Cherreads

Chapter 4 - The Invitation

It was now the second day of school, and Scott was expecting the school to go crazy like it had been yesterday. However, when opening the door, the hallways seem normal with students socializing with each other and just having a normal day. 

"Wow, I guess the crowd is now knowing their senses." Scott walked into the hallway. 

Suddenly, Scott forgot that he still needed to know where his precalculus class was. Starting in five minutes, Scott walked up to this girl near him and asked where the room was. 

"Hi, do you know where room 201 is?" Scott anxiously talks to the girl. 

"Yeah it's on the second floor close to the stairs." the girl pointed at the stairway that leads to the second floor. "I'm heading there myself as well, so maybe you want to come with me?" the girl walking up towards the stairway. 

Scott then proceeds to follow as he assumes that she knows the school much more than him. As they both walked up the stairs, the girl wanted to know more about Scott since she had never seen him before. 

"So you're new to the school?" the girl facing Scott while walking up the stairs. 

"Yeah, I'm a new transfer student. I just needed help to find my classes." Scott is making eye contact with the girl. 

"Did you try to talk to the other students yesterday?" the girl questions Scott. 

"I did, but the person who tried to help me was so distracted by the pep rally that he forgot what he was doing," Scott questioned what had happened yesterday. 

"Yeah, it's weird that a pep rally starts on the first day of school. Usually, they happen during homecoming week or if the school goes to the state championship." The girl and Scott headed closer to the second floor. 

"By the way, what's your name?" the girl asked Scott as they met without properly greeting each other. 

"I'm Scott, Scott Smith." Scott greeted the girl. 

"Hey, that name has a cool alliteration. My name is Ashley, Ashley Martinez." Ashley greeted Scott with a firm handshake. 

"By the way, I'm also new to the school and I'm also a senior." Ashley describes more of herself. She is known for her dark hair with a white sweater, black dress shirt underneath, beige pants, and gray shoes. 

"Wait, if you're new, how can you know the school better than I do?" Scott questions Ashley.

 "Well, I had a map that the school's office offered when I applied there, so it was much easier for me to find the area." Ashley showed the map to Scott. 

Scott was so surprised and felt stupid as he didn't know there was a map to the school. At the same time, he shouldn't feel surprised as to how big the school was, there should be a map to it. Scott and Ashley had both made it to the second floor as well as their precalculus class. 

"I guess this is the class." Scott looks at the classroom door. Scott and Ashley both went into the classroom and it seems like the class is decently packed with students getting ready for class. 

"Hey, there are two empty seats on the left side. Want to sit together?" Ashley pointed to the seats. Scott nodded yes to her both walking towards the empty seats.

Once settled, the bell rang and the teacher came into the classroom. The teacher set his bag on his desk and went up to the whiteboard ready to introduce himself. 

"Hello students, I'm Mr. Cheung your precalculus teacher. To check up on attendance, I will be announcing your names to see who's here." Mr. Cheung, a Korean American, headed to his desk to grab his clipboard and pen. 

"Scott Smith." Scott raised his hand. 

"Ashley Martinez." Ashley raised her hand. 

"Jimmy Wilson." the student with big glasses, a dorky outfit, big shoes, and a dorky haircut raised his hand. 

"Oh boy, I love mathematics. It just makes me h....h.....happy." everybody looked at Jimmy with a weird look. 

"That's very nice to know Mr. Wilson." Mr. Cheung was not very impressed. 

Mr. Cheung got the attendance for most of the students in his class. 

Except for one. 

"Of course, I can't forget our favorite student, Troy Watanabe." Mr. Cheung gave a solemn expression after mentioning his name. 

"That's right teach, you can't forget the best football player ever!" Troy kicked the door open. 

People thought the teacher would scold Troy for kicking the door, but Mr. Cheung just let it go. 

"That was rude for him to do," Ashley whispered to Scott. 

"Yeah, I agree," Scott whispered back at her. 

Troy tried to find a seat that was empty. Suddenly, he found a seat that was next to Scott, Ashley, and Jimmy as he headed there. As he sat down, he had the urge to put his foot on the table and the teacher still never scolded him. As he sat down, Troy recognized Scott from yesterday. 

"Hey, I feel like I've seen you before." Troy points at Scott. 

"Wait, aren't you that guy who was on his bike yesterday?" Troy looked closer at him. 

"Hey, that's you! I guy I beeped my car at!" Troy was feeling shocked. 

"I also noticed you're one of the new kids since I've never seen you before. Not to mention that girl next to you," Troy notices when seeing Scott. 

"Yeah, what about me being the new kid?" Scott turned around at Troy. 

"Well, since you're new, I just want to let you know that the parking lot you rode on is my territory, and if someone besides me touches it, I easily get angry." Troy started to sound angry. "Also a car will forever be better than a bike. I mean that bike you drove was nothing but trash." 

Troy is now irritating Scott. Scott clenched his fist ready to punch him. But Ashley stopped him before there were major consequences. 

"Scott, it's not worth it." Ashley touches his hand to soften his clenched fist. 

"Troy, I don't think that's how you introduce the new student as a new student myself." Ashley talking to Troy. 

