Tom picked at his sandwich as he waited for his free-period appointments. None of his friends were free during this period, but he had found a way to earn some side money by doing homework or giving test answers to the kids with too much money and insufficient brains. Right now, though, he was using the time to download everything on the Legend of Noralon onto his phone. He wanted to be ready for the new update. Unfortunately, the devs were being maliciously quiet about the whole thing. There wasn't a hint, a leak of in-game footage, patch notes, a tweet, nothing. It was driving the entire community mad as they tried to figure out what the new expansion was and why it was being hyped up so much.

Finally, his first customer showed up. A blonde bimbo in a cheerleader's outfit sat across from him, her hair done up in pigtails, the tips of each dyed pink—the titular popular girl.

"Hey, Penny,"

"Hey, nerd, do you have my homework?"

Tom pulled out Penny's biology, chemistry, and physics homework and a cheat sheet for her biology test. Penny wasn't dumb. She just didn't care about school. From what Tom could tell, Penny's life plan was to marry someone rich and become a music star. She even had a YouTube channel where she posted music videos. Penny took the homework, looking it over before handing him two hundred dollars in small bills.

"Hey, I'm recording a new song next week, so I need you to help me with my homework," Penny said as she stored her homework.

"I can't help you. I'm busy for the next week." Tom cut her off, not wanting to interrupt his legend of Noralon time.

"I'll pay double," Penny stated dismissively.

Tom briefly considered it.

"Get back to me tomorrow. I'll know more then." Tom said.

Penny nodded before leaving.

The following six people were just your common run-of-the-mill morons who had more money than brains. They paid him, and he gave them their homework until his money-making was interrupted when Chad wandered over to him.

"Hey, Bruner!!" Chad spat, spittle flying from his mouth as he grabbed him by the coat and dragged him into one of the less populated areas.

"I think you and I need to have a chat," Chad said, a slimy smile on his face.

Tom tried to stop Chad, but his feet slid across the ground as the football player handled him like a child.

Chad slugged him in the stomach. Causing all of the air to leave his lungs as he doubled over in pain.

"My car is all scratched up because of you and your dyke friend, Bruner!! How are you going to pay me back for that?"

Chad kicked him again, causing a fresh flash of pain to radiate through his body.

"Hey, Chad," Luke said, his voice steady and commanding. "I think you've had enough fun for one day. Leave him alone."

Chad turned to face Luke. Luke was as wide as Chad but taller. He was also the quarterback, the most popular kid in school, and someone Tom hated more than Chad.

Luke had once been his best friend until his mom got rich and moved to a nicer part of town. After that, Luke didn't talk to him. He got a brand new group of douchebag friends like Chad and failed to remember Tom ever existed whenever he wasn't in the same room as him.

"What is it to you, Grayson?!" Chad asked.

Luke took a step closer to Chad, towering over him. "If you get kicked off the team because you can't control yourself, then it's everyone's business. Walk away before I tell the coach."

That did it, and Chad backed up, glaring at Tom as he got back to his feet. Tom didn't break eye contact with Chad until the bully fully turned and left in a huff.

"You okay?" Luke asked him.

Tom felt his blood boil at the sheer irony of that question.

"What do you want, Luke? I don't have all day." Tom spat.

"Come on, Tom. We used to be friends," Luke begged. At least let me take you to the nurse's office."

"I'm fine. I've had worse beatings at home," Tom said. "Or did you forget that?"

Luke flinched at those words, his face turning downwards.

"I'm sorry, man, it wasn't like that," Luke said, trying to defend himself.

"We've had this conversation before, Luke," Tom said, dismissing him. You give some half-hearted apology, and then you go back to hanging out with Chad and pretending I don't exist until the next time you see me."

Tom got to his feet and started to walk away, but Luke stopped him.

"Tom, please, can't we just talk? We used to be best friends."

"Used to be," Tom stated angrily. "You've made it pretty clear on that, past tense."

"Look, can we ju ---"

"What do you want, Luke?" Tom cut him off. He was tired of dealing with Luke.

