User blog:Corbierr/Artemis Academic Boarding School- Chapter 2: A Dream, A Fight, A Friendship

Rated T for Teens

Chapter 2: A Dream, A Fight, A Friendship





I was in a rocky wasteland, or at least, that’s what it first seemed to be. The sky was full of swirling purple clouds, except for one small opening that revealed the largest full moon I’d ever seen. Under my feet was flat and cracked black rock. I picked up a stone out of curiosity, but when I squeezed it, it turned to dust and floated away in the wind. There were also giant rock formations, jagged and tall, cutting into the otherwise smooth and perfect violet background.



Everything was eerily quiet. The only noise were my footsteps and the soft howl of the wind. And it was cold- but not the regular kind of cold. It was the kind of deep, tingling chill that a person feels when they are frightened by something.



I suppose I was frightened. But I’m not sure what it was that scared me. Maybe it was just the power of the unknown.



My walking continued until my feet nearly slipped out from under me. I looked down to see that the ground had suddenly stopped and underneath it was an endless drop into darkness. I backed away, until I almost slipped yet again. Suddenly, I was surrounded by the drop on all sides of me. I was on some sort of strange, black, floating island in a dark purple sky.



<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align:center;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">“Hello, my child,” A strange, male voice said. He sounded almost hypnotic. “And welcome to my dream world… come forward.”

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align:center;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">A strange power compelled me to do as he said, and I walked forward...just as the ground fell apart under my feet, and I fell into the emptiness.

<p style="text-align:center;">

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align:center;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">

<p style="text-align:center;">

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align:center;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Royle woke up from her dream, greeted by the sun streaming through the open window next to her bed. After the shadows in her dream, the light was a welcome, yet jarring, change. She yawned and got up, only trying to hurry after she realized that Michelle and Kelly were both gone. What time was it? It didn’t really matter. All that mattered was that she was probably very late.

<p style="text-align:center;">

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align:center;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">To herself, she let out an annoyed quip.

<p style="text-align:center;">

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align:center;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Royle: It’s so nice to know they didn’t even try to get me up...bitches.

<p style="text-align:center;">

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align:center;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">She rolled her eyes and got dressed, grabbed her books and head out the door. She tried to be fast, however, she was slowed down by thoughts about her dream. Normally, she’d shrug it off and forget about it. But it felt so real…

<p style="text-align:center;">

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align:center;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Being distracted and still half-asleep, Royle didn’t notice Clementine up ahead until she practically collided with her.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align:center;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">The upperclassmen shot her a glance.

<p style="text-align:center;">

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align:center;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Clementine: Hey, watch it! I’d rather not get run over today, thanks.

<p style="text-align:center;">

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align:center;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Royle: Jeez, sorry. I didn’t actually run into you, you know. Chill out.

<p style="text-align:center;">

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align:center;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Clementine: Yeah, whatever. I have to get to class. Where’s Morishige?

<p style="text-align:center;">

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align:center;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Royle: Do I look like I know? I don’t even know who that is.

<p style="text-align:center;">

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align:center;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Clementine rolled her eyes and walked off to go find her friend. Royle rolled her eyes as well and walked off to her class, making it just before the bell. She deliberately sat away from the other five students she was boarding with, as her own small way to show her anger towards them for not waking her up.

<p style="text-align:center;">

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align:center;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">But they probably didn’t notice, and it probably didn’t matter anyways. She should have been glad for the extra sleep- she always wanted to sleep, probably even more than a teenager should.

<p style="text-align:center;">

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align:center;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Class started, and she struggled to keep herself awake while taking notes. But who cared about these notes anyways? <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">It’s just Math...I’d rather eat a rock. <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">With that, Royle decided to stop trying to pay attention, and went back to sleep.

<p style="text-align:center;">

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align:center;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">

<p style="text-align:center;">

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align:center;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Soon, it was back to P.E. again. The coach decided to put everyone back in the same teams, and that included Jake once again being in the game. Chance had...conflicting feelings about this. He just hoped that the dude wasn’t going to fail again.

<p style="text-align:center;">

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align:center;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Within the first few seconds of the game, Chance found himself with the ball. He took off with it, getting as close to the net as he could. But the other team was quick and he was soon surrounded. He would have to pass it off. But to who? There was only one person who was open and close enough to catch the ball, so he hoped for the best and threw the basketball off to Jake.

<p style="text-align:center;">

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align:center;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Jake caught it, to his surprise. But the minute he tried to start dribbling, he bounced the ball too hard and it went off in the opposite direction, right into the other team’s hands, right into his team’s basket.

<p style="text-align:center;">

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align:center;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Chance: Are you serious?! What is the matter with you? How...how do you even get that bad?

<p style="text-align:center;">

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align:center;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Once again, he found himself getting oddly furious at his room-mate. But it was fair, right? He shouldn’t be penalized just because one person can’t play a game as simple as basketball! And the humiliation could help him learn. At least, that’s how <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">he <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">saw it.

<p style="text-align:center;">

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align:center;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Jake: I’m trying, okay?!

