I managed to catch the bus just in time as it pulled up along the curb and grabbed a seat in the middle. I could’ve easily sat in the front in order to not draw attention but that’s where all the freshman sit- not to mention the aggressive,entitled seniors that sit in the back.

I learned early on that the middle of the bus is the safest destination for someone like me.

Now all I had to do was sit back and wait for the  bus to pick up the other students before heading to school.

Unfortunately for me I was a new kid… and they are easy targets for people who didn’t have friends to begin with.And the large guy who sat next to me just proves my statement.

He left out a loud,tired yawn before turning towards me with a smile on his face. “ Hey you, I don’t remember seeing you?”

The guy seemed pretty normal aside from the fact that his head almost touched the ceiling of the bus.He had the same tan skin as me if not slightly darker  and a curly afro on his head that seemed to be squished against the sides of his head.

He seemed cool though, and there was no sense in ignoring him since he already acknowledged my presence.

“ Hi im Jaden.” I say with a smile as he shakes my hand “ and to answer your question yes I am very new”. “So for obvious reasons with you being new you have no idea what to expect at the academy?” “I’m sorry what?”

“Alvin why are you wasting time talking to a new kid whom apparently doesn't even know the name of our school”.A girl sitting in front of us said with a yawn as she looked over her shoulder to look at us with an exaggerated eye-roll

You know how you can look at someone and just tell that there in a band? That just about summed her up entirely. From her short curly hair, nose ring, and grey crop top that said “I’m packed with disinterest” everything about her demeanor held insane amounts of confidence.

“Hi I’m Alexis, the big guy sitting next to you is Alvin, and if you don't even know the name of the school you're not gonna last very long”. She said with a laugh until another kid tried to fill the empty space next to her until she stared at them enough that they got up and moved again. “Well Alexis it is his first day nobody expects him to know everything-” “Alvin its highschool. Literally everyone expects you to know everything.

The two of them continued to argue while I looked out the window absentmindedly. They both seemed nice enough and their demeanor made it obvious that they’ve known each other for a while. I would’ve actually liked to be friends with them, but I can't risk getting attached. My powers normally caused problems leading us to move before anyone noticed my abnormality and I know my family resents me for it. The last place we moved from was New York and after being there for 6 years and then having to leave so suddenly definitely took a toll on my mom and my sister. At least my sister is honest about her feelings towards me and my power though. My mom wont say it but i can see it in her eyes whenever i use my gifts.

So for now my best course of action is to ignore everyone.That shouldn't be too hard.

“So new kid what brings you to the academy?”

Damn

“No particular reason we just had to move.” I shrugged, not taking my gaze away from the window.

“Oh no no no!” Alexis said very loudly as she pulled me away from the window so that I would face her. “ You don't just end up in gwinnett county's Academy for troubled youth without having some kind of story so what's yours new kid or are you trying to go for that i'm dark and mysterious crap like all the other chumps that go here?”.

Her bluntness had caught me slightly off guard but she was so chill in asking the question that oddly enough I didn't want to lie.

“Ok well when you put it that way… I blew up a school toilet but it was an accident… kinda… sort of…. It wasn't an accident” I sigh as I lean back into the seat tha started to vibrate as Alvin and Alexis laughed at my'' semi-true story”.

“Well no doubt about it you definitely belong here!” Alvin laughed, wiping the tears from his eyes from laughing so hard.

“Well you got me to tell my story so what about you two?” “What it's not obvious?” Alexis asked me dumbfounded while I sat there completely oblivious to whatever it is she meant.

“What should be obvious?”

“Dude I’m a lesbian!”

“I thought you were american”.

“Damn it Alvin are you gonna say that every time? Look when i came out to my mom she enrolled me in this school this year to hopefully reform me so i can get back on the righteous path of Jesus”She explained to me, the irritation clear in her voice.

“Wait so being gay makes you a troubled youth? Well that's the dumbest thing I ever heard, but wait what about Alvin?” I looked towards him in curiosity, seeing as the guy seemed to be the walking epitome of a boy next door.

“Oh me? I got sent to this school for beating up kids that made fun of Alexis”. He shrugged nonchalantly.

I couldn't explain it then but them telling me their stories made them seem extremely cool to me.While i didn't know it then we ended becoming closer than ever before.Time seemed to stand still as we talked on the bus. I felt like I’d known them for years and not just minutes as we talked about anything from overbearing parents to how many doritos Alvin could fit in his mouth at one time.

Surprisingly the number is 58.

I knew making friends with them would probably come back to bite me in the ass later but at the moment i didn’t care.

I just wanted to feel normal for once.

Soon the bus came to a quick  stop as we pulled into the schools parking lot.

“Welp looks like we're here. Welcome to hell”.