The New Transfer(open)

[Patrick O'Connor]

It was a new day. A new day for school and a new day for adventure. And, it was a first day at a new school for Daniel Heart. He was some what excited. He was on the cusp of becoming a senior and finally finishing high school after a few significant bumps in the road. He was a transfer to a new school in sunny California. This was a new beginning for the boy with a troubled past. It was one of the few schools that had been willing to take him with his record and he was thankful for that. He grinned as he pulled into the parking lot on his black sport bike. The school looked hopeful, far different from his last one that only looked cracked dreary and dark.

Daniel Heart grinned again as he walked towards the school. He was excited. He was a new man, at least he felt like it. No one knew who he was, what he had done or where he had been. For once in his life he felt like he had a fresh start and a clean slate. He smiled vaguely feeling free of his life.

He entered the school following the others into the main doors with his hands in the pockets of his worn blue jeans that had natural holes on the knees. His shirt was a grey t shirt that read "Whiskey Militia" with the logo plastered at his chest level. His hair was a short black that was just barely long enough in front to wave with the slight breeze that came out of the school. His eyes were a deep blue that seemed to flow with the natural climate of this place, the natural hope. The only other marks of significance were the few scars on his left forearm and the one scar that ran down from his right eyebrow down past his nose. The scars used to bother him but for the first time he didn't feel chained to what they held.

Daniel walked to his locker, taking some time to do so. He knew exactly where to go but figured that meh, it was his first day so he deserved a little slack. He would get to class, on his own time. Well first he would get to the guidance office and get his schedule after he decided that he was down visiting his locker. Once he arrived at his locker he opened it up and put a bag it. After he leaned against the locker and waited for the hallway to clear, ignoring the onslaught of new looks at the "transfer", one of the few things he was glad hadn't changed. As soon as the hallways cleared he was able to get a good look at the school, unimpeded. He chuckled with a grin, "Same old hell hole"

[Deleted]

For the most part everything had been new, new scars on the building's surface, new stares of shock and awe, and yet the very same still dreary attitude towards violence. As they went and saw the fighting outside crowds gathered if only for a second to watch two kids make show hardy fools of themselves as they wrestled about the courtyard. As for Jaus, he stepped by merely to check if Spike or another classmate had hesitated to watch. But just as quickly as he'd dropped by Jaus realized the leagues of difference between his sort of competition and those left wrestling amongst the grass floors.

A short scoff of boredom as he walked on by, the dreary pace of a zombie at times he looked to be possessed with that glazed over look in his eyes.

*Clink*

The scrawl of his locker next to a new face he didn't notice until he'd gotten past the lock and pressed open the steal grate. He hadn't even noticed the tension walking in as others stared at him, but it didn't really matter to Jaus. Transfers were transfers they came in and out at times and it was unrealistic to expect that it'd stop by pursuing more violence. A grim smirk crossed his features. That was right, he'd been to 552 and Point Hope, it was just as bad there if not worse at times. The violence would never end simply escalate and follow a predictable pattern of rise and fall.

*Thump*

Valentine's History book had fallen past his grip to the floor near the transfer student, a hushed silence went over the tight space as a few had stopped to watch. It was weird enough to catch and weigh on the breaths of others at least thats how Jaus found it.

"Do you mind grabbing that for me?"

[Patrick O'Connor]

Daniel paid particular attention to the students as they walked the halls. He felt their looks at him, he saw them. He had been here before. As a transfer he was like blood in the water. There was no doubt about it. At some point some one was likely to attack him for being one. Daniel didn't care though. It was something to do, something to pass the time by. He didn't really want to fight, he didn't feel he needed the attention just yet. But at the same time he wasn't entirely opposed to the idea either. He just wanted something to happen at some point, ya know?

Then his new Locker neighbor appeared next to him to unload his stuff. Daniel glanced at him out of curiosity, well that at it was a habit of his to check out people in his vicinity. It was one of those safety things. Just to make sure the person was a threat to Daniel. The kid seemed nice enough though. Not a threat necessarily but not out of the question either. Maybe it was just a weird habit but whatever. It was definitely not weird if you were the new transfer that had come out of a long line of schools where it was necessary to be aware.

