Shuffled

Prologue

Edinburgh, Scotland

The last day of school has finally come.

"What a year," I tell my friend, Harris.

"Yep, what a year," he says back. "I can't believe you're going to Orlando next year."

I pause and think about how many moments Harris and I have spent with each other for the last five years in Edinburgh.

"You know that I don't want to move there. It's just for some work my dad has," I say.

"I know. I'll call you every single day," says Harris.

"You better," I tell him.

What will I do without Harris? What will I do without my home?

"Noah, will you come back?" says Harris.

"I don't know," I reply.

We do our five-year-old secret handshake.

"Well, see you… maybe," says Harris as he heads off toward his house while I head toward mine.

"Bye. See you too… maybe."

I get back home, take off my shoes, change my clothes, and lie down on my bed. I look up at the ceiling like a meaningless person, a "nobody." Tears form in my eyes. I cry for two hours, thinking about why we have to go to Orlando and how many things I'll miss while I'm there. I'll have to get used to staying there, and I don't know what I'm going to do. My pillow gets damp. My throat aches from holding back sobs.

Chapter 1

Orlando, USA

I wake up on my bed while rays of sunshine come sneaking in through the window.

"What's going on?"

"First day of school!" my mom yells across the house.

"Oh no, first day of school. Coming!" I shout.

After brushing my teeth and taking a bath, I change clothes and eat cereal for breakfast. After that, I take off, sprinting across the street.

Wait, I'm in Orlando. First day of school. Why am I running? I slow down. I hope school will actually be good today, I say to myself.

I approach school, looking at all the students bonding and talking amongst themselves. "Malvern Elementary School" is scripted on a board with capital letters. I wasted my time visiting this place for a tour during the summer. Complete waste of time, I think to myself.

There is a humongous statue towering over me named "Corinne Malvern." My hands feel clammy. My stomach twists into a knot as I stare up at the towering statue. The statue is not helping my anxiety at all. The school has several windows and bricks as walls. It looks very… dull. Bright yellow school buses arrive at the pavement, and kids squirm out of them.

Relief fills me. Thank God nobody has noticed me yet.

Olivia, my little sister, says, "Well, good luck 'fitting in,' Noah."

My shoulders drop. I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding.

I enter the school with no hesitation and go to my assigned locker that I was given during the tour. I knew I was right about the school looking dull. Some of the lights flicker, and paint from the hallways is peeling. Even the floor tiles are faded, like nobody has bothered to clean them in years. I shove my bag in.

"All your periods, people!" someone is shouting. It is a young, blonde-haired man. He is handing out sheets of paper to people and saying their names. He comes toward me.

"Are you Noah, locker number one hundred fifty-three?" he says.

"Yes, I am," I reply.

"Are you new here?" he asks.

"Yes," I tell him.

"Where are you from?" he asks.

Why is he asking so many questions? Can't he just ask someone else?

"Scotland," I reply.

"Ah, I see. Well, here is your personal schedule," he explains.

"Okay."

Then he strides away. Personal schedule? What's that?

His classes were:

History – 8:45

Music – 9:50

Snack (go to cafeteria) – 10:30

Science – 11:00

Math – 12:00

Lunch (go to cafeteria) – 12:30

Recess – 1:00

Seventh grade assembly – 1:40

Dismissal – 3:00

History is in class 7D, so I guess I am supposed to head toward class 7D. There is a map on the back of the card so I can see which classes I need to head to.

Chapter 2

Orlando, Malvern Elementary School

The first four classes are a mix of ordinary and a complete pain. During snack, it is just a normal break; I have nothing to eat anyway. Now, I have a plate of mashed potatoes, some broccoli, and disgusting "soup."

"Hey people, get ready for some fun!" yells a boy my age, brown-haired and blue-eyed.

Suddenly, the most unexpected thing happens. He throws a spoonful of mashed potato at another guy. Next, that guy tries to throw it at the boy who yelled, but he misses and hits someone else. Within the next ten seconds, the cafeteria turns into a war zone. Warriors fighting fiercely… with food.

I dump my food in the trash bin and run out of that chaotic "war zone." What did I just witness? I think to myself. I hear a bunch of people cursing at each other. The lunch servers are screaming "Food fight!" at the top of their lungs, trying to alert nearby teachers to the situation.

A moment later, the kid who started the food fight comes dashing out of the cafeteria with a few others. They look at me and say, "Who are you?"

"Noah," I reply.

"You're the new kid, right?" they add.

"Yeah," I reply.

"I'm Liam, and that's Oliver, James, Theo, and Henry," he announces while pointing at a few others.

"Anyways, we're gonna go," declares Liam.

Oliver and James seem to resemble twins; meanwhile, Theo looks like Harris but with brownish hair. They all walk away from the cafeteria and start heading toward the endless corridors.

