Chapter Text
Mikey McMillin thought he had an average life. He had loving parents and a sister. He went to school, had few not very close friends and lived his life. The only problem was bullying, but if you are a teenage boy with glasses and some non basic hairstyle it’s hard to avoid. The key words were: Mikey thought.
Mikey had some routine in his life and he was okay with it. Home - school, school - home. Maybe sometimes go out with classmates to the arcade or to come over at someone's place. Pretty normal life. He thought so.
His sister, Lillian, or just Illi, got into trouble at their old school last year. She was bullied for not fitting in and one day she snapped. It led to a fight and Illi did win, but got expelled. Their parents found some lame school called Loyola High School and Mikey went with her since he didn’t want to leave his sister alone. After all, it was their senior year.
And now it is September again. There they were, at Loyola High School, standing at the front entrance with their bags and that anxious feeling you usually have in your stomach before entering a new school. This school had a uniform, which felt weird. Mikey wasn't allowed to wear his favourite beanie and it also felt weird. Luckily there was no strict policy about the hair or something. Illi also looked weird wearing a school uniform. She cut her hair again during summer vacation and her bangs accidentally came out too short. His sister tried to fix it with some hair clips which Mikey thought were cute. Mikey always thought Illi looked cute. They finally went inside to the administration to ask for their classes.
Turns out they were placed in the same class.
“Better,” Mikey thought to himself. If needed, he would protect Illi from being bullied. If only he knew.
Their new classmates seemed to be normal. Or at least Mikey thought so. He and Illi got some lame introduction from the teacher and went to their places. It was an English class and the teacher was talking about Shakespear. Out of boredom Illi started doodling something in her notebook. Mikey was zoning out by looking outside through the window. He tried to listen to the teacher, but it was so dull. He almost fell asleep during class and when he was about to close his eyes, he gathered his last strength to stay awake. Mikey peeked over Illi’s shoulder at her doodles. They looked cool. Mikey loved his sister’s drawings.
At the end of the lesson, when everybody already threw their things in their bags, a few girls went over to talk to Illi. Mikey hoped they would get along: it would be awesome.
“Oh, wow, your drawings are… nice,” one of them said with a fake smile. Illi pretended she didn’t notice the act the other girl was putting on.
“Thanks,” his sister muttered. “Anyway, I have to go,” she blurted and walked outside. Naturally, Mikey followed her.
“I thought they were different,” Illi sighed walking through the crowded hallway. She carried her bag full of books on one shoulder.
“Eh,” Mikey shrugged casually. “Maybe you will meet someone nice here.”
And he was wrong.
Turns out this place was full of stupid jocks and preps. The kind of jocks and preps that didn’t like someone who didn’t fit in. And of course Mikey and Illi were the ones who happened to be outcasts.
There were also a few kids that didn’t fit in and of course they got bullied. This guy from his math class. His name was Fred? Mikey couldn't remember anymore. That guy had a cool lip piercing though.
But right now Mikey had a break and he was grateful for it. He totally wasn’t used to all the school bullshit after summer vacation.
Mikey was sitting outside on the pavement that was warm because of the hot september sun, when he saw his sister walking with some boy he didn’t recognize.
“Mikey, you won’t believe who I found in this hellhole!” Illi practically glowed with joy.
Mikey shot her a sceptical look from where he was seated.
“Remember Ray?” his sister gestured to the guy who was standing next to her, fidgeting with his bag strap.
“Uh…” Mikey managed to get a syllable out. Honestly, he didn’t.
“We went with him to the kindergarten,” Illi announced.
“Hi,” Ray waved awkwardly at him.
Mikey sat at the granite slab, trying to remember anything. Who the hell was Ray?
“Oh, wait,” finally something in his brain clicked. “Raymond Toro?”
“Yeah, that’s me,” Ray chuckled. “Good to see you again.”
“Same,” Mikey tugged his lips in a smile. At least there was something good about this school.
“Illi told me it’s your first day here, how did it go?” Ray was the one who genuinely seemed to be interested in his life among all these idiots.
“Uh,” Mikey shrugged. “Lame but not that bad, I guess.”
“Mine was shit,” Illi scoffed. “This place is a hellhole.”
“Yeah, I get it,” Ray sighed. “I have been here for almost two years and nothing changed much.”
“I already want to leave,” Mikey grunted. He wasn’t allowed to use his cellphone on the school grounds and it was shitty.
“Same,” Ray chuckled. “But we have a whole year to go.”
“I can imagine,” Illi mumbled, crossing her arms.
That evening Mikey was laying in his bed under the blanket, thinking. The only source of light in the room came from the lamp on his nightstand. In the end, did he make the right choice after switching schools?