Surviving Elite High

Chapter One

Chapter One

My knees shook. I don't really know why I was so nervous that morning. I had walked down these same corridors before, but this was my first time here as a junior. I stood looking down the main hallway as the world slowly passed me by, and feeling as if I was completely invisible to everyone. I hugged myself for comfort, then took my first step and froze again. With my heart pounding hard against my chest, a stupid knot developed inside my stomach. I hated the feeling of uncertainty and distress brought upon me by them. I glanced around, trying my best to spot Madison or Kitty, but I was completely alone among all the commotion happening around me. I lowered my head and continued with my excruciating journey toward class. Out of nowhere, two shadows blocked my way. I looked up and came face to face with my two tormentors, the reasons for my anxiety: Jacob Ashmore and Matthew Ward, better known as the basketball jocks.

“Hello, little guy,” Jacob drawled, leering down at me. He stood six inches taller than me and was strong as a bull. “Did you miss me?”

I stumbled backward, trying to put distance between us.

“Where are you going, b***h?” Matthew barked, grabbing me by the collar of my shirt. He pulled me in and lifted me into the air, making my feet swing from side to side. “Talk to me, old friend.”

“I…I was—”

“Shut the f**k up, fag!”

“Let's give him the welcoming,” Jacob suggested with a grin.

Oh, no, not the welcoming. Anything but the welcoming. I knew what they wanted to do. They were going to throw me inside the huge trash can behind the school and make me face the humiliation.

“Put him down!” shouted a familiar voice. We all turned to look. It was one of my best friends, Kitty Scott, and, boy, was I happy to see her pointing at them. Her red hair was visible from a mile away, and her black eyes seemed demonic. I thanked God that I was safe now. Matthew gazed at her with a smirk, knowing that Kitty would explode and make a big scene out of the way he treated me. He unwillingly let me go, and I fell flat on my ass. There was no time to waste. I ran to Kitty's side before they changed their minds.

“See you soon, p***y,” Matthew added. He and Jacob turned around and walked away down another hallway. When they were out of sight, I turned to Kitty, who was all steamed up. Her freckles seemed to have spread to an angry red. A scowl soon developed on her face. “Why do you let those assholes treat you like that?”

“Geez, Kitty. They're bigger and stronger than me, you know. Plus, they're jocks.”

“I thought they'd stopped bullying you.” Kitty led me down the crowded hallway.

“So did I. Besides, two against one is an unfair fight, especially against me. Have you looked at me lately?”

Kitty stopped in front of her locker and opened the small compartment before glancing at me from head to toe. I wasn't small. Five feet and seven inches was a reasonable height. I was too skinny, though. I didn't have any muscles, and she wanted me to fight those two giants. Was Kitty insane?

“I know, but you've got to stand up to them. Madison and I can't be with you every single second of the day. They bullied you around for two whole years, and it has to stop now, Johnny Boy!” Kitty slammed the door closed.

“I know,” I murmured as I spotted Madison behind her. “Hello, Madison!”

“Hello, my two best friends in the whole wide world,” Madison answered, standing beside us and showing off her vibrant smile. Madison Adams' black hair complemented her porcelain skin and sultry dark eyes. The chick was hot, and she was one of my best friends as well. After scanning our worried faces, her smile disappeared. “What happened? I thought you'd be excited to see this slut?”

That was Madison, all right. She knew how to sum things up in one sentence.

“Jacob and Matthew,” mumbled Kitty, walking down the hallway.

Madison embraced me with one arm, and we immediately dashed after Kitty.

While we tried to catch up with her, Madison turned to me. “Are they still bullying you?”

“Ye—”

“Yes, they are!” Kitty had stopped walking and was waiting for us a few feet away.

When we reached her side, she began walking next to me. As usual, I was in the middle of the two. “Those good-for-nothing jerks.”

“I thought they'd stopped bothering you, Johnny Boy.” Madison added.

“Yes, for the summer.”

“Consider yourself lucky. Who wouldn't want to get roughed up by two hot jocks?”

“Me, for one, Madison,” I answered. We walked into English class, and I sat in the first chair of the first row. Kitty sat beside me, and Madison sat behind her. This was our usual seating arrangement for all our classes.

They turned to me, and Madison continued. “Don't worry, just stick with one of us and you'll be fine.”

“I know, but we still have gym, and I've got to change with them.”

“That's hot! Take some pictures for me.”

Kitty rolled her eyes when she heard Madison's request. “Sorry, kiddo, we can only do so much. You've got to stand up to them.”

“I'm dead meat! Why does this school have to stress sports so much? Four years of mandatory physical education is just crazy. Why in the world would they do that?”

