Silver Tragety Draft 2 (Part3) Chapter 3 School Denise had Zander go to school and enrolled him in November to go to Midvale High School and gave special instructions about how Zander could not take his trench coat off and that he would have study hall. On his first day of school Zander went with a black back pack and a blue gym bag filled with gym clothes. Zander walked around the corner to the bus stop and saw four other teenagers. He came up to the group but stayed distant at the same time. A boy with tanned skin, brown hair, and brown eyes came running behind Zander and stopped beside him, catching his breath. “There you are JT. Didn’t think you would get here.” one of the teenagers said and the others laughed “Haha, very funny. I was going to make it.” the boy that had come running, JT, said as he straightened “I don’t think I’ve met you before. Are you new?” he asked, turning to Zander “Yes, I moved here a few weeks ago.” Zander said “Are you living with Denise Smith?” JT asked “Yes, until I am out of high school.” Zander said as he shifted his backpack on his back. “I think that you are the guy I saw with her in her garden yesterday, planting a tomato plant.” JT said “Yes, that was me.” Zander said “What is your name?” JT asked “Zander, Zander Roberts.” Zander said, remembering his talk with Denise the day before. “John Clinton, I live across the street from you.” JT said “What does the T stand for in JT. I heard the others call you JT.” Zander said, shrugging toward the group “Tanner, it is my middle name. Do you got a middle name?” “James.” “Are you a Junior, Senior, or Sophomore?” “Sophmore, I am sixteen years old.” “So am I.” The bus came to a stop in front of the group and they all walked onto it. Zander found a seat in the back and sat in it beside the window. At the next bus stop a boy went to the seat Zander was in and cleared his throat. "That's my seat you are sitting in buddy." The boy said "There is room, I am not that large." Zander said, getting closer to the window "Get out of my seat geek, or you will be crying for your mommy." The boy said "I wish I could call her." Zander said "One last warning, get out of my seat or you will be on your way to a hospital." The boy said Zander did not budge and the boy attempted to hit him. Before the boy could hit Zander the bus driver slammed on his brakes and threw the boy to the front. "You shouldn't stand on the bus, John, you should know that." The driver said as the boy, John, stood JT jumped from his seat behind Zander and laughed. "Man, you were about to get into a fist fight with John Brandon. No one has ever sat in his seat but him since his first sophomore year. That was four years ago too. Can you give me some of your stubbornness.” he said "No, I need it all. He is nowhere near what I have gone up against in a fight. My dad would get on my case about it and I would be cleaning after everyone on the mountain." Zander said "You're a mountain man?" JT asked "In a way I am but in another I am not." “How?” “A mountain man can go home to the mountains. Icannot.” “Are you a Star?” “Yes, I am a Star.” “Then why go to a school for trails?” “I cannot go back home.” The tone in Zander’s voice told JT that he was done talking about it and silence reigned over the two friends. The bus stopped at the school and Zander walked off of the bus followed by JT. JT showed Zander through the school and helped him with his locker but John Brandon was not the kind of teenager that let the new kids figure things out. John waited in the gym for Zander to go to PE. “Class, this is our new student. His name is Zander Roberts. Zander, why don’t you tell the class about yourself.” the teacher said unenthusiastically as he waved to Zander who came to the front of the classroom. “As Mr. Henderson said I am Zander Roberts. I came from in the mountains on the other side of Silver River County. I moved in with my foster mother a month ago and I hope to get to know all of you.” Zander said “Why is your hair so long? Are you a Hippy?” a girl in the far back asked “I wanted to grow my hair out and see what it is like. If I like it I’ll keep it long, if not I’ll cut it.” Zander said “Have you ever seen a Star?” a boy wearing thick glasses asked All of the teenagers leaned forward when Zander considered his answer. “I have seen several Stars but they keep to themselves.” Zander said The teenagers started talking among themselves and another boy raised his hand. “You, in the back.” Zander said “Are you a mountain man and can you play football?” the boy asked “I am a mountain man but I have never played football before.” Zander said “That is enough now class. Zander, please take a seat and I’ll get you a text book.” Mr. Henderson said Zander repeatedly introduced himself to classmates and teachers and was given homework in all but two classes: PE and English. PE was his final hour class and could not wait to get rid of his stress through physical exertion. In the locker room Zander put on his gym uniform in the largest shower stall and put his coat back on. When he came out Zander was hit in the face with a water balloon. “Who threw that?” Zander asked and all of the boys in the locker room with him pointed at John Brandon. “Thanks for that, I needed to cool off.” Zander said as he walked over to his locker and took his shoes out. In the gym Zander gave the teacher a slip saying that he was to do as the slip said everyday of the school year. “Alright Roberts, get on the line with the other boys and we’ll begin the class.” the gym teacher, Mrs. Boll, said as she attached the slip of paper to her clipboard. “Alright, fifty sit ups, three pull-ups, and sixty push-ups. After you do that meet me on the sidelines.” Mrs. Boll said as she finished roll call. Zander did the exercises and walked to the sideline that Mrs. Boll had indicated. Once the other boys were on the line Mrs. Boll split them into two groups of six. “We’re doing basketball. The losing team does five suicides. Choose your defenders.” Mrs. Boll said “I’ll take Roberts.” John said as he stood in front of Zander. “Who’s jumping?” Mrs. Boll asked “I will jump.” Zander said “Alright, Zander and John are the jumpers. Let’s get going. Zander’s team is going toward the stretching area and John’s team toward the locker rooms.” Mrs. Boll said. Mrs. Boll threw the ball into the air and both Zander and John jumped. Zander tipped the ball behind himself and passed it to a teammate. The teenagers ran to the far side of the court and took positions. The boy with the ball stopped and picked it up. A girl screened him and Zander went to the ball. The boy passed the ball to him and Zander went through the key and did a lay-in. The teens on his team shouted with joy as their score changed from zero to two. Through the game Zander kept John on his toes and always left him in the dust. After PE, Zander got on the bus and waited for his stop. His mind busy with thoughts and ideas. He had no one to talk to other than JT and Denise about what had happened to him and he felt like he was in a cage. All he wanted was to be free of it.