Perspective, Chapter 1

As I walked down the dimly lit hallway, the stares of my classmates felt like daggers piercing through my skin. I could hear the whispers and laughter echo in my ears, but I tried to ignore it. It felt like nothing was going my way today. I arrived at my classroom and slumped into my seat, closing my eyes and drifting off before class even started.

But I was rudely awakened by the sound of the teacher's voice. "Well, well, well, it looks like someone's finally awake," Mr. Garraway said, his sarcasm cutting through the room like a knife. The whole class laughed and I felt my face flush with embarrassment, my palms sweaty and my heart racing.

"And it looks like we have a new student joining us today," Mr. Garraway continued. "Mackenzie, please take a seat next to Jake."

I turned to see a girl with dark hair sitting next to me. She had a small smile on her face, but I couldn't help but think that she smelled like trouble. I didn't like the idea of someone new sitting beside me, especially since I was someone who prefer to sit alone. She leaned forward, her eyes bright with curiosity.

"Jake, I expect you to be kind to Mackenzie," Mr. Garraway said, his tone stern. "She's one of the best students in the entire nation, ranking third in the entire country. We're lucky to have her here."

I couldn't help but feel uncomfortable as Mackenzie sat down beside me. I didn't want to be stuck next to her for the entire class, but I had no choice. I tried to focus on the lesson, but I couldn't shake off the feeling of unease. I didn't want to be kind to her. I had plans, I thought. As the class ended for lunch, I quickly gathered my things and made a beeline for the door, eager to get away from everything.

As I made my way to the door, Mr. Garraway called out to me. "Jake, wait," he said, his voice firm. I paused, my hand on the doorknob, and turned to face him. My heart was racing and my palms were sweaty, I knew what was coming next.

"I know you're not happy about having a new student sitting next to you, but it's important that you focus on class," Mr. Garraway said, his tone softening. He leaned forward, his eyes locked onto mine. "You're a smart kid, Jake. You could be one of the best if you put in the effort."

I nodded, trying to push away the feeling of frustration. "I'll keep that in mind," I replied, my voice barely above a whisper. I couldn't bring myself to make eye contact with him, I was too embarrassed. I turned and quickly left the classroom, eager to escape the attention. My mind was racing as I walked down the hallway, I couldn't shake off the feeling of disappointment.

I made my way to the cafeteria, the smell of greasy food and the clanging of utensils filling my senses. I bought a subpar and expensive meal, my stomach churning at the thought of its bland taste. I picked at my food, barely able to stomach more than a few bites as the noise of the cafeteria felt overwhelming, the chatter and laughter of my classmates suffocating me.

Feeling out of place and alone, I decided to leave. I made my way through the hallway, trying to avoid the stares and whispers of my classmates, my heart racing with discomfort. Suddenly, Lucas, the class president, interrupted me with a big grin on his face and a group of friends by his side. He invited me to hang out and talk about what club I was going to join, but I kindly declined, explaining that I had plans, my voice tight with anxiety.

In my mind, I couldn't help but notice how Lucas seemed to embody the typical popular kid, always surrounded by friends, always with a smile on his face, and always seeking attention. I felt a twinge of envy towards his seemingly carefree lifestyle, my fists clenched in frustration.

After lunch, the teacher announced that there would be no class in the afternoon as they'll be in a meeting. I sat at my table trying to catch up on some sleep, but I saw Lucas trying to catch my attention from across the room. I swiftly gathered my things and made my way out of the classroom, weaving through the crowd in an attempt to avoid him. I ended up in the library, where I finally found some peace and quiet, my breathing slowing in relief. I couldn't help but wish that I could stay there forever, away from the noise and stress of school, my mind filled with longing.

"Hi," I said, trying to be polite, my palms feeling sweaty. "Can I help you with something?"

"I was wondering if it's okay for me to read some books for class," Mackenzie said, her voice soft and hesitant, her eyes scanning the library shelves.

"Yeah, sure," I said, wondering why she chose this library when there's a bigger one in the school. "You'll need a library card though. I doubt the librarian will care if you have one or not."

As I sat in the library, trying to get some much-needed rest, I couldn't help but feel uncomfortable. I couldn't shake off the feeling of being watched, and it made it hard for me to relax. So, I decided to strike up a conversation with Mackenzie, the new girl sitting next to me.

