything.

"Now, James. Be nice. She's a new kid…" Mr Anderson half whispered, though I could still clearly hear him. I always pick the bad choices.

James was tall, thin, and looked as if he'd bite your head off if you said anything bad about him. But, for some reason I was just lost by him. I wanted to know more. I felt, as though he was my best friend and I hadn’t even known him 5 seconds.

"Okay, so here's the deal. I play the drums, and you sit there and shut the fuck up. Right?", he snickered, I nodded in reply unsure of what to say. "I'm fucking around... liven up, would ya?" he added, making me feeling uncomfortable as I was still unsure of what to say or if he was really 'fucking around'. His voice, some what high pitched, but could quickly change to a lower tone if he wanted.

"I'm Jimmy, by the way." He smiled, placing his hand out.
“Pleased to meet ya, Jimmy.” I placed out my hand as well, when he pulled his away. I should have known. I frowned with annoyance, I hated when people done that.
“Nah, I’m only fuckin’ around.” He repeated, placing his hand out again, did he really want me to fall for that twice? I was more clever than that.

“No way, dude.”
“Suit yo’self.”

“Uh.. Uh, anyway, let me guess, you know absolutely nothing.. About drums?” he closed his eyes, and placed his fingers on his chin.
“No, I don’t.”
“Oh, that freakin’ helps, doesn’t? Dude, why the fuck did you pick drums? That means, ugh.. I have to show you.” Jimmy scratched his forehead in frustration.
“I’m sorry..” Why the hell did I just say I’m sorry? I wasn’t sorry. I wanted to play drums.
“Like a spring chicken!” he yelled out. I didn’t have a clue what was going on, this guy was crazy.

I just wanted to learn the drums and be done with it. He was making me feel all uneasy but I think that was his plan. Jimmy threw the drumsticks at me, almost poking me in the eye “Your go.” he snickered again.

I stared blankly at the drums, I didn’t even know where to begin.
“Oh, Jesus Christ.. Gimme here!” he demanded as he grasped the sticks from my hands “I’ll show you how it’s done.”
Jimmy began beating every drum incredibly fast, I had no idea where to look. “Woah..” I mumbled, I could never be as good as that. Ever.