CHAPTER TWO: TEAR YOU APART

"Oh! This must be our new students," Mr. Clarke grinned as Rowan and his stepsister Max walked into the classroom. The boy wore an irritated look on his face, along with Maxine who also didn't want to be there. They had no idea why they put the two in the same class considering that they were step-siblings but Rowan was fine with it anyways.

Lucas felt his cheeks flush as he and Rowan made eye contact. He didn't realize that they were going to be going to the same school and he was so focused on Row, that he didn't even notice the redhead standing right next to him. Lucas fixed his posture as he watched the boy and girl try to walk to an empty desk right away. Lucas didn't know what it was, but something about Row made him really hope that he'd not sit too far, but next to him.  　

Mr. Clarke stopped the siblings before they got any further.      　

"All right, hold up there. You don't get away that easy. Come on up, don't be shy," The two rolled their eyes, slowly walking back to the front.   

"Dustin, drum roll," he said.

Dustin quickly shut his book, tapping on it rapidly.      　

"Class, please welcome, all the way from Sunny California . . . the latest passenger to join us on our curiosity voyage . . . Rowan and Maxine !"      　

"It's Max," she said.      　

"Excuse me?"

"Nobody calls me Maxine. it's Max," she corrected him.      　

"Well, all aboard, Max and. . ." Mr. Clarke trailed off, looking towards Rowan who shrugged his shoulders. "Just Rowan is fine."

He quickly walked to the left, not going too far back but next to Lucas's row while Max went
to the back of the room, looking annoyed as ever making Rowan chuckle under his breath at her sassy look.

Rowan fiddled with his wristband and looked up to see Lucas staring right at him while his friends were full-on gawking Max.

Lucas pursed his lips, hesitantly speaking towards Row, "So she's your sister?"

"Step-sister, yes. Why do you care?" Rowan mumbled in annoyance. It was the first day and he was already irritated by the people in his class. Rowan already felt like skipping his next one or maybe even riding his skateboard during lunch.

"Uh— I don't." Rowan raised a brow at Lucas's answer. "I was just wondering. . . if you'd like—"

"Can't, I'm busy." Rowan immediately cut him off, opening the book Carrie in his bag and began to read, ignoring everything that was being taught. He didn't realize or mean to come off rude but he just didn't feel like talking.

Sighing, Lucas turned back around and focused his eyes back on Mr. Clarke but his mind was somewhere else. One more glance back and Mike noticed how distracted Lucas was just like Dustin and Will's eyes glued onto Max. All he had to do was make them snap out of it.

But still. Lucas continued to look back.

"Ah, ha, you owe me ten bucks!" Max cheered with little chuckles escaping her mouth. She and Rowan bet on who could land their skateboard faster and of course. Max won.

"Ugh—I barely even have five dollars, max." Rowan groaned and picked his skateboard up with his left hand, digging for any dollars or change in his pocket. The only reason he didn't have much money from the little jobs he'd do for his dad was because Row would spend it all on those stupid arcade games. And he wouldn't stop making bets with Max even if he doubted he would win.

Rowan was one of those boys. He seemed all tough and like he'd be good at everything of his attitude and billy being the boy's younger brother. But he wasn't. Most of the things Rowan did, he sucked at. Video games, school, math especially, and playing sports, but he was good in track but that was pretty much it.

"Pay up." The stepsister told Rowan as she extended her hand out, impatiently waiting.

Quickly hopping on his skateboard, Rowan pushed off and skated away from Max causing her to go after him. No way was he going to give her the only four dollars and twenty-five cents he had left. Row still needed, well, wanted to buy a couple of books after he finished Carrie and Little Women (again). That was one thing he was good at. Reading. He had always enjoyed the escape of reading small little words on pages that were almost infinite. Rowan read books as one would breathe air.

The boy noticed that Max had stopped chasing him and began to go head towards the stairs leading into the school. Confusion crossed his features once the redhead dropped a crumbled piece of paper into the trash can before going inside. Moments later a group of boys ran over to the trash can and revived the piece of paper.

An agitated groan escaped Rowan's mouth, his eyes rolling as he went over to the boys that bothered him the other night.

"What are you creeps doing?" He questioned with a harsh tone, appearing behind the boys with his skateboard at his side.

They all whirled around with stunned expressions, one hiding the paper behind his back. "What—"

"God, y'all act like fifth graders. Stop being stalkers and digging into trash cans. It's not a good look." Rowan advised and sent the curly-headed boy a look of irritation. He caught on to what they were doing once they stutter and went speechless. "Oh and don't even think about becoming friends with Max, she'll probably just tear you apart."

Rowan just tried to let them know before they got their poor little hearts broken before actually hitting puberty.

He was about to go find Max until Lucas stopped him, "What about you?" He asked.

"Mmh?" Rowan furred his brows.

"Will you tear me apart if I try to become friends with you? We, I mean." Anyone could tell Lucas was hesitant to ask but the boy did anyway.

Mouth pursing in thought, Rowan looked at each of the boys in front of him, noticing how different each of their expressions were. Mike seemed like he didn't want to be there, the smaller one seemed excited yet nervous at the same time, and well, Dustin's eyes were practically popping out of his head. They were all different in their own ways. It made Row wonder how they all were friends but he had only just met them to assume anything.

Rowan didn't give them an answer. He shrugged then walked off as soon as an administrator showed up. He wasn't sure of the answer but at the moment Row didn't care. . . Or so he thought.

authors note 🧍‍♀️———
this chapter is short !
i apologize.

oh and you should like...
comment...please 😁😁