PART 1


CHAPTER 1:

"I am going to California." What would you assume if someone said so? You would probably think, "He must be going there to achieve something big or, he must want a better education." But it's different for me. I am just trying to run away from my past into a better future.

I came out of the airport in California and started to look for my uncle.

"Hi, kiddo! How's it going? " There he is, my irritating uncle.
"Nothing much is happening, and please, I am not a kid anymore." I tried to sound as irritated as I could, but he never takes the hint which didn't change even now.
"Yeah, whatever you say kiddo!"

Don't act as you understand me when you won't act on it!!

He took me to the parking lot, where his car was parked. He started talking to me while loading the bags.

"I am sorry about your Mom and Dad... How is your brother anyway?"
"Please don't bring him into this conversation. You know I hate him after what has happened."
"So what exactly happened?" He asked, and as usual, he had no sense of timing.
"Nothing, they just got a divorce."
"No, I am asking for the specifics."
"What? Are you planning to make a documentary on my parents' divorce now?"
This was followed by a minute's silence. I could feel the atmosphere getting thicker and thicker. So, I decided to break the silence.
"It's just that talking about the past to you won't change anything. Let's focus on what to do from now on instead, all right?" was my follow up.

"Anyway, did you have a girlfriend back there?"

There you go, he started the interview once again.
"Huh? No, I want to avoid that kind of thing, especially since I have started high school. Anyways, girls in relationships end up pregnant, and we end up conducting fundraisers." was my reply.

In my mind, I knew that getting a girlfriend for a loner like me was nothing more than a joke. How can one have a girlfriend when he is not even surrounded by friends...

I was brought back to reality by my uncle's voice.

"I see, you have not lost your mature outlook on life. You are self-conscious and logical as ever."

It seemed that we had finished loading the bags, and had already exited the airport tolls.
What he said reminded me of what people used to call me; 'An awkward king'.

"Well, some people think that being self-conscious is awkward," I replied.

"No, it's not. I think it's cool and mature."

"But, you are an old geezer."

"Ouch! That hurt you know!"

He was more than twice as old as me, but still a child from the inside.

He is careless, socially active, and pretty popular among his colleagues too. I don't understand how can a person be so happy even after not having much freedom in life. He is chained by society's values and rules still, he is happy.

"Everybody is different. They have different perspectives for different situations. Let's take 'human rights' as an example."

That was the most mature topic you could think of?

"Many people believe," he continued, "that a person's right extends to the point till one doesn't hurt the sentiments of others. While other pessimistic people agree to the fact that human rights aren't 'free' and they will always have some restrictions, no matter what we do."

"I agree with the one you mentioned first," I replied sounding convinced.
"Woah, so, you can be optimistic sometimes, " my uncle was shocked to the point where he lost control of the car.

"But the truth is," I continued, while ignoring his inconsiderate comment, "people keep hurting others while growing mentally and emotionally. So, should they not be allowed to even exist?" I said it very sincerely.

"Guess I was wrong, you can never see things optimistically," he said in a disappointed tone. Even a person as emotionless as me felt uncomfortable when he said it that way.

"Anyways, we are here at the place your dad rented for you to stay. So, shall we start unloading?"

"Yeah, sure," I said.

We unloaded and kept all the bags in the room. All the furniture in the room was brand new. I checked the bathroom and the bedroom, and I have to say, I was impressed by my dad for the first time. I was checking the kitchen out when I heard my uncle's voice;

"Okay kiddo, I'll be leaving now. Call me up if you need anything!"
"Yeah, I sure will."
With this, he vanished from the front of the door, and the place which was covered by his shadow was lit up by the evening sunlight again.
"And yeah, I will message you the school's address tomorrow, so that you can start going to school from day after!" I heard his voice from the stairs.

School, huh? It wasn't a place where I wanted to be, but I never had the choice, did I?

"Yeah, got it," I replied in a half-assed tone.

After that, I started taking my stuff out, but I eventually got tired and sat in front of the window. While watching the flickering lights, I remembered what my dad said.

