"The Freshman"
By: Punk Ikhny Towryk
Chapter 1: Detention.

"Wesley! Pay attention!"

"Huh?" The aforementioned boy snapped to attention, wildly looking around until his eyes landed on the teacher two feet way from him, her fat body blocking most of his view, the ruler she held in a chubby hand left a mark on his desk where it had slapped seconds before.

"Detention!"

"What? Why?"

"This is the third class in a row that I've had to discipline you for dozing off or traveling to the clouds. Detention today."

Wes rolled his eyes when she turned around and pretended to pay attention. The last thing he needed was to get detention for tomorrow. Tomorrow he was going to the ice rink with Raine, his best friend and the person that was to blame for his constant daydreaming.

"Wesley!"

"Sorry!"

The teacher, Mrs. Murray, was always picking on him, and paying extra attention to him just to catch him doing something that she could give detentions for. She often did that; she scouted out her "favorite" students for excessive jewelry or makeup, just to give detentions and demerits. Everyone hated her.

Wes, as to try and keep in focuses, ran a big hand threw his dusty brown hair and squeezed his dark brown eyes tight shut for a moment. When he didn't open them for almost five seconds, a sharp jab on his shoulder woke him up from his dreams of Raine. He looked to his left and saw Sally looking at him; her wide gray eyes were wide with fear and desperation. She was such a sweet girl, why couldn't he like a nice girl like her instead of a boy like Raine. Not that there was anything wrong with Raine he was just a bit on the punk rock side and he himself was, well, a whigger. A ghetto wannabe who chased after a punk rock princess all the time. Fun.

Someone stepping on his foot shook him to reality again, Sally's big eyes willed him to stay in focus, but he just couldn't. Besides, she wasn't a nice little normal girl. She was a punk rock girl with Nine Inch Nails patches on her sweatshirts and backpack. She wore black, she wears skirts to everything, and she hung all over that Dave guy that she claims not to like. 'I Must have a thing for the punk people, well, I must admit, the fishnets are very sexy. Damn, there I go again'

Another jab in the side made him bang his head against the desk in punishment for making Sally's efforts go in vain. He gave her a glance that was hopefully apologetic and sighed, staring at the wall and pretending to pay attention, his mind wandering back to Raine. He imagined seeing him at the rink, The other boy wouldn't notice him just yet, sitting up on the ledge that they always sat on together, looking down at one of his punk rock friends from that local public school. He'd have on that loose-fitting black collared shirt and the white tie with the little Australia pin on the side of it. His baggy khakis hanging off his hips in the way they always did that made Wes want to drool all over the floor. He could imagine the smile on Raine's face when he saw him, when he kissed him. Raine, Raine, Raine, Rai-

"Wes?"

"RAINE!"

"Umm."

Wes' face flushed scarlet as he looked up into the lightly freckled face of Raine Allerdean.

"Dude, you were day dreaming again, weren't you?"

"Yeah, I guess I was." Wes sighed as the two of them walked out of the classroom

"Wes, you keep getting detentions like that, and we're never gunna have time at the rink."

"Who are you? My mother?" Wes, being a bit on the pessimistic side, would constantly bitch at someone when he feels that they're not making it any better. Even Raine.

"I'm sorry." The other boy looked away and all the cold around Wes heart melted away at the sight of the other's sad eyes

"It's my own fault. I'm pissed that I got another detention and now I just can't keep it together."

Raine looked back up at him and smiled, "It'll get better, I promise."

"I hope so, Raine, I really, really hope so."

...

Wes threw his backpack down on the chair as soon as he got home. He kicked off his shoes at a wall, and slumped down on the couch in front of the TV, just staring at the black screen. Mrs. Murray made him write down the definition for all the words in the dictionary that began with the letters Y and X and than put each word in a sentence correctly. It was extremely frustrating, but he was thankful, though, that the harshest teacher in the school hadn't picked something more common like A or S.

"I hate letters," he decided

He picked up the TV guide and flipped through it, trying to find something to watch. All that was on was Blind Date, so he turned that on and watched for a while, constant thoughts running through his head.

Wes shut off the TV as soon as they recapped a couple's kiss and once again flipped through the TV guide. Having not found anything, he put Blind Date back on and watched as a guy and a girl were having a date at a little yoga- training center. He frowned as they walked out with their arms around each other, shutting out the cold.

"Maybe that's it. Maybe I just need a girl in my life," He just laid down on the couch when the phone rang. He forced his heavy frame up and picked up the ringing demon, "Hello?"

"Hey, how was detention?"

"Dandy," Wes sighed, " You know what, Raine?"

"What?"

"That woman is a slave driver."

"What'd she do?"

"I had to write the definition for all the words that begin with Y and X in the dictionary and than use them in a sentence."

"Be happy it ain't a R or an S."

"That's what I said."

Wes could feel Raine's smile on the other end, "Hey, we're still going to the rink on Friday, right?"

"Of course," Wes grinned, "I wouldn't miss it for the world."

"Good."

"So, what's on your mind?"

"I think Arlene was trying to flirt with me again."

"Again?"

"I'm sick of her, honestly. I love the attention, but." Raine trailed off

"I know. I hate it when girls flirt with me."

"What, you turning fag on me now, or what?"

"No, no," Wes fidgeted with his TV Guide, idly tearing at the corners of the page, "it's not that, not that at all, it's just.just."

"Frustrating when you have your mind on someone else?"

"Yes! Yes, exactly!" Wes smiled

"Ooh!" Raine laughed, eyes bright and acting like a five year old, "Who is it? Who is it? C'mon, we're best friends, you can tell me!"

"I'd rather not talk about it, okay?"

"Alright."

"Good," Wes smiled, "hey, did your parents ever make up their mind about going to the Bahamas, yet?"

"No, but they've made it clear that if they go, I'm staying home."

"Staying home? Wow that sucks. You'll be pretty lonely, huh?"

"Yeah, I want my parents to go, but I don't wanna be alone"

"I don't blame you. I wouldn't want to, either. It must suck being home alone like that. I mean, I'm home alone for about two hours everyday, but your parents don't get home until really late, right?"

"Yeah, usually around eight. Look, I got to go. See you tomorrow?"

"Yeah, see you tomorrow."

"Bye, and don't forget to tell me about the new girl on your mind."

"Bye."

Wes frowned as he hung up the phone. "Like I'll ever tell him."

...

"Good morning, Raine."

Raine turned around from his light-hearted conversation with Wes about yesterday's hockey game.

"Arlene, I'm-"

"Do you want to go ice skating with me tonight? I can pay for the admission, my daddy has connections." Her big green eyes batted in his direction, the heavy pink eye shadow that adorned them was rather frightening

Raine glared slightly at the stereotypical preppy girl, "I can't, I'm going with Wes tonight. Find someone else."

"I can't, silly," Arlene giggled, "You're my date."

Raine's eyes widened and Wes glared whole heartedly at her, "Oh no, no, no. I'm not your date, look, I'm going with Wes"

"We'll all go together!"

"I'm going with Wes."

"We'll have so much fun!"

"Wes."

"All three of us."

"Wesley."

"But we'll ignore him."

"The guy standing right here."

"And we'll go off together and-"

"I'M GOING WITH WES!"

Everyone around them stopped and stared. Raine was panting slightly, Arlene was looking rather rejected and angry that someone turned her down, and Wes was completely shocked. To their luck, no teachers came out to yell at them, so Wes and Raine hurried off together.

"Raine's a faggot" catching their ears made Raine stops short, his eyes flashing with anger, but before he could do anything, Wes jogged back to him and pushed him slightly, reminded the boy of the classes he'd be late for if he took the time to fight. As they entered the Chemistry lab, they could still hear a few people chorusing, "Raine is a faggot".

...

"You know," Raine began in the hallway, slamming his locker shut

"No, I don't know, I need you to explain in precise detail." Wes rolled his eyes and continued to pack away his books, not looking up at Raine

"I think every one is out to get me."

Wes glanced up at Raine, "Wanna know what I think?"

"What?"

"I think you're paranoid."

Raine smiled, "I could've sworn that you were going to say that I needed to get out more."

Wes thought for a moment, than glared at Raine, "I hate how you read too many comics."

A grin alighted Raine's pale face, "I hate how you watch too much TV."

"I hate how all you're friends are punks."

"I hate the way all your friends are whiggers and hoes."

"I hate how you're obsessed with movies."

"Mostly old horror movies" Raine grinned proudly

"You're insane."

"I know."

Wes leaned over to shut his locker and mumbled to himself, "I hate the way I love you."

He took another glance at Raine to find him talking to his punk friends; he sighed and walked away. He faintly heard Raine telling the others he would speak to them later, but he didn't stop to question.

That thought of not stopping was interrupted by Raine's hand on his shoulder, "they're not that bad, you know."

"I hate the way you add 'you know' to everything."

"And I hate the way you're always cold to me when something's wrong."

The absence of the warm feeling on his shoulder made him turn to see Raine's head down and eyes averted, "I really didn't mean what I said."

"I wish you would apologize more often after saying something rude to me."

Wes gaped at him, "Yo, man, look, I'm s- I'm sorry."

Raine looked up at him, "Alright, you're getting there."

"I hate the way I'm always so cold to you."

"I hate the way I'm so forgiving."

"I hate the way I always give in to you."

"I hate the way I can't seem to not care what you think."

"Raine?"

"Hmm?"

Wes put his arms around Raine shoulders and gave them a squeeze

"Thanks."

Woo Hoo! Chapter 1 is complete and there's more on the way. Was the last scene sweet or am I weird? Reviews would be nice and so would constructive criticism, none of that "you suck. you're story sucks. I suck" things. I know certain things were odd, like Wes' continuous daydreaming, but whatever.

Would you mind giving your opinions in the review? Is Arlene too stereotypical? Is Raine's personality hoping all over the place? Is the plot too cliché? Feel free to answer on your own free will.

-Ren