Summary: Hmmm? Oh. OH! I… didn’t expect any of you to be back this way if I’m quite candid. Feels like forever since we last touched upon this tale, doesn’t it? I apologize if I can’t put an exact timeframe for how long it has been. Time flows differently for me than it does for you, my friends. But rest assured, you have been greatly missed. Now, then, I believe a small recap is in order: Last we left off, Anon and Nasera picked up their… sibling… Fang, from their house. They then drove to a nearby fast-food place. On the way, Anon and Fang had a bit of a back-and-forth, a conversation that resulted in the two clashing heads more than usual. But the two ultimately came to an agreement helped by consuming a hearty breakfast. With that, the trio arrived at school without further incident, and Fang went on their merry way, leaving Anon and Nasera to have a small conversation. As Anon left Nasera to attend his classes, he suddenly felt the pull of an old memory cover over him. A memory from his very first day at Volcano High. This is that memory. The memory of the day Anon met what would soon become the two most important people in his life… I feel cold this morning. I’ve never been this close to the shore before. I’m not at all used to the heavy marine layer. It makes the journey to school that much harder, with the thick fog that I’d need a knife to cut through it obscuring my view. Getting to school would have been easier if I could take a school bus. That way, I wouldn’t have to walk almost SIX MILES to get to school! Unfortunately, I didn’t have such a luxury available here in Volcaldera, what with my new apartment being smack-dabbed in the middle of Skin Row, possibly THE WORST place to live in all of Volcaldera Bluffs… … Well, crap. At least I only have to survive six more months, and then I’m off to do… whatever the fuck else I can do with a school diploma. If I’m being honest with myself, though, I’ll probably wind up having to join the army or something. Just my fucking luck… Still, spending those last six months here is better than back in Rock Bottom. Can’t even imagine how I’d ride out those last months after what happened back there… No. Don’t think about it. Relieving the grief isn’t worth it. Just gotta ride out these next six months without drawing any attention to myself, and I’ll never have to worry about school ever again. … Oh, right, still have to worry about my father’s ultimatum. I can already hear his voice booming in the back of my head… …Once you graduate, you either go to college or the military. I don’t care which, but you’re not returning home… Yeah… like I’d ever want to return home after those idiots at school ruined my life. What would I even be going back to? Ridicule? I’m a pariah in every aspect imaginable. The worst part is that my ‘friends’ all turned their back on me when it happened, too. Some friends they turned out to be… I look down at my phone and open up my contact list. After I cleared everyone who abandoned me, the only name left on my list was Stegostar. I considered sending her a message for a second informing her of my current predicament, but in the end, I decided against it. Not like she can do much except give me some pity. She lives in Nippon, an entire ocean AND continent away. Not like she’s going to drop everything she’s doing and hug me, even if she constantly claims she’ll do just that whenever I post that I’m feeling down. Heart emojis only get one so far in life… I let out a bitter laugh. Even my only friend left can’t do anything to comfort me… Fate must hate my guts… While I still have my phone out, I should do something to pass some of the time before school officially starts. I open my web browser and realize I still have a link to one of the Mongolian throat-singing newsletters I follow. I scroll past dozens of replies and posts before finding a particularly suspect posting. I stopped to consider what to do with that post. I could make a usual comment about how the original poster was too young to browse the newsletter, but that would make me look like the prude one. Instead, I should bait the underage poster into revealing his lack of years. Yeah, that would be funny and generate some quality memes, too. But by the time I set my plan into motion, the thread 404’s right before I can post my quality bait. Figures that even my only source of fun would be ruined by my horrendous luck… With a defeated sigh, I put away my phone and instead prepared myself for the trek up the stairs. It was better to get on school grounds than to stay out here in the cold street. I had nothing else to be doing anyway. I was tempted to stay around longer and wait out the fog. That way, I’d be able to see the school’s surroundings. After all, I had never been this close to the shoreline before. I bet you could see way out into the ocean from the school’s rooftop. It’s weird thinking about the fact that I’m a human in a dinosaur town. My dad told me the day he dropped me off in Skin Row that I should watch myself around all the saurians. Back then, I hadn’t given his words much, but the trek from home to school today had more or less confirmed the meaning of his words. Except for Skin Row, Volcaldera seemed to be a town of dinos, FOR dinos. Not that it matters to me. I’m only going to stick around town for the next six months. A year at most. It was just graduate and get the fuck out of town. ‘ And then… go anywhere except Rock Bottom… ’ I find myself whispering. As I continue my approach toward Volcano High, I can’t help but notice just how eerie the fog makes the building seem. “Looks like the perfect setting for a horror game or a Doom WAD…” I can’t help but snicker at my comment. Still, I check my surroundings to ensure no one else heard it. I'm pretty sure the comment would raise some serious red flags about me. Not that I need any help as is, considering the kinds of shit I do for fun. I rechecked my phone for the time. It tells me that I’m STILL thirty minutes early. “Great,” I groan, stuffing my phone back into my pocket. As I do, I finally notice that the stairs leading up to the school aren’t nearly as empty as I thought. There are dino students of every kind of color and species everywhere. And just as expected, there isn’t a single human to be seen anywhere. ‘Damn. Never thought I’d be the freakshow in a place full of cereal mascots,’ I think before smiling to myself. ‘ Taking acid wouldn’t nearly be as colorful as going to Volcano High. I should write that one down. ’ I take out my phone and type down my idea before stuffing the phone back in my pocket and looking around some more. As I do, I can’t help but notice the many small cliques that commonly form among teenagers in a high school setting. I’m tempted to walk up to one of those cliques for just a second to introduce myself. But just as quickly as that thought materializes, I shove it right out of my mind with a scoff. ‘ Yeah right, ’ I think as I will myself to keep moving. ‘ I’ll never be a part of any of those cliques, so why bother…? ’ Just as I finish that thought, my eyes fall on a figure that seemed to be just as much a stranger as I was, unlike all the other multi-colored dinos surrounding me. The female ptero is on the fairly tall and slim side. She sports tight black jeans ripped in various spots, a black tank top that only covers her upper chest and breasts, a choker, and what