"If you aren't able to socialize with people in California, you are coming back to New Orleans, remember that."

Shut up, you old geezer. I remember your terms. I will comply with them even if I have to put on a mask in front of people.

CHAPTER 2

I need to seem as sociable as I can. That's all I could think of before introducing myself to the class.

"So, for the extended homeroom class, we have a new student, and he will introduce himself to you. Okay, Mr Adam Parker, please introduce yourself," the teacher's voice echoed through the silent classroom.

"Yes, My name-"
"Mr Adam, you need to come up here to introduce yourself."

The class roared with laughter.
Yeah, a hell of a first impression.

I stood up and went up to the blackboard. I couldn't help but be nervous. It has been a long time since I've had so many eyes on me.

"Hi everyone. Umm...Uhhh... So my name is Adam Parker, and... Ummm... I hope we all get along."

Yeah, I am so proud of myself for being a loner.

I went back to my seat. I could hear people talking about how lame I was.

I already knew this would happen. It looks like, I have a flight back to New Orleans tomorrow.

Classes kept going on, recesses kept passing by. Nothing worth noting happened in this time interval.

Breaking the atmosphere of the class is very difficult, especially once the class groups have been formed.

But something happened in the long recess. It completely surprised me.

"Hi, I am Oscar, how are you?" A stranger came to me and introduced himself.

This has to be one of those idiotic, overly socialized people. I mean who would even talk to the person who just gave the history's worst introduction.

"Hi, I am-"
"Adam, I know. You just introduced yourself." He cut me off.

Hey, you are making fun of me, right?

"Want to join our group?" He offered.

I initially thought something was off. Why would he directly ask me to join his group when he doesn't know me?

But Dad's voice echoed through my ears.

"Yeah," I said while smiling.

It's been a while since I've faked a smile.

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"So, where do you live Adam?" asked James.

It was recess, and we were sitting in the parking lot. I was drinking a can of coffee, while the rest were having milkshakes.

What are you all, six-year-old kids?

"In a flat, four blocks away."

"Woah! You mean that place where those rich people stay!?"

"That means you must be from a rich family, right?" William confirmed.

"Yeah, maybe," I responded with insecurity.

It was a small group of 4 people including me. There was Oscar, William, James and, of course, me.

Oscar was one of the normies. He was popular among our classmates and our teachers too.

William and James were more of the quiet types, but they had a big difference in the reason of the silence: one was the silence of innocence, while the other was the silence of arrogance.

"Wanna hang out at your place?" Oscar waited for my answer.

"Not today I have somewhere I need to be." I rejected them flat out.
"Then it can't be helped."
I could've sworn that I didn't have to 'be anywhere' today, but I was still insecure around them, thanks to my personality as a loner.

By that time, recess was over, and we had to go back to class.

We kept meeting at the parking lot during the long recesses every day after that.

About five days after my first visit to the parking lot, something happened which disclosed my identity in front of everyone.

It was an unexceptional day until the long recess ended.

We all stood up, passed through the park, and reached our classroom.

The instant I entered the classroom, I was cornered by my classmates.

"Hey, you are the son of Mr Richard Robinson, the CEO of RR industries, right?"

"Wait a minute, that means you are the son of the 7th richest man on the planet!?" Oscar was surprised.

"But then, why is your surname, Parker? Your dad has the surname Robinson, right?" another question poured out from the flood of people.

"I heard your big brother, Noah, has started working as a model, is that true?" and another one, which got on my nerves.

"You know what, I can act like your friend and talk to you all you want but, please don't pry into my life," I said in an angry tone. Things quieted down after that and I went back up to my desk. I couldn't help but think.

Why is that I can't run away from him? What am I doing wrong?

"Hey, it's fine." I heard Oscar.

It seemed that he came and sat beside me while I was thinking about all this shit.

"We all have secrets which we want to keep hidden from everyone else because we, ourselves, don't have the courage to face them. I don't judge for saying that." Oscar tried to console me.

