Welcome Back To Shacker High - 1. Chapter 1

Some of my friends, and the cousins I have my age, always moan and groan about having to go back to school after Summer vacation, but *I* don't! I LOVE going back to school after a long few months of being away from everybody I know! School is my life. It's my 'job'. My entire social circle revolves around it. I might enjoy a break from the monotony of it all for the first few weeks...but by the time school is ready to start up again for the Fall, I'm usually so desperate to get back to my academic microcosm of the world at large that I end up nearly tearing my hair out in anticipation.

"Get up, Cheeky! You don't want to be late on your first day!" My mom said, calling me from the kitchen while my father took cautious sips out of his hot morning coffee.

My name is Charlie, but everyone calls me 'Cheeky' because of my smile. I don't know, I was just born with it, you know? Dimples and all. I guess it makes me look like I'm up to something mischievous. Hehehe, what can I say? They're right. I usually am.

I got showered up, I got dressed for my first day back at school, I ate my mom's breakfast...the whole song and dance was executed perfectly. It was a good start to what I was hoping would be a great day. I could feel myself getting anxious as it came time for me to leave. I got impatient and just figured I'd get there early or something. I had to start moving. I couldn't sit around that bedroom for one more minute. I slung a half empty backpack over my shoulder and headed out to take the 20 to 25 minute walk to school.

It wasn't that much of a trek to take every day. It beat paying to take the bus that short way. As my grandmother would always say, 'Get outside and let the air blow on you.' Can't say that it's bad for me, right? Not to mention that I'd probably get there quicker on foot just walking straight there from my front door than I ever could waiting forever on a silly bus to pick me up. Although I do miss waiting at the corner some times. There was this boy there, Derrick, that used to go to school with me, but he ended up transferring out to some rich kid school way up North. I miss getting to share the same bus stop with him though. I'd much rather smile and flirt with him every day before school than walk up there alone. Hehehe!

Then there are those other two cuties from the next block or two over. The really light blond haired one and his friend who's always kind of tripping over stuff. Ariel. That was his name. I remember from when he started that fire in the chem lab and they basically made him take a study hall instead. Yeah, I see them walking sometimes. Always together. But really slow. It's almost like they don't even want to get to school. They seem happy enough, though. I don't think I can remember the last time I saw two boys smile at each other so much without saying much of anything at all. I'd think they were lovers or something if they weren't so unbelievably hot. There's just a certain level of attraction that goes beyond us gay boys ever getting a shot at something like that. I mean, right? Yeah...that kind of thing doesn't happen. Not around here, anyway.

There's a small convenience store that I pass on my way to school every day. Sometimes I go in for a few junk food snacks and an energy drink or two. I know that my mom makes a good breakfast for me almost every morning, but the power of 'teen belly junk food' is jus stronger sometimes. Plus, she doesn't believe in keeping energy drinks in the house. She thinks my heart is going to explode one day or something. I have to sneak around and get my goodies on the sly.

"Oops..." I say as I bump shoulders with another boy in the aisle by the cooler.

He quietly mumbles, "Sorry." And he lowers his head as he continues walking towards the front counter. He's always so quiet, that 'Zack' boy. He's cute though. I've tried to get to know him a few times, but he always seems to have too much on his mind to say much of anything to anybody. He's always looking down at his feet, and if he peeks up to say anything to you, I feel like he's only doing it because he feels it would be rude not to. I should try to talk to him more this semester, you know? Cheer him up? As beautiful as he is, you'd think he'd have more confidence.

I go to pay for myself, and this other boy from the area was going up to pay at the same time. He had a small package of powdered donuts and a fruit punch. I remember him from a lot of the plays and actor workshops at school. He's been doing stuff on stage singe junior high. "Go ahead." He said.

"No, it's ok. You first." I told him.

"You sure?" He asked, and I nodded. "Thanks."

I said, "So, how was your Summer?"

Evan smiled at me and said, "Let's just say that I doubt I'm going to be able to top this as being the best Summer ever. Hehehe!" Then he's like, "Sorry, Cheeky, but I've gotta run. My mom's in the car." Then he asks, "Say, do you need a ride or something? I'm sure my mom wouldn't mind."

"Nah. I'm good. I like the walk. It helps to clear my mind." I grinned.

As soon as Evan bought his stuff, he said, "Well, see ya later. Hopefully before school clutters your mind all up again."