looks like a spiked headband donned around the crest of her head. She looks so… different compared to her company, a purple triceratops in a yellow hoodie and a pair of gopnik joggers, and a pink, very fluffy-looking raptor in a ripped black shirt emblazoned with a ‘warped tour’ logo. ‘ Geez. Talk about wanting to stand out. I never thought it was possible to look like you were from a black and white cartoon from the twenties, ’ I find myself thinking as I observe more of the monochromatic ptero. Just when I start gawking at her, she turns her head to look at me. As soon as her eyes meet mine, her expression turns into one of INTENSE judgemental contempt, almost as if she was looking at literal walking garbage barely worth her attention. I had seen those judgemental eyes before… and I hated everything about them… I glance to the side and pretend I’m looking at this one chick in glasses typing away on her laptop while another gray chick snoozes away without worry. As I do, I wonder if that monochromatic weirdo had ever seen a human in real life. It honestly wouldn’t surprise me if she hadn’t. Judging by what he’d seen of Volcaldera so far, humans were likely a super minority that could be counted in the hundreds in a city of tens of thousands. That fact alone made my head spin since Rock Bottom was the inverse, and I had only ever seen a dozen or so dinos in my entire life. ‘Guess it has to do with where you live,” I think as I slowly return my gaze to the ptero. It turns out it's a bad call since she still looks at me with what I can only describe as a desire to get into a fistfight. That glare… Fuck man. Anyone who glared at me like that has almost always been an asshole best avoided. ‘ Yeah… I can tell that bitch is seizing me up. ’ I think to myself as I feel my brows crumpling. ‘ Like I’M the anomaly here! She’s probably just as dumb and insufferable as the rest of them. She’s probably no better than I am, miss ‘my snout can land a fuckin’ plane on it!’ ’ At that moment, I wish the bitch would turn back to talk to her friends. Much to my shock, the ptero does precisely that, almost as if she reached the limit of her attention and finally decided I wasn’t worth wasting time and brainpower. With heavy arms and weak-feeling knees, I decide I’m done being the center of unwanted attention for the day. So I give everyone the metaphorical finger and retreat towards the grass first before walking to the side and around the building. There, I find what can be best called an alcove. The pavement’s cracked, and there are overgrown shrubs everywhere. Even a nearby bench, barely holding together after what must have been years of neglect, matched the ‘abandoned’ vibe. It’s a shitty place to hang out until school starts, but it’s away from the eyes of all the multicolored saurians, which is exactly what I need right now. I plopped my ass on the old bench, glad to finally find a place to lay and get some much-needed rest for my legs. But I hear a faint creak from the wood the moment I do. It makes my heart stop for just a second, and I almost jump off just to make sure I don’t wind up with an ass full of splinters, but much to my relief, nothing happens. I take a deep breath and put a hand on my chest. “Holy hell, why am I flipping my shit so easily? Am I getting sick?” I ask myself as I let the full gravity of my situation sink in. “Six months at this new school… A year on my own in some rundown apartment in a town I know nothing about… all on my own…” I put my head on my hands and shut my eyes, finally allowing myself to be introspective. “Three weeks,” I mumble. “It took a day for me to decide to transfer schools and three weeks for it to happen…” I think back to the second part of my father’s ultimatum… ‘Lease is only good for a year. Not one more day after…’ I think of some way to try and get out of my predicament, but I draw complete blanks at every possible thought. It wasn’t like I was good at anything, and not like I had plans for the future aside from staying as far away as possible from society. It was starting to look like I either got the best grades of my life and won some kind of scholarship, or I’d need to get started on getting fit for the military. ‘ Fuck my life. Seriously, fuck it… ’ I think to tune out the environment around me… “Would you happen to be Anon?” A sickeningly sweet voice suddenly snaps me out of my thoughts I practically jump out of my seat from the surprise and look up at the source of the voice. I, unfortunately, don’t get much of a chance to take in the faces of the people talking to me as the bench decides at that very second to give up the ghost and shatter underneath my ass. I let out a pathetic yelp as I hit the pavement like a sack of bricks, my ass hitting a mixture of jagged concrete and splintered wood. I almost curse out loud, but I somehow hold my tongue long enough for the pain to dissipate. As I do, I thank my jeans for keeping my frail and soft buttcheeks from getting skewered by soggy splinters. “Oh my goodness! Are you okay?” the owner of the voice who had startled me so much asks. She’s some kind of gaudy pink parasaurolophus, and her companion looks like a light brown or gray ptero with… some kind of fucked-up wing…? “Never… Better,” I groan. ‘ Better activate my social mode now, ’ I quickly think, shifting gears and applying as much of a ‘cool chill dude’ persona that I knew how to fake. “Nasera!” the other dino snaps her fingers at her partner before pointing at Anon. “Would you kindly help our human friend up?” “Oh, right!” the other girl—Nasera if the first dino to be believed—exclaims as she extends a hand towards me. I grab onto the hand and use it to stand, but this Nasera’s pull is a bit too strong, and I wind up falling right onto her arms, at which point she instinctively wraps me in an embrace to keep me from toppling over again. At that moment, our eyes meet, and the sight of the girl utterly blows me away before me… She is sporting lush black hair styled so that most of it is short, except for one side that hangs long and low to her head. She’s dressed somewhat moderately, with a white shirt and a pair of crimson pants that are tight enough to accentuate her amazingly curvy hips, and she sports a pair of red Airforces with the word ‘Kanye’ written on them. The ptero’s fly sense of style isn’t her most striking feature. That honor goes to her amber eyes, which are fierce, striking, strong yet gentle as if they held an almost infinite capacity for compassion. As I gaze upon those glowing orbs of fire, I feel a warmth filling my being unlike any I have ever experienced in his life. It makes my heart race, and a few droplets of sweat form on my forehead… My god… this chick is… mind-blowingly HOT… As if realizing how awkwardly close she was to me, Nasera stepped back while giving me a warm smile. “You’re Anon, yes?” she asks me in a suave, professional tone. “Uh… sup?” I ask Nasera, unsure how to introduce himself to the striking ptero before me. “I-I mean, yes. Anon. I’m Anon,” I stumble out an answer to try and save face. “I’m so glad we found you!” the other dino adds when her partner’s words end. “We were worried you still hadn’t come to school yet, but thanks to everyone pointing the way, we found you without any issue!” ‘ Of course, all those other guys would tell them where I went… ’ I found myself thinking. I mentally note to find ways to