I don't need you to console me. I have consoled myself many times in the past. I have gone through many tough times alone. You don't need to tell me what I did was right, because I am already aware of the fact that whatever I do, it's right for me.

"Thanks." I had to fight myself a lot to say it, but again, I didn't want to return to my dad, so I had no choice.

The next day, things were pretty normal. I started sitting next to Oscar, while James and William both were sitting in front of us.

Then, in the recess after the 4th period, something happened. It seemed like God didn't plan a peaceful day for me.

I was sitting on my desk, and minding my own business when a girl from another section came to me.

"Are you Adam, the 'don't pry into my life' guy?" she asked me as if she were interrogating me.

"So, what if I am? You have some business with me?"

"So what if I do?"

Then tell me what business you have, goddammit!

"But, I suppose I would need to tell you anyhow. Come up to my class in the next recess. I want to discuss something with you."

I knew where this conversation was heading.

"What? Do you want to confess to me?"

Though I am a loner, no one can deny the fact that I am smart and good looking too.

"Would you quit joking? You are going to make me puke." She replied to me in the coldest voice I had ever heard. She had eyes similar to what I had back in New Orleans.

"Fine, I'll be there, "I replied sincerely this time.
"Good."She started to leave.

"Wait, you haven't introduced yourself yet." I felt like this was the first time in forever since I was curious about something.

"Alice." She replied.

She was the live image of the girl whom one would imagine when someone says the name 'Alice'. Natural, long, and blonde hair, perfect height, and unrivalled beauty. The only thing that differed was her eyes. Eyes into which I could stare forever, and still not understand her.

They terrify me...

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I don't believe it. How the hell is she so observant?

"So, would you mind explaining to me why did you get," she started while taking some papers out, "85% in all school entrance tests?"

"Don't know... A coincidence, maybe?"

"No, I am sure you have done it on purpose."

This is why she had called me; Interrogating me for coincidences, although, it wasn't. If people came to know that I was a genius, I might've been shunned out even before my lousy introduction.

"No, I certainly did not. I have given all the tests with the utmost sincerity." I lied right off my teeth.

She started to stare at me.

I couldn't manage to look towards her while she was staring at me like that. So, I started staring at the floor. The tiles were made of white marble, as it was a reputed school, but I preferred black.

I hate lying. People always try to protect things by lying, but in the end, it makes things worse. Lying is being kind and considerate, but sorry to say, I am neither kind nor, considerate.

"Yeah, you are right. I have faked my scores," I finally admitted," but why does it matter to you?"

"Was it your way to look down on new admissions?"

"85% isn't a very good score, you know. It's average."

"Well, but the maximum score is 85%."

"Wait, so does that mean that I have been placed 1st!?" I couldn't help but be surprised. I never considered the possibility that the test would be this tough.

"What? Didn't you even check your rank?"

"It's not like I needed to. I already knew my score so what was the point? What about second place?" I asked.

" His overall is 67%."

"Shit."I cursed.

"Why are you getting depressed? You should be happy, shouldn't you?"

"If things keep going this way, I'll be shunned out." I am not exactly sure how I sounded, but if I really said this, then I might have surely been worried.

"But I thought that you were a loner, weren't you?"

Don't keep talking in confirmative sentences, you inconsiderate bitch!

"I am. I want to keep living in California, and I need to socialize if I want to stay. That's my dad's condition." I babbled without any particular reason.

"So, why don't we both become friends then?"

"Aren't you a loner too?"

"I am. But as we both are loners, I figured that we both should befriend each other."

Something is not right here. I know for a fact that she is proud to be a loner, similar to me. Either she is in the same predicament as me, or my observations are wrong, and the latter is very less probable.

"Fine, "I agreed, "Let's be friends."
A long-time or, probably, the first time I have said this.
Recess ended and I returned to my class.
The rest of the day I kept wondering, why did she become my friend? Why is she being so considerate even though she is a loner? But it didn't matter until I can be in California, I guess.