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Nickel was supposed to attend the same school as his brother.
His older brother, Nick— went to a school called Inanimate Collegiate. But after hearing all the drama he experienced during his first year, Nickel decided to enroll in another highschool instead.
Nickel was incredibly fond of the uniforms, even if his brother had to help him tie a tie. However, orientation was a bore! Sitting still for thirty minutes with only a slideshow for entertainment was not his style.
After the orientation, the freshman students were to follow Principal Two for a tour. The school was humongous, and everyone around him was a mere stranger— but he was confident he could fit in with ease. First, he had to find his cousin, then his extraordinary high school life would begin!
“Cousin Coiny should be around here somewhere,” He muttered to himself. But he couldn’t spot a single golden haired boy in the crowd, and his height wasn’t much of an assistance.
“Uh, are you looking for someone?” A squeaky voice asked. The ocean of students pushed them to move forward.
“Ooh, yeah!” Nickel exclaimed to her new friend. The former was quite tall, and wore black curly hair. “Do you know anyone called Coiny?”
He shrugged, “Maybe. Not gonna lie, I pretty much forgot everyone’s names over the summer.”
“Aw, that’s too bad.” Nickel replied. “But you remember your name, though, right?”
“Yeah, it’s Bomby!” Bomby answered. New friend acquired!
When the group reached the lunchroom, Nickel heard his cousin’s voice amongst the horde. He quickly ran towards the source, leaving his newfound ally behind. “Coiny, Coiny!!”
“Shhh,” Coiny said. Not the greatest way to greet someone after years of barely seeing one another, but the group of freshmen seemed to be engrossed with what appeared to be an argument.
“I assumed your immaturity would have been improved upon during the summer.” A gray haired girl said. “But clearly fixing your unbearable behaviour was not a priority.”
“And I thought you would have fixed your face during the summer, GB.” The orange haired girl retorted. “But I guess your only priority was becoming more of a nerd!”
“At least I’ll be valedictorian!”
The taller girl laughed, “What makes you think you’re capable of that?”
“Hey, cuz,” Coiny called out, grabbing five dollars from his pocket and giving it to him, “I’m betting on Pencil.”
Nickel did not understand the situation at all, nor did he understand why his cousin was giving him cash. Perhaps he was generously lending him lunch money. “Thanks, bro!”
When the banter escalated into pushing, a big man wearing a bright yellow vest ran into the chaos. “Save it for after the tour, Pencil!”
“Oh look,” Pencil giggled, “GB has her own personal knight.”
The boy pushed her into a group of girls, who caught her before she fell to the ground.
“Someone has to stop them,” Coiny commented with a grin.
Maybe he could impress his cousin. “Don’t worry! I shall stop them!”
“Nickel, what—“
Nickel ran forward with a smile, dashing toward the perpetrator, who he surmised was the man wearing a neon vest. “Leave them alone!”
His fist met the boy’s face, his glasses flying off his head. Shortly after, he landed on the ground with a loud thud.
His heroic act was met with silence. Not the response he expected.
“You— you imbecile! ” The gray haired girl shouted, looking at her barely conscious friend. “What was the purpose of that?!”
“He was harassing you guys,” He answered. “So I went in and stopped him!”
Another round of silence covered the room.
“Uh, I think you punched the wrong person.” said Pencil. “Should’ve hit her instead,” She tilted her head towards the gray haired girl, who was too stunned to make a remark, or move, even.
“Wrong person?” Nickel asked to no one in particular. His gaze shifted to the rather handsome man who had the misfortune of meeting his fist. “Oh wait. Oh no!!!”
He looked down on him, considering the other’s appearance. His rather handsome face swelled painfully. “I’m sorry, mister!!!! Are you okay??”
“What do you think?” The injured man spat out.
“Hm, at least you’re alive!” Nickel gave him a smile, to which he received a frustrated scowl.
Nickel was suspended for a week.
His brother laughed in his face. His parents were enraged. Coiny was impressed. Bomby was upset he wasn’t there to witness it. But Nickel’s brain was fixated on the poor man he punched, who didn’t deserve to be punched.
When he was finally allowed back into the school’s walls, he’d make up for it. He’d make sure of it.