The insistent chirping of Mozart dragged Jake from sleep. His older brother, Josh, poked his head through the doorway.
"Hurry up, dweeb, you're going to be late."
"Coming!" Jake yelled back, glancing at the clock in dismay. 7 AM already? He'd clearly overdone it on the snooze button. He showered quickly, grabbed a bagel, and bolted out the door.
Mason was waiting, his bike leaning against the curb. "Yo, JJ, you're not going to believe this! There's going to be a solar eclipse today! My dad said it's been a century since the last one. We should watch it from my parents' barn. "
It'll be epic."
Jake, a self-proclaimed movie buff, felt a shiver down his spine. Solar eclipses always held a certain mystique for him, evoking images of ancient rituals and, of course, that iconic scene from The Fast and the Furious.
I wonder if I should bring my trusty brass knuckles, just in case things get Kill Bill around here…
He quickly dismissed the thought.
"Jake, Jake! Earth to Jake!" Mason waved a hand in front of his face. "You okay?"
"Yeah, just thinking about… your sister… in the nude," Jake mumbled, climbing onto his bike. Mason burst out laughing. "Don't make me tell Olivia about your secret photo hobby."
Jake punched him playfully in the arm, nearly losing his balance. He'd had a crush on Olivia Obrian for as long as he could remember. Their mothers were best friends, and the two families were practically inseparable. Olivia, with her mesmerizing ocean blue eyes, flowing brown hair, and infectious laugh, had captured his heart from the moment they met. They shared a love for superheroes and video games, and Jake cherished their childhood friendship.
The author's tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.
But as Olivia had blossomed into a stunning young woman, a state champion softball player, she'd become increasingly popular, and their friendship had drifted.
He still secretly took pictures of her, capturing fleeting moments of her beauty and grace. He longed to reconnect with her, but his shyness always held him back.
They arrived at school just in time, the bell about to ring.
As they raced to their lockers, a hulking figure emerged from the shadows. Bo Brackman, the son of the town's most powerful and obnoxious family, smirked.
"Hey, loser! Did you miss me? Failed the same grade twice in a row, huh?"
"Hey Bo, looks like failing grades run in the family," Jake retorted, trying to sound confident.
Bo's smirk vanished. "You're asking for it, punk." He slammed Jake against his locker, then turned his attention to Mason, shoving him into the locker next to him. "You should watch your mouth, punk.
Wouldn't want your dad to lose his job."
Bo's family practically ruled Pasadena. His father was the mayor, a wealthy oil tycoon with a reputation for ruthlessness. Jake's father worked nights at one of Bo's hotels, their family's livelihood dependent on the whims of the Brackmans.
"Leave my father out of this!" Jake spat, anger surging through him.
"If I were your father," Bo sneered, "I'd be ashamed to have such a loser for a son."
Bo then proceeded to deliver a humiliating wedgie, the laughter of the other students echoing through the hallway.
"Well, no way to start the year," Mason groaned, still reeling from the assault.
Just then, Mr. Griffin, the school janitor, rounded the corner. "Mr. Griffin, I'm flattered by your attention," Jake deadpanned, "but you're not my type."
Mr. Griffin chuckled. "Would you prefer to keep hanging around with Mr. Mason here?"
"No, please, get me down!" Jake pleaded.
The bell rang, and students flooded the hallway, pointing and laughing.
Olivia appeared, her face etched with concern. "Um, hi Jake. Is everything okay?"
Jake, mortified, stammered, "Yeah, um, great. See you later," before rushing off with Mason, heading towards the bathroom.
He splashed cold water on his face, trying to wash away the humiliation. Bo Brackman. He swore he would get even, one day. But for now, he had to focus on surviving freshman year.