"Pfff whatever." Troy stepped back from Scott's desk. 

Mr. Cheung saw what was happening but did nothing to intervene. 

"Now that the class is settled, we will be learning some mathematics starting with the sigma notation. So please grab your textbooks from under your desk and turn to page nine." Mr. Cheung set up the whiteboard. 

The whole class was learning the introduction to pre-calculus. Scott and Ashley were focused on taking notes with Jimmy taking more notes and reading through the textbook. Troy however didn't care as all he did was shoot spitballs at Jimmy laughing at him for being a nerd. 

"Ha nerd," Troy shouted as he kept shooting spitballs at him. 

Scott felt worried as Troy didn't feel like a football player, but more like a scumbag. The class was finally over and the class left for their second period. Scott and Ashley walked out together as they were starting a new friendship. 

"Well that was a boring class." Scott almost took a nap in the class. 

"Yeah, math is not my thing." Ashley wanted her lunch period to get here sooner. 

To make the mood worse, Troy came out of the classroom, bothering Jimmy while he was walking out. "Hey nerd, you'll forever be my new cheat sheet, so you better not disappoint me."

Troy slapped Jimmy hard on the back to the point where Jimmy fell. The students around him looked at him as if he were seen as the dorkiest person ever. Jimmy stood up and ran as he felt embarrassed for falling. 

"Wow, he doesn't deserve to be laughed at." Scott felt bad for Jimmy. 

"Yeah me too." Ashley also understands Jimmy. 

"By the way, here's the map that I showed you earlier." Ashley gives the school map to Scott.

"Since you need it more than I do, it'll help you get to your other classes." Ashley helping Scott.

"Thanks." Scott smiled as he never felt anyone helping him before in his old school. 

"I like that smile of yours." Ashley also smiling. 

Ashley realizes that she has to head to her political science class. 

"Crap, my next class is about to start, so I'll see you tomorrow." Ashley ran to her next class waving back at Scott. 

"See ya." Scott waved back at her. 

Scott soon realizes that it is his first time smiling since the incident back in Des Moines happened. Maybe this can help Scott as he discovers more about himself.

After precalculus, Scott's next class was physical education class which was held in the gymnasium. Since the gym was on the first floor and his locker was on the third, Scott ran to his locker and then to the gym with his gym uniform still in his locker. Lucky for Scott, he wasn't just a baseball player, but an athletic one meaning that he can run twice as fast as a normal person and has a very durable body. His speed gave him the benefit of running to his next class a few minutes before his next period started. Once Scott wore his uniform, he went into the gymnasium knowing that he could easily ace this class. Many students were in the bleachers waiting for the gym teacher to come in. Seeing the other students, Scott waited with them as most of the students were there. Soon, the teacher came into the gym wearing a cap, a navy blue jacket, sweatpants, and white shoes. 

"Alright, I guess, the whole class is here. Well, most at least. Well, if they aren't here, then that's their fault." The gym teacher is not taking attendance but just staring at the students. 

"My name is Mr. Gordon, but I prefer Coach Gordan since I'm the football coach for our varsity team." Coach Gordan wanted the students to call him coach. 

"As today is the second day of school, I want all of us to start our physical exam to know how fit you are. As the school year progresses, we will see at the end of the year how much you have improved then." The coach later set up the obstacle courses. 

The course had four obstacles: the running section, the push-up section, the pull-up section, and the curl-up section. 

"For this test, this will test your body and arm strength, and your speed, which I value the most in you guys," the coach showed parts of the section. 

"So who's up first?" the coach is looking at the students who want to volunteer. 

"Oooo oooo me me, coach. I know I can beat this silly exam of yours," said someone with a high-pitched voice. But Scott realizes that he heard that voice from before. 

When he turned around he knew it. It was Laura who was part of the pep rally from yesterday.

"Her again!" Scott was shocked to see her again. 

He also realizes that he never saw her when he was going to the bleachers filled with students. "But I didn't see her, is she giving the same entrance that Troy did?" Scott told himself. 

"Wow, if it isn't Laura. I'm surprised that you're in my class." Coach blushed to see her. 

"Aw, did I make you blush, coach? Well, I am the hottest girl in this school." Laura posing on the coach. 

"Well ummm…okay Laura, let's see what you got." Coach letting Laura on the obstacle course. 

Once she got on, the coach started to time her and once he did, she was fast. She ran the obstacle course, dropped to do her push-ups, jumped on the bars for her pull-ups, and dropped again to do her curl-ups. After she was done, the Coach stopped the time, and no surprise, it only took her thirty seconds to finish the course. 

"That's impressive Laura." Coach congratulated her. "Thanks, Coach. Since I did the test first, can I choose who goes next?" Laura told the Coach. 

"Um, I don't think I can do-" Laura interrupted him with puppy eyes. 

"Pretty pretty pretty please." Laura is trying to act cute to the coach. 

The Coach will feel bad if he rejects someone who was considered the princess of this school and the girlfriend of the King, so he allows her. 

"Of course," the coach permitted Laura. 

She shrieked as she felt like she had control over the students.

