SHRPG Highschool Grp. A (Zell, Apex, ANONYMOUS)

Darrick walked along with Ash down the hall towards gym class. The other three were with Zell, behind them a little bit.

Zell didn't like Darrick. That was fine with him. Darrick didn't survive his rough life by being liked by everyone. He survived by being persistent and stubborn. That was the only way the Koreatown gangs would respect you, which was if you stood up to them. It was also a sure way of getting shot, but Korean gangs had a sense of cultural bonds. Therefore, poor shop owners, like Darrick’s father, were treated better. Raising your kids well, in the Korean fashion, was also a big plus. It was ironic how the gangs could be extremely polite in one moment, and undistinguishable from others gangs in the next.

In any case, Darrick didn’t particularly care for Zell. Though he was number one in the school, the only reason that Darrick was not able to top was because he had family duties to perform as well. He thought Zell knew that. Everyone could see that Darrick’s family was barely scraping by. Zell, in Darrick’s mind, needed to loosen up. Too tense. Too confident. Too…quiet. Everyone seemed to think Zell was the scariest person on earth. Darrick could give less than two shits about his intimidating looks. All he cared about was the man underneath.

Despite these thoughts, Darrick had to agree that Zell was not a pushover. No, Darrick respected Zell. Though he knew that the feeling wasn’t reciprocated. Again, Darrick didn’t couldn’t care less about that.
What Darrick did care about though, was his rudeness. Does Zell not understand how the friendship between the four of them worked? The reason they were a group to begin with was because they all brought something to the table. Silus was the shy, quiet type; Yancey, the outgoing type; Darrick, the loud and arrogant type; Sean, the….well he was Sean. In fact, the only thing they shared in common was the fact that they were all extremely polite; well, not to each other, but they were all nice. Zell didn’t see that. That was probably the one thing that Darrick didn’t like about Zell. He was a conformist. Never attract too much attention, never do anything weird. Hell, everyone was weird, Yancey and Darrick more than some. But Zell strangely…was not. At all. Maybe that made him weird? Paradox? Not being weird like everyone else, means you’re weird?

Darrick’s head started hurting so he moved to another topic. Girlfriend? He seriously met this girl not two hours ago. And jabs at his celibacy, practically asexual orientation (yeah, he lied to her when he said he had had dates before; she probably realized that when Zell was chewing his ass out like candy), did not really touch him. Darrick, unlike the others, did not see a point in high school relationships; the others could do whatever the fuck they wanted, they were his friends, he would support them. Even though he honestly like Ash, he couldn’t see himself with her in frickin’ high school. It would just make him lose focus on his studies. Pretty much a typical Korean celibate’s answer.

“Darrick?”

Darrick came out of his reverie and saw Ash looking at him with a questioning look.

“Why are you just staring at me?”

Darrick immediately began busting his ass on the floor. He was probably going to die from Charlie Chaplin’s Disease. In case you didn’t know, it’s a fatal disease. So take this as a word of caution- you know what fuck it. I’m trying to say he was laughing hard. Really hard. Like difficulty level insane. Okay, I’ll stop, I realize me writing this is probably not very amusing. Please don’t hit me.

“Shit, sorry Ash, I was just thinking about something!”

“Were you thinking about how that cute guy totally handed your ass to you back there?”

Darrick stared mouth agape.

“What?! A lot of the guys here are-“

“No, not that! It’s just-I-like-I did NOT get my ass handed to me!”

“Then why did you remain silent?”

“Because I’m gay for him!”

There was a moment of silence. Darrick looked around. The other three were just out of hearing range. Ash had her jaw on the floor.

Darrick proceeded to contract Charlie Chaplin’s Disease again.

“Haha, I’m kidding. I’m straight. But I don’t want to-“

Ash stopped him mid-sentence.

“You also have not said anything to people saying that I’m your girlfriend.”

Darrick thought for a moment.

“I don’t want to feed the tro-“

“You also lied to me at the bus stop.”

Darrick let out a wicked grin.

“Yeah, I knew you caught on. Truth is, I’m practically abstinent. I’m never interested in relationships in high school, think they’re dumb. I’m fine with other people doing it, just not myself. Also, I was trying to hard I guess.”

Ash laughed.

“Well, you’re not the first guy to pull something like that. In fact, what you did was actually better than I expected.”

They arrived at the doors to the gym.

“Well, I have to go with my cross-country team for this period. I’ll see you later!”

“Wait! Where do I go?”

“Oh, just go with the other guys! They’re heading in the same direction as you are!”

Darrick waved and left, running towards Coach Hippo’s office (yes, his last name was really Hippo.)

Ash turned around and went over to Yancey, Zell, Silus, and Sean.

“I guess I have the chance to get to know you guys now!”

Ash noted that she was actually taller than all of them, unlike Darrick, who towered half-a-foot above her.

(Just a side note: I realize Ashley is practically a Mary Sue. I’ll fix that in upcoming posts. She’s based off of someone I actually know, and, in real life, she’s a lot more whimsical, not as serious, but also…I don’t know….mean at times? Well, mean in a playful type of way. Not as serious as Ash is in the story right now. Anyways, I’ll be controlling Ash. Right now, she’s a regular human NPC. No stats to be noted of really. If you guys want, I’ll add that if it’s required, but I see no point as I’m going to add her to my full roster when we’re about to finish up.)

Silus just smiled as Zell smirked and shrugged at them, a form of "you're welcome" to the boys. Zell continued to walk when what's her face popped up and said her hello's. Apparently she was to accompany them. Zell closed his eyes as he always did. While it seemed dismissive it wasn't intended to be. He actually spoke quite nicely. "Is that so? Well the, welcome to the nut house. If ya need any help with anything let me know, yea?" He smiled before moving on. Silus motioned for Sean to walk with him as they encountered Ash, Yancey himself even joining forces in the end there. Silus nudged Sean to introduce them, just smiling shyly as he clutched onto his books.

