The bell's ring was dulled by the blaring sounds of hyper teenagers seeing their friends after a long summer's vacation. Many would hug or laugh. Some instantly started picking fights on less important people. Everything was still the same as the previous year. The principal's voice came over the intercom and the chattering stopped.

The kids quickly made their ways to their first periods before the tardy bell rang and the halls became deserted. Teachers ran a sweep in all the halls and one woman noticed a late one. She called the principal and headed to the student. He stopped at his locker and began putting his jacket away when he saw the teacher. He quickly jerked his jacket in place and closed his locker.

The woman stood in front of him and asked, "Mind telling me why you're late on the first day of a new school year, young man?"

He looked past her and saw the principal walking their way. He spotted the nurse coming and he knew he had to go. He stepped around the teacher and quickly made his way to his first class. When he was a few doors from his class, he heard the pursuers yelling for him and he slipped into an empty room. They passed moments later and he walked to his class.

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Paper balls flew through the air and one hit the person in front of her. The gal turned around and looked straight at her. She shrugged and nodded to the jocks in the far corner. The gal nodded and returned to her work. Then the door opened and she looked at the kid walking into class five minutes late.

She saw the teacher nod to him and point out his seat. The kid walked past her and sat in the last seat by the window. She watched him shift slightly in his seat and heard the jocks chuckling. Then she turned her gaze to the work in front of her and tried to work. When a loud noise came from behind her, she turned around and saw the jocks surrounding the kid's desk.

The blonde one asked, "Decided to show today, McNeal?"

A redhead laughed and said, "Bet he missed seeing all of us getting all the new girls all summer long."

The blonde nodded and asked, "Spend the summer at the Home?"

"That is enough, Jack!"

The blonde turned around and said, "The name's Telk bud. If you are going to call me anything, call me by the name you're suppose to."

The girl rolled her eyes and mumbled, "Jocks are stupid idiots."

The redhead heard her and asked, "You say something?"

She stood up and said, "Yes I did. You jocks are all the same. You're stupid idiots and think you can just bully anyone around."

Jack smirked and said, "Looks like we've got ourselves a new gal. Maybe we should let that last remark slide and welcome her to Raiders High."

The redhead nodded and whistled, "Sure has a figure there, don't she?"

Her temper colored her cheeks slightly and she said, "Keep that talk for the ditsy type. I've got no use for your type."

"Miss Climbs, sit back down. You've spoken your point. As for you three, return to your desks and allow me to get you an escort to see the Dean."

She sat back down in her seat and glanced back at the kid. He was working already and seemed like he just didn't want to be bothered. With some relief that he wasn't trying to thank her, she turned her attention back to her work and continued writing her essay. When the bell ran, she put her stuff and picked up her books. Then she walked to the front of the class and saw the kid following her about five feet back.

When she stepped into the hall, she watched the kid disappear into the crowd and she headed to her second class. It happened to be on the second floor, she walked to the stairwell. As she walked upstairs, the gal from her previous class ran up to her.

Then she said, "That was a nice thing you did back there for Terry."

She looked at the gal and said, "Jocks never changed and the guy hadn't done anything."

A laugh came from her side and the gal said, "The name's Maggie, but just call me Mags. Just so you know, Terry is the target of this school and town."

She rolled her eyes and said, "Name's Amy. What's so special about the kid that he has everyone picking on him?"

Mags shrugged and said, "I don't really get it. All I know is that Terry moved here three years ago after his folks died in an accident. I guess the way he doesn't socialize or get involved in anything makes him a freak in several eyes and that makes him a target."

PGS