“Blame the Children Against Obesity Association. No more sugar in this school, as if we need to lose weight. We're perfect,” Madison answered.

“Yeah, soon they'll start to sell sugar like c***k,” Kitty added, high-fiving Madison.

The girls giggled their little hearts out. I missed them so much. All of a sudden, the door opened and a young man stepped inside. It was Nicholas Anthony Hawking, also known as Nick Wild Hawk, captain of the Elite Hawks. Girls had nicknamed him Nick Wild f**k because of his promiscuous nature. He was six feet tall with light tan skin, short dirty blond hair, and crystal baby blue eyes. The guy was dreamy or walking s*x.

Well, that's what Madison always said. Nick was the most popular jock in school, the school's star quarterback, and athlete extraordinaire. He was as perfect as they came.

“I want to have his babies.” Madison stated while Nick walked to the back of the class to sit down with his friends.

“Why does he always have to walk in like that? As if he's some type of god or something? He wasn't like that a few years ago,” Kitty replied.

“He is a god. Look at him, Kit. The guy's hot,” Madison answered her question.

“And a stupid jock,” I added irritably.

“I know that you hate jocks, but Nick is F-I-N-E! Look at the package between his legs. It looks like the perfect Christmas present to me.”

“I agree with John. He's a jock and a huge dick.”

“Yeah, I bet he is,” Madison smirked. Kitty and I rolled our eyes to the back of our heads. Madison was something else. “Don't get me wrong, Johnny Boy, all jocks are assholes, but this one is fine.”

“Why don't you say that in front of his girlfriend then?”

“Are they still dating?” Kitty asked us.

“Yes, they are, that lucky b***h,” Madison replied.

Everyone knew that Allison and Nick were a couple. They were crazy for each other, or so it seemed. Allison was the head cheerleader and last year's student body vice-president. Nick was, not surprisingly, last year's president. Everyone knew they had won because of their tremendous popularity and extreme wealth. They disgusted me.

“People like Nick and Allison make me sick.”

“Us, too,” Kitty answered with Madison nodding to her statement.

I took a deep breath. I was being unfair to Nick and Allison just because of Matthew and Jacob. “I just hate that I've got to endure two more years of mandatory physical education.”

“Stand up to those stupid pricks, then,” Madison told me. “We don't want them to bully you anymore.”

I agreed with her. I needed to do something, but what could I do? It was my word against the word of two rich kids. I was doomed. That moment, the door opened once more, and Mrs. Carter, our new English teacher, walked in with a huge smile from cheek to cheek on her face. She quickly introduced herself, putting an end to our conversation and my conflicting thoughts.

* * * * *

“John? Can I have a word with you?”

It was Mrs. Carter. Her class had just ended, and everyone was leaving. I turned to Kitty and Madison, who signaled that they'd wait outside. When the door closed behind them, I knew Mrs. Carter and I were all alone. I stood in front of her desk, admiring my old Nike shoes. My heart soon began to pound against my chest, and that stupid knot in my stomach returned. Had I done something wrong? Why did Mrs.

Carter want to speak to me? Suddenly, she cleared her throat, making me look up. Her warm smile calmed my nerves. I hadn't done anything wrong, after all.

I took a deep breath before speaking. “Yes, Mrs. Carter?”

“Well, John, I heard from your last English teacher that you're quite an amazing student. You've maintained a perfect GPA, and you're ahead of all your classmates.”

“I just try to do my best.”

“Precisely. I also know from your school record that you owe a few tuition payments from last year. As you know, this is a private institution, and we can't have a student owing more than three months—”

Oh, my God! There went my education! I had to say something. “Mrs. Carter, my mom is doing her best to keep up with the payments, but the recession—”

“Let me finish.”

“Sorry.” I answered.

“I'm aware of your financial difficulties because I'm the new Financial Affairs consultant. I spoke to your mom this morning and found a solution to your problem.”

Mrs. Carter seemed genuinely excited for me. My first thought was that I was getting a scholarship. I was about to jump and scream out of pure joy, but Mrs. Carter continued.

“I've enrolled you in this year's tutoring program, and you're being assigned to a special student. The student's parents will pay for your monthly school fee, and in return, you'll tutor their son for the entire school year.”

“Why me?” I asked her suddenly, not realizing that it had come out as bark.

“Um…with all due respect, Mrs. Carter, why me?”

“Well, you're the best student in your class, and you do need the financial help. The student's parents want the best for their son, so they graciously agreed to pay for your monthly school fee. It seemed like the perfect solution to your predicament.”