"Hey, don't let Zell get under your skin with whatever he said. He's just a bit abrasive. He's really a sweetheart under that cold exterior." Yancey said plainly with a shrug.

"W-w-uhm... What made him.... ya' know... like THAT? I-I mean. Well, YOU were dating him when it happened." Silus asked. Yancey seemed to tense up for a minute. If anyone would know what happened it would be the guy who was dating him when he made his change, right?

"Zell's dad was a bad drunk. Up to his ass in debt too... got himself killed pissing off the wrong people. Zell was better off though. Dad beat him senseless. Then his mom up and hung himself...year from tomorrow. He always get's pissy this week of the year. He met his older half-brother who was willing to take care of him here. Aramis is a nice guy but Zell just..." Yancey sighed and shrugged, looking slightly sad and uncomfortable. "...His problem with Aramis and why we broke up were the same reason. Zell was shocked that his moms suicide note was directed at him. He hates himself, doesn't think anyone could love him... wouldn't let me try. Wouldn't let Shara either, or Karen even after he dated them. I know it seems odd, but him yelling at Darrick was his own twisted way of showing he cared about Darrick, he didn't want Darrick to look like a total ass so he corrected him. If Zell didn't care... well he'd have let Darrick go without saying anything I guess."

"Uh...wow?" Silus asked looking to Ash. "I-way to divulge everything to the new girl." Silus said, obviously afraid of scaring her off. Of course the question was asked, but it wasn't like Silus anticipated his loudmouthed friend to reveal his life story. Silus had to recover this.

"S-so Ash, you've got AP Physics with us? Sean, did you study at all? I forgot to." Silus began to have a mini panic attack. Yancey just ignored him and smirked at Sean at Silus' little paranoia fit. This was indeed a quirky group of friends.

(Working on SATs save my space please!)

Darrick was seriously getting pissed off. It wasn't at anyone, really. He was just getting really angry and confused at the world stopping itself around him. Seriously, why does he have to endure these things? Seriously last time only lasted a few seconds. Now it lasted a fucking whole minute.Everything paused and then resumed. It was frustrating because Darrick had the unfortunate predicament of having both anxiety and impatience.

This is like out of some sci-fi movie. Seriously, though, can't I even run in peace?

When everything resumed, Darrick's position was reset to where he was when everything stopped. That was making him pretty angry to. Seriously, can't a man run in peace? It was bad enough that he had a bunch of shit going on already.

Darrick stopped after finishing his seventh mile and coming back to the front of the school. He had arrived there fifth. Not bad for a twenty person team. twenty-one if you counted Coach Hippo running in at 16.

"Come on, you fatasses! Keep going, we're almost there!"

Darrick saw the rest of the team coming in with coach in the middle of the large pack. He was having a hard time breathing, but he was otherwise, very fit for his age. Especially for a 40-year-old. He used to be a cross country runner in his high school days, but then spent to much time in the Church of Iron and payed the price.

Now he was a short, muscular man, that had to struggle to catch up with the rest of his team.

When everyone arrived, Hippo dropped to the floor.

"Sit-ups! Fifty of them, and then we go to the stairs! After that, you are free to go to lunch, or your next class, or whatever you have!"

Everyone got onto the grass. Weakly, I might add. I would have said pathetically, but they have a punishment as a sport? Seriously, out of 100 people, how many people would like to run for sport? Seriously, next time you see a runner, give them some love. It's more than a sport. It's a lifestyle.

As Darrick, knelt and prepared to get onto the grass, he caught sight of Zell, Silus, Sean, Yancey, and Ash walk to the next building. She was talking cigorously and she looked like she was having a blast.

Darrick felt a ping in his head go off.

No, it wasn't jealousy. Okay, maybe it was jealousy. Get off my back, okay, let me do this!

Darrick then heard a voice as he began to start his sit-ups.

Give into it....give into the rage and the je-

Seriously, you have to make an appearance now?! Leave me alone!

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"NO! Of course, I don't have AP Physics! I'm just following you guys around like a creeper and am trying hard to miss my second class!"

Ashley then smiled.

"I'm just kidding, you guys. Yeah, I have Physics."

There was a pause.

"Well, what are you waiting for? Let's go?"

She then bolted off towards the door that led outside and then stopped. She sheepishly turned around and smiled again.

"I don't know where to go."

Once they were outside, Ash began to trade stories with the bunch. Well, it was really only Yancey, as he was the only one out o the group who was really talkative. Then she delved int her obsession.

Banjo-Kazzoie.

"Have you guys ever played it before?"

"Play it! Do it! Pirate it! I don't care it is THE BEST THING the world has ever seen!"

On and on she went. She was like a fucking train that had gone off it's rails.

She was wearing them out, she could tell. All through the class she was talking to them too.

She was having a blast.

Except for one little thing. The time freezes. They were amazingly annoying. She was getting really angry at them. She and the others continued to move, but evrything and everyone else stopped. She didn't know if the others could tell, but they probably did. It was just that no one wanted to talk about it. At least, not yet.

Ash was completely bored out of her mind in AP Physics. She probably should have picked AP Environmental Science instead. At least she had a thing for biology and chem. Fuck math, she was horrible at it. Why did she pick up AP Calculus, too? She would probably have to ask Darrick to tutor her. After all, he was Korean.

When they headed outside, to walk to lunch.She caught sight of Darrick running up and down the stairs at the front of the school.

Wow, that sucks. Why do they even like doing stuff like that? Much respect for them.

Ash then followed the group to lunch, while explaining to them in-depth the benefits that would come to your life if you played Banjo-Kazooie.