make myself less obvious in crowds. Maybe wear a dino mask and slippers or something to obfuscate the fact that I’m a human… Still unsure what to make of the situation now playing before me, I shake whatever thoughts I had knocking around my chrome dome and instead focus on a question I should’ve asked a minute earlier. “Who are you two? How do you know my name?” “Oh, where are my manners!” The parasaurolophus, whose voice is so sweet I swear it’s already causing me diabetes, pipes up as its owner takes a step closer. “My name is Naomi, student council president and part of your welcoming committee!” This Naomi chick is… Pink. Violently pink. So pink that I briefly wonder how natural selection had allowed such coloration to come about in the first place. It doesn’t help matters that her short blonde hair is almost complementary to her body tone. Further adding to my growing discomfort is the dino’s outfit, which practically screams ‘Karen’: a white short-sleeved shirt with—what else—a pink ribbon, a pair of tight purple knee-long jeans, some brown slippers, and a pair of pink-rimmed glasses. “It’s my sincerest pleasure to make your acquaintance, Anon!” Naomi continues with a broad, almost comically exaggerated smile, which snaps me out of my musings. “We’re your welcome committee,” The ptero, whose name I now know as Nasera, adds with a smile. One far more reserved than Naomi’s. As a result, she comes off as far more genuine. That only makes my heart race all the faster, though… “O-oh. Okay,” I reply, unsure how to feel about the situation unfolding before me. Am I supposed to be feeling flattered? Smothered? Am I worthy of a welcoming of any kind? Last I checked, I wasn’t that important a person. From the looks of things, it looked like I was the only human attending school, but did that make me worthy of a welcoming committee? It’s weird… being welcomed at all. I’m usually kicked around and told not to look like an idiot. “Here!” Naomi suddenly announces as she reaches for a small side bag hung on her side and pulls out what looks like a brochure. “I got this prepared just for you!” she adds as she hands me the folded paper. ‘ Volcano High and you! A new beginning to adulthood! ’ I read the big, bold letters in my thoughts. The title on the brochure alone almost makes me want to gag. I glance up from the brochure and notice Naomi staring at me expectantly. She wants to go over the information and hear my thoughts on it. I sighed inwardly and opened the rest of the brochure, diving deep into whatever information Naomi and Nasera wanted me to absorb. … About two minutes later, I finish my cursory look over the paper and look up to Naomi and Nasera. Frankly, I didn’t know what to get out of it. The paper was full of all the usual trivialities and corporate spiels about the school’s goals and what sorts of curriculums I could expect to encounter over my next six months. On top of the regular school talk, there was also an entire section about college prep, financial assistance, and school programs. ‘ None of this really matters to me, ’ I think as I finish reading the last few sentences on the brochure. I close the pamphlet and glance back up to face Naomi and Nasera, getting nice and ready to give the two of them my carefully constructed and hopefully diplomatic refusal of their and the school’s services, when I notice that Naomi is on her phone and looking like she had just taken a bite out of a lemon without taking off the peel. “Sorry to be a bother, Nasera, but something came back in the office right now. Have to go sort it out before it becomes a full-on fire,” the pink parasaurolophus says to her partner. “O-oh?” Nasera replies, her expression going from suave and confident to suddenly confused. “Will you be gone long?” “Unfortunately, yes,” Naomi replies, all the while doing her best not to appear as she’d rather be elsewhere than wherever she was being summoned to. “Would you be an absolute dear and finish giving Anon here the tour of our campus?” “You got it, Naomi,” Nasera says as she looks at me with a look that does not betray whatever thoughts she had going through her mind. Instead, she only gave me a warm, welcoming smile. “Thank you so much, Nasera. I will see you at lunch,” Naomi says in a rushed tone as she pockets her phone, gives me a quick nod of acknowledgment, and takes off back towards the school building at a power-walk pace. …Maybe it was my mind playing tricks on me, but I swear I can see Naomi’s expression turn downright acidic as she mouths off various curses under her breath… Nasera sighs and clears her throat, drawing my attention fully back to her. “So,” she continues, her expression still as welcoming as it’s been this entire time. “How about I show you around the campus grounds? Wouldn’t want you getting lost on your first day.” I give it a bit of thought, and while the idea of an escort doesn’t quite strike my fancy, I can’t deny that it would be handy to know the school layout to minimize potentially embarrassing situations where I walk into the wrong classroom, or somewhere that would be… very compromising… … Also, taking the tour meant I’d spend more time with Nasera… I give my head a very light shake and tell myself to stop thinking with my dick. Yes, she’s drop-dead gorgeous and has been the kindest person I’ve interacted with in what feels like my entire life, but she probably has a boyfriend and thinks I’m nothing but some loser human she’s being forced to interact with. Why, she’s probably counting down the seconds to the moment when she can shake me off and return to her everyday life of popularity and success, at which point she’ll become just like everyone else in my life and will pretend I never even existed in the first place… …Just as it should be… “Sounds… like a plan,” I answer, forcing a smile onto my lips. Nasera motions for me to follow her. I grab my stuff and fall behind her, doing my best not to stare too much at her perfect hip and ass combination. ‘ Stop being horny! ’ I scold myself as I instead focus on my ever-shifting surroundings. It’s only when I start to pay attention around me that the ptero isn’t leading me back to the school’s main entrance, but rather through a side entrance away from the big crowds. It isn’t long before we are standing inside the school. At this point, I’m struck by how stereotypically school-like it all looks. Shocking, I know. Some things toss me for a loop, such as all the overgrown foliage on top of the lockers and the ceiling. Aside from that, the usual school posters and classrooms filled the rest of the space, all typical enough for me not to pay them too much mind. A few students were milling about their lockers and talking with their cliques. Still, unlike earlier on the stairs when I had been the absolute point of nearly everyone’s interest, these students were more or less minding their own business. I guess the fact that I had Nasera standing next to me as an escort confirmed to them that I was just another student, species notwithstanding. “So this is the main hallway,” Nasera suddenly starts, snapping me out of my ponderings. “The entire school is essentially structured around it. Further down, it’ll split into a cross-section leading to the east and west wings, which lead to stairs going to the second and third floors.” I nod in reply, unsure if there is anything else I can add to the