New Beginnings

Outsider. That word describes me perfectly. Ever since birth too. I was never the one you’d see talking with others and sharing a story. No. I was always the one in the corner by myself holding in my emotions thinking to myself. Occasionally I read, but the classmates would spit their words of hate at me. Pain. I might as well tell you who I am. My name is Alucard Winston. I’m 16 and will soon start grade 11 at St. Roger’s High School. The population of the town is 33,500. My friend population is 0. But that’ll change very soon. I’ll make sure of it.

School. Or as I like to call it the dungeon of doom. I gaze at it from the outside. The 3 floors of unforgiving red brick stare me in the eyes. It laughs, knowing what will come soon. Around me, hundreds of students. Talking, laughing, joking, having fun.

“Hey Alucard! Over here.” It’s Tommy Brimstone, the coolest guy in school. Hanging on his shoulders, two lovely girls. Why wouldn’t they be with him. What’s not to like. Six foot one, muscular body, long flowing hair (I tried to grow my hair out like his once, but he never flowed), and most important of all: a smile that makes girls melt. After hesitating for a second, I cautiously pace towards him.

“H…hi.” I managed to squeak out.

“How’s it going buddy. Another year - another fabulous year. Y’ know, I don’t see you do much around the school. Don’t know why though. Hey, I just got a wicked idea! Wanna hang out ‘round us?” My heart stops. I freeze in fear, not knowing what to do. “Umm, are y’ gonna speak? Oh I see, you must be shy of these gorgeous girls you see with me. No need to be shy, Samantha to my left actually has a crush on you for the longest time.”

“REALLY!” I sounded like when parents tell their five year old that they’re going to Disney World.

“Bahahahahahaha, you can’t be serious can you?” Oh no, I messed up on the first day, darn it. “Oh my god, really” Tommy mocked. Normally I’d just put my head down in shame, run away like a girl, and pretend the whole ordeal never happened. Not today. I stared Tommy Brimstone with my eyes which now resembled that of a person with rabies. Drool was running down my face. I clenched my fist tightly. Vessels were bulging out. I raised my jackhammer of a fist and stopped it in midair. All this time Tommy was staring at me with a terrified face. “Dude man, please don’t do this. Really, I’m sorry man. I was only playing. Swear.”

“Really?” I questioned.

“No.” In a split second, he whacked me in the face. I dropped like a sac of bricks. And not just a regular sac of bricks, but a really heavy sac of bricks. Tommy turned his direction to Samantha and Debra. “So…ya think he’s dead?”

“Shut up. Now!” What was coming over me. No longer controlling my body, a mere spectator. “Stop it, what are you doing, I’m going to get myself killed” is what I kept telling myself. Extraordinary pain. My nose was a river of blood (I’m pretty sure it’s broken). “Tommy, too many years now, I’ve had to deal with this. The emotional and physical pain, the constant torturing, the ridiculing. No one should ever have to experience what I have in my short 16 years of life. No one. But I won’t put all the blame on you: the bully. I too am responsible for my sad excuse for a life. I never once stood up for myself. Never. What do you have to say about that?” I took a break from talking, and examined everything around me. The rest of the school stood around us in a circle. Every student in St. Roger’s High, I even spotted a couple of teachers. The expressions on the faces varied, I saw students in shock, terrified, and even some with a smile. As if they were proud of me. Or maybe they were just waiting for Tommy to pummel me. Either way, it was fascinating.

“Well well, Alucard Winston being assertive. Who’d have ever imagined.” Tommy spoke with a sense of cockiness, so I kept wary. “I should demolish you right now until you’re not capable to stand.” He tightened his fist (not as much as I had earlier) and raised it (it’s coming now, might as well get what’s coming) and hurled it right (better close my eyes) at me.

It’s been a couple seconds now. My eyes opened carefully. Tommy’s fist was right in front of my eyes. “But I won’t hit you. I respect you for what you just did.” Tommy Winston, the most popular student in school, respected me? Must be a dream. “Alucard - have a nice year. Oh, and you may wanna get your nose checked (my formally white shirt was now drenched in my own crimson blood). Sorry ‘bout what I did to it earlier.” He strolled along to the school. The crowd around me seemed pleased. Several students clapped. Seconds later, they departed to school as well.

The school. It no longer laughs at me, but instead gives me a smile of approval. I smile back. I was right all along. This was my year.