“Oh, I see.”

“Meet me today at quarter to four at the Financial Affairs office to discuss this issue in more detail.”

“Yes, Mrs. Carter, and thank you!”

“You don't have to thank me. You're a great kid, and it would be a shame for you not to reach your full potential and graduate next year,” Mrs. Carter picked up her briefcase. “Remember, three forty-five.”

I nodded happily and ran out of the room. Thanks to Mrs. Carter, my troubles with late payments were over. Outside, Kitty and Madison greeted me. They stared at me for a few seconds until Kitty spoke up. “What happened? What did she want?”

“She wanted to talk to me about…school and this upcoming year.” I've got no idea why I lied to them. Maybe I didn't want to tell them that my mom was late with payments again or that I was a new charity case for some rich folks. It was already humiliating enough to wear ragged clothes and get bullied for being poor. “Can we get to class?”

“Okay, Johnny Boy,” Kitty answered with her eyes on Madison.

* * * * *

“I hate this food,” Madison complained, poking at the rice biscuits. “Did you know they feed this to starving children in Africa?”

“I don't mind the food,” I remarked, taking several of them. The food was free, so I filled my plate with everything. “I actually love them!”

“Whatever. Can I have milk?” Madison asked the cafeteria worker, who rolled her eyes at her. The woman faked a smile and slapped it on her tray. I, on the other hand, asked for three.

“Come on! You two take forever.” Kitty shouted. When we reached her side, we walked to the back of the cafeteria where our table was located. It was the best seat in the room because it had a clear view of all the other tables. We could easily blend into the background without being noticed by anyone. We sat down, facing the other students, and as always, I sat in the middle. I was starving, so I began to devour my food.

“We can't even get chocolate milk!” Madison stabbed the carton of milk with her straw. “And these rice biscuits taste like s**t, you know.”

“Madison, will you shut up and eat?” Kitty pleaded, taking a bite of her rice biscuit, which she immediately spat out. “God, Madison! You're right, this does taste like shit.”

I had already finished my biscuits, so Kitty and Madison generously donated theirs to me. We continued to eat our lunch until Madison spoke up. “Are you going to tell us what you discussed with Mrs. Carter or what?”

“It's nothing.” I poked a grape with my fork.

“Come on, Johnny Boy. You can tell us anything. We're your friends, and we love you,” Kitty told me.

I sighed, turning to her with teary eyes. “My mom is late with the tuition payments again.”

“Oh, Johnny Boy,” Kitty cooed, hugging me. Madison gently rubbed my back. “You know you could always count on me for help.”

“And me,” Madison added. She pressed her head on my back while Kitty squeezed me tight. “But you're so stubborn! Why do you refuse our help?”

I pulled away from Kitty's warm embrace. “I can't take anything more from you guys. I don't even know how to repay you for the clothing and shoes you guys bought me last year. I need to maintain my dignity. It's a guy thing.”

“John, I'd love to help pay your school fees if you'd let me,” Madison wiped my tears from my cheeks. “You deserve that and more. You help us with our homework, and we value your friendship more than all the money in the world.”

“And you're the sweetest kid ever,” Kitty tousled my short brown hair.

“And cute,” Madison added.

“Thanks, guys.” I knew I could count on them no matter what and trust them with anything. I was just being foolish as always. I decided to come clean with them. “Mrs.

Carter enrolled me in this year's tutoring program. She wants me to tutor a special student. In return, his parents will pay for my monthly school fee.”

“Special? Like retarded, or what? Who?” Kitty asked me.

“I don't know. I've got to meet her today after school.”

“And you said yes?” Madison questioned.

“I don't have a choice.”

“That's a great deal, John. You tutor a dumb rich kid and continue to study at Elite High.”

“Well said, Madison. You should be happy.” Kitty chipped in.

“I know, but I feel like a charity case.”

“Don't ever say that, John. You're getting paid for your services. Besides, it must be an extremely rich family who wants to invest in you because they know your worth.”

“Kitty is right.” Madison smiled. “And what if he's a sexy little stud? You'd better take a naked picture of him for me.”

“You slut!” Kitty laughed.

“I know, but you guys love me anyway, right?”

“Yes, we do!” Kitty and I shouted, hugging her in the process.

* * * * *

It was nerve-wracking to say the least. I sat in Mrs. Carter's office and kept glancing at the time. It was four-thirty, and my tutee should have been there at four o'clock so we could arrange a timetable at his convenience. Strangely, she'd always referred to him as simply 'him.' She'd never told me his name, and I was too embarrassed to ask her for it.

