Chapter One was posted here.
Chapter Two
Aidan sat in the front passenger seat of the Minnow, the powder-blue, twelve-year-old Ford Escort hatchback that belonged to his sister Jessica. In his lap, he clutched his backpack full of textbooks for his first day of classes at Camelot High.
“I can’t believe you didn’t make the football team,” said Jessica as she guided the car along Main Street in Camelot, Connecticut.
“Well . . .” Aidan squirmed in his seat. “Coach Zimmerman said the track team needed me more.” He sort of said that, at least.
“Our football team hasn’t won a game in three years. It almost makes me embarrassed to be a cheerleader. Almost.” She flicked invisible dust from off the maroon and gold Knights logo on her cheerleading uniform.
“Track’s an Olympic sport, you know,” said Aidan. “They don’t give gold medals for football.”
Jessica glanced at him and rolled her eyes. “If you couldn’t make this football team, you’re like the King of the Geeks.”
They pulled up to a stop sign.
“Out,” said Jessica.
Puzzled, Aidan looked around. They were at least a half mile from the high school. “What?”
“Get out.”
“But we’re not there yet.”
Jessica sighed. “Being seen with a loser brother isn’t cool.”
Aidan stared at his sister for a moment and realized she wasn’t joking.
“Out,” she repeated.
There was no point in arguing. In fourteen years of having Jessica for an older sister, Aidan had learned that she always got her way in the end. He unfastened his seatbelt, opened the door, and got out. Aidan watched as Jessica drove off without him. After heaving his backpack onto his shoulder, he started walking toward the school.
#
Lance Card stood in the foyer of Camelot High School and wished he were at his old high school back in California. This one looked a lot nicer than Pine Glen High, which had been built in the 1940s and was kind of falling apart. And most of the students here sure dressed classier.
But he knew everybody at PGH, and everybody knew him. Here, he was a stranger.
“Hey, there, big fella!”
At six feet, seven inches in height and three hundred and forty-five pounds in weight, Lance was used to being called “big.” So he turned to see who had spoken.
A man in his fifties with short-cropped gray hair hustled up to him. “You a new student?”
“Yeah.” Lance shrugged. “My folks just moved out from California.”
The man bobbed his head. “Good, good. You play football? Offensive line, maybe?”
Lance nodded. “And defensive. At my old school, but . . . My dad called yesterday and they said tryouts here were already over. We moved here kind of suddenly. I’m not even registered for classes yet.”
The man grinned. “You’re in luck. I’m Coach Zimmerman, the head coach, and I think we can find you a spot on the roster.”
#
Ten minutes later, Aidan climbed the concrete steps leading up to the red brick building. Below the sign that said “Camelot High School — Home of the Knights,” black plastic letters on the marquee spelled out “Welcome New Freshmen!”
He reached into a pocket of his backpack and pulled out his class schedule. He was cutting it close–he would have to go straight to his first class instead of homeroom.
As he passed through the open doors and entered the school, he found the information on his schedule: Chemistry, room 314.
He looked up from the paper too late to avoid bumping into the side of a massive guy standing in the foyer.
“Sorry,” Aidan said, as he simultaneously heard Coach Zimmerman’s say, “Watch it, kid!”
“No problem,” said the big guy, looking down at Aidan. “I was kind of blocking the way.”
“No, it’s my fault,” said Aidan. “I wasn’t watching where I was going.”
Zimmerman reached out his hand and put it on Aidan’s shoulder. “Do me a favor, kid, and show our new star lineman where the office is, OK? I gotta phone the district about a waiver so he can play on Friday.” Zimmerman turned and strode away.
“I’m Lance,” said the big guy, holding out a meaty hand.
As they shook hands, Aidan said, “Aidan. And, um, I’m not 100% sure where the office is.” He motioned down the left hallway. “I think it’s–”
The school bell trilled. Aidan found himself torn between the desire be helpful and the need to get to class.
Lance must have understood, because he made a shooing motion with his hand and said, “Go on, I’m big enough to find the office on my own.”
Aidan had to stop himself from running, knowing that would be uncool. But he rushed away as fast as he could walk.
#
Lance shook his head as Aidan left. “East-Coasters. Always in a hurry.”
But things didn’t seem so bad here. He was on the football team even after missing tryouts, and that meant he would have friends soon enough.
He headed down the left hallway in search of the office.
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