The Swing Chapter Three

1

It was the first day of middle school. Eleven years old and heading into a new world. Chalice wore a simple jean skirt a little bit above her knees and a soft pink tank top that prooved it was still warm outside. She had cut her blonde hair to slightly below her shoulders and couldnt believe how much lighter it felt, like a pound was cut off.2

As she stopped once she was off the bus, kids covered the campus like trees in a forest. Chalice was expecting to see Tom sometime later because his mom was going to drop him off. 3

“Hey.” Drew waved a hand to point out where she was. 4

“Hi.”  Chalice remembered talking to Tom about his first day in middle school and how much different it was. She wasnt scared or anything but jsut a little nervous on how much this would change her life. Tom after all had his first girlfriend and got suspended for being in a fight. Kids changed here.5

“Where’s everyone else we know?”6

“I doubt your going to see many of them, at least not today.” Tom had told her he barely saw any of the kids from their school and it was actually kindof good because he met some new ones.7

“Yeah it is a pretty big place.” Drew started looking around with her short brunette hair put into a ponytail as best she could get it. Her blue eyes where wondering around searching out the place. Drew had dressed similiar to Chalice, only she was wearing capris and a light blue tank top. “Hey isn’t that Tom.” She was pointing at a fight where people started gathering around shouting fight fight fight as loud as they could, sure to get whoever it was in trouble.8

“It couldn’t be could it?” Chalice and Drew looked puzzled as they started heading over to the circle of people. “Excuse me, please let me through.” Chalice started pushing people away trying to make sure it wasn’t Tom like Drew had thought, hoping this would be the one time that Drew wasn’t right like all the other times she ever said something. As she looked over someone’s shoulder she saw a kid with a black shaggy hair look and when he turned around to miss the other persons shot, Chalice realized it was Tom. “Tom!” As soon as she said that she wished she hadn’t. The other kid was much bigger then Tom with blonde hair and a mean looking face. Tom turned around to look who called his name just long enough for the bully to knock him out. 9

“Tom, wake up. You have to hurry before the authorities get here.” Chalice was sitting down by his side while everyone else was scattering trying to make it look like nothing happened, but if anyone saw Tom they would know right away what happened and he would get suspended or worse. His eye was definitely a shiner, his nose was a bloody mess and his lip was cut pretty bad. They probably would have figured out something anyway, but if he stayed here there would be evidence they could use against him. “Tom come on, get up!” Chalice started to shake him trying to get him to wake up. 10

“Huh, what happened?”11

“I don’t know, you have to tell me that.”12

“It will have to wait, the principle is coming.” Drew helped Chalice get Tom to his feet just in time so they could walk away from the scene. 13

The school bell rang and Chalice got her stuff from her locker as quick as possible with the riot crowd and rushed to the bus. She searched for Tom; she had to get him to tell her what happened. “Over here.” Tom was sitting towards the back and wasn’t happy to see he for a first time.14

“Tom.”15

“I know, you want me to tell you how I got in a fight.” Tom looked ashamed of something as he looked down at the floor. Chalice could tell it was bad because this was a first he stuttered to tell her something. 16

“You can tell me anything, no matter what it is, I really don’t care, but don’t ignore me at all costs.”17

“I’m not trying to hide it from you its just, maybe you’ll understand after I tell you,” He paused a bit, "why I cant tell you."18

“Ok.” She didn’t understand what he meant, what could be so bad, yeah it was a fight, but fights are fights and they happen, she just wanted to know about it.19

“Well the kid I was fighting is Jerry, you probably don’t remember him, but he went to school with us in first grade and quickly left for reasons unknown.”20

“Yeah, I remember him now that you’ve said something.”21

“Ok, anyway he saw me and remembered me instantly and started talking to me. It took me a while but I realized why he moved. I asked him about it and he got mad because the reasons he moved only certain people should know and those certain people are not his friends.”22

“What?” Chalice was a little confused.23

“I uh cant really explain anymore than that. Im sorry." Tom got up and moved to the back of the bus leaving Chalice stunned. What had just happened. She decided to drop it and maybe he would tell her in time.24