conversation. Nasera’s instructions are pretty straightforward. I could make some kind of remark or make a witty jab at all the plants, but I decide it’s best to keep my mouth shut or risk spilling spaghetti all over the place. “Hey, Anon, may I look at your class schedule?” Nasera asks me out of the blue “Uh… sure?” I answer, reaching for my backpack, sifting through my few papers, and finding the school schedule I printed out on the way to school this morning. I give the slightly crumpled paper over to Nasera, who takes it gingerly and begins to sift through its contents. “Oh hey, looks like we share the same homeroom,” Nasera announces as she hands me back my schedule while smiling warmly. “That means we get to spend a bit more time together.” The words cause me to pause for a moment. I find it hard to believe that fate would have it so that Nasera and I would keep interacting further because she didn’t sound horrified by the prospect. On the contrary, she almost sounded… excited? Not that I was about to complain, honestly. For reasons I couldn’t yet really understand, being around Nasera made me feel… tranquil? Safe? Welcomed? I honestly didn’t know… “Class’ going to start soon. Let me show you where Mr. Tsuki’s class is. Follow me,” Nasera says as she starts down the hall, prompting me to keep pace with her as best as possible. I catch up to her, and we start walking side by side. “So, Anon… why did you transfer to our fine school?” Nasera suddenly asks me, causing me to slow my walking down a bit. It’s an innocent question, but it catches me off guard completely. I freeze like a deer caught in headlights, scrambling to find a plausible answer. ANY plausible answer. “Uh… I… well…” I start, fumbling with my words as I desperately think of some way to bullshit out of Nasera’s question. Before I can make a further fool of myself, Nasera stops and looks me in the eye. “Sorry if that… was out of line. You don’t have to answer if you don’t want to.” I start to feel beads of sweat form on my forehead. In a desperate attempt to turn the conversation away from this very uncomfortable subject, I once more reach for the Volcano High pamphlet and bring it to Nasera’s attention. “Uh, say, I had a question that I didn’t get a chance to ask Naomi, and maybe you can give me a proper answer,” I practically blurt out without giving it much thought other than it serving to divert the conversation to another topic. Nasera blinks a few times but seems to take the hint as she takes a step closer, all the while once again smiling warmly and tenderly. “Sure. What do you need clarifying?” I point to a section on the brochure discussing the school’s food options. “Says here that you guys have… a lot of food choices. Herbivore meals, vegan options, tofu and… stuff…” The closer I read about the food options, the more I realized something that I hadn’t considered… How was I going to afford any of the meal options here? “Oh, if you’re worried about a diet fit for cavemen and such, we have a wide variety of meat meals, including Filet Mignon and steak, which can be prepared from well done to raw!” …Not my point, honestly… “Uh… yeah, about that…” I start before letting out a defeated sigh. Best to just rip the bandaid out. “Is there, like, a soup kitchen or something around here?” Nasera once more blinks, almost as if it takes her brain a few seconds longer than the norm to process what I had just said. Suddenly, the meaning of my question seems to dawn on her as her eyes widen, and she brings a hand up to cover her mouth. “Oh. Oh! Oh my. Anon… are you…” “Yeah, I’m… kinda poor,” I say, finishing Nasera’s words all the while rubbing the back of my neck. “How poor?” Nasera asks with far more interest than I expected. “Uh… I uh…” I start but sigh and stuff my hands into my pocket. “I can figure things out on my own, don’t worry too much about it.” “Well, you’re in luck, Anon. Our school has a program designed to help its less fortunate students!” Nasera exclaims with far more cheer than I was expecting. “Before we go to class, let’s go see the principal. He’s great, AND he’s also a human too. At least, I think…” A human principal, you say? That’s certainly interesting… Still, the last thing I wanted to do was ask for handouts, especially when I wasn’t planning to stay around town longer than necessary. “Actually, I—” Before I can finish my words, Nasera grabs my hand and starts to drag me along… AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA ALERT ALERT DEFCON LEVEL ONE! DEFCON LEVEL ONE! FEMALE MAKING PHYSICAL CONTACT DO NOT PANIC GET A GRIP ON THE SITUATION! THIS IS NASERA, MY SCHOOL GUIDE SHE’S ONLY TAKING ME SOMEWHERE BY THE HAND, HAND, HAND, HAND... … …Okay, okay. Just stay silent and don’t make a mess of things. Play it cool, and don’t fucking panic… … …Wow. Her hand… It’s so soft, smooth, and surprisingly warm for scales. Day one at Volcano High, and I’ve already fallen to such depraved lows as handholding. How lewd… Nasera continues leading me down the halls and past more students. A few stop to look at me, probably wondering how such a plain human like myself managed to score what likely has to be the hottest girl in school. Or maybe they’re just wondering why I am in their school in the first place. Either way, I pay them no mind and instead focus on memorizing the school layout. That way, if I ever have to pay the principal a visit, I’ll know where his office is without having to be guided literally by the hand there. A few more turns, and we finally arrive at an area that’s relatively close to the front of the school. What, no doubt, is the administrative wing of the campus. Before me is a massive door with the big, bold words ‘principal’ emblazoned on a golden plaque. “Here we are Anon! Principal Spear’s office!” Nasera chirps, all the while still holding onto my hand. “He should be able to help with your monetary situation.” Nasera finally lets go of my hand and approaches the door, knocking on it three times before a loud booming voice erupts from the other side. “State your business!” “This is Nasera, sir. I have a new student here who needs financial aid.” “Lend him ten bucks!” Nasera rolls her eyes, but the smile on her lips doesn’t falter one bit. “I think he means the school’s lend program, sir.” “Tell him to come back later! I’m dealing with another student at the moment!” the principal shouts back to Nasera. Less than a second later, another voice erupts from the office. “THE FUCKING HELL DO YOU MEAN I HAVE TO CLEAN UP AFTER?!” Nasera’s good wing flares slightly as she puts on a scow. “F-fang?” she whispers just loud enough for me to hear before she sighs and shakes her head. “I swear…” Nasera once more turns to face me, her expression quickly changing from her previous displeasure to that same smile she’s had up until now. “Well, guess we’ll get you sorted out later,” she says as she walks away from the door. “For now, why don’t we head over to class? Homeroom should be starting soon.” Right. Homeroom. Where we were going before this minor sidequest turned out to be fruitless. Nasera once more begins heading down the hall, and I quickly move to match pace with her, this time walking beside her to avoid any more impure thoughts based on her still otherworldly hips and ass. I follow Nasera to a classroom on the 2nd floor. By the time we arrived, almost all seats had been taken by other students. I take one