Desperately running his shoes slapped the pavement as bated breath fled his mouth in a thick bleached fog, his coat ruffled against itself as he ran with his scarf occasionally fluttering before his sweat sheened face. The winter seasons had already hit, its nipping wind slicing through the thick onion layers of coats and shirts like a blade of frost while the grass crunched beneath one’s feet stiffened by the morning dew turning to permafrost. Daniel ignored the chill creeping across his ankles and continued running if he didn't get to school on time, he’d miss his friends and he couldn't risk that.

Speeding through the old iron gate of Roakmills high Daniel’s steps grew quicker and quicker until the traction beneath his feet simply ceases as he soon found himself falling backwards getting the very wind knocked from his body. Gasping and breathing hastily Daniel slowly moved across the patch of ice he’d slipped on minding his step until he entered the nicely warmed confines of the school. The school’s tan walls were littered with posters and snowflakes something Daniel was already sick of lightly sneezing into the crook of his arm.

Moving down the school's extensive halls he entered his class seeing his history teacher Mr. Margrove sitting at his desk watching something on his phone with his headphones in. Daniel only gave a slight look at the man seeing the naked legs of a woman moving rhythmically in the reflection of his glasses before sharply turning away and placing his backpack in his seat near the back of the class. Gazing out the window for a moment he stared at the gates seeing only a small trickle of students flow in before making a swift about-turn and booking it from the classroom, ignoring the squeaking of his shoes Daniel made his way to the cafeteria shelling out his twenty dollars to buy the plentiful snacks his friends always liked. Hauling the mass of rustling plastic bags and chilly cans of soda Daniel carefully ebbed his way back to class his back clinging to the wall as the student juggernaut of students came barging in ready to get their daily dose of breakfast and drama.

 Daniel eventually made it back to the classroom but not before seeing his friends standing and talking around his desk. There was Marley the cheerleader and lead runner for prom queen, there was Sydney who was known as the ultimate party girl and was known for being the queen of the dance floor. Beside them was Arron the chief rugby player and known hot head since he’d gotten into multiple fights even from his first day at school, and next to him was Jason the school's quarterback, pretty boy, and the most popular guy in the entire building with Marley as his girlfriend.

As the squad of popular individuals turned to see Daniel all of their faces turned into warm welcoming smiles drawing Daniel towards them “Hey Dan what's up” Jason quickly approached Daniel snatching the chips and soda from his arms before leaning on him, his elbow resting soundly on his head.

“Not much what about you” Marley snatched the Doritos and Mountain Dew from Daniel’s hands indulging in her secret addiction and breaking her diet for the umpteenth time while Sydney blew a cotton candy scented cloud of vapor while grabbing the pack of gummies and sodas from Daniel’s hands. Leaving Arron to grab his pack of chili cheese Fritos but upon inspection, Arron's face turned from warm to deathly serious as he said to Daniel in a low almost monotone voice “Daniel didn't I tell you to get me spicy Fritos”.

Daniels blood ran cold as he stared ad Arron wide-eyed sensing the incline in his voice as he was about to yell, but still too stunned to move.

“Now what have I told you about bringing me the wrong chips!!!” Arron's arm cocked back ready to swarm into his face with bruises but right as Daniel closed his eyes, he hears the fist making contact, but he didn't feel any pain.

 Slowly opening his eyes Daniel saw Jason hand before his face holding Arron fist mere inches from his face. Jason turned to Arron with a wide kind smile his blue eyes piercing his being like razor-edged daggers before saying “Arron remember when Daniel told you that they ran out of spicy Fritos”

 “uh… what?”

 “yeah, he told you last week they wouldn't be restocked until Friday remember”

At this Arron got a bit flustered his eyes darting sideways and his face seeming to heat up before retracting his fist saying “whatever chili cheese is fine” turning and beginning to munch on the dark-colored chips.

 With a sigh of relief, Daniel was about to thank Jason when the bell rang causing the tidal wave of students to trickle into their classes. Jason gave Marley a soft kiss on her cheek before leaving the room to head to his actual class while Marley headed to her desk near the hallway window. Daniel didn't bother to watch where Arron or Sydney went as he sat in his back-corner desk reading a web novel on his phone. Entertained by the notion of being a wizard Daniel daydreamed of flying through the sky with his friends having fun, until suddenly in the middle of his daydream she appeared.

With hair like sunlight and wispy as the wind and eyes like ocean sapphires Daniel watched as Jessica Rowley walked through the door her pink sweater hugging closely to her body and her black mini skirt swayed with her hips at each and every step. Entranced by her sheer presence Daniel couldn't help but watch with hearts in his eyes as she sat at her desk and began chatting with her friends, at the ringing of the late bell Mr. Margrove finally dragged his eyes from his phone to look at his students heaving a sigh as he sat up from his chair and began his slow monotone drone about history. The drone of sound served as a lullaby for Daniel since he spent the weekend doing his friends homework the very mention of triangle trade and traded goods was enough to put him soundly asleep.

