Our Guide.

August 3. The first day back to school for most kids, except the ones who stayed a bit longer on vacation than necessary. This day marks another pointless year in a building where you’re highly judged, pushed to make choices you would never would have made in elementary school or middle school, and for some it just reminds them of their pointless existence.

Sounds like fun, doesn’t it? No, really, don’t lie. For some kids, it’s where they’d rather be. Because, y’know, their surrounded by people who except them, who love them, and ect.

Me? Well, I don’t fall into that category. No, I’m the kid who’s in the back of every class, surrounded by empty seats. I do check out to go eat lunch in town with my boxer, Boomer, and then come back five minutes late to my next class. But since I’m not really noticed, it doesn’t matter. I sit alone at all the basketball games and football games.

But really, I don’t mind. I don’t mind being alone. I’ve been alone technically since birth. My mom doesn’t pay attention to me, she’s usually to caught in her work and hardly home, but when she is home, I usually choose to stay locked up in my room. Because if I’m anywhere near her, breathing in her air, I’ll usually walk away with a bruise or two. And sometimes I can't even walk, I just end up limping or crawling. It truly sucks.

So really, I don’t mind it. I’ve gotten so used to the silence I’m daily surrounded by that it doesn’t phase me. And when someone is with me, I feel suffocated. That’s why when we do partners in class, I just do the assignment on my own. I’m smart enough to not need a partner.

But anyway, it’s the first day back to school and I’m walking the short distance from my house to the school with Boomer walking right beside me. Her tongue is hanging out, and she seems to be smiling in the odd ways dogs look like their smiling.

“You look awfully happy on a day when your owner is almost sick with dread,” I muttered to the dog beside me. Her ears twitched slightly at the sound of my voice and she looked up at me. I raised an eyebrow at her, and she barked lightly.

Yeah, I’m pretty pathetic, I talk to my dog like she can talk back. But she’s my best friend and she’s the only one that won’t judge me when I tell her my problems. I think everyone talks to their dog at some in their life and if they say they don’t, then they’re clearly lying.

“Oh, look. We’re here,” I murmured as I looked around the school campus. Kids of every grade were walking around, talking obnoxiously loud, some were in the parking lot, some were sitting on the benches, steps, and other places. Everyone looked so excited to be here. If only I could share their excitement.

I squatted down so I was level with Boomer’s eyes, and I scratched behind her ears gently. “Be waiting for me after school, okay girl?”

She barked and licked my hand. I smiled and kissed the top of her head. As I starting to stand, someone bumped into me, and succeeded in knocking me flat on my ass. Great. I sighed as I looked at the kid who knocked me over, but I only saw the back on him. Probably a football jock. Boomer growled lightly.

“Shh, it’s okay, Boomer. It happens all the time. I’m used to it,” Sadly, I was used to it. “I’ll see you at lunch time, okay? Then I’ll see you after school, and we can go to the park for an hour or two. How’s that sound?”

Boomer barked in what I guess was a happy bark, so I smiled. I stood up, brushed off my butt, and watched my dog trot out of the school campus and in the general direction of my house. She’s been walking with me to school since I was a freshman, so she knows the way back home. But I do worry about her. What if she gets hit? What if someone tries to take her?

I shake my head of those ‘what ifs’. She’ll be just fine. With a deep breath, I turn to face the school building and start my journey to the front doors. I maneuver my way between students and teacher alike, and manage to just barely get inside the building. It’s as crowded in here as it is outside.

I walk down the familiar hallways with dented lockers, and headed to the classroom that my schedule says is my first class of the day. Which is… oh, look, it’s Anatomy and Physiology. Great. I was hoping for an easier class to have in the morning, but they give me a class that I have to start thinking to early in the morning.

I scan the classroom, and decide that I’m sitting in the back…again. I’m not noticed if I’m in the back. I toss my bag in the chair next to mine, and pretty much have to jump into the chair. Damn these fucking high chairs. Can’t they have like, stools or something? Or, I know, regular chairs like every other class!

Once I’m secured in the chair, and I know for a fact that I’m not going to fall out and break my neck, I leaned over and grab my backpack, and dig around for a piece of paper and my favorite pencil.

About five minutes passed, and more and more students came in the classroom. I counted about five cheerleaders, two football players, four basketball players, one softball player, and the rest who were popular but didn’t play any kind of sport but still managed to gain popularity.

I saw the kid who knocked my down this morning when I was talking to Boomer, and frowned. He looked familiar, and not just from this morning. But I couldn’t place my finger on his name or where I’ve seen him before. My eyes went to the guy beside him, but didn’t recognize him.

“Alright, alright. Settle down, guys. I’m Mrs. Bomar. I’ll be teaching you for the rest of this year. I’ll call roll after announcements come on,” The dark haired teacher said from her large desk up front.

She looked pretty young, and she looked like she was going to be a nice teacher. I approved of her as of right now. I propped my chin in my palm, and leaned my weight on that arm. I let my eyes scan over the room once again, and decided right then that this was going to be one hell of a year.

Announcements came on, but they didn’t last very long, though they never do on the first day of school. Once the principle had stopped talking, the kids started talking again.

“Okay, okay, guys. I’m Mrs. Bomar as I said before. I teach regular Chemistry and Anatomy & Physiology, the class you’re in now. I teach sophomores to seniors. No freshman. I’ve been teaching for about seven years, so I know what I’m doing. I went to school to major in Chemistry, and I’ve been teaching here at this school for about three years. Now, I’m going to call roll, and get to know some of you.” Mrs. Bomar said with a laugh and a smile.

Yeah, this is gunna be an interesting year in here. I watched kids lift their hands at the call of their name, and silently and unintentionally learned some of their names. I had nothing better to do.

“Zeke Saunders?” I did half a wave, and smiled gently. She smiled back, and went back to reading the list. I felt some eyes on me, but didn’t make eye contact with any of them. Except one. The kid who had knocked me over.

Lovely. He continued to stare at me, and I was starting to get annoyed. Why must people stare at other people? It’s rude and not to mention insanely creepy. I drummed my fingers on the desk, my annoyance only growing when he didn’t look away.

So I did the only thing I usually did. I flipped him the bird. That got his attention. He looked away quickly, and I sighed out in relief, running my fingers through my hair.

Yay to a new year with creepers