THE DANGEROUS MAFIA KING AND HIS SUPPOSED SLAVE

, 7th of

eemingly bright smile. I can't believe they still make people do this. I take

Beckley. I recently moved from Brisbane, Aust

y to my desk and lower myself into the chair. The

rom the first day of school, and then our math teacher seemed to hate life even more when I told him how b

and sea salt. Now, I'm in a classroom halfway across the world, filled with

glish, but the way they look at m

cs of photography so that w

y mind wanders to the beach. I miss sand under my toe

ng to catch a

somewhere on the coast, but no, he wanted to return

, I realise I've spent the

a, which is different. I'm not hungry, so I by

ts scrambling to find seats inside. The sun heats my cheeks, an

s shattered by

as he races over. "This table is

I scramble to my f

the first boy out of the way. He topple

He sighs. "You're the new ch

e floor, then back at him. "Y

a nickname f

st Chri

Arthur, and that's George

!" George

laughs. "He's

ing lunch, I should, u

ns and shak

Australia. I want to kno

with George and Arthur

r's wide, muscular frame. I wonder about George's position, given that h

d to live by the beach, so we'd go there al

is that how you sa

" I ch

ng your time in

interesting."

ut of water if we just

e that bad.

re from my father to make things work. I k

ight, George?" Arthur elb

wns, but h

anks for

ble. A redhead with brown freckles joins me, and a preppy girl, Savannah, from my English class, p

t nobody does. This better not be a regular occ

our favourite café, and a hiking spot. There's al

I've just started the last year of high school. At the end of my eleventh year, I

oy some time with my friends before the big move. I couldn't uproot my life like he co

at didn't happen. He was determined to put as much distance bet

of saliva connects the pair. She whispers something before bounding

the endless hallways, grey lockers, and tons of doors,

and inspects it. After a second, h

your nex

woodw

xcited because I hav

oesn't sound

we're sharing a

be the only f

hool. Towards the back of the building, there's a small wor

the classroom is. There's an attached storage room and office. The office has a

le of cursive words, th

has me smiling from ear to ear. He's yo

k was the per

board and inten

kid in our class, uh, C

I cal

les. "Is Christine

N

ook at me weirdly, but

at this, but come an

hristine Beckley. I moved from Australia. I en

eet you, Christ

p. I haven't been teaching long, but I love woodwork. I ca

me, I think my heart mi

l find the assignment sheets." He scratches th

ork table that has a f

the equipment, while th

tops when he reaches me. He leans on the desk

n more attract

ur first

ll alive

nods. "Did you take woodwo

" I cough. "This was

speed. Since you don't have as much exper

you."

butts in. "Can I have

hur, you can

rolls h

or understand, just ask. Don't l

ich makes

rm around my shoulder. "Blain is my uncle, almost a b

lieve I'm jok

o." I

Arthur

eans fair

"I like this word. What

work; most run around the room, smacking each other with loose pieces

I trek back into the school and spend at least five minutes huntin

parking lot is practically empty, inclu

Chri

ross his car wi

thur."

e home? The buses

forever to rel

ays are hard." He shrugs. "Since you need

ure?" I bi

, ge

eer

nkfully, the drive isn't long, bu

the driveway,

ou for t

no b

u tomorrow,

ging away. I drift inside the empty ho

's no time lik

ight make things easier. The number of boxes that need to be unpacked doesn't make