"What makes you think I want anything?" Luke asked.

"You don't make it a habit to stop Chad from beating the crap out of people, so I can only assume you want something this time." Tom hissed.

"That's not true." Luke protested.

"When was the last time you helped me when Chad was being an ass? Better yet, when was the last time you stopped anyone from being bullied? Hmm? You might not participate, but you sure as hell don't stop, so I ask again, what do you want?" Tom asked.

"What was I supposed to do? Not enjoy my life just because yours was shitty?!" Luke shot back.

Tom smiled, and at least he got a rise out of him.

"Do what you want, Luke, just leave me out of it," Tom said as he walked away.

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Luke walked back to his friend's table, unsure of what to do.

"Hey, Grascon," Chad called out. "You done making out with the nerds?!"

That comment earned him a round of chuckles from the other football team members. Chad was tanned with rippling muscles that made him look like a movie star in an 80s action movie, while Kevin was tall, thin, and lean, almost like a stick. More than that, he was an almost unhealthy shade of pale. The guy gave Luke the creeps. Luke scoffed at the two jokers as he moved over to the people he actually liked to hang out with.

"Hey Chad, you're done playing with the kids," Gareth Brown shouted back. Maybe you and I could go a few rounds on the mat."

That shut Chad right up as Luke sat down next to Gareth. Gareth was built like an Olympic weightlifter, making even Chad look scrawny, and that was saying something.

"Fuck that guy," Gareth spat.

"He's not that bad when he's on the field." Luke protested.

Gareth rolled his eyes but didn't argue.

"Have you considered joining the team?" Luke asked.

"I already had that conversation. They give you the spiel about having to eat, sleep, and breathe insert-your-sport-here, and my eyes just glaze over. I've got my sport. Nothing better than mixed martial arts." Gareth said.

"I think your mom regrets dumping you in karate classes every day."

"Hey, I can do more than karate," Gareth said, smiling at him as Samatha Mato sat down next to them.

"Alright, what are you two knuckleheads talking about?" she asked.

Samatha, or just Sam, was the head of the archery club. Someone once told her that she looked like a Native American Lara Croft. Sam had decked the guy, though Luke agreed with the assessment.

"Karate," Gareth said.

"Still trying to get your brother to join you?" Sam asked.

Gareth signed. "He doesn't want to. He's more interested in the tradecrafts. He likes making stuff, and I like breaking stuff. I don't mind it, but he needs to learn how to protect himself."

"From what? I go out hunting every summer with my dad, and I barely ever need to defend myself." Sam said.

"I worry," Gareth said.

The bell rang, cutting off further conversation.

"Ok, guys, see you tomorrow," Luke said as he got up to leave.

Luke ended up walking past Penny, who was strumming her guitar.

"Hey, Penny," Luke called out,

"Hey, Luke," Penny replied, glancing up from her guitar. "What's up?"

"Just the usual drama," Luke said with a shrug. "How about you? New song?"

"Yeah, just messing around with some ideas," Penny said as she turned her guitar.

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Tom sat down in the hallway for lunch while his friends did the same. Hector had a black eye, which caused Tom to pause.

"Dude, what happened?!" Tom asked as he examined his friend.

"I fell down the stairs," Hector said stiffly.

"Bullshit." Skippy snarled. "It was that cock gobbler Kevin again."

"Ok, first off, we need to wash out your mouth and second. Who the fuck is Kevin?" Tom asked.

"Kevin, he's Chad's friend. He's the really tall taint licker." Skippy said.

Tom knew the guy. Weirdly tall and strong, the guy gave him the creeps.

"Only unlike shit tits, Chad, this creamcrate doesn't care about being caught," Skippy said.

"Creamcrate? Why would creamcrate be a …. Oh god, dammit, Skippy, I just got it. Why did you put that in my head?" Hector asked.

"How long has this been going on Heactor?" Tom asked, trying to redirect the conversation.

"Not long," Hector said, trying to deflect the question.

"How long?" Tom pushed.

"Since last year," Hector admitted.