Maybe she'd wanted to keep the suspense in the air by leaving me guessing as to who the mysterious teen was. I simply sat and waited for him to show up. When the door finally opened, Mrs. Carter stood up to greet him. I didn't even need to look back because I immediately recognized his voice. My heart twisted into a knot. I spoke to God instead. “Please, don't let it be him.”

But Mrs. Carter soon invaded my thoughts. “John? This is your tutee.”

I stood up, but I kept staring at my old shoes. I couldn't bring myself to look him in the eyes because the girls and I always talked s**t about him.

“I'm so sorry that I'm late, but I had practice.” He stretched out his hand in front of me. I grabbed it and gently shook it. “Nicholas Anthony Hawking.”

“John Henry Ames.” I managed to answer.

“Hey! I know you from somewhere.” Nick declared, curiously inspecting my face.

“We've been in the same classes for the last two years.”

He turned a bit red. “Oh! I'm sorry. I'm just really dumb sometimes.”

“Okay, then. I'll leave you two alone.” Mrs. Carter ran through the door. I guessed she was late for something else. An awkward silence crept into the room. Nick examined the small office while I did my best not to stare at him again. I literally wanted to die on the spot because I still could hear Madison's s****l comments about him inside my ears. I had no idea why I had agreed to tutor him in the first place. If I had known it was Nick, I wouldn't be standing like i***t in front of him.

Nick's voice startled me. “I'm really sorry. I didn't mean to be rude or obnoxious by not knowing your name. I'm a huge d**k sometimes.”

Yeah, that's what Kitty says. Whoa, Nelly! You actually know the meaning of obnoxious! “It's okay…apology accepted.”

“Okay then, can we sit?” Nick suggested with a smile. I immediately sat down. My reaction made him chuckle. “I guess I didn't have to say that twice.”

“Sorry.”

“You don't need to apologize.” Nick sat down beside me. To be honest, I was freaking out, and I had no idea why. It was probably because he was too close to me and I could feel his body heat. Damn! He smelled so good. I realized then why Madison wanted him. No! I had to snap back to reality. Nick was the king of the jocks and my number one enemy. “Are you okay?”

Shit! Nick was waving his hand in front of my face. I managed to answer him.

“Yes.”

“Good, 'cause I asked for your time schedule.”

“Right now.” I quickly searched my schoolbag and found it inside my lab book.

“Here it is.” I handed him the piece of paper with shaky hands. Nick smiled while he examined me.

“Thanks. You're a really quiet little guy. Why are you so nervous?”

“I'm not.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes.” I took a deep breath. “It's just that…”

“Just what?”

I took another deep breath before speaking again. “I never thought that you'd be my tutee.”

Nick smiled and continued examining my schedule. I sat staring at him, but he kept glancing at me every now and then. Each time he did that, I lowered my head or looked away. I could clearly see him smiling at my innocent reaction. I started cracking my fingers because I was so nervous. Why was he staring at me like that? Was I a joke to him? After he finished, he turned to me. “I see. We could meet every day after four-thirty except on game nights. Is five okay with you?”

I nodded. “Sure.”

“Cool,” Nick handed me back my schedule and stood up. “I guess I'll see you tomorrow then.”

“Yes. See ya!” I bolted through the door without looking back. I was so happy to get away from him because that silly jock made me nervous. I needed to get home and fast.

As I ran down the hallway, I glanced back at Mrs. Carter's office to see if Nick was behind. All of a sudden, I felt like I'd hit a rock wall and was instantly hurled backward.

I looked up when my ass hit the floor. My heart stopped. It was Matthew, and Jacob was standing beside him.

Matthew stared down at me like a raging bull on the loose. He stepped toward me in a very threatening manner. “Why the f**k did you hit me for?” I had to get away from them and fast. I crawled down the hallway, but Matthew grabbed my legs and spun me around. With a single tug, he pulled me under his feet. I was scared now.

Matthew looked deranged. He bent down and grabbed me by the collar of my shirt, lifting me into the air and slamming me into a nearby wall. A malicious smile developed on his face. “I'm going to f*****g kill you, you little piece of shit.”

“Let's f**k him up, Matt,” Jacob suggested with a mischievous smile. “I bet a homo like him would love to get f****d by two jocks. We can f**k him in the locker room, and no one will hear a thing.”

My heart dropped to the bottom of my stomach, rendering me sick. I couldn't believe what Jacob suggested. They had always made s****l comments, but never that filthy or nasty. Matthew's smile grew as Jacob's idea settled in.

“Please—”

“Shut the f**k up, you little fag!” Matthew slammed me against the wall again.

“Put him the f**k down!”