 His mind flitted like a buzzing gnat through a calm breeze going through thoughts like tissue paper until a sharp ringing in his ears disrupted his slumber. As he woke up, he wondered if he’d gone deaf but no it turned out that it was simply the dismissal bell prompting the massive student body to commence their synchronized swim to their next class. Daniels body was exhausted and weak barely able to carry his books or even lift his backpack on his shoulders, but he pressed on gliding through his classes like a ghoul the information fazing through his incorporeal form with sleep being his only reprieve from the material world.

Then after three periods, it was finally time for lunch. Hauling his corpse-like body to the cafeteria Daniel couldn't even muster the strength for hunger yet he once again shelled out twenty dollars for two burgers a salad and parfait all of which he didn't even look at with any aspect of hunger nor envy. Walking to the side of the cafeteria where his friends and most of the popular kids sat, he gave each of them their food before heading for drinks and utensils. In his zombie-like daze, Daniel’s stride hiccuped, stumbling for a moment and knocking into something large and soft.

His mind still trying to process what happened he felt his face sting as he pulled back to see he stumbled into a girl's boobs. Embarrassed his face went beet red but exhaustion outweighed him so in a daze he rushed out of the lunchroom and on a bench outside passed out in the suns warm glow. Waking up further energized Daniel could feel something cold press against his thigh and in confusion turned to see a can of soda sitting there beside him. Looking around to check if there was any owner for its Daniel wiped down the lip of the can with his jacket and took a deep swig admiring the temporary warmth in the oh so chilly season it was.

Heading back into the cafeteria he saw his friends still sitting at their table yet upon passing them he was immediately stopped by Sydney.

 “Where were you without utensils?” Daniel’s mouth went dry as a slight twinge of fear rolled down his back. “What about our drinks did you forget about that too?” Daniel said nothing, not even his body shook seeing as even if it did the fear surely wouldn't leave his body.

“Do you not understand that in order to keep this figure I have to get at least 45 carbs per meal and I cannot do that if I have to shovel my parfait in my mouth with my hands like I'm some kind of god damn savage”. It was at that moment that Daniel noticed that their table was still clean usually there'd be some crumbs left from someone eating something like a burger or a salad but there was nothing, it was as clean as it was when they came in which meant “s-so you threw your food away?”.

To this Marley blew up “of course we did you little shit biscuit what did you expect us to do were not animals and don't give me that starving third world country bullshit ‘cause this is America not fucking Eurasia or whatever”. Daniel was scared he could feel everyone's eyes on him as he was being chewed out by his friends and the moment his foot backpedaled even an inch Arron was already up from his seat on him his overwhelming stature making Daniel wanting to shrink down under his intense splintering glare.

“ oh, no mother fucker you ain't runnin' away from this either you stand here and take it like a fucking man or I whoop your ass right here and now” yet right as Daniel saw Arron's fist tightening did the bell ring with Mrs. Tallows the chemistry teacher walking over with her hooked beak-like nose saying in a half-hearted voice of dismissal “break it up, break it up come on off to class” and with that save Daniel quickly skitted out of the cafeteria rushing to his next class like his life depended on it.

As he sat in the classroom waiting for the class to fill, he looked through his phone trying to see if Phanto-hour was going to be on tonight only to be disrupted by a hard slap landing on his back. Lightly an arm draped around his shoulders as he turned to see Jason’s smiling face “Danny boy I feel like we need a little heart to heart ya see I can understand you being flustered after running face-first into a chicks double D's with your limpdick virgin ass but I've gotta say you forgetting our stuff was not cool but I got everyone else to let it slide as long as”

“as long as what”

“as long as you give me $300”

Immediately Daniel’s blood ran cold Daniel stared at Jason pale-faced, but he knew what Jason could do to him he was the son of the principal after all. Nodding slowly Daniel gave in to Jason's demands and at that, his grin widened saying “thanks Danny you really are a good friend” before leaving as the late bell began to ring.

Walking back to school his bag was just as heavy as it was when he left possibly even heavier with the amount of homework his friends had given him to do for them. His back ached, and each step on the sidewalk felt as if the world was dragging him down, eventually he made it home passing his mom sitting in her office without a word before setting down his bag and peeling off his layers like an onion before flopping onto his corner bed. His shoulders were tense and taut his legs ached, and his eyes burned from looking at a screen all day.

 Looking at his schedule he sees that tomorrow was a half-day and thankfully sighs in relief before starting on his friend's homework time slowly escaping him until all he could tell were faint notions between day and night. Crawling to the kitchen he microwaved some take out he got his mom not even bother to fix him lunch simply setting a series of twenty-dollar bills on the countertop for him to do whatever he wanted with. Glumly after finishing the homework and the lukewarm udon stir-fry he counted the small number of bills he saves from skipping lunch for weeks eventually coming up with the 300 dollars Jason has asked for and only two twenties left on the countertop. All he could think to himself that night was ‘at least it'll be a half-day’ before landing on his bed and letting sleep overtake his weary debilitated form.