New Kid

• Dane Howard, Grade 7
• Short Story
• 2014

“Awe,” I sighed lying on the ground in pain and in agony, “Why does everyone hate me? Why am I a loser?” I lay there on the muddy ground in the stormy wet weather, with broken bones and a black eye, questioning myself over and over again.
All of about 2 days ago I was the new kid, the mysterious and unknown one, but I couldn’t help myself from falling in love at first sight as soon as I laid my eyes on her, the girl of my dreams…. Noel. Noel was unfortunately in love with someone else; well it would be stupid of me to say he was someone else, if anything he is The One Else. You see, he is the school bully and now I’m a sitting duck. At lunchtime I decided to talk to Noel, making my first bold attempt at this school. I wrote her a letter saying to meet me in the court at twelve o’clock and put it in her locker and I told her to bring her work-books. It slowly came time for lunch with the arms on the clock striking twelve and soon enough I was there with her in the courtyard. I started up a conversation and we chatted to each other for a while. “Anyway the reason I brought you here was to ask you if you wanted to study together,” I said, my hands were shaking and I was shaking like hell waiting for her answer. From the corner of my eye I saw a shadowy figure on the oval about thirty metres away running towards me…. It was Toe, A.K.A: The One Else, and he were gaining on me. ”Bye,” I said grabbing my bag and running towards the hills and out of bounds. I was really in for it now and all I could think of is, “I wish I never came to this school.” I kept running and never stopped, that’s one thing I’m good for, parkour. Toe was about five feet behind me, he was running just as fast as me and I didn’t think he was planning to give up any time soon. I hoped I didn’t either! It started to rain and the next moment of my life was one I hated, and one I’ll never forget. “Nobody likes you Paul, just give up!” Toe yelled loudly, and by his voice I could tell he was furious. Toe got really close to me Then and I thought he was planning his revenge…. I jumped to put him off track but it backfired. Toe pushed me off the hill and down the large bank. I hit several trees until I finally reached the bottom, where I lay for a long time in the rain thinking what I am now in this same ditch near the same school and being the same person. Guess you can just call me the new kid.