"Hector, why didn't you tell us about it?" Alex asked as she hugged their friend.

"Why didn't you talk to a teacher?" Tom asked.

"Kevin's sperm donor is rich," Skippy said.

"Then why is he here? Hopkins isn't exactly a private school." Tom pointed out.

Hopkins was a public school and not the best one. Luke was only here because his mom was a politician, and having her son attend a public school looked good for her optics.

"I heard he got his ass aborted out of the other schools, and the only reason he's still in this fucking Hopkins is that his dad is putting his beansprout up the principal cream crate." Skippy gossiped.

"You're doing this on purpose, aren't you?" Tom demanded. "How do you even know all this?"

Skippy shrugged.

"I hear things."

"You mean you eavesdrop," Alex said, rolling her eyes. "So how do we fix this?"

Skippy shrugged. "We could feed him his daddy's tampons."

Tom ignored Skippy.

"Could we get him to focus on someone else," Tom suggested.

"That's dark," Alex pointed out.

"And besides, Who are we going to throw to the lion to get him off of Hector," Skippy said.

"Maybe we could get him expelled. Hector's autistic. We could claim it a hate crime." Skippy suggested.

"I thought you said his dad was mashing ugly bits with the principal?" Tom asked.

"Oh, right. Oh, I know we follow the principal home and take pictures of them fucking then we call the police on the two of them, and then we post the pictures on --"

The bell rang, cutting off further conversation.

Tom rolled his eyes.

"I need to go see my counselor about college stuff," Tom said as he got up to collect his bag.

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Tom walked into the student counselor's office. The place was neatly organized and filled with college pamphlets and motivational posters. Tom sat down across from Mr.Chen.

"Mr. Chen, you called me?" Tom asked.

"Yes, Mr.Bruner, I have your letter here. Why did you list the school as your address?" Mr. Chen asked.

Tom shrugged.

"I didn't trust my parents not to throw it out," Tom stated.

"Ah, I see. Well, here you go." Mr. Chen said, smiling as he delivered Tom's letter.

Tom snatched the letter out of Mr. Chen's hand and tore it open. Pulling out the letter, he quickly read it. His excitement quickly turned to disappointment as he read the following words. We regret to inform you …

"You didn't get in, I take it?" Mr.Chen asked.

"No, I'm not. Apparently straight A's and B's in everything, but the gym isn't good enough for college anymore." Tom said half-jokingly.

Mr.Chen picked up the letter and looked it over himself.

"I'm sorry to hear that, Tom. College admissions can be competitive. I think the problem is your portfolio; it isn't diverse enough." Mr. Chen said, "You lack any extracurricular activities."

"I have to pick up and take care of my sister every day. I don't exactly have the time to waste on a bunch of other nonsense." Tom shot back.

"Have you explored scholarships?" Mr. Chen asked.

"Yeah, I was hoping for some financial assistance."

Mr.Chen nodded and started typing away at his computer.

"Tom, I see that you applied for several scholarships, but unfortunately, most of them are restricted to minorities or other factors you do not qualify for. But you can receive the gold standard scholarship," Mr.Chen said, hopefully.

"That scholarship is only worth two thousand dollars, and the public colleges cost twenty-five thousand for the first year," Tom stated.

"Ahh," Mr. Chen said. I see the problem. Would you be willing to take out a student loan?"

Tom ran his hands through his hair. He could take a student loan, but what if he didn't land a good job after college? What was he supposed to do if he landed back at square one with that much debt?

"It may be better for you to spend some time working on yourself. Perhaps spending a year expanding your horizons, taking a gap year to explore different opportunities and build your resume might be beneficial." Mr.Chen offered

Tom looked at Mr. Chen like he was an idiot.

"Mr.Chen, I have a nine-year-old sister who needs to be taken care of, two god-awful parents, and limited cash. How is taking a gap year even remotely helpful?!"

"Well," Mr.Chen began nervously.

Then the bell rang.

"There's the bell. You better move on, Mr.Bruner," Mr.Chen said, ushering Tom out of the room.