“Class, please welcome our newest transfer student. His name is Elliot Jerner.” Everyone started to stare at me, as if I were from some other planet. I felt the blood rush to my cheeks as I stood in front of my new English class. The teacher glanced at me as she motioned for me to take a seat. I glanced around the room looking for a desk. There was one all the way in the back, so I began walking. As I walked through the isles of desks, the chains on my pants rattled against the metal bars and ceramic desks. I could feel their eyes watching my stitching on my shirt, or the colors in my hair, or the markings under my eye.
I just clutched the strap on my book bag and focused on the desk. Finally getting to sit down, I grabbed my chains so maybe I wouldn’t attract so much attention. I got out my notebook and began taking notes. All we did all class period was take notes and listen to the teacher talk. Her name was Mrs. Garten. She seemed wore her dark brown hair in a messy ponytail and wore shirts that were obviously too big for her frame.
“Hey, psst, new kid.” I looked over at the boy next to me. He was medium height with light blonde hair. “Hey, my name is Rodney.”
“Ummm, hello. I’m Elliot,” I replied. We shook hands and he told me about the school. He explained all the different cliques and who I should avoid. We talked while I wrote notes. The bell finally rang and he left for his next class.
I went through the next four classes, being completely bored. Just taking notes and getting papers. In gym, I had forgotten my clothes and watched as everyone played basketball, which was good because I was terrible at it anyways. I packed my lunch and ate it in the classroom during fifth period, because I didn’t want to have to deal with going to the lunchroom and finding a group to sit with. It would be too difficult for me to handle on the first day. Peanut butter and pineapple sandwich; yuck.
Fifth period went quickly and I was soon walking through the halls to sixth. I had memorized a map of the school the day before, so I knew where I was going already. I arrived at room 206; biology. At my old school, we had taken chemistry then biology. Here it was the opposite, so I was in a class with all sophomores. Myself, being a junior, stuck out like a sore thumb.
“Alright, everyone please find a seat,” the teacher, Mr. Clough said to the class. He pointed to an empty seat for me to sit in. Some other boy was sitting in the seat next to mine. He was wearing a pink shirt, that had furry cuffs on it. His hair was blonde with some white looking pieces, and his eyes were particularly strange, what with one being red and the other blue. He seemed to really sparkle. None the less, I sat down next to him and began the traditional note taking. But, I couldn’t help feeling a need to be social with him. He was pretty cute after all. So I decided to pass him a note.

‘Hi. I’m Elliot. I’m a transfer student.’
He looked at the note and scribbled something on it.

‘Hey. I’m David. David Kyoko, more specifically.’

We continued to pass the note back and forth between class, while Mr. Clough talked. I learned that David was a year younger than me, and transferred recently from Texas. When I asked about his eyes, he told me it was from some kind of surgery. I also learned that he loved bunnies, and he had corset piercings on his back. We talked a lot and learned a ton about each other. He didn’t mention any girlfriend, and I didn’t mention my homosexuality. He wasn’t in my next class, so when the bell rang, I gave him my phone number so we could “text sometime about science”, but I really just wanted to talk to him again.
I got to band and found my seat. I was the last trumpet, until I found time to challenge for a higher seat. I sat next to a girl named Rayne, who played French horn.
“I actually play flute more, and I’m much better at flute,” she told me.
“Then why don’t you play that in here,” I asked her.
“I don’t wanna challenge any of them. Besides, they wouldn’t accept me in their section. I don’t look like the rest of them. I would stick out.” She was right, she looked a lot different. She had black hair with red bangs on one side, and a scar on her lip. She wore gothic clothes and had plenty of piercings.
We talked in between songs about ourselves and music. Eventually we exchanged numbers, and became friends. I packed up my instrument and went to my locker as the bell rang. At my locker stood a familiar face; David.
“Hey, what are you doing here,” I asked him.
“Uh, well, I just stopped to chat,” he muttered.
“Oh, that’s cool. What’s your last class?”
“Spanish…”
“But that’s all the way on the other side of the building.”
“Eh, it’s not too far.”
“So, uh, what’s up?”
“I was kinda wondering if you could give me a ride home. You mentioned that you had a car and stuff. So?”
I chuckled and nodded as we walked to my Verve. I passed Rayne on the way, as she stood by her rusty 88 Chevy Camero. She sat on it as her boyfriend stood next to her. I still didn’t know his name. He was quite intimidating though. We finally got to my car and sat inside. I started up the car and headed out of the parking lot.
“So where to,” I inquired.
“Milford,” he answered.
“Alright, I’ll need some more directions when we get there.” I turned out the driveway and onto the back-roads. I hope he didn’t notice that I purposefully went the long way. We drove for a little bit, in silence, as he watched out the window.
“Listen, Elliot, I need to tell you something,” he finally said.
“What,” I replied.
“I’m, well, I’m gay.”
“Oh. Wow, this is weird.”
“I’m so sorry. I just had to make sure you knew. I don’t want things to be weird between us, we can totally still be friends and everything.”
“No, it’s totally ok. I am, uh, gay too actually.” We’d just stopped at a stop sign. I turned to look at him.
“No way, you’re so kidding.”
“I’m really not kidding. I am actually gay, well bi, but probably a little more one sided.”
“Oh, well, huh. This isn’t as weird as I was afraid. This is actually really cool.”
“Yeah, I was afraid if I told you that you wouldn’t really wanna talk to me or anything.” I turned away and started driving again. We dropped the subject as he gave me the remaining directions to his house. We finally arrived there. A nice ranch style house with blue shutters and white siding. It was a really nice house.
“So, here we are,” he said.
“Yep, we are here,” I retorted.
“I’ll see you tomorrow then?”
“Yeah, unless I catch the plague,” I joked. He laughed as he walked up the steps to his house.


The next day at school, I walked to my locker and opened it to put in my coat. A small piece of paper fell out when I opened the locker door. I quickly put my coat in the locker and picked up the note. I went in the deserted bandroom and read the note.

You’re a breath of fresh air.
I really enjoy talking to you.
Wanna go to the movies on Friday night?
Maybe as a date?
Really hope you say yes.
I’ll be waiting in sixth period for an answer.
-Ra’Dir-

I smiled and put the note deep in my pocket and rushed to first period. Rodney wasn’t here today, so I focused on my notes and read some Romeo and Juliet. In gym, we played dodgeball and I got hit five times. But I didn’t care. I was too dazed to care. I went through the next few classes, rushing through my notes and speeding through class, trying to hurry time. Finally, the bell rang for sixth period. I walked to sixth period, while collecting my thoughts and calming myself. I reached the classroom as the bell rang and I took my seat. I ripped out a sheet of paper and got out my best red pen.

I would love to go out with you Friday
<3