It was Nick; he stood a few feet away from us. I immediately thanked God because his presence guaranteed my safety from Matthew and Jacob. Anyone's presence, as a matter of fact. That was also the first time that I'd seen him angry. I re-thanked God for the fact that he was not looking at me that way. Matthew glanced at him and dropped me on the floor. My two tormentors took a few steps back. They looked like they had just seen the Ghost of Christmas Past. I had never seen such fear on their faces before.

And for a moment, I experienced the feeling they must have gotten whenever they tormented me. I loved that look on them.

Matthew tried to explain. “Sorry Nick…we…we were just playing around, you know.”

“Two against one? That's one f*****g unfair fight. Why don't you two stand up to me like that?” Nick stepped forward.

“No man, we don't want any beef with you,” Jacob told him.

“Sink this into your heads. You f**k with him, you f**k with me. Understood?”

“Yeah, Nick. Sorry, man.” Matthew told him as they ran down the hallway.

I laughed. Nick scared them off like a bunch of little girls. While I stared at them, I didn't realize when Nick reached my side and squatted in front of me. I turned to the man who just saved my life. On pure impulse, I hugged him. I felt his warm body against me, his protective embrace, and his masculine but gentle hug. After I came to my senses, I quickly pushed him away. Nick laughed at my reaction.

“Sorry, Nick.”

“It's okay. They really scared you.” Nick stood up. He stretched out his hand and helped me to my feet. “Now, listen to me. If those two ever give you s**t again, you tell me. I'll deal with them. Understood?”

I nodded trying my best not to jump into his arms again. “Sure, Nick.”

“Good. Come here,” Nick placed his left arm over my shoulders, pulling me into him. “I'll take you home.”

We walked outside, and yes, I was freaking out. I had never been so close to anyone like that before, I mean, besides my mom and my two best friends of course. It's just that I had never been so close to another guy before in my life. I loved the security that his tight embrace offered me, and for the first time in my life, I felt protected. That was the one thing that I wanted most in the world. Protection.

Nick took me to his new Shelby Mustang. It seemed like every year he had a new car, but always a Mustang. Nick loved Mustangs. Mustangs, sports, and girls were among his favorite things in the world. And s*x. Yes, Nick loved hot, wild, animalistic s*x. How did I know that? Ask anyone in Elite High. We all knew Nick's life, or at least, we thought we knew.

I quietly sat on the passenger seat and studied him while he drove me home. Nick was born to look cool and be cool. His aviator sunglasses gave him a cockiness that I envied. And his clothing made him hot and unique. I wanted to be him. After a short stop at Baskin-Robbins, he dropped me at my house. My home, compared to Nick's luxurious mansion, was a dog kennel. His tree house was probably bigger than my residence. He quietly stared at me from the comfort of his car. “Meet me tomorrow at the library. I was going to tell you that, but you dashed out the door. Do you play any sports? You're built for speed, kid.”

My face got red while I smiled nervously. “No, I don't. Thanks for the ride home and for the ice cream.”

“No problem. See you, kiddo.”

Nick started his car and sped away. I stood there, watching Nick drive down the street for a couple of seconds. He was the opposite of what I had originally thought. I'd imagined him to be an egocentric jock who couldn't care less about me or anyone else around him. That day, Nick proved to me otherwise. He was not selfish or mean with others like Matthew and Jacob. He was Nick Wild Hawk: the hero, the lover, the friend, and athlete extraordinaire. I could go on and on, but I'd seen a side of him I had never seen before. I'd seen his compassionate side. I turned around and walked back into my life. For a few seconds, I had been inside his world, but now, I had to face my own reality.

I stepped into my pitch-black house and tried to turn on the light, but the bulb was burnt out. I walked into the kitchen and headed straight for the refrigerator. It was empty as usual. I honestly did not know why I bothered to check each time I got home.

I guess I always wanted to find something inside. On top of the kitchen counter, I found a few stale bagels and a jar of jam (or in other words, my dinner for the night). I walked into my room and locked the door behind me, and then plopped on top of my bed and observed my almost empty room. At least I had a bed, a closet, and a small black and white television, although cable was off-limits. I did have a thin wire that I would attach to the window from my television set in order to get a faint signal. With that technological innovation, I managed to get a few local channels. It was better than nothing, I always said.

Like every night, I began to remember my day, my s****l tormentors, my friends, and Nick. My heart pounded at the thought of Nick standing in front of me. He was perfect and completely out of reach. Nick would never see me as anything more than his shy tutor. He deserved better, much better. With these and many more thoughts, I dozed off into a deep sleep.