After summer school, I was really looking forward to what my Sophomore year had in store. What New challenges and new experiences were just waiting for me? I could feel it deep within my bones that these were going to be great.
Since I was always a bit on the chubby side, I decided I wanted to get in better shape and joined the schools swim team as my first period course. Maybe that would help my self confidence.
The only drawback was I wasn't anticipating practice starting at 6am and needing to be in the bus by 5:30am. Practice was also held off site.
Our school didn't have a pool, but a local prank done to the freshmen class by the upper classmen was convincing them the pool was on top of the library.
If they ever offer you a ticket to get there, just say no. That was a hard lesson learned.
This swim practice also meant that I didn't get to see any of my friends from the island of misfits before school like I did my freshman year.
*Sigh*
Now that I was finally walking into the campus after practice, my next class was public speaking. So far, none of my misfit friends were there, but there was a familiar face.
Her name was Lilly.
Lilly was a girl I've known since 6th grade that had become a friend. She had that very sweet presence with a very witty edge. Her hair naturally a mousey brown when not colored. Her eyes were as glimmering as emeralds, which were very noticeable whenever she actually wore her glasses. The best part of all, she was bit of a rocker girl.
Lilly was the crush I had back then, but as usual, I was afraid to express those feelings and kept them to myself. I always felt like I wasn't quite her type, I was just too nice and shy. Not to mention being a chubby nerd. Thinking about it now, I must have had a thing for those cool rocker and alternative type girls.
After that class, I did not see any of my group until lunch time where we had a usual spot. The moment I spotted Boss waiting in line, we greeted each other with this ridiculous way we developed during freshman year.
The best I could describe it is that it looked like a couple of toddlers that were drunk and running into each other for a flying chest bump.
Boss was someone you definitely couldn't miss. He towered over everyone when it came to height. Only being a sophomore himself, he stood at 6'3 with possibly another growth spurt to go. His dark chocolate complexion really brought out his muscle tone from playing football and just being very athletic.
"Hey! There's my testicles! The one that's a little dark and the one that's a little thicker"
Boss and I laughed the moment we recognized that voice. We both turned around to see Victor approaching us in his cool but cocky manner.
Victor was Hispanic just like me. Only difference was he may have been even more light skinned than I was. As for height ,which he lacked in, he made up with personality. probably the shortest guy in the group standing about 5'6. Just like Boss, this guy also had an athletic build which made me the fat one of the group. He also liked to keep his dark hair long and tied back to give himself that cool artistic aesthetic.
"Pinchi wey! (fucking idiot) How the hell have you been?" I greeted Victor. Boss, Victor and I bumped fists as our usual handshake.
"Sup playaz." Nate called out as he joined us. Nate was definitely a character. A trouble maker that embraced the gangster persona, heavily influenced by Eminem in terms of style, but was secretly a huge nerd like the rest of us. Definitely not the real Slim Shady.
At last, The misfits had returned to the island we called home. I was finally at ease and back in my place.
We did what we did best: Completely geek out. From playing magic the gathering, doing a Dungeons and dragons campaign in the library, battling and trading pokemon with our Gameboys, talking and drawing anything anime (yes. Even the dirty ones), and we even went all out and did lots of play fighting using all kinds of martial arts moves.
C.C and Kenny had joined us and I got to see first hand how blossomed their relationship has become. The way they held hands with their fingers interlocking and the way they just embraced each others presence made me see the passion they had for each other.
Truly, I was happy seeing them like that. But No matter how hard I tried, there were feelings for C.C that I couldn't get rid of. I really needed to keep distracted from her.
Maybe one day I will experience that same kind of passion they had.
The island of misfits has definitely changed since the freshman year. Some Old faces had returned and some have gone. They either graduated or relocated. Many new faces even appeared in our little community. There was just something about the group that would draw people in.
One of the freshman became like a brother to me. We had similar personalities and even looked similar to the point we really could pass as brothers. Plus, another chubby guy. Only difference was he had this reddish-brown hair and large frame glasses. His name was Ron but we got to know him as "Bear".
A few girls even started hanging around as well, mostly because of Victor and Boss who were always charismatic with the ladies. They were huge flirts. The short king and Tall dark (dork) and handsome.
Since we were in a High school with lots of kids from military families, many of them were only there for a limited time.
They were just like wildflowers. They would unexpectedly come and go. So always cherish the ones you got
to be friends with, as someday, you may never see them again.