near the front, knowing I must introduce myself. I’ll probably be doing that for all my classes. …Fuck my life… BING BONG BING BONG, BING BONG BING BONG! The artificial bell ring blares from the classroom’s speaker on the wall. With it, everyone waits as the teacher finally enters the room and shuts the door. As soon as I look at the teacher, I find myself going wide-eyed with absolute shock. The guy’s wearing a hakama, complete with what looks like a bamboo training sword! “Ohayo gozaimasu curassu. Tudei yu habu e niu curassu-meito tsu Borukeino Hai,” the teacher says in what I can only describe as a mixture of Nipponese and English. One that eerily reminds me of how Stegostar sometimes types her messages to me… “Anon-kun puriizu camu appu zen intorudiusu yooru serfu,” the samurai wannabe teacher says as he looks at me and gestures with his free hand. I looked around with some confusion, not quite sure if the teacher really meant what he had said to me. When my eyes land on Nasera, she gives a very light cough and gives me a very subtle nod. Realizing that was my cue, I stand and face the class. Once again, all eyes fall on me, and the tightness in my chest returns with a vengeance. I inhale deeply, forcing my erratic heart to slow just enough so that I at least don’t have a heart attack on my first day of school. “Hey…” I start, trying to ignore all the stares I was receiving. Again, all those eyes… just like three weeks ago… “So, uh… My name is Anon. I uh…” Try not to let them get to you. Can’t keep remembering what happened back in Rock Bottom. I’m at least a hundred miles away… and no one here knows who I am… “I don’t… have any hobbies in particular…” …Fuck. It’s not working at all. I wanna run and hide away from all those eyes. Anything to avoid those judging stares... “Hello, Anon!” Nasera chirps in, causing me to flinch slightly. “Where did you transfer from? Any particular reason you did?” My throat clenches at Nasera’s question. It’s an innocent question. But I think back again to all the grief that I went through before coming here… and I suddenly feel very sick… “Uh… I…” There are whispers now. Hushed tones, silenced snickers, and small bits of gossip blended with the everpresent stares of at least two dozen saurians. My heart hammers at my chest, and I am sure they can all hear it… “Anon-kun, yuu du natto habu tsu ansaa zattu,” the teacher suddenly interjects, snapping me out of my trance. Only Nasera was looking at me with concern in her eyes. The rest were preoccupied with talking about their winter break or catching up on sleep. They’d all ignored my words so far. They’ve all been ignoring me the entire time… “Puriizu retaano tsu yo shiito, Anon-kun. Hai, nao curassu-” The teacher says while motioning to my seat. I nod in reply and return to my spot while trying to calm my still-beating heart. I probably will have to do this for each class today. Double fuck my life… I glance back toward Nasera, just a bit angry at her bringing up a past I’d much rather forget about. As soon as I do, I notice that she’s looking my way what I can only describe as a guilt-ridden stare. When she notices my gaze, she snaps her eyes to the side, her expression growing more repentant. Whatever anger I felt towards her evaporated as I realized that maybe she was only trying to help me break the ice. Not her fault I’m a complete sperg and can’t do social interactions anymore… … The rest of homeroom flies by quickly, and the moment the bell signals that it’s time to move on to our next period, everyone practically jumps out of their seat and heads out the door. I try to go through the crowd to find Nasera again, but she vanishes in search of other students before I speak to her again. Before I can register it fully, I’m standing all alone in the hallway, feeling like crap for making Nasera feel like crap. Great job, Anon. You fucked it up with another person who could’ve been your friend. I hope the rest of my day goes better than this disaster of a first period… *** *** Somehow, I survived all the other class introductions and their subsequent lessons without making more people hate my guts. Still, I won't lie and say it wasn’t a struggle. Makes me happy that I can’t fuck anything up during lunch. Then again, there’s a first time for everything… As I line up to get my lunch, I get a look at the day’s menu and feel my heart sink to the bottom of my very empty stomach. All the edible stuff is well outside my price range of fucking free, and what is available for nearly free looks like it wouldn’t even be fit to feed a prisoner. I end up settling for the cheapest edible-looking thing on the menu. Some kind of pseudopizza. The kind that becomes a viable weapon if you leave it alone for ten or so minutes. As soon as I have my ‘food’ on hand, I scan the lunchroom for an open seat. I spot one way in the corner, away from almost everyone, when something or someone suddenly taps me on my shoulder, startling me. My plate of pizza-shaped cardboard threatened to smear across my shirt, but I fought the momentum of the tray until the hand that had spun me stabilized it and me. “Anon! Whoa there! Nearly dropped your food!” Nasera remarks as she steps back, giving me room to recover the rest of my footing. “Yeah, whose fault is that?” I absentmindedly reply, not even giving my words any thought, nor to whom I was directing said words. “Uh… yours?” Nasera replies, raising an eyebrow and giving me what almost feels like a pitiful look. I swear to all that is good and holy… “L-listen, Anon,” Nasera starts, again looking at me with the same remorseful look back in Homeroom. “I… wanted to apologize for those questions I asked in Mr. Tsuki’s class. I didn’t think they’d upset you so much…” …And there it is, a topic I’d dread bringing up again… Part of me wants to stamp out any chance of it ever being brought up again, but that would just bring attention to it. Plus, it’s not like it’s a highly taboo subject to anyone but me. Not like anyone can be expected to know or even understand what kind of hell I went through back in Rock Bottom… I let out a sigh and put on as easy a smile as I can on my lips. “It’s fine,” I say to Nasera as I prepare to walk towards the empty table spot I had seen earlier. “It’s just a subject that’s too private for me to share with anyone right now.” Nasera’s eyes widen as she puts a hand over her mouth. “Oh, I didn’t consider that it might be a private matter. I’m sorry for bugging you about it then, Anon.” “Like I said, it’s fine. I’m just not ready to share it with anyone yet. Sorry.” “Oh, no, no, no, no! I’m the one who's sorry!” Nasera exclaims, some of the color on her cheeks draining as if realizing some ghastly implication about her questions. “T-tell you what! Since I was being so thoughtless about your private matters, why don’t I make it up to you by getting you a REAL lunch?” she asks, all the while pointing at my excuse for a pizza. “...I’m pretty sure those things are made of ACTUAL cardboard…” I look down at my rapidly cooling pizza. The closer I stare at it, the more I agree with Nasera’s conclusion. … Fuck it, she’s the one inviting me… “Okay,” I reply, causing Nasera’s expression to brighten up again. Nasera and I begin our trek back to the lunch line. On the way, I look for the nearest trashcan. When I finally do spot one, I make a beeline for it, only to stop when the sound of a