But then, Mackenzie leaned forward, her eyes bright with curiosity and said, "So, Jake, what are you reading?"

I was caught off guard by her question, but I replied, "Nothing, just trying to get some sleep."

"I see," she said, returning her attention to her book. My mind raced with thoughts of why she was so interested in what I was doing.

Feeling uneasy as I lay on the library's chair, I decided to strike up a conversation with Mackenzie. I asked her, "What're you reading?"

She looked up at me with a small smile and replied, "It's a book for class. It's really interesting, but I'm not too sure about the ending."

I couldn't help but feel a sudden urge to spoil the ending for her, so I said, "You know, the main character dies in the end."

Mackenzie's expression turned to shock, and she asked me, "Wait, you've read it?"

I nodded, feeling guilty for ruining the surprise for her. "Yeah, I read it a long time ago," I said, trying to play it off as if it was no big deal.

"Wow, I can't believe it," Mackenzie said as she looked at me. "I thought you were just a sleep-in-class kind of guy."

I couldn't help but laugh. "I can't believe it either," I replied. "I wouldn't have expected the third smartest student in the nation to be studying a book about romance for class."

Mackenzie blushed and quickly hid the book behind her back. "Please don't tell anyone," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Don't worry, I won't," I reassured her, with a reassuring smile. "But how did you even get that book past Mr. Garraway? He's pretty strict about what we can read in class."

"I covered it in a book cover about literature," she explained, removing the fake cover to reveal the book about love. "I didn't want anyone to know that I was interested in romance."

"Well, you almost had me fooled," I said with a chuckle. "But I recognized a quote from the book on the cover. It's one of my favorites."

"I guess we have something in common." She said.

"Yeah," I nodded. "I guess we do."

As I talked with Mackenzie about the book we had both read, I saw Lucas walk in. He scanned the room and his eyes landed on me, a big grin spreading across his face. He strode over to where I was sitting and clapped me on the back.

"Hey Jake, what's up?" he said, his voice loud and jovial. "I've been looking for you everywhere."

"Not much, just hanging out in the library," I replied, trying to keep my tone neutral.

"I heard you're a pretty talented pianist," Lucas said, his grin widening. "I was hoping you'd join the music club with me."

I hesitated, not sure what to say. I didn't want to join the music club, but I didn't want to be rude to Lucas either.

"I'll think about it," I said, trying to buy some time.

But Lucas wasn't satisfied with that answer. He kept pestering me, telling me how my piano skills could help the school and how much fun it would be to play in the club together. I could feel Mackenzie staring at me, as if she was surprised and expecting something from me.

Finally, I couldn't take it anymore. "Look, Lucas, I'll give you my answer tomorrow, okay?" I said, trying to keep my voice firm.

Lucas's face fell and he looked disappointed. "Alright, tomorrow then," he said, before turning and walking out of the library.

As I watched him leave, I couldn't shake off the feeling that Mackenzie was still staring at me, her expression unreadable. I turned to look at her, but she quickly looked away, returning to her studies. I couldn't help but wonder what she was thinking.

"So, you really know how to play the piano?" Mackenzie asked, her eyes lighting up with curiosity as she leaned forward.

"Yeah, I do," I replied, my palms sweating and heart racing as I felt uncomfortable with the topic.

"Then why don't you want to join the music club with Lucas?" she asked, her expression becoming more serious.

I hesitated for a moment before answering. "I'm not used to being around a lot of people, and I'm still getting used to the school and all the extracurricular activities," I said, trying to explain my hesitation.

Mackenzie looked at me, her gaze understanding. "I get it," she said, "It can be overwhelming to navigate all the different opportunities and social groups in a new school."

"Yeah, exactly," I said, relieved that she understood. "It's not that I don't like Lucas, it's just that I'm not ready for something like that yet."

"Well, if you ever want to talk about it, I'm here to listen," Mackenzie said, her expression softening as she placed a comforting hand on my shoulder.

As I sat there talking with Mackenzie, I couldn't help but feel like I had finally found someone I could trust. She seemed genuinely interested in what I had to say and didn't judge me for my unfamiliarity with socializing. It was a refreshing change from the constant judgment and ridicule I had grown accustomed to from my classmates. My internal thoughts were filled with gratitude and trust towards Mackenzie.

