Where Life Takes Us - 5. Chapter 5 - Who's They

Summer went by fast for the Luis household. Their vacation was short, only lasting a week. They went camping out of town. They lived by many good camping spots but it felt too close to home to be called camping.

While the boys roughed it out in tents, the girls had their beds in the trailer. Kenneth was a big outdoors guy, while Diana loved camping, but liked having a trailer wall between her and the outside. The trip consisted of many roasted hotdogs, marshmallows and smores.

Talon and Wyatt went off on 'adventures' through the forests. They found many things, even a family of foxes. They didn't dare go near them. Everything that happened was a first for Wyatt; he loved every part of roughing the outdoors.

Once the family returned it was time to get onto the school year that was coming up. There were only three weeks until school started and no school supplies had been bought. Talon, Caitlyn and Kayla had some things from the past school year but all Wyatt had was a few well used binders.

Kenneth and Diana got together a budget for each child and had them all figure out what was re-usable and what wasn't. They made a list of needed items for school, and then planned a trip to the mall.

That day came faster than all of the kids could have predicted. For Caitlyn and Wyatt it was an adventure getting school supplies. For Kayla, she was more or less there because she had to be. Finally Talon was dreading it.

Talon had never been in the popular group of kids. His friends were true friends though. They had been through thick and thin. They were brothers in their minds. Yet every year their brotherhood was targeted for bullies. The only thing that Talon liked about the entire situation is that he was going to a middle school while Wyatt was going to high school.

Kenneth took Talon and Wyatt while Diana took the girls. The first stop for the boys was backpacks. Talon picked out a plain gray and green one, while Wyatt took a stripped baby blue and white one. They got their pens, pencils, erasers and all the other things needed for school.

When Kayla came by and saw Wyatt's backpack she giggled, “They are gonna make fun of you for sure.”

“Who's they?”

“Basically everyone at school. I mean what kind of guy has a baby blue and white backpack.”

“Then I guess the attention I get will just be larger, wont it?”

Kayla looked at her little brother, “What do you mean, Smart-ass?“

“Kayla, mouth!” exclaimed Kenneth glaring at her.

Wyatt smiled. “I mean, that since I'm a new kid, with your last name, don't you think we're both gonna get more attention at the beginning of the year?”

Kayla had to admit, Wyatt was right. A new kid with the same last name as her, there were gonna be rumors about it sooner than later. “You so right! How did I over look that? 'They' are gonna have all kinds of rumors about us!”

“Who is 'They' and why are they important!? I don't get it.” Wyatt stared at his sister.

“Do you not understand what an image is?”

“An image is a visible picture, or something you imagine.”

“Oh my god, no it's not. Well, yes, it is, but not in this case. Your image is what people think of you. So if you act like a dork people are gonna think you're a dork. If you act like a bully, people think you're a bully and so on.”

“That doesn't explain who this 'they' is...”

“'They' is everybody else. Anyone who isn't you. 'They' are the people who talk about you. 'They' are important to impress.”

Wyatt stared at his sister straight faced. “Why should I care what 'they' think of me. If 'they' find my life so interesting to talk about it, go ahead. If they want to start a rumor about me, then karma is just gonna bite them.”

Wyatt left Kayla to think of what he had just said and finished his school shopping. The rest of the day she couldn't understand how someone couldn't care about their image. Kayla was one of the most popular girls in school. Everyone talked to her, everyone cool at least.

Once at home Kayla started texting her friends about it. They all agreed with her, that an image is something everyone should strive for. She had to know why Wyatt didn't care what people thought of him though.

It was 11 pm when she knocked on Wyatt's door. “Wyatt can I talk to you?”

“Sure, it's unlocked.” Wyatt was on his computer talking to Dante over Facebook. “It's a rare occasion when you talk to me.”

“Ya, it really is.” Kayla sat down on his bed and looked at the screen. Wyatt closed it and turned around. “I've just been thinking of what you said to me at the mall today. How can you not care what people think of you?”

“I do care, but I also don't.”

“That doesn't make any sense, Wyatt.”

Wyatt giggled. “I care enough to want to know what people think of me. 'They' can think what they think, but I don't care what my 'image' is.”

“Why?”

“In the orphanage when a rumor broke out, someone would always rat it out. So we would get confronted about it and told how wrong it was to spread them. We were then told to live how we felt we needed to live. So our 'image' was something we were taught to ignore.”

“I guess that can work in that style of life, but now you're going to a real school where you wont know anyone.”

“That also may not be true.” Kayla shot a confused look at Wyatt. “There may be someone who was adopted at the school. There also may not be, who knows.”

“You're crazy, you know that?”

With a huge grin Wyatt flopped onto his bed. “Yes I do. I'm going to bed now, I'll see you tomorrow.”

“Night, Crazy Kid.” Kayla managed to get out before a pillow could hit her. Both laughed, and both thought about what had been said.

From Wyatt's Notes

What Kayla said makes sense. I mean there were kids who got bullied in the orphanage. I wasn't one of them. I was the kid who was always alone. More than one rumor was started about me. So will there be some about me at my new school.

Being the new kid and all of course there will. What will they be about though? Will it be about my new last name? Saying that I'm Kayla's cousin or her new brother. Or worse somehow married her and her last name.

What will my image be in this new environment? Will it be bad, good, or indifferent? What will happen to Kayla's image? Will it change because of me? For the better or for the worse... I guess only time will tell.