"Oh right, who to pick next." Laura looked at all of the students. 

"You there." Laura pointed at Scott as she found him interesting. 

"I want to see if you can beat my new score." Laura pressuring Scott. 

Scott walked up to the course setting up his running form before it started. When the timer started, Scott ran fast and did push-ups, pull-ups, and then his curl-ups. Once the Coach stopped the timer, he had finished the course in forty-five seconds. Laura went up to the Coach to see his time and once she saw it she started shaming him. 

"Wow, forty-five seconds. You can't even beat my score. I bet my boyfriend can do better than you." Laura teased Scott as he went back to the bleachers. 

Scott looked at her, knowing that she might be the biggest bratty teenager that he's ever encountered. Laura then tested the other students in the gym having an average score of a minute or longer. Once the test was over the class was also over. 

"Alright, that wraps things up. With these scores, this will help you develop your fitness." The coach was putting the scores on his clipboard. 

Once the bell rang, the class headed to the locker rooms and got ready for their next period. However, there was a classmate who wanted to congratulate her on having the highest score.

"Hey, Laura, congrats on being the fastest to finish the course." The student wanted to shake her hand. 

However, Laura just slapped him in the face. 

"Uh, you creep! I have a boyfriend, you deadbeat loser." Laura then pushed him to the ground.

"Why would I want to date a loser like you, you piece of shit." Laura spits at him as she walks away. 

Scott saw this and tried to help the student out. Luckily, the student was fine, but he knew what she did was unnecessary. The Coach left before Laura slapped and spat on him, so she was let off easily. 

"What the hell is wrong with that girl?" Scott looked up at the gym ceiling.

After Scott went through a whole school day from his lunch period to economics, he decided to leave for the day knowing that he has to deal with two scumbags for the whole school year. At the very least, he met a new friend who would help him throughout the year. 

Meanwhile, Troy was getting ready for football practice after school as he wanted to keep his reputation as the best football player on the team. 

"What a day." Troy putting on his football gear. 

When Troy was done putting on his gear, he turned around. Then John unexpectedly appeared in front of his face. 

"Jesus, you scare the shit out of me." Troy was surprised to see John 

"Troy, what's going on?" John is chill to Troy. 

"Well, I'm good, I-" Troy was interrupted by John. 

"Cut the crap. I want to know more about the new kid, Scott Smith." John was serious to him as he put his arm on Troy's shoulder. 

"Well he looks like a depressed Chinese guy and he seems like a good candidate for the piece that you need." Troy was sweating as he felt the grip on his shoulder. 

"Just looks... JUST LOOKS!" John was so angry at Troy that he grabbed his arm and threw him at the lockers. 

"You can't do your job properly, I want to know who he is, not what he looks like." John grabs Troy on the neck, tightening his grip. 

"You know what, I'm having a party on Friday, so give this to him." John gives Troy his party invitation so he can later give it to Scott. 

"All you have to do is give this letter to Scott. If you screw this up, I swear I'll break your skull with my fucking bare hands." John let go of Troy. 

As John left the men's locker room, Troy sat on the floor, as John was now under his full control.

"John, I'll do what you need me to do. For the King of High School." Troy told himself while sitting on the floor for a while.

The next day, Scott was walking up to his precalculus class while listening to the student's conversations while going there. 

"Hey, have you been invited to the King's party?" the student told the other. 

"I did! I got invited to his party! I can't believe Laura personally gave me one! She's so hot." Another student was excited about the invitation in his hands.

"There's a party going on?" Scott questions himself as he walks up the stairs. 

In the classroom, Scott told Ashley about this invitation that many students were talking about. Even the students in the classroom were also talking about it. 

"So Ashley, have you heard about this invitation people are getting?" Scott wondered about it. 

"Yeah ever since I got here, everyone has been talking about it." Ashley looked around at her other classmates. 

"Alright class settled down about this party thing. We are here to learn math, so like yesterday, open your textbooks to page eleven." Mr. Cheung was so annoyed about this party conversation. 

Suddenly, Troy arrived late to class again, but instead of kicking the door, he was quietly not bothering the class heading to his seat. Once Troy sat down, he whispered to Scott. 

"Hey, kid." Troy tapped Scott. 

Scott turned around realizing that it was Troy. 

"The hell do you want?" Scott looked at Troy with a serious face. 

"Can we talk?" Troy speaks to Scott nicely. 

"Let me guess, are you going to make fun of me and my bike like you did yesterday?" Scott is ready to turn back. 

"No, I'm here because the King of High School wants me to give you this." Troy gave Scott the invitation. 

"An invitation?" Scott looked at the yellow envelope. 

"Yes, from the King himself, he invites you to his back-to-school party." Troy has a lighter voice.

"By the way, what's your name, kid?" Troy wondered who he was. 

"I'm Scott. " Scott introduced himself. 

"Nice to meet you Scott, I hope to see you at the party." Troy is now going back to his desk.

 Scott has an invitation from the King of High School. But what does it mean to him? As Scott meets the Princess of the cheerleading squad and the best football player, what will it mean for Scott as he meets the King of High School?

More Chapters