massive rumble makes me stop. I look around for the source and hear it again, but this time, I follow it to its source, which so happens to be what looks like a compy dino with… puppets for… hands and a tail? Also, is she wearing a hood with horns on them? “Why the FUCK did I not bring anything to eat today!” she shouts to no one. Or least, what I thought was no one. I’m proven wrong quickly when another voice replies to her quest. One coming from her… puppet? “Because you’re a really CUCKING idiot that doesn’t CUCKING know how to prepare for the CUCKING future!” …What colorful language… I look down at my ‘pizza’ and back to the strange student. Well, I did plan to toss the excuse for a pizza away, but if it can go to someone who might need it more than I do… I walk up to the girl, who, upon noticing me, perks up and grimaces. “Oh look, it’s Anon, transfer student from Rock Bottom and DERAILER of the current timeline. Hope you’re having a better time with this school’s food than I am,” she comments, catching me off-guard. “Derailer? Timeline? Also, h-how did you know that I transferred from Rock Bottom!?” I ask her, already feeling my fight or flight instinct slowly rising into full alertness mode. “Oh… shit. Don’t think I was supposed to…” she trails off, looking at her puppet hands before giving me a very off-putting smile. “Uh… I share one of your classes! Yeah, I’m in your third period! You Probably didn’t see me because—” “BECAUSE you were too busy being a CUCKING scared mess during your introductions!” one of the girl’s puppets chimes in, interrupting… herself? “At any rate!” she says, standing up and snatching the pizza off my hands. “Thank you so much for… donating this fine piece of food to me! I’ll make up this kindness to you. I PROMISE!” She asserts before practically dashing away from the table and into the crowd of other students. Before she vanishes entirely from sight, I swear that her tail puppet gives me the ‘I’m watching you’ gesture with one of its floppy arms… … …I don’t know what’s happening, but I’m just going to pretend that I didn’t just have this conversation with a girl wearing three puppets and a horned hat. I instead tossed out my excuse for a pizza in the nearest bin and didn’t just experience the single weirdest thing in my life… … …Yeah. That’s precisely what happened… So, after tossing my pizza into the trash, I catch up with Nasera again, who looks at me with some confusion. “What took you so long?” “Trashcan was full. Had to find another one,” I reply almost instantly. Because that’s precisely what happened. Yup. Nothing else happened that was strange and terrifying… Nasera raises an eyebrow again but winds up shrugging and pointing to the food on display, all of which looks infinitely more appetizing than the pizza I had picked earlier… as well as infinitely more expensive. How the hell are students supposed to afford these prices? Fuck this whole inflation bullshit… Nasera grabs a pair of meat-packed sandwiches and places them on her tray. She also grabs vegetables and fruit before motioning with her head for me to follow. She then walks up to the cashier and flashes a card, which the dino lady at the register nods at, prompting Nasera to walk past without further interaction. I follow her as she navigates through the crowds of students, leading me to what I assume is her usual table. And who happens to be sitting there already other than that pink parasaur from earlier. Naomi, I believe. “Oh, Anon! I didn’t expect to see you again so soon,” Naomi says in a note that, while not nearly as saccharine as the one with which she had greeted me this morning, was still sugary enough to cause me to recoil in instinctual distrust. “I invited him to come eat with us. You know, really living up to the whole ‘welcoming committee’ thing,” Nasera adds as she takes her seat, which also prompts me to sit right across from her and Naomi. “Right,” Naomi says as she gives me a cheerful look that I can tell is very much fake. “So, how are you enjoying Volcano High so far?” “It’s… hectic,” I answer, unsure what else to say. As far as first days anywhere go, I sure as hell won’t be forgetting my first day at this school anytime soon. “You looking forward to the rest of the day?” Nasera asks me as she takes the first sandwich from her tray and slides me the tray with the other one still on it. “Not really,” I answer, taking the sandwich and gingerly taking a bite out of it, which I chew and swallow before resuming my thoughts. “All these introductions are taking a toll on my social anxiety…” Nasera sighs and gives me a warm, almost motherly look. “I get you. Hard to talk to people you don’t know, right?” “Something like that, yeah,” I say, taking another bite, a bit bigger than before. I once more chew my food in its entirety before resuming speaking. “Hell, last period, I tripped in front of everyone. Talk about a bad first impression…” “That’s… rought, Anon. Sorry to hear you’re having such a hard time of it.” I give nasera a shrug and take another bite out of my alarmingly dwindling sandwich. Damn, I’m nowhere near sated yet, but I’m almost out of grub… Nasera and I lock eyes for just a second before she looks down at my food and then back to my eyes, at which point I see her amber eyes light up just a bit. “Yeah, the portions can be a bit tiny here. Something about ‘optional size’ or something dumb set by the state. No one likes it, which is why so many students take double or even triple portions.” Nasera’s comment doesn’t inspire much confidence in me that I’ll be able to keep my hunger in check while at school with my meager funds. Hell, if it weren’t for Nasera’s kindness today, I would have had to settle for that piss-poor excuse for a pizza… which I tossed in the trashcan and didn’t give to anyone… “Well, Anon, If you need a bit more extra chow today, there will be free refreshments at my si—er, I mean at my Siblin’s concert after school today,” Nasera suddenly advertises, catching me a bit off guard. “Sibling?” I repeat, not quite sure I’m getting the whole picture. “So like… your brother or….?” “...Sibling,” Nasera repeats in a deadpan tone. “Their name’s Fang and they will be playing with their band, VVurm Drama, in the auditorium after school as a bit of a ‘welcome back’ event. There’ll be refreshments and lots of pizzas for the show. You could take some home with you.” “I, uh... dunno about concerts. Not really one for public events like that, what with being so anxious around big crowds… and stuff…” Nasera deflates a bit at my words. “Oh. Alright. I just thought it could be a good opportunity to solace and get comfortable with the other students of Volcano High...” … Dammit. That face she’s making… it’s making me feel bad for turning her offer down. But I just don’t know if I’m ready, or if I’ll ever be ready, to make friends again… especially after all the ones I did have back in Rock Bottom up and un-personed me so readily… “Hey! Don’t leave me out of the conversation!” Naomi suddenly buts in, metaphorically hijacking the conversation away from Nasera. “Since you’re not attending Fang’s concert, how about I help you pick some cheap food after school? I know some great vegan shops in the area!” My stomach roils at that dreaded V-word. “Maaaaybe another time, Naomi. Sorry,” I quickly reply to Naomi before returning to face Nasera. “So, about that concert? I’ve decided