<p style="text-align:center;">

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align:center;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Chance: Oh please! How hard is it to dribble a ball?

<p style="text-align:center;">

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align:center;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Jake was clearly starting to get upset, and he felt just a twinge of regret for what he was doing. <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">But <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"> I’m <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"> not doing anything wrong, <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">he <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"> is! I’m trying to help him!

<p style="text-align:center;">

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align:center;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">The coach ran over.

<p style="text-align:center;">

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align:center;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Coach: Boys, knock it off!

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align:center;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Chance: Stop putting this loser on the team, coach. It’s not fair to the rest of us!

<p style="text-align:center;">

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align:center;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Jake: I’m doing my best, asshole!

<p style="text-align:center;">

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align:center;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Coach: Both of you are out of the game! The rest of you, take a break for a minute, while I talk to these two.

<p style="text-align:center;">

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align:center;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Chance rolled his eyes, as the coach walked over to him first and said, in a hushed but angry tone,

<p style="text-align:center;">

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align:center;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Coach: Now, listen to me, Marcus. Your bullying will not be tolerated anymore. If I see this happen again, I am sending you to the the principal of this school. Do you understand me?

<p style="text-align:center;">

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align:center;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Getting berated by an authority figure brought back uncomfortable memories for him, and made him snap back to reality.

<p style="text-align:center;">

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align:center;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Chance: Y-yes, yes sir.

<p style="text-align:center;">

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align:center;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Coach: Good! Now get to the locker room while I talk to Jake.

<p style="text-align:center;">

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align:center;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">He sighed and nodded.

<p style="text-align:center;">

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align:center;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Chance: Yes, sir…

<p style="text-align:center;">

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align:center;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Chance went into the locker room and started to get changed. A moment later, an angry looking Jake walked in.

<p style="text-align:center;">

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align:center;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Jake: What was that?!

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align:center;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Chance: What was what?

<p style="text-align:center;">

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align:center;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Jake: First you’re being an asshole, and then you suddenly turn all polite when coach talks to you? And you say <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"> I’m <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"> the loser.

<p style="text-align:center;">

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align:center;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">He let out a small laugh, and responded,

<p style="text-align:center;">

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align:center;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Chance: I’m just trying to help you, man.

<p style="text-align:center;">

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align:center;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Jake: Yeah, right!

<p style="text-align:center;">

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align:center;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">They were right next to him now, yelling into his face. Chance rolled his eyes and shoved him aside, but with more force than he’d thought, making Jake fall into the lockers behind him.

<p style="text-align:center;">

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align:center;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Jake: Quit getting so physical! Do you <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">want <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">me to fight you?

<p style="text-align:center;">

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align:center;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Chance: You think you can fight me? Whatever, man.

<p style="text-align:center;">

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align:center;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Apparently Jake took that as a challenge and threw himself at him. Chance blocked his blow and punched him in the gut.

<p style="text-align:center;">

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align:center;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Chance: If this is what you want, it’s what you got!

<p style="text-align:center;">

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align:center;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Well, he’s gotta learn somehow…

<p style="text-align:center;">

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align:center;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">It wasn’t quite of a fight, though, as Chance managed to dominate. Jake got in a few good punches, but for most of it, he was just getting slapped and kicked around by Chance. A kick here, a jab there, a shove there…  And the entire time, he tried to justify his actions in his head.

<p style="text-align:center;">

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align:center;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Sorry man, but maybe next time you’ll actually play well!

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align:center;">

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align:center;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Punch.

<p style="text-align:center;">

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align:center;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">At least try and put in a better fight!

<p style="text-align:center;">

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align:center;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Kick.

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<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align:center;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">You’re weak. You brought this upon yourself.

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<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align:center;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Punch.

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<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align:center;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">He didn’t realize Jake was bleeding until he saw the blood on the locker room floor.

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<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align:center;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">His fault for wanting to fight me.

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<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align:center;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">However, Chance decided to stop now and said,

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<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align:center;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Chance: You should probably get to the nurse.

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<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align:center;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Jake: Oh, fuck you, man!

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<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align:center;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Jake kicked him in the leg and stormed out of the room. He was limping, too. Chance cringed on the inside when watching him leave.

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<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align:center;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">I hope you learned your lesson, man…

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<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align:center;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">

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<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.5;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:11pt;text-align:center;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">With his bleeding lip and hurt legs, Jake didn't feel very well and that's when he went to the school basement to think things through. He felt like he wanted to cry, but at the same time he couldn't as he kept saying <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">I'm stronger than this <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"> to himself. He was really mad at Chance and just wanted to take a deep breath. That's when he opened the basement door and sat down. Michelle, who saw Jake getting out of the dressing room with his lower lip bleeding, followed him to the basement with her guitar. He got a bit scared when she opened the door.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.5;margin-top:11pt;margin-bottom:11pt;text-align:center;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Michelle: Good place to hide, huh?

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.5;margin-top:11pt;margin-bottom:11pt;text-align:center;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Michelle put her guitar near the wall as she sat down on a box near Jake, wanting to speak to him.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.5;margin-top:11pt;margin-bottom:11pt;text-align:center;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Jake: Wouldn't be the first time...

