Chapter 1
1st Person POV
It was the last day of the week, the last day of August. School had just started 2 weeks back, and already I was tired of it. I went to a mostly black school, seeing as I was black myself. And as percieved by most people, the school was somewhat ghetto, there was always some drama going on, and they barely had money to pay for things. But I still loved the school. Simply because everyone was like family there.
I was in my 6th period class, when the teacher told me I was needed in the office. Confused as to why I would be needed there, I left the class, ignoring the stares I was getting from the students.
When I arrived to the office, I was greeted by teachers that were teaching another grade. Being confused even more, I just awkwardly stood in the doorway before speaking. "Um, is there a reason why I'm here? Am I trouble?" I began rambling off so many questions, that I, myself, was beginning to worry even more.
The teacher, who I didn't know the name of, started to speak. "To answer your question Ms. Davis, you're not in trouble, and there is most definitely a reason as to why you're here. Just please sit down, and let us explain, okay?"
Nodding slowly, I sat down in a chair, and waited for them to speak. "We're here to talk to you about your academic progress and achievements."
Shit
I was slowly but surely becoming more and more confused. I wasn't a perfect student, and I wasn't slipping up at all. School had just started, and so far the work was simple enough. What was going on?
"Before you become concerned," the teacher continued, "you're not slipping up. You're grades are pretty good, and they have been since you've started school. We understand that you're pretty smart, and that it shows in everything you do. And we wanted to talk to you about that, because, well, we were wondering if you were interested in moving up a grade a level."
What?
I wasn't sure I was hearing him right. Move me up a grade level? My grades aren't that good. I'm a B average student. And I know plenty of people that are smarter than me. But the question was,
Why me?
After a few minutes of silence the teacher spoke again. "You don't have to decide right away, just think about it."
I nodded before speaking. "Why me though? I mean surely, there's people in this school, that make better grades than me. So why'd you pick me?"
"We've asked around about students to move up a grade. We've looked into your records, and asked your homeroom teacher about you. From my understanding, you're pretty quiet, independent, kind, polite, and you get your work done. And as I said before, you're very smart. And from what we've seen on your record, you did have a physical fight, but you still managed to get work done without having to be in school."
I nodded, agreeing with him. I mean, all of what he had said about me was true. But was I really ready to make this step? I mean, I'm not good with people and emotions at all, the "friends" I have now, I barely made, and I had only made them because we had been forced to work together or sit together.
I sat there, not saying nothing, until the bell ringed, reminding that I still have one more class to go to, and that I needed to be there before I was late.
"You can go to class Ms Davis, but please think about this offer."
I nodded before turning my back on them, and walked out of the office, flying up the steps, trying to get to my last class.
I hate school.
By the time, I had got my things for my last class, no one was waiting outside the door yet, so I just stood out there waiting to go in.
While doing so, a "friend" of mine walked up to me. I take that back. He's not a friend, or an associate or anything like that. He was my ex, his name Nhyaire. We were still close because I wasn't ready to let him go yet, because, in a way, I needed him. During the course of our relationship, I was abused a lot by him and his older brother, I got forced to go things I didn't really want to do, he treated me like I was his property, he almost took advantage of me, and was the reason I became very depressed and started doing things I regretted. When we first met, he was the complete opposite of the person he turned out to be when we started dating. We were off and on for a year and a half, but I finally ended it in February, and gave up on the child being my boyfriend. But we stayed close.
Anyway, he walked up to me, and I already knew he wanted to know what happened in the office.
Nosy ass
Before he could even ask a question, I gave him the 5 second version: "Teachers. School counselor. Offered to pass me up a grade."
He nodded. "Are you gonna go through with it?"
"Maybe. I don't know. They gave me time to think about it, but I don't know how long that'll last."
He nodded, but before he could say anything else, a kid new to the school, walked past us. I couldn't actually say "kid" because he looked much older than me in the eyes. I had recognized him immediately because he had just started riding my bus with his younger sister. I somewhat knew his younger sister. She was in a grade lower than me, an eighth grader, but she was well known. She was pretty popular. From what I heard she was gorgeous, and kind, and very funny. But her brother was the complete opposite. He was closed off and isolated. It was clear in both their eyes that they were both hurting, but his sister, Marie, tried to cover it up by smiling and laughing and trying to keep the attention off herself. The boy, Salis, I heard his name was, obviously tried to keep it covered by just closing everyone off and isolating himself. You could tell he had been hurt, because if you looked into those beautiful brown eyes, you could see a sort of broken and fractured light in there. Like there was once a home in there. Warm, welcoming, and comforting, filled with joy. But that had obviously been replaced by something in his past. Something traumatic.
As he walked by, I caught myself saying his name, and waving at him. To which he seemed confused at, but he returned the wave. As he walked by, Nhyaire said, "It's not Salis. It's Sylis."
I was totally confused. His sister calls him 'Salis' and of course she would know the proper way to say his name because she's been with him all her life. I argued back and forth with Nhyaire, before calling Salis over again. Confused yet again by my actions, but he still walked over.
When he made his way over to us, he quirked an eyebrow at me, a clear sign of confusion.
"How do you pronounce your name?" I asked.
Taken completely off guard, he stared at me with his dead brown eyes before replying. "It's Salis. Like salad but with an sssssss sound at the end like a snake."
I nodded in triumph and looked to Nhyaire with a smug look saying, I was right and you was wrong.
Rolling his eyes, he looked ahead while I looked back at Salis. I looked back into his eyes one more time trying to get a read on him and see what he was feeling. But all I could get from them is that he was hurt, and in the process of still hurting. He had had a traumatic past, and was tired of getting hurt. But that didn't seem right because I looked past that and saw that he had a kind heart and kind soul, he was just afraid to show it. Which now made sense as to why he kept that ducked off. The hurt in his eyes was why.
Before he could walk away again, I kept him from leaving.
Pulling him down so he could hear me over the now loud hallway, I said, "You're going to be my bestfriend okay?"
At those words, he hesitated, and it became clear to me that he had a girlfriend and that he was seeing someone, and he clearly didn't wanna offend or upset her. And yet, he nodded, his eyes showing he was confused yet again, but he walked away to his last class which I found to be English, and this time, I didn't stop him.