"Fingers crossed." I smiled, and he hurried back out to the car. Evan's a really good guy. I hope he gets to follow his dream some day.

Weirdest thing though...I looked at his iphone music one time, and it is filled with teen pop boys. I mean filled. Especially Greyson Chance. I guess he has a bit of an obsession. I like Greyson too, but that, right there, is a die hard fanboy if I ever saw one.

As soon as I go up to the counter after him, I can't help but to notice that same old fading 'missing' picture behind the counter. It's actually gotten pretty painful to look these days, to be honest. That 'Justin Meeks' boy disappeared almost a whole year ago. I mean, I can understand people not wanting to give up hope and stuff...but I don't think they're ever going to find him. Sometimes people just go missing around here. Nobody knows where they go...they just vanish. Probably to join some freaky cult or something. I read this one ebook called, "Savage Moon", where this boy got all wrapped up in this little group of werewolf teenagers and it totally got his mind all messed up. I've got to go back and see how that ends some time. It's been forever.

Anyway, looking at the missing poster, I'm pretty sure that Justin just ran away from home. He reminded me a lot of Zack, but at least Zack has friends at school to stand by him. I think people kind of bullied Justin to the point of not wanting to be there anymore. Then they bullied that other kid, Drew, for being openly gay. That was pretty much what kept me from wanting to say anything. Drew's so totally harmless. What did he ever do to hurt anybody, you know? But the jerks running the school hallways don't care about that. They just refuse to leave him alone.

I hope things will be different this year. After those boys attacked that 'Stevie' kid in the stairwell, I think the Principal and all the teachers are going to keep a closer eye on things. They had a whole assembly about it just before Summer break. Hopefully, the warning stuck. I'd like to come out too some time soon. Maybe I can get a Tyler or a Jamie Cross or a Zack of my very own. Anything is possible, right?

Well, maybe not anything...but a lot, I'm sure. Hehehe!

Like...you know who I think would make a cute boyfriend? Billy Chase. I don't know what it is but I've always had a crush on him for some reason. Going all the way back to him sharing his bucket with me in the sandbox when we were little. He's always surrounded by other people though, so I never get a chance to talk to him in private. There's always somebody clinging to him and keeping me from feeling comfortable enough to just walk up and say hello. It sucks.

The first time Billy ever really smiled directly at me was in our first period history class last year. Ryan Stephens and his friend, Randy, were goofing around or something a few rows ahead of us, and Billy kind of looked over at me and wiggled his eyebrows. Hehehe, you know, as if to suspect that something was going on between those two. Wow, that would be so hot! But, yeah...Billy's smile just melted my heart in an instant. Funny thing is, I would have bet my left testicle that Ryan Stephens was gay! Well, until I saw him hanging out with that Hailie chick. Ugh! What a waste of a perfectly good boy. He should play on our team. So unfair.

I didn't find out about Billy working in that music store in the mall until a week or two ago when I went back to school shopping. I would have totally gone in to harass him all Summer long if I knew he was working there. He's dreamy. I could have finally had a teen icon working at a mall nearby, instead of having to take the bus waaaaaay out to that other mall across town. The one where that 'Jesse-101' YouTuber boy hangs out at. I've tried to go on the weekends to see if I can catch a glimpse of him, but I've never seen him in person. He can't possibly be as cute in real life as he is online. Anyway, Jesse aside...there's another music store in that mall, and there's this blond boy that works there....ohhhhh my God! Now THAT'S what you call undeniably gorgeous! The first time I saw him I almost fainted! He's that amazing. His nametag says 'Dustin' on it. He helped me find a Fall Out Boy CD once. I giggled for three days straight. If I ever get the nerve, I'm going to talk to him. I am! You'll see!

Approaching the school, the whole front lawn and all the doors were alive with activity. This is it. This is what I've been waiting for. I was crossing the street, and I saw a friend of mine, Adam, walk out in front of me. The light had changed and there was a crossing guard out there, but since people are racing through lights to get to work sometimes...a car charged through the intersection at the last minute!

I don't know what happened, but Adam stepped back, turning his head just in time to see the speeding vehicle heading right for him. Friggin' MANIAC! Thank God, Adam was ok! Geez! I swear, he must have a guardian angel looking out for him or something, because he was almost road pizza!