Chapter 3

Orlando, Noah's Neighbourhood

As I am walking back home with my younger sister, I realize that the only talk of the school or the popular kids are Liam and his group. I was kind of like them back when I was in Edinburgh.

Why not try to join their group? That way I gain popularity and make new friends.

I can see my house from here, and the bright yellow buses brush past me. I feel the gush of wind breezing on the right side of me. When I look back, I see Liam and his group grabbing a local bus. The local bus says "Richmond Avenue." I visited there over the summer, and beside one of the roads is a mall. I suppose they're going to that mall, I think to myself.

The next morning, I wake up to my annoying alarm clock. I ask my mom something exciting, and before I know it, I take off like a leopard toward school. Today I have a slightly different schedule than yesterday. As a result, I feel a bit better and more excited for the end of the school day. A smile tugs at my lips; for once, I am not dreading the school day. I start humming with energy as I walk down the gray-painted hallways.

Unlike yesterday, this time there is no food fight, but there is a bunch of noise coming from people and the kitchen. I pay attention to Liam and his group more often throughout the day.

"Let's go to the mall again, guys," I overhear Liam saying to his group.

No, not Math as my next period, I think to myself.

Finally, school is finished, and I hear all the students cheering amongst themselves. However, I don't walk back home with my sister, and the yellow buses haven't taken off yet.

"Where are you going?" my sister asks.

"Mom let me!" I shout as I sprint to take the bus to Richmond Avenue. To avoid being seen, I sit at the back of the bus so Liam and his group don't notice me. Sure enough, the group hops on the bus and stays at the front.

We arrive at Richmond Avenue. I slow down so they still don't notice me. They head toward the mall while I follow them steadily. First, they head toward the ice cream shop. I head toward the ice cream shop, too. I tilt my "Orlando City" cap downward so they don't notice me. I order the same thing as Liam: Rocky Road with sprinkles and Oreo.

Next, they go to the Adidas shop full of T-shirts and shoes.

"I told you Adidas is better than Nike," argues Oliver or James.

"No, it's not. They have the best shoes at Nike," Liam counters.

Personally, I think Nike is better, I think to myself.

For dinner, they head to McDonald's. I go because I have to do what they do if I want them to let me into their group. Thank God they haven't noticed me yet, I think in relief.

After nearly half a day at the mall, I decide I want to go back home. Consequently, I take the public bus back and arrive at my house. I hope tomorrow goes smoothly.

Chapter 4

Orlando, USA

The same routine as yesterday. Same breakfast. Same walk. But for the first time since I came here, excitement buzzes through me as I head to school. Reaching the front doors, I hear students talking about a "party." A random kid my age stands nearby.

"Where's this 'party' everyone is talking about?" I ask.

"It's at Liam's," answers the boy.

"How do you know if you're invited?" I ask again.

"You don't need to be; you just go there. Have you ever been to a real party?" the boy asks me back.

"Not really," I tell him.

"It's tomorrow afternoon at four o'clock, opposite Elm Street," he adds.

"Alright," I say.

My schedule is different from other days, like normal. Otherwise, school is a normal day; at lunch, the "party" talk won't stop. When I get back home, I ask my mom if I can head to the party. To my surprise, she actually says yes just because I need to get used to the lifestyle here.

"You can't go to parties every day, though," my mom adds.

I can't wait till I get there, I think excitedly.

Chapter 5

Orlando, Malvern Elementary School

The talk of the party is all around the seventh grade. The only thing I can hear is "Are you going to the party?" "Of course I am."

When the next period is Science, the only thing I'm thinking about is the party.

"Today, we will be talking about tectonic plates and how they affected the… blah blah blah." Honestly, I couldn't even understand what we learned by the end of class. This is an awesome way to understand Liam, Theo, Oliver, James, and Henry.

As it turns out, after school, there seem to be more than one hundred people going to his house based on how many people are crossing Elm Street. The house is surprisingly three floors tall: snacks on the first, video games on the second, and just people talking on the third.

The second floor has video games. Minecraft Bedwars. I destroy everyone. Cheetos, Takis, and pizza follow. By six o'clock, I have done all that and need something more. While walking up toward the second floor again, something terrible happens. Suddenly, a guy with a cup of hot chocolate is falling toward me in slow motion, and his expression tells me that I won't feel good if that hot chocolate gets on me. Next, his knee hits my calf, and I slowly fall down. That's when I see the hot chocolate about to end my reputation forever.

Then it lands on me.

Instantly, everybody's heads turn toward me. A moment later, they all start laughing. Nobody tries to stop them from laughing or tries to help me. I just sit there with hot chocolate all over my yellow shirt. I hear the evil laughs of people; they echo and swallow me alive. I glance over and see Liam, Theo, James, Oliver, and Henry laughing their hearts out — it's deafening.

I get up, look around me, and run down the stairs. I bolt out of the house faster than a racing car. I sