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School has never been my favorite place in the world, mostly this is because school is where I am forced against my will to be near people who only acknowledge me when they want me to do their homework. I have done over fifty assignments that were not mine this week alone. Ricky Denton, a tall and broad-shouldered sadist, makes sure I do every bit of work put before me. If he gets a grade he doesn't like? Well, let's just say that scenario leaves me sporting black and blue colors for awhile.
Ricky thinks he has enough rights to pick on me since I'm both known only to my school as "that gay kid in the wheelchair" or "the genius geek that does my homework." This combination of names makes the infamous Ricky Denton think he can just walk all over me all the time. He does this, and not only that, but since Ricky is both the scariest and coolest kid in school no one will oppose him. That would be social suicide.
The great thing about bullies is that new kids don't know them. The only friends I ever manage to get are by my methods of scooping up the socially confused, but they still quickly abandon me as fast as I get them. There's a new kid today, but I share this class with Ricky so there's no way I'll manage to get the kid to sit by me. I choose to not pay attention, and so I work on the sketch some kid wanted me to do for his art class.
"Class," announces the Ms. Kider, the teacher. "I'd like to introduce you to Cadence F--Fif?"
"Fyfe, ma'am," comes the new kid's quiet voice.
"Thank you, Miss Fyfe. I'll try to remember that," the teacher smiles and I glance up for just a second to notice that the new kid, Cadence, is blushing and whispering something in the teacher's ear. Even the teacher starts to blush. "My mistake, Mister Fyfe."
The entire congregation of imbeciles begins to break out in hysterics. I look to try to figure out why such a simple mistake is so funny, but the answer proves to be plain as day. Cadence looked every bit the part of a girl, and was even wearing a knee-lengthed black skirt with a red star on it and red pantyhose. It was also plain as day that Mr. Fyfe was indeed well-acquainted with social suicide as well.
It was almost shocking how much Cadence could pull off looking like a female. His hair was a rusty red and hung around his shoulder, matching a patch of freckles that covered his pink-tinged cheeks. He wasn't much taller than five foot and was so skinny that his body shape gave him the look of having feminine hips. Even the two emerald stud eyebrow piercings, of which closely matched his jade eyes, and the think black lip ring that curled over his pink lips didn't give off any sort of masculine air.
Cadence was being questioned about where he came from, and he seemed to quickly forget the fact that he was embarrassed despite the on-going laughter from the group around me. He informed the class that his mother was from Scotland, but that he'd been born actually on the airplane leaving England so even though he's never been out of America he's not American. After another five minutes of conversation with the teacher I'd learned he was sixteen (a year younger than me), that he loved art, and that his mother was a professional writer that wrote under a false name and he "couldn't share anymore on that or he'd have to kill us."
With all that information the teacher finally seemed satisfied and gave him a book before sending him off to find a seat. I wasn't quite so satisfied. The new kid came to school in a skirt, and that alone was an interpretation that he must have some good stories to hear. I space out when I begin to think about how I'd simply never learn what I was curious about, but a sudden light tap on my shoulder draws my attention. It was Cadence.
"Hi, do you mind if I sit in that seat next to you? Or is this seat withheld for someone else?" Cadence's voice even seems to belong to a girl with how high-pitched it is. I realize I started staring in stunned shock. I shake my head 'no' and the new kid shocks me again. Someone is willingly sitting next to me! Cadence sits down with a smile despite Ricky's laughter that I can hear still ringing behind us.
"You probably don't want to sit there, though. You've already caused yourself enough problems. Why would you come to school dressed like that?" The question slips out before I get to think about it, and I turn quickly to work on the sketch once again. Cadence just makes a small noise that sounds like a cross between an 'um' and a 'hmph'.
He turns his head back to me as he swipes some of his rusty hair behind his ear. He seems to think about the question as his jade eyes scan over me. "Well, why did you come to school in a wheelchair? It probably gets just as much attention, if not more, even if it shouldn't." I couldn't help but blush. I nervously lift my hands to push my glass further up on my nose as is my common nervous-induced habit.
"I-I'm sorry. You're right," I say nervously as I try to keep the stutter out of my words. "Wanna restart this conversation?" I smile and lift my hand. Cadence takes it in a light grip that makes me think I'm going to shatter his hand. "My name is Chip."
"I'm Cady," he informs me with a smile before removing his hand. "I'm that new kid that's going to teach this school a lesson about what you should and shouldn't laugh at, all while hopefully befriending a kid with a name that makes me think of cookies. Know anything?"
He winks at me and I feel my face grow hotter as I give a small nervous laugh. "W-Well, I know a girl named Gingersnap. Interested?" He laughs and throws up his eyes in thought for a moment.
"Hmm, no. I was thinking something of a more chocolaty nature. I'm a big fan of chocolate," he smiles mischeviously before suddenly reaching over and pinching my cheek like I'm a little kid. "Maybe a brunette with glasses and green eyes?"
"Ohh, specifics!" I laugh again. I've never laughed or smiled so much in school before. "Well, I do know one kid like that, but he's the class geek. It's a real risk befriending him."
Heat suddenly radiates against my hand and I realize Cady has taken it with his porcelain touch. "He sounds perfect."
End Chapter One