I saw Shane from my gym class helping some other boy lock his bike up outside. "See, Deme? You've got to lock your bike up closest to the door you come out of if you can. That way, you don't have to go all the other way to the other side of the school to use the ones by the football field."

"Hi, Shane!" I said.

He looked around for a second, giving me a wave. Then he turned his attention back to his friend. Which I can certainly understand. Who was that beauty! there is a serious wealth of good looking guys at this school! God, I can't wait until I get a boyfriend! When does that happen? WHEN? Geez, one of my friends from my astronomy, his friends' older stepbrother found a boyfriend right away when he went to college. That must have been awesome! I wanted to be subtle about asking him about it, but he's always...I don't know...stargazing or something. I have no idea what he's looking for. He's just looking at a blank space in the sky. But he's determined to find something there, so who am I to stop him?

I saw another friend of mine in the midst of all this chaos and smile at him. I know his real name is Russ, but since our nicknames always tend to stick around here, we might as well make use of them. "What's up, 'Golide'?" I giggled.

"Looking good, 'Cheeky'!" He said back to me. Ugh! Note to self, really cute boys are cute! Hehehe! Yeah...

"School paper?" Came a voice from in front of me. My sneakers squeaked to an abrupt halt to keep from running into Carter and having one of us fall over. "Here, take one for you, and one for a friend. Spread the word, k?"

"Thanks, Carter." I said. "What are you guys even writing about? It's the first day of school."

He just smiled at me and said, "Never too early to bond with a new audience, right?" He stopped a few other students entering the hallway and gave them papers too. "Sup, Ethan? One for you. Simon, one for you. Shane, one for you and your...friend. Hi, I'm Carter!"

"Deme..." The other boy said, bashfully. He had a heavy accent, but I couldn't quite place where it was from.

Carter was moving away from me as he walked to the wall to hang a few papers up by the "Liquor On Sunday" band notice on the billboard. He said, "Make sure you hit the like button on the Facebook, and tell Kevin you were digging this new spread. K? Oh hi, Rory! School paper? Here ya go..." That boy is a machine when it comes to promoting that paper. I suppose it's a good thing though.

"Heya, 'Cheeky'..." Said one boy who was walking around me and headed for his locker.

"Hi, Cory." I was just saying hello, but his friend, Ben, didn't seem to like that a whole lot.

Ben was like, "See? Right there! What was that?"

Cory said, "What??? I was being friendly."

"You're always being friendly. TOO friendly. What are you talking to him for?" Ben giggled, trying to keep an angry face.

"Quit being so touchy! Jesus! You're so paranoid, hehehe!" Cory replied, and I just kept walking before I found myself in the middle of a situation or something. Yikes.

They seem happy together though. I wonder if...well, they might just be buddies, but I'm pretty sure that I've seen Cory coming out of that Gay Straight Alliance room after school. I wonder if Stevie is going to go there, now that he's out to the whole school. Hmmm...

I got to my first class and sat down somewhere near the back. Just a few minutes until the bell rings. I saw Donnie walk in. I had a class or two with him last year, but he looked really exhausted today. I decided to not say anything. He had bags under his eyes, like he hadn't slept in a week. Maybe he was just as excited about school starting again as I was. Who knows?

I opened up the little school paper I was handed as our teacher, Mr. Harris, walked in. There was an article about our sports teams gearing up for a successful season. I certainly hope it'll be better than last season. Our rival school was kicking our ass in almost EVERY sport! Arrrghhh!!! I swear, I wish...I wish a giant meteor would just fall out of the sky and destroy their whole damn high school so WE could win something every once in a while!

Either way, I'm here now. Back to school! I was ready for my first class, on my first day, of the rest of my school year. Many familiar faces, plus a few new ones to come, I'm sure. I guess I'm right where I need to be! And it's beautiful!

Soooo many cute boys! And they're all trapped, right here in a building with me, for seven whole hours a day, five days a week! I'm not going to be satisfied until I see every last one of them naked! Naked and hard and...and...in my MOUTH! Hehehe! That's what 'Jesse-101' would say on his channel. Or...something similar!

Seriously though...I'm just happy to be 'home' again where school is concerned. I feel good here. But I'm sure the novelty will wear off eventually. Probably sooner than later. It has to, right? Because, even with all of these yummy boys running around, day in and day out...let's be honest...

Nothing ever happens in this place.