"You've got to be kidding me."
The girl let out a short, incredulous laugh.
Her hands tightened slightly around the hoodie he had just handed her. It was still warm.
"... You ignore me, leave me in the rain, and now you're asking me for directions?" She said, narrowing her eyes.
Theo shrugged lightly and did not respond.
"Unbelievable."
The girl shook her head.
She exhaled sharply through her nose, clearly annoyed.
"Find it yourself!"
She shoved the hoodie back to him and then stormed off.
Theo watched her go for a moment and shoved his hoodie back into his backpack.
_'Great. Wonderful first impression.'_
Theo clicked his tongue.
He spent a little over a minute searching for the principal's office himself before finally asking someone.
"Oh, uhm it's just upstairs on the second floor. It's the last door on the left."
A bespectacled boy around his age responded.
His looks were on the plain side, he had short black hair and green eyes.
"You're new here, right?"
The boy asked.
"Yeah."
Theo's answer was short.
The boy smiled and extended his hand.
"I'm Tim."
There was an awkward silence as Theo's gaze lingered at the hand. He sighed internally and accepted Tim's handshake.
"Theo. And thank you again for the directions."
He withdrew his hand and prepared to leave.
"I can show you there myself if you like."
Tim offered but Theo declined.
"No, it's okay. I'll be fine."
And with that said, he walked away.
'What's his problem?'
Tim pondered.
He was starting to wonder if he came too strong or was he perceived as weird again.
A small frown made its way onto his face.
"Why are you standing in the middle of the hallway like an idiot?"
A masculine voice came from behind him.
Tim turned and saw a familiar face with a cheeky smile.
Danny.
"Who are you calling an idiot, jerk!"
He smiled.
Both he and Danny had been friends for years. In fact, he was Tim's only friend.
The latter didn't know why Danny hung out with him despite being popular amongst the students.
The two were so close that even Danny shared his _secret_ with him.
"Who was that?"
Danny asked.
"Just some new kid." Tim responded with a heavy sigh.
He noticed the troubled expression on Danny's face.
"Ooh, is that a look of jealousy I see?"
He teased.
Danny froze.
"Are you scared that I might want to replace you as my bestfriend?"
Danny flicked at his forehead.
"No, you idiot."
He then looked at the direction Theo went.
"I sensed something in him... "
Pause.
"What?"
Tim frowned.
"Like... " He looked around before continuing to speak, this time quietly. "... Like a supernatural feeling?"
"No. It's nothing like that."
Tim tilted his head slightly.
He could see the hesitation all over Danny's face.
"Maybe it's nothing."
Tim almost fainted when he heard that.
"Hey, you can't tell me about your supernatural feeling and then leave me hanging on the best part!"
He complained.
"It's nothing. He just felt... off."
Danny said, only his voice was quieter than before.
"Off how?"
Tim's frown deepened.
"I don't know.. like he was angry."
No... He definitely was angry.
He confirmed internally.
****
Theo walked up the stairs, his footsteps echoed faintly on the empty stairwell.
In his mind he kept repeating what Tim had told him, and without any trouble he was able to find the Principal's office.
He knocked gently on the door twice and waited for an answer.
"Come in."
A female voice came from inside the office.
Theo opened the door and stepped inside.
The principal was a middle aged woman, probably in her late thirties, she had strawberry blonde hair and black eyes.
"You must our new transfer student."
She smiled.
Theo could see that she was busy as there were piles of paperwork on top of her desk, along with her name.
Principal J Watts.
He did not see a ring on her finger so he presumed she wasn't married.
Ms Watts gestured for him to seat as she took out his form.
"Well, Theodore, I have to say I like what I see here." She praised. "You have excellent grades and I see you were quite the star athlete."
"I was. I... I had to stop."
His voice sounded restrained as he spoke.
"Oh, yes. I am aware of your prognosis. It says here you're prescribed medication for it?"
Ms Watts asked.
"Yes, I have them in my bag."
Theo responded.
He was diagnosed with Intermittent Explosive Disorder and had been prescribed medication for it when he was 14.
"Well then, Mr Croft, I expect good things from you at this school. And should you need to, we do offer counseling. Mr Evans' office is just down stairs."
With that, Ms Watts handed him his class schedule and led him to his first class.
****
The first class Theo was to attend was 10th grade English.
When he and Ms Watts walked in, the class had already started.
The principal went and whispered something into the teachers ear and then Theo was gestured to take a seat.
"Okay, class. This is our new student, Theodore, let's be sure to give him a warm welcome."
The class greeted Theo in unison while one student felt like she could crawl under the table and die.
She also noticed that the only chair that was empty was the one next to her, causing her to groan.
"Theo, you may take a seat next to Michelle."
Just as he went to take his seat, he saw her again.
The girl from before.
He sat down without saying a word.
"Michelle, could you please share your text book with Theo?"
Michelle faked a smile to hide her irritation.
He stole a glance at her and noticed she was wearing a plain black top. Her clothes were mostly wet and she hung them by the door to dry.
The girl noticed Theo looking at her and asked:
"What are you staring at?"
Theo did not reply immediately.
A small smile crept on to his face.
"Should have taken the hoodie."
Michelle rolled her eyes but slid the text book closer, their shoulders nearly touching.
"Don't talk to me." She muttered.
Theo did not respond.
His eyes darted outside, watching the raindrops streak down the window.
I wonder how Martha's doing.
He thought.