As the sun rose in Copperdale, Gray stepped off the bus and accidentally bumped shoulders with the kid who’d gotten off before. him. “Sorry, dude.”
The stranger turned and Gray saw the sweetest pair of brown eyes in existence. “Don’t worry about it. You new?” New kids stuck out like sore thumbs, everyone seemed to know everyone already as the gaggle of voices from the students around them ebbed and flowed with excitement, joy, and gossip.
“Is it that obvious?” Gray blushed, almost mad that he was even blushing.
“Don’t worry about it, it’s nice to meet you. I’m Shane.” God, what a name...
“I’m Gray,” he said, and gave him an awkward but warm smile. A handshake felt too formal, too adult.
They headed into class as the bell rang and called them in. He was happy to see Shane in his first block class, even though the sight of him was incredibly distracting. You’re not here to be friends with people. You’re here until you’re good enough to drop out and do music full time.
An ear-shattering alarm pierced his thoughts and his body jolted in his chair. “Fire drill,” the teacher announced. “Everyone evacuate to the muster point.”
Gray didn’t know where the hell that is, he’d been too busy talking to Shane to go through the new student orientation with the Principal. He followed the sea of students out the main doors and towards the bus drop off point, where the firefighters were waiting. If it’s a drill why are they here? He dismissed that thought, it still could’ve been a planned thing. He milled about on his own until it was time to go back into the building.
Drowsiness hit him like a train and he stopped in a quiet hallway to rest. I’ll close my eyes for a minute, get some water, and go to class. He woke up to the principal shaking him awake half an hour later.
“Why are you sleeping in the hallway, Mr. Taylor?”
Gray’s blood ran cold. I can’t tell her or they’ll try and find my parents. “I uh- just wasn’t feeling well.”
“I don’t buy it. You’ll have to make up the class time in detention.” Gray had to force his jaw to stay upright. Detention, on the first day?!
“It won’t happen again,” he tried to plead.
“Be sure of it, Mr. Taylor. Detention is at 3:30.”
Gray grumbled to himself and went to the bathroom to hide until class is over. “Fucking detention,” he muttered under his breath, wishing he had a cigarette.
Detention turned out not to be so bad. No teacher arrived to wrangle the class so Gray pulled out his guitar and practised. Nobody cussed him out, which made him feel a lot better about his skill progress. Maybe everyone was too busy gossiping about people Gray didn’t know, but that was fine too. He was happy to be left alone to do his own thing.
He left school after detention was over, he had been so caught up in his guitar he hadn’t noticed it was well past 5. He packed up and started walking for the bus. That’s when the sleepy library occurred to him. I bet no one would care if I took a nap there.
He was right, not a single person bothered Gray as he slept in on the comfortable library furniture. It was way cozier in there than at school or the gym. He missed having blankets, one day I’ll have a blanket for every day of the month. The soothing sound of quiet voices and the librarian typing at her computer on the main floor were his lullabies. He dreamt of stardom, of a family that was proud of him, and of the cute boy from school with the beautiful brown eyes.