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.5;margin-top:11pt;margin-bottom:11pt;text-align:center;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Michelle: So, what happened out there?

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.5;margin-top:11pt;margin-bottom:11pt;text-align:center;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Jake: Why would I tell you? You're just like them. Perfect girl Michelle, rich parents, big amount of friends, iPhone 6 in your pocket, even a guitar. Why should I trust you? You obviously have a fake ass. Just like the rest of them.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.5;margin-top:11pt;margin-bottom:11pt;text-align:center;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Michelle rolled her eyes and got confused. She secretly laughed and continued on talking.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.5;margin-top:11pt;margin-bottom:11pt;text-align:center;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Michelle: Dude, are you kidding me? I won that iPhone in a music competition. Rich parents? My mother died when I was 11. To be more certain - was killed. The guitar you think is expensive - my friend gave it to me as a present on my birthday. And about my ass - thanks, I'll keep that as a compliment.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.5;margin-top:11pt;margin-bottom:11pt;text-align:center;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Jake laughed.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.5;margin-top:11pt;margin-bottom:11pt;text-align:center;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Jake: Well, okay. Sorry, I guess.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.5;margin-top:11pt;margin-bottom:11pt;text-align:center;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Michelle: No worries, it didn't get it to me. So, mystery boy, what happened out there? Oh wait - you don't really trust me. Well, at least I tried.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.5;margin-top:11pt;margin-bottom:11pt;text-align:center;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Michelle was about to stand up, but Jake took her hand and asked her to sit down.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.5;margin-top:11pt;margin-bottom:11pt;text-align:center;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Jake: Don't go. After you've told me so much about your life, I think you really are a person to trust.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.5;margin-top:11pt;margin-bottom:11pt;text-align:center;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Michelle: That's cute. Now go. Speak your mind out.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.5;margin-top:11pt;margin-bottom:11pt;text-align:center;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Jake: So, I had a fight with Chance.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.5;margin-top:11pt;margin-bottom:11pt;text-align:center;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Michelle: Wouldn't be surprised... What's it all about?

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.5;margin-top:11pt;margin-bottom:11pt;text-align:center;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Jake: I'm not a sports guy. I don't know, I do like to exercise sometimes, but whenever it comes to playing football or basketball - I fail.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.5;margin-top:11pt;margin-bottom:11pt;text-align:center;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Michelle: And what? It's not like we're all born to win the World Cup.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.5;margin-top:11pt;margin-bottom:11pt;text-align:center;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Jake: Not something Chance would say.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.5;margin-top:11pt;margin-bottom:11pt;text-align:center;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Michelle: Boy, are you kidding me? Don't waste your time thinking about some heartless asshole not liking you.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.5;margin-top:11pt;margin-bottom:11pt;text-align:center;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Jake: That is exactly what I'm doin'.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.5;margin-top:11pt;margin-bottom:11pt;text-align:center;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Michelle: You're heading into the wrong direction then. Don't let it get to you. There's always gonna be one person who doesn't like you. Right now it's Chance, tomorrow it's someone else, that's just the way it is, you can't change your destiny.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.5;margin-top:11pt;margin-bottom:11pt;text-align:center;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Jake: So... Me screwing up is my destiny?

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.5;margin-top:11pt;margin-bottom:11pt;text-align:center;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Michelle: That's just your mistakes, I mean, we all learn from them, don't we? That's how we improve, it happens all the time.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.5;margin-top:11pt;margin-bottom:11pt;text-align:center;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Jake: You really do know so much about life and yet you're just a teenager.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.5;margin-top:11pt;margin-bottom:11pt;text-align:center;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Michelle: It's not about your age. What's in your heart is all that matters.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.5;margin-top:11pt;margin-bottom:11pt;text-align:center;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Jake: Well okay, Mrs. Einstein. Thanks for the advice. Wait, why did you go here anyways?

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.5;margin-top:11pt;margin-bottom:11pt;text-align:center;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Michelle: To see you, of course. I wanted to talk.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.5;margin-top:11pt;margin-bottom:11pt;text-align:center;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Jake: Why were you in here yesterday then?

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.5;margin-top:11pt;margin-bottom:11pt;text-align:center;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Michelle bit her lip and didn't feel much confidence in telling Jake about herself.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.5;margin-top:11pt;margin-bottom:11pt;text-align:center;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Michelle: Enough secrets about ourselves, okay?

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.5;margin-top:11pt;margin-bottom:11pt;text-align:center;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Jake: Whatever you say, mystery girl.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.5;margin-top:11pt;margin-bottom:11pt;text-align:center;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Michelle: Don't be so needy. There is nothing wrong with a little mystery...

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.5;margin-top:11pt;margin-bottom:11pt;text-align:center;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">A smile suddenly appeared on Michelle's face as she took her guitar and left the basement. Jake wanted her to stay - he wanted to hang out with her, but he didn't want to seem annoying, that's when he left the basement. He didn't feel lonely anymore.

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