Feeling emboldened by this newfound sense of trust, I turned to her and said, "Hey, I know we just met, but do you want to be friends? I feel like I can trust you and I think it would be nice to have someone to talk to." Mackenzie's face lit up with a warm smile and she replied, "I would love that." As we exchanged numbers, my heart fluttered with excitement. I had never really had a friend at school before, and the idea of having someone I could talk to and confide in was a nice change.

As we made our way back to the classroom, I couldn't help but notice the whispers and stares of our classmates. I had always felt like an outcast, but this time, I didn't mind. I was too absorbed in our conversation to care about what others thought of me.

"So, you really know how to play the piano?" Mackenzie asked, leaning forward with interest.

"Yeah, I've been playing since I was a kid," I replied, trying to hide my nerves.

"That's so cool," she said. "I've always wanted to learn how to play, but I've never had the time."

"Maybe I can teach you sometime," I offered, and she smiled.

As we reached our classroom, my palms began to sweat and my heart raced. I didn't know what to expect, and I didn't want to mess up my new friendship with Mackenzie. But as I sat down and class began, I noticed that Mackenzie had left her romance book on the table. I realized that she had forgotten to hide it in her false book cover and left it at the library. She didn't notice it, and I panicked. As Mr. Garraway walked to the back of the class to check attendance, I quickly took the book and left it on my table.

But it was too late. Mr. Garraway had already seen it and he walked over to my table, his expression furious. "What's this, Jake?" he demanded, holding up the book.

I felt my face flush with embarrassment and I knew I had to act fast. "It's mine, Mr. Garraway," I lied, trying to play it off as if it was no big deal. "I didn't mean to bring it to class."

But Mr. Garraway wasn't buying it. "This is exactly the kind of behavior I expect from you, Jake," he said, his tone stern. "You don't follow the rules and you're always messing up. Your grades are in the gutter, and now you're getting caught with inappropriate reading material."

As I apologized and begged Mr. Garraway to forgive me, my palms grew slick with sweat and my heart raced with anxiety. I couldn't believe I had let Mackenzie down like this.

But Mackenzie, feeling guilty for her mistake, stepped in to take responsibility. "I'll take responsibility for it, Mr. Garraway," she said, her voice steady and determined. "I'll teach Jake, and I'll make sure he improves his grades."

Mr. Garraway looked at her, his expression skeptical. "Really? Mackenzie, are you sure you're willing to do that? Jake's grades are not exactly the best in the class."

"I know," Mackenzie said, leaning forward with determination in her eyes. "But I think I can help him. I know what it's like to struggle in school, and I don't want to see anyone else go through that."

Mr. Garraway considered this for a moment, his expression thoughtful. "Well, if you're willing to take on the responsibility, I'm willing to give it a try," he said. "But Jake, you need to be willing to put in the effort. Mackenzie is one of the best students in the class, and it's not fair to her if you're not willing to try."

I nodded, my determination growing. "I'll do whatever it takes," I said, my voice firm. "I know I haven't been the best student, but I'm willing to change that."

Mr. Garraway looked at me, studying me for a moment before nodding. "Alright, I'll give you both a chance," he said. "But if you don't show improvement, I'll have to rethink this arrangement."

"We understand, Mr. Garraway," Mackenzie said, her expression serious and determined. I nodded in agreement, determined to put in the effort and make the most of this opportunity.

As class came to a close, my heart raced with gratitude towards Mackenzie. She had offered to help me, despite my earlier rudeness, and I couldn't help but feel remorse for my previous misconceptions of her. As I turned to her and grinned, "Thanks, I really appreciate it," Mackenzie smiled back at me, "No problem," she said with a hint of guilt in her voice "It was my mistake after all, thank you."

Mr. Garraway approached us with a wary glance, "I hope you two know what you're getting yourselves into," he said with a hint of uncertainty in his voice.

Mackenzie's expression determined, "We understand, Mr. Garraway," she said, "We'll work hard and make sure Jake's grades improve."

Mr. Garraway still skeptical, "Fine," he said, "But remember, I'll be keeping an eye on you both."

I couldn't shake off the feeling of nervousness as Mr. Garraway walked away. I knew this was going to be a lot of work, but I couldn't let this opportunity slip away. I had a chance to turn things around, and I wasn't going to waste it.