to go after all.” Dinner and a show? Sign me the fuck up! “So what do they play?” I ask, feigning interest to make sure Naomi got the hint that I did not want anything to do with veganism. “Uh… well… ‘Music’ is the best way I can describe it,” Nasera replies sheepishly. “Music?” “Yes, music.” “What kind of music?” “The kind you listen to.” “Wh-Wel… what genre, exactly?” “...The good kind…?” Nasera gives me a shrug. I give the ptero a flat look. “You don’t know, do you?” Nasera lets out another sigh and innocently smiles. “Nope. But it’s… something alright.” Well, free food is free food. Still, sign me the fuck up. The three of us dig into the remainder of the meal, finishing just in time for the bell to ring, signaling the end of lunchtime. Naomi and Nasera gave me their farewells, Nasera once again telling me that the concert would be held in the auditorium right after school. With that, we wave each other farewell and go our separate ways. I just hope nothing else embarrassing happens between now and Nasera’s… sibling’s? Concert… ... *** *** … Despite life’s every attempt to make a fool out of me in front of others, I made it to the end of the school day more or less unharmed. All that’s left for today is the concert Nasera’s sibling is tossing. And dinner. When I arrive, the first person I see outside the auditorium is Nasera, who seems to be checking her phone for messages. “Oh, howdy Anon. You’re just in time. Fang says the show is starting in a bit. See?” Nasera says as she leans closer to me and shows me her phone screen. Fang: Piss off! Fang: Is the pizza here? Fang: You can have a slice Fang: But after that you GTFO FWR “FWR? Like, Franklin W. Roosevelt?” I ask Nasera as I lean away from her phone. “Nah. Fucked wing retard. Fang’s words, not mine,” Nasera replies with annoyance and sadness in her tone. “Is your uh… sibling always like this?” Nasera lets out a slow exhale. “Fang’s…” she starts but pauses to take another deep breath. “Well… I can’t deny that they are kind of mean to me…” I blink a couple of times and look at Nasera with some pity. “Glad I’m an only child.” Nasera glares at me. “Fang’s still family,” she snaps, though not nearly as angrily as I was expecting her to. “Sorry. Just saying is all.” Nasera deflates on hearing my words. “Fang may be family… but that doesn’t mean you’re wrong in your observation,” Nasera comments as she leans against the nearest wall. “Fang’s just so… so…” “Difficult?” “YES! Difficult! And I don’t know why!” “That sounds… rough,” I comment, feeling bad for the beautiful ptero before me. Nasera closes her eyes and scowls. “It’s like, I know sh—THEY care in their own way, but Fang doesn’t even wanna be around me most of the time...” Before I can get another word in, the auditorium doors open, and I smell the cheesy, heart-clogging goodness within. “Well, that’s our cue to head on in,” Nasera says as she enters the auditorium. A caveman of a man holds open the door for everyone. He looks human enough, but his build and overall physique puts into doubt whether he actively belongs to the homo-sapien family. “Wait,” the giant caveman says, holding a large hand to stop me. “Y-yes?” I stutter out, suddenly feeling much more nervous than I should be. I’m guided to the side, away from the crowd filtering into the auditorium. Only when we are away from most ears the caveman looks right into my eyes. “So, how are you finding our lovely school, Anon?” “Uh…”I start, not entirely sure what to say at first, but it’s only when my eyes fall on the spear-shaped pin on his lapel that reads ‘principal’ that most of my unease vanishes. “O-oh! It’s uh… nice? Cleaner than my old school, that’s for sure.” The principal guffaws and slaps his chest. “You can thank your classmates for that.” I let out a nervous laugh of my own, aware of the implication of his words and the fact that they could very well be a veiled threat to behave or become one of those ‘cleaners.’ “Now, go enjoy the show,” the principal commands as he pushes back toward all the other still-arriving students. “Oh, and before it slips my mind, you’ll have to come by my office tomorrow to finalize some paperwork.” I nod in reply and return to the door where Nasera is still standing, holding it open for the last of the audience to go inside. Once everyone attending the concert is inside the auditorium, Nasera leads me and the large crowd into the shitty school theater. The foyer has been set up with tables full of boxes of pizzas, all stacked as high as a giant midget. “You can take a couple of boxes after the concert, Anon. That should help ya out for tonight and tomorrow,” Nasera informs me as she grabs a slice of Hawaiian pizza. “Who the hell got all these pies anyway?” I ask, unable to fathom how anyone could afford so much food. “I did,” Nasera replies nonchalantly as she practically devours her slice in a single bite. One of the benefits of having a snoot for a mouth, I guess. I take a box down from the stack and move to serve myself a slice. Other students have already started stacking their plates, some taking more than others. I checked the logo on the box. It says ‘Dino-Moe’s Pizza’ in big, bold letters. “These things must be extra-large. Getting these many must have at least cost a good thousand dollars, maybe more.” “That’s ‘bout a month’s allowance, more or less. I did have to dip into the credit card, though. I’ll be paying these guys off with next month’s allowance too.” At least a thousand dollars for a month’s allowance? Just how wealthy is Nasera’s family? “So, about the actual show-” “I’ll go and check on them. Be right back,” Nasera answers before I get out the rest of my words. She gives me a light tap on the shoulder and heads off towards the backstage area, leaving me alone. Well, not completely alone. Got at least three dozen boxes of still-hot pizza to keep me company. Well, don’t mind if I do. I grab a couple of Hawaiian pizza slices and some extra-cheese ones and find a nice spot to relax and enjoy my second real meal of the day. As I chew and savor the cheesy goodness, I start observing the rest of the crowd. “—nother shitshow in the making—” “She’s so stupid—” “—they even bother?” “Bunch of losers—” Wow. These people are assholes, and everyone seems to share the same sentiment. If they hate this show or the idea of the show in the first place, why did they even show up for this in the first place? Nasera finally returns from checking on the band and opens the door to the main hall. The crowd then moves in, though I hang back to talk with the ptero. “What’s with all these grumbles?” I ask Nasera in as neutral a tone as I can manage. She tilts her head in confusion at my question. “What do you mean?” I motion to the students taking their seats on the set tables. “This crowd. They were talking mad shit right before you let them in.” “What?!” Nasera shouts while grasping at the air, unsure what to think or do now. She then scowls and slams her fist on the table, causing some empty boxes to topple to the side. “W-whoa, whoa!” I splutter while stepping back, fearing that Nasera will take out her anger on me next. “I should’ve known!” “What are you talking about?” Nasera lets out a weary exhale and looks at me with a saddened expression. “I brought all these guys here so Fang has an audience.” “Oh,” I say, taking in the total weight of Nasera’s words. Another cursory look around and all