Define Trying... Page 3

  ****

  Moments later, Avalon’s car came to a screeching halt in front of Clearveil Academy’s newly renovated building. While stepping out of the car, Breslin straightened his shirt and waited for Avalon to follow suit.

  “We don’t have all day ya know.” He said as he started to slowly tap his foot.

  That was a nervous habit of Breslin’s. He had no patience. He never wanted to wait for anything. If a girl liked him, he rather her just tell him then to play hard to get. And he hated being late despite the fact that he always was.

  “You know, you haven’t changed.” Ava hissed as she stepped out the car.

  Breslin smirked as he pulled his hood over his pitch black hair. His caramel complexion complemented his light hazel eyes. The earphones to his iPhone in his pocket slowly began to fall out of his ears. The green and black Superman symbol that shown on his chest was just that, for show. His black messenger bag is casually hanging by over his right shoulder. A single book is in his grasp, Ender’s Game, along with his room assignments. A chain attached to the wallet in his pocket gleamed at his side.

  He looked nothing like he did four years ago. If anything, he made sure of that.

  “Let’s go!” Ava said as she starting moving towards the building. “You’re going to be late Bre-Bre.”

   “Could you please stop calling me that?” Breslin screamed after her in vain. She was already far ahead of him. He could hear her softly chuckling to herself as she made her way to the door. And before Breslin could get another word in she was already entering the building, forcing him to run to catch up.

  “Ugh.” He said as he blindly chased after her. Not knowing which direction she took off in.

  The halls of Clearveil Academy spiraled into a maze before him, making him feel like he was trapped. And he hated feeling trapped. This wasn’t the first time Breslin had been to Clearveil Academy. He used to always enjoy listening to the book readings Ava used to drag him to. But this was his first time entering the building as a student. Before this, he was home schooled. Elise always thought she could do a better job than any school system. Public or otherwise. But her new job didn’t afford her the time she needs to school Breslin, so now he was here. However he didn’t like jumping in the middle of the junior year. And out of all the things he didn’t like in life, starting over was in the big three.

  He could still hear the words his father spoke to him years ago. Back when he started Junior High.

  “Just try your best here.” He mouthed threw the car window. Breslin could barely make it out with all the dirt stains on it. His smile was genuine, but concerned. As far as they both knew, the last couple of years had just been a string of bad luck. From job losses to new positions, starting over was an Eliot manufactured thing.

  But now he was back in his home town, living in his old house that shared more moments that he cared to remember. In the town he never really cared for in the first place.

  “No promises.” Breslin replied as his Father that day as he slowly pulled out of the parking lot and disappeared down the road.

  Nevertheless, it was time to put on a brave face and be that new guy once more. The one he hated more than anything. Or was at least in his big three. Spiders were still a thing.

  As he walked through the courtyards that lead into the principal’s office, Breslin’s phone gave him a little tickle. A simple good luck, compliments of his older brother. Rory Eliot, who moved out, was a struggling artist who was barely making it. In some ways, Breslin blamed their current living situation on him. Simply because before he left everything was “fine”. Now everything was out of wack and Rory was in lalaland. However that wasn’t the only reason. That’s just the lie he chose to believe.

  Pushing his way into the building, Breslin noticed two things at a glance. The first, this school had way to much free time on its hands. This might have been coming from the fact that there was a camera pointing dead in Breslin’s face. Was there even a need for so much security? He felt like he was being spied on rather than protected. The second thing was the massive crowd of students. Ironically being pushed through the halls by kids twice his size was a lot less scary than the cameras. But he was going to make this school work. He had to.

  Stepping into the main office of Clearveil, Principal Cain greeted Breslin with a business-like smile.

  “Welcome to Clearveil Academy Mr. Eliot,” Cain started, slowly moving from the window behind him to his desk chair. “I hope you are going to like your stay.”

  “About as much as all the rest.” Breslin replied.

  “First things first, on behalf of the Clearveil school district I want to give you our condolences about your Father. He was a good man, who did good work for this town.”

  “It’s ok.” Bres said, though he wasn’t sure what he meant by it. Sure it happened a few years ago, but it was still fresh in his mind.

  “Also, if you ever need any counseling of any kind you are more than welcome to come and talk to me about it. Keeping our student in a positive mindset is our utmost important goal at CA. We will even foot the bill if deemed necessary.”

  A small fragment of light from a window above hit Cain’s eyes at that moment and as if a giant curtain fell his true intentions were revealed. He didn’t actually care about Breslin or his well been. Well not directly of course. The only think that Cain cared about was keeping his school as clean as possible. If that meant shipping a few kids to the crazy house than by all means.

  “Um.” Bres choked out.

  “I’m sorry if I’m about to make you feel uncomfortable,” Cain started while standing up. “But we have had some unsavory students in the past that have given this school a bad rep. My job is to make sure it never happens again. But I know we understand each other.”

  “Sure.” Bres said while slowly backing away from the crazy person.

  He didn’t know where all of this was coming from. He knew that this move was going to be harder than all the rest. He knew that Clearveil was unlike any other town on the planet. He had lived her before. But this seemed a little bit extreme.

  “Good, very good.” Mr. Cain said as he stood up and reached out to shake Bres’s hand.

  Cain’s grip felt like he was crushing his hand with concrete.

  “It seems like we will be having no trouble from you. Just remember to keep your nose clean. That is the CA Chameleon’s way.”

  Before Breslin could get another word in he was rushed out of Principal Cain’s office and escorted to his first class.