Let's Say Hi.

Let's Say Hi; Zompoc Chapter 1.

"Nick!" She called, "Nick, get up!"
"Don’t wanna." Nick groaned, sinking his face further into his pillow. "Five more minutes..."
"Nick!" She called again, knocking on the door. "Get up! Harry needs your help!"
"F**k Harry." He mumbled, dragging himself out of his messy bed. His clothes were strewn over the floor, a typical teenage bedroom. The space was his and only his. He loved it.
Nick dragged a hand through his short hair and sighed. His eyes were still unfocused. He stumbled out of the bedroom, almost knocking into his younger brother.
"Nicky!" Harry called, clutching at Nick's oversized shirt. Harry was a chubby, dark haired little boy of four. He was sweet, not too bright and cute. He was the kind of boy that teenage girls 'awe'd over in the street. "Help! Help!"
"What, Harry?"
"Train broke!" Harry cried, his chubby hands still holding Nick’s shirt tight. "Fix it, Nicky!"

Nick picked his brother up, balancing Harry on his hip like he’d been taught. Harry pulled Nick's collar with one hand and handed the broken toy to him with the other.
"Looks like you busted it, Har." Nick sighed. "I'll fix it if you go find me a pen."

"Kay Nicky!" Harry grinned, his cheeks bright pink and his brown eyes shining. Nick put him down and watched him scamper away. He looked down at the plastic train in his hand, it wasn’t broken. Yet. Harry would break it eventually though. He snapped the plastic pieces back into place.
With the toy in hand Nick walked to the bathroom and looked in the mirror. His hair stuck up at odd angles and his skin was still flushed from the heat of his room. He put the toy train down on the edge of the white sink and ran the water. He splashed his face and looked in the mirror again. His hair was now wet and stuck up at odd angles.
"Nicky! Train!" Harry shouted, pushing the door open. He had a black Sharpie in his fist and a trail of jam across his face.
"Ya'no," Nick grinned, handing the train back, "you should speak like a normal kid your age, Har."
Harry was too interested in his train to take any interest in what Nick said. Harry ran downstairs to show their mother what had happened to his train.
Nick picked up a hair brush and ran it though his unruly hair, it didn’t make any lasting impression.
School today, he thought to himself, and there was a new kid, fresh fish.

George looked at his mum, she was running late already. Her hair was hurriedly brushed back and she was running back and forth across the kitchen.
"George! Go to school!" She snapped.
He dreaded going to school today. It was a new school and, like all his other schools, he would be an outcast. Screw it, he thought, he might as well go with style. His intelligence wouldn't be noticed at first, nor would his strength… But his oddball looks would.
"Sure, mum, whatever." He sighed, picking up his schol bag. "I'm off."
George walked out the door. He walked head down, dragging his feet and dwelling on his dark thoughts. He walked slowly, not wanting to attract any attention to himself, across the park towards the general direction of the school.
He remembered the route from a few days ago, when his mother had bought him to the school and made him meet the headteacher. That was terrible. People had noticed him, in his jeans and black shirt, and they'd started talking to each other. Even the school receptionist had looked surprised. George bet no one voluntarily moved to this rural shithole. 

His hair fell in his eyes again, he brushed it out of the way. His school clothes felt too big, baggy and uncomfortable. He was skinny, he knew that, but this was stupid. He was wearing clothes the right height for him but they were easily able to fit around him twice. It wasn't fair that this stupid school made them wear uniform. At his old school they didn't have to wear uniform.

At his old friend he had friends too. People that liked him, his music and his style. People that understood and wouldn't bully him...

He shuddered and felt the frosted grass crunch under foot. George swept his hair from his face and clenched his eyes shut tight. He took a deep breath. Today was going to be hell.

There was a brisk breeze as Raiin walked through the school grounds. Her head was full of useless thoughts and her eyes kept scanning for someone she didn’t know.

The new kid. The words on everyone’s lips. She wanted to be the first to get a good look at this guy. No one even knew the kid’s name, only that he was a boy with shoulder length hair. People were already calling him a f*g.

Raiin looked at the cuts on her hand, she'd got into another fight and the battle scars were all over her arms and legs. She smiled briefly, a sad smile that didn't quite reach her eyes.
She saw a tall, broad boy walking into the gate. Nick. A quick grin slid across her face. Raiin waited for Nick to walk around to the side of the old school building. She snuck up behind him, her small frame almost insignificant next to his towering brawn. Raiin dived forwards, jumping on him.
"Hey!" He called out, grabbing her wrists. He pushed her away roughly. "Don’t f*****g do that!"

"Sowwy, Nick." Raiin giggled, diving forward and squeezing Nick in a tight hug. She let go of him and ruffled her hair with one hand while jamming the other into her pocket. "Seen the new kid yet?"
"Na, don’t really wanna." Nick rolled his eyes, "Too much work for me."
"Ahh… That's so boring!” Raiin moaned. She pulled Nick's arm with both hands. "Come on, come find this kid with me. Please?"
Nick shifted his weight from foot to foot, making a decision. Raiin looked at him with large doe eyes, pleading with him. 

"Fine." Nick sighed. "But I'm not going to make friends with him."

"You don't have to," Raiin giggled. "But I want to. So you're coming with me. C'mon."

Raiin spun on her heel and balanced on the balls of her feet, trying to peer over the heads of the other students. Nick grinned at her, she was a lot shorter than him and he could see over a lot of heads. There were a few people in the same year as him that he couldn't see over, but they weren't that common.
"Raiin..." He tapped her on the shoulder. "South gate, there's a boy with long hair coming in. New kid?"
"New kid." She nodded. "Let's say hi."