"Do you mind grabbing that for me?"

"Sure no problem man," Daniel said reaching down for the book. Once he grabbed it he handed it to the kid. After he did that he figured he'd introduce himself, that was what normal people did right?

Daniel would look right into the kid's eyes showing the guy the scar that ran from his right eyebrow down past his nose. He would extend his hand offering it and then speaking in a boston accent, one that came comfortably but he had never quite used it generically, he would say, "I'm Daniel Heart, nice to meet you."

[Deleted]

"Sure no problem man,"

Jaus didn't turn to acknowledge him grab it seeing as he'd asked the boy to get it for him that basically meant Jaus had other things on his load. Snatching an art utensil from the back of his locker Jaus would stack it atop the grand load that'd compiled his books for the rest of the day, or at least till lunch when he could retreat here for restocking and reconstructing his assortment.

Math, History, and Art; three books assimilated with the seemingly useless array of material orchestrated in this legalized form of torture.

Jaus would turn round with the stack in his arms noting at the guy's expecting position perhaps ready to make the generalized first acquaintanceship. A firm smirk settling into place on his own features as he observed first off. Scar, lengthy at that signalling that this guy fought some hardcore matches against some not so fair people, or the common household accident that ended up in the boy's story therein the two were not too different.

The hand extended as first off peace offering which only proved to widen the smirk as Jaus simply looked at the stack of books in his arms and gesturing a sign of laughable causes before he struggled with a semi-limp to transfer the books awkwardly under his left arm.

"I'm Daniel Heart, nice to meet you."

"You must be new here Daniel." Jaus would make the remark once more eying the extended hand of friendship, or was compared in most societies however here Jaus probably considered the gesture as a sign of businesslike awareness. Guaging one's strength in the power of a grip, understanding where the two were as far as allies and enemies went, or even the simple sign of respect; I won't mess with you if you watch out for me, etc etc.

"I'm Jaus, or if its easier to pronounce Valentine, Val, any wonky nickname you can manage from that." The fluid English accent despite the name 'Jaus' pronounced in a heavy German. His tone itself a mixture of joking and dull sarcasm.

The hand would be met with a firm grip, not necessarily strong in itself due to the multitude of distractions but then again giving everything away was for patsies and Jaus knew this better than anyone.

A crane of his head as Jaus signaled the boy to walk with him, should he choose for that matter, Jaus didn't exactly like sitting still with company. "So I'm not a fan of small talk, you resident badass now?" Jaus sparked the conversation of tough guy bravado, perhaps an elegant way of picking this guy out for more than just every other student walking through those doors, all based on his response.

[Patrick O'Connor]

"You must be new here Daniel."

"That I am," Daniel lied with a grin. It was an easy lie, three simple words. It was not difficult at all for him to say them. Daniel had lied for most of his life, doing so again was not too difficult. In fact it was part of what he was doing now. The truth was he had been to 259 before and he hadn't been that popular of a person here. Now he had come back to get away from something else and he wasn't that person form before and didn't want to be known for it. So what better then to lie about who you were? Didn't hurt anyone so no harm done.

"I'm Jaus, or if its easier to pronounce Valentine, Val, any wonky nickname you can manage from that."

"Jaus is fine," Daniel said, making sure to pronounce the name correctly. He took the hand and shook it firmly in return, not too hard but with the strength that Jaus had to be, polite. As Jaus started walking Daniel followed suit wondering where exactly they were going. It had been awhile but he still vaguely knew where everything was, he just didn't know where Jaus was headed.

"So I'm not a fan of small talk, you resident badass now?"

"Don't plan on it," Daniel said truthfully. He didn't really care to start trouble here and that was a fact. He just wanted to get though the rest of high school, and to a greater extent his life, without anymore trouble. But it was funny that the guy did ask the question. Daniel wondered why and immediately he came up with the answer. His scar, one of the few he couldn't hide. It had been a long time since he was new and hadn't wanted to cause trouble so now it was odd for people to see it and wonder if he was the trouble maker. But curiosity made Daniel ask, "How about you?"