What about Talon though. He's never really told me what his 'image' is. Is he a nerd? Geek? Jock? Some combination of all of the possibilities? What is Talon like at school? Is he quiet like me or is he active and loud? I'm not even going to the same school as him so... I wont even know

A few weeks passed and school was just around the corner. Wyatt had gotten registered at the local private high school. Talon would be just next door at the elementary school. Kayla would be around but would more than likely avoid him. Caitlyn, Wyatt wasn't planning on seeing a whole lot.

The night before school started Wyatt and Talon had a talk, mostly innocently about how they would hang out. “We can see each other at lunch time and after school. There isn't a problem.”

“Are you sure? There might be a rule against high schoolers hanging out with elementary schoolers.”

“We'll be fine, Wyatt. There is no such rule at lunch time. At recess though it has to be important, like a 'family matter'.”

With Wyatt, he didn't believe things till he saw them. The next morning he saw it: the high school he would be attending for the school year. The school was probably four times the size of the orphanage. The number of kids in the building, was at least ten times more.

Wyatt wondered around, eventually finding the homeroom listings. He was in homeroom 8-3, or room 114. To his dismay Kayla checked her room and was on her way. He had no way of knowing where his homeroom was.

With the limited knowledge he had of the school he found his way to the office. The only secretary working was someone called Mrs. Micheals.

“I don't know where my home room is. Can I get some help?”

Just then a boy walked into the office and called out, “Hey mom!”

“Alex, I'm helping someone at the moment.” The woman spoke calmly.

“Oh sorry.” Alex leaned against the window of the office.

“What is your name, young man?”

“Wyatt Luis, Ma'am. My homeroom is 8-3 and room 114 but I have no idea where it is.” The boy made a noise and started jumping up and down.

Wyatt took a good look at the boy. His brown hair was long enough to flop as he jumped. His brown eyes were behind thick rimmed glasses, his blue hoodie mostly zipped up and becoming undone in each jump he made.

Mrs. Micheals shook her head. “My son Alex has the same homeroom as you. He can show you the way.” Alex gave out a 'yes' and did a full circle jump.

“What did you want, Alex?”

“Oh, Mr. Stannus wanted me to get more chalk for him.”

She rummaged though her desk and pulled out a full box of chalk. “You boys better get going. You don't want to be late.”

Alex made his way through the hallways. Wyatt followed shortly behind. When they arrived at the room Wyatt was completely lost. He had no idea which way he had gone or even how to get back to the office.

The chalk was handed to Mr. Stannus and both boys sat down.

“I'm Alexander Micheals by the way. You can call me Alex though. You said your name was Wyatt right?”

“Ya, Wyatt Luis.”

“So like Talon and Kayla Luis?” Wyatt nodded. “How are you related to them?”

“I'm not...”

Alex gave a weird look at Wyatt. He blushed and continued, “I'm not related to them technically.”

“Then how are you of their last name? If that makes sense.”

“Their mom and dad adopted me...” Wyatt looked away worried at the reaction Alex would give.

From Wyatt's Notes:

When I told Alex about me being adopted I expected the worst. I expected to be called some kind of name or something. Maybe even him to call out to everyone in the room that 'this kids adopted!' What I got though was completely different.

When I looked away after a few seconds I heard, “Look at me dude...” So I did, “You're their brother. End of story. You are now a member of their family. So what if you're not related by blood. Bonds are what matter.”

I didn't expect it at all... it's like he knew what I was going through. I had to ask, “How would you know how I feel?”

“I may not be adopted but I don't live with my mom. My dad has full custody of me so I don't get to see my mom that much. That doesn't mean I don't consider her my mom though. My dad just doesn't like her.”

So here I am with a kid who went through a divorce saying he understands me... I'm gonna give him the benefit of the doubt for now. At least I made my first 'friend' in school though.

Homeroom started and everyone got their schedules. Wyatt found out exactly how the school worked. Each student had 8 classes for the entire year. You would do four one day, and the other four the next. The classes each day would rotate so you wouldn't have them the same time everyday.

So on day one you had ABCD and on day two you had EFGH. Day three would be BCDA and four FGHE. Day five had you taking CDAB and six had GHEF. Seven and eight finished it up with DABC and HEFG.

Wyatt found the schedule confusing the more he looked at it. So he took it one class at a time. With a little help from Alex he found all his classrooms and marked them on the map in his school agenda.

The boys talked about the average boy things: video games, sports, anime, and many other things were brought up. Alex and Wyatt agreed that their differences made it a lot more fun to talk about things.

Sooner than later it was the end of the day. Alex's father picked him up. Wyatt found Kayla standing with her friends. Not wanting to ruin her 'image' he stayed a little way away from her.

When Diana showed up Kayla said good bye to her friends and hopped into the SUV. Talon and Caitlyn were already in the vehicle talking away.

When Wyatt got settled Diana asked, “So how was your first day of school, Wyatt?”

“It was good. I made a friend named Alex!”

“Alex Micheals?” Kayla turned around and looked Wyatt in the eyes. Wyatt nodded slowly. “Don't hang out with him. There's a rumor saying he made his parents break up.”

“Kayla, do you know the boy?” Diana retorted.

“No but...”

Diana interrupted her, “Then you are to say nothing. You don't know what happened with the boy therefore have nothing left to say on the subject.”

“I think he's a cool kid. I had to work with him a little bit last year.” Talon smiled and looked over at Wyatt. “We were in the same class last year. Split classes suck sometimes but not last year!”

Wyatt stared out the window thinking of everything and nothing. What could a boy have done to cause their parents to break up? Could a baby cause something for parents to not want them?

Chapter end!