the malcontentment makes perfect sense. Nasera’s phone rings, snapping us both out of our thoughts. “Just a sec,” she whispers before answering the call. “Fa-” Nasera starts but gets cut off as the voice on the other end rages loudly and shrilly. “Yeah, I-” she tries to say, but instead holds her phone away from her ear to save her eardrum. Some more shouting from the other end of the line, and Nasera is finally able to get a word in. “Okay, okay! I-” she tries to say, but she closes her mouth and puts down the phone. Her entire body and spirit sag in unison as she stuffs her phone back into her pants pocket. “...I’ve gotta leave…” Nasera somberly announces to me. “Seriously?” “Yeah. Fang doesn’t want me here. Said I’ll ruin the show.” Fuck. That’s harsh. The least this Fang guy can do is let his sister watch the show from the sidelines. Especially since he practically set the whole thing up. “Look, whatever happens, promise you won’t hold this against Fang and their bandmates. They're really nice once you get to know them…” I don’t say anything. Not that I could even if I wanted to. So instead, I only nod in reply, which seems enough for Nasera, who gives me a warm smile. She looks at all the other students huddled together in groups mocking a show that hasn’t even started yet, and huffs before begrudgingly leaving the auditorium. I follow Nasera’s path out of the auditorium, feeling incredibly bad for the gorgeous ptero. But there’s nothing I can do. It’s a family matter. Not that I’d know what to do in a situation like that. So instead of thinking it over too hard, I sit near the backmost table, away from the rest of the hateful crowd. Only seconds after I’ve taken my seat, the lights dim, and the curtains are drawn open. Onstage is a trio of people my age. I think Fang is the drummer? He doesn’t look related to Naser. There is a ptero front and center, though. But that’s a chick… Can she be Naser’s sister…? Wha… that’s very clearly a chick! Then why the whole confusion over her gender? Oh, for fuck’s sake, I’m just getting tossed around all over the place today… … She looks familiar, which is weird because she looks as plain as white bread. Maybe I’m confusing her for someone else… The band doesn’t bother introducing themselves. Instead, the purple triceratops begins plucking her bass. The moment she does, It all comes tumbling down HARD. What I thought was a guitar sounded horrifically wrong. Far too heavy and grating. Only when I look closer do I realize she’s using a fucking bass instead of a guitar. Then the vocals kick in. It’s horrific screeching, combined with un-melodious shredding on bass, all of which serves nothing more than to create a cacophony equal to hundreds of cats ritualistically sacrificed to whatever the fuck dark gods those loonies in the old Chthonian Hegemony used to believe in. I fight the urge to cover my ears. I don’t know much about music, but even I know that you don’t use two basses in one band unless you know exactly what you’re doing… which was very clearly something Fang’s band didn’t have down. What were they thinking?! I looked back to the crowd to gauge their interest. I can’t be alone in thinking this is an absolute travesty and butchery of the musical arts, right? All the shouts answer my question pretty damn quick… “PFFFT AHAHAHA! THEY STILL FUCKING SUCK!!” “This music is GREAT!!...for a try not to cringe challenge!” “GUYS! THIS IS THE FUTURE OF MUSIC!” “Imagine not making a shitty emorock band in 201M2020…” “Welp, I now welcome the sweet embrace of a second world war.” “This is the worst thing to happen to the world since the rise of the Chthonian Hegemony…” “Imagine the smell of their clubroom. Raptor Jesus Christ!” “These guys are basically ‘I am majoring in art’: The band.” Holy shit, this crowd is absolutely SAVAGE. Even though the band kept doing their best to continue playing, all the jeering and laughing eventually got to the point where it eclipsed them and the music. Wait, what happened to the music? Oh shit, at some point, they stopped playing outright. Now the trio on stage looked like a mixture of panicked and pissed. The drummer was inching off stage while the purple bassist looked like she was about to burst into tears. But unlike her companions, the frontwoman stood her ground all the while the crowd continued to insult her and her band. “Nice pizza, but what I REALLY love is the generic lesbian band music playing in the background!” “FUCK YOU!” the frontwoman shouted back as she tossed her bass aside and raised both hands to flip off whoever had made that last comment. “FUCK ALL OF YOU!” “NO ONE WOULD WANT TO FUCK YOU, BITCH!” another student shouts, eliciting laughter from nearly everyone present. I couldn’t help but let out a chuckle of my own. “I paid money for THIS?” “You didn't pay for shit!” “Well, I STILL feel robbed!” “I'd pay NOT to hear this trash!” I watch as the frontwoman grabs her bass and takes the arm of the purple one, rushing off stage with the pink drummer, all the while, the crowd continues to laugh and jeer. By this point, I’m full-on laughing. I’m laughing so much that it feels like I will grow a six-pack from it. Still, I can already feel like someone will get in trouble for this mess soon, so I grab what’s left of my pizza and decide it’s best to get out while I still can. Just as I’m nearing the exit, Principal Spears steps in front of my path with a fierce glare, freeing me in place. “Anon,” he grumbles in an authoritative, ominous tone. I swallow a lump in my throat as I meet his cold-stone stare. “Yes, sir?” The principal looks to the crowd and then to me. “I don’t want to hear about any of this come tomorrow. I expect some goddamned maturity out of you.” He adjusts his glasses, his forehead creasing as he seems to hold back the desire to scowl. “You’ll be an adult once you graduate.” “Uh… Why me, though?” “I’ve taught many students, so I can tell these things.” The principal approaches me and puts a massive hand on my shoulder. Its grip is firm, and its weight makes my shoulders hurt. “Listen here, Anon. You are not the only person in the world. Everyone’s fighting their own battles.” The principal at least lets me go, and he nudges me towards the door. “I want to see you in my office first thing tomorrow morning. Understood?” I give the principal a nod in reply. “Good. Now get out of here. This is the only warning that you’ll get from me. Next time it will be campus clean-up.” I don’t even stick around to see what the principal does, only catching his bellowing voice, which shook the entire area. “WHOSE SORRY ASS AM I GOING TO HAVE TO SUPLEX!” “Back in the foyer, I see some boxes of partially finished pizza left. I consolidate what’s left into a single box and exit as swiftly as my feet will let me. When I’m at least a half-mile from the school, the sun finally starts to set. As I walk towards the bus station, my principal’s words echo in the back of my head again… You are not the only person in the world… Like I don’t already know that. There’s like… all the classmates that ignored me today. There was also Naomi’s annoying ass and that fucking caveman of a principal and Fang’s failed concert and Nasera who… Well, Nasera was a real bro the whole day. If it hadn’t been for her kindness and willingness to put up with my presence, I wouldn’t even have all this food… I hope I get to see her some more tomorrow…