A/N: Trigger Warning- Physical violence, bullying, depressing thoughts

Song: Demons by Imagine Dragons

September 5

Today was my first day of school, and it sucked. The only highlight to my day was the mysterious girl who saved me, but I'll get to her in a minute.

As I ran out the door to catch the bus, I picked up the envelope that my schedule was mailed in and slid the piece of paper out as I ran to the bus stop. Luckily for me, I had been the only person there at the moment. I shoved the envelope into my back pack and unfolded my schedule.

My school works in block periods, so most classes (except most AP classes) only ran for a semester because we had an hour and a half a day for each class. Since the classes are so long, we only have four classes a day per semester. There are a few exceptions for people who are in band, orchestra, or choir because those classes needed to run all year long. To fit those into the schedule, there are certain classes, such as PE, that will run year long along side the music classes with alternating days for each.

As I'm writing this, I realize this doesn't really make sense. I'll try to break it down more.

In my case, I play clarinet in the band at my school. To fit this into my schedule, I have band first period, and I also have PE first period. The days I got to band alternate between the days I go to PE. This year, band is on an "A" day and PE is on a "B" day for me, so on "A" days I go to band and "B" days I go to PE and through out the week it's ABAB and now I think I explained it alright. Hopefully you got the picture.

Wow, I'm calling my journal "you" as if it could read.

Anyway, after first period, I have Algebra 2 this semester (next semester I have chemistry), then it's AP US History third period which runs all year, and then I have AP English 11 which also runs all year.

I'm stronger in English and history than I am in math and science which my "friends" were quick to point out and mock me for writing poetry. That is until Blake... Nevermind. He wouldn't stick up for me again after this.

Going back to what happened today, the bus came just as Blake and Kyle had rounded the corner across the street from the bus stop. They sprinted across the street while I climbed on. Instead of sitting in the back with them like I used to do, I sat right behind the driver. They wouldn't be able to do or say anything with her right there. When they climbed on the bus, gasping for air, they glared at me before turning to go sit in the back. I may have escaped them then, but once we got off the bus, that was a different story.

The bus arrived at the school twenty minutes before class started, as usual. I slipped off the bus and sped walked to the doors, trying not to be noticed. I managed to get lost in the crowd of students who were looking for their friends, but once I was inside, I was virtually alone. Everyone always hung out on the outside of the school before they had to rush to class, so the hallways were empty except for the stray teacher and lost freshman who didn't know their way around. I walked as fast as I could away from the doors and started to make my way toward the band room. I turned into the hallway that led directly to the classroom, and I thought I was home free. However, the school is small, and it didn't take that long for the gang to find me and pin me to the wall half way down the hall.

"Look who's too scared to face us again," Xavier snickered.

"I'm not scared," I replied cooly. "I just figured there was no point in meeting up with you all if we aren't friends anymore. Now if you excuse me, I have to warm up my instrument."

I tried to slide out of his grip, but he tightened his grip on my arm. "You're instrument can wait. We just want to have a little chat, don't we?" Christian said with a small smirk.

I looked over at Blake, but he only shrugged. Typical.

I was about to say something, anything that would at least stall them from beating me up, when the band teacher walked out of the classroom. Xavier let go of me at once. "Austin! It's nice to see you again. I hope you had a good summer?"

I pushed past them, so I could see him more properly. "Yes, I did, Mr. Thomas. How was your?"

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw the gang walk off sulkily as Mr. Thomas responded. "It was pretty good. I took my wife to Williamsburg for a week. She may not be too enthusiastic about the amusement parks, but she loves the history presented in Colonial Williamsburg." He gave me a wink before he walked back into the classroom. I sighed and followed. Thank the universe for Mr. Thomas.

After that, nothing very interesting happened. I did notice that in my first three classes, there was a new girl with long dark brown hair and tanned skin. Not only was her presence in all of my classes weird, but the fact that she was new at all was a little weird. We were such a small town that usually nobody moved here. Everyone knew everyone and that was that. This girl seemed to break that code, and everyone snuck glances at her behind their work in disbelief too.

She didn't seem shy, nor did she seem that out going. She didn't talk to anyone or introduce herself to anyone, but she seemed comfortable with that. She didn't shy away from people as they walked past. It was like she was in her own little world where she acknowledged the existence of those around her, but she didn't feel the need to interact unless someone talked to her in which she would be just as comfortable replying back.

Near the end of third period and right before we got to go to lunch, we had free time to talk or do whatever. Unfortunately, Blake was in my class, but he wouldn't do anything with the teacher watching. He also wouldn't do anything unless he had at least some of the gang with him. I was safe for now.

I had brought a book with me, but I couldn't concentrate on reading. I put the book back in my back pack and looked up at the girl. She had a notebook out, and she was writing something really fast as if she were taking notes. Her head was bent down in concentration, and her hair fell around her face. Not until the bell rang did she stop what she was writing, and even then she added a few more notes or something as she got up and started toward the door. After I watched her leave, I realized I needed to get somewhere safe as soon as possible where I could eat my lunch. At this point, the gang might have already crowded around the outside of the door.

I pushed the strange girl out of my mind and shouldered my back pack before sprinting out the door. I ran down a few empty hallways until I found a random one that students usually never entered. I sat down on the floor and pulled out my sandwich I made this morning.

I was halfway through eating it when they found me. This time, they didn't say anything. Leonard kicked the sandwich out of my hand, and Kyle pulled me up until I was dangling a few centimeters off the ground. He threw back on the ground and all of them started kicking me. I curled up and put my arms around my head to try and protect it when suddenly I heard a girl cry out.

"Hey! What are you doing to him?"

"Beat it new girl! This has nothing to do with you!" I heard Blake yell.

"It has everything to do with me if you are beating someone up right in front of me. Now leave him alone, or I will go to the principal!" The girl said with venom in her voice.

"You have no idea who you are dealing with. No one tells us what to do!" Christian snarled.

"Obviously, or else your mother would have taught you manners. Now go away!"

I heard the gang's retreating footsteps and felt one last kick to the side. I layed still for a second until I was sure they were gone before I sat up to face my savior. It was the new girl with the notebook. She ran to me and dropped to her knees when she reached my side. She then immediately opened her back pack and took out a small first aid kit. I still can't figure out why she would have a first aid kit in her backpack for school. Anyway, she took out a few bandages and told me to roll over. I rolled on to my back, and she lifted my shirt. I felt my face heat up, but she didn't bother to notice as she cleaned up my scrapes and cuts. When she finished, she packed up her kit and slipped it into her bag again. She got up and held out her hand for me to take. After she helped me up, she kept holding my hand and shook it. "My name is Sarah. Sarah Osborne."

"A-Austin. Austin Lakewood." I stuttered back. "Thanks for... well... everything I guess."

"No problem. Lunch is almost over. I have nothing on my schedule after school today. You want to hang out and tell me what happened?" She said with a raised eyebrow.

"I barely know-" I began, but she cut me off.

"Well duh, but how can we be friends if we barely know each other? That's why we hang out. So we can get to know each other. Meet me outside the school library." The bell rang, and she sprinted off to her next class which also happened to be my next class.

I had texted my mom after class ended that I was staying for study hall at the library, and I made my way to the library. Sarah had sprinted out of class before I could catch her, so I figured she must have somewhere to go before she met me there. The gang had to either take the bus or go home via carpool, so I wasn't bothered. I stood outside the library for about a half an hour when Sarah ran up to me, brushing her sweaty bangs out of her face. "You want to go to the cafe down the street? We can eat something while we talk. You must be starving since you didn't get to finish your sandwich."

She was right. I felt like I was hungry enough to eat a horse. "Yeah, sure."

We walked in silence until we were at the counter and ordering food. Then we sat down at a table next to a window. She looked at me for a few seconds as if she were trying to analyze everything about me by just staring at me. It was kind of creeping me out. "So," I cleared my throat awkwardly.

"I take it you still don't want to tell me what happened? I understand that. Want to play 20 questions instead?" She asked.

I shrugged. "Okay. Where are you from?"

"Norfolk, Virginia. What about you?" She said.

"I was born and raised here. I've never left the city if you can call this a city." I said with a small laugh as I gestured around me. "Why did you move to such a small place like this?"

Her eyes clouded over for a minute. "My dad thought it would be a better place for me. You can't get into too much trouble in a small town, right?" She laughed drily.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"That, is a story for another time when you are comfortable enough to tell me your own secrets," she said with a smirk. "My turn. What's your favorite color?"

It went on like that for a while. We answered random questions between bites of food, and though we still didn't know much about each other, it was much more comfortable for me at least to talk to her. There were a few questions she wouldn't answer, and there were equally as many if not more that I didn't want to answer. When we left for home, I felt like I had made a friend.

Now I realize that might not be such a good thing. If the gang finds out, they might go after her. I didn't want her to get hurt at my expense. Honestly, I don't know what she sees in me that made her want to talk to me. Maybe it was the fact that she didn't know who I was. As soon as she does find out, which will probably be soon considering the size of the population and the inability for people to keep secrets, she'll probably treat me like a terrible beast along with the gang and who knows how many people at that point. As much as I want someone to talk to, I couldn't let that happen whether it was for her safety or my own.

I need to go finish my homework now I guess. I'll write in this again soon.

~Austin