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I’ names on two lists when I overhear Becky, perched at the cluttered front desk, utter on the phone: “… new senior who’s a heaping bag of trouble A transfer Doesn’t know Eve from Adam”
My highlighter hesitates, hovering in place as I listen
“Yes, a big, big bag of trouble, that’s what I said, Nadine Oh, he caused a headline- ruckus at his old school, knocked some poor kid out, sent some other kid to the hospital, and now he’s been transferred over here to our very own Spruce High!” Becky lets out a dra, ring-adorned fingers “No, I can’t believe it either As if we need so up trouble andus worry Oh, yes, they’ll hear a word or two from me Mm-hmm! You bet I wouldn’t be surprised if this new kid was a devil worshipper Or listened to the Marlin Manson! Marlin Manson, yes, that’s what I said Aht? Marlin?”
I bitewho the hell this “bag of heaping trouble” is I sure haven’t heard anything
It’s an ugly twist of fate that after the bell rings and tosseslish class to find none other than Hoyt-freakin’-Nowak in the back row The cocky ringleader of the football douchebags, he’s got a foot up on the desk in front of hi over the back of his own chair, and he’s twirling a pencil skillfully between his fingers He’s wearing gray, stylish skinny jeans, a varsity letter athletic sneakers, and his hair is always an annoyingly perfect model-boy sweep that never seeht in a tornado Even by hi, satisfied smirk like he’s just won someone over I’m not convinced that tool wins anyone over
Hoyt spots ht away “Yo, Tobes!” he shouts out over the otherwise quietly otten here on-time “Lucky you! I saved a special seat in case ht here, buddy boy!” He taps the chair of the desk in front of hi, obnoxious foot “Colish pals this year, you and me! Don’t be scared!”
Anxious eyes and faces turnmy reaction
Everyone knoe’ve been basically mortal enemies since middle school That’s how this wicked little toorks: everyone in all of Spruce knows every da about everyone
I don’t give Hoyt the satisfaction I ignore hiht and make way for the only other available seat—which is at once taken by a faster girl with curly hair and braces, who dives right into conversation with a nearby friend of hers
A frown darkens ht today?
The bell rings Ms Bean, who seeue i ly sit at the desk in front of Hoyt No, he doesn’t reive the self-important punk no indication that I’lish period is spent with Hoyt innocently inching his big feet closer and closer to the side ofto prop one of the the back of h for s the teacher says Once or twice, I even hear Hoyt snickering privately to himself, entertained by his childishness
Ms Bean never tells him to put his feet down And she likely won’t; I doubt the poor lady can see anything past the second row
It’s when Ms Bean has her back turned to the class that I hear the girl across the aisle frouy?”
“I did, right outside the cafeteria before first period He’s so hot!”
“And scary! I heard he’s froet which one, and he killed one of his classmates, so now he—”
“No, you’re makin’ that up! He didn’t kill nobody He’d be in jail!”
“But that’s what I heard! And also he rode a et to see it myself It was probably a Harley Did you see it?”
“Nope I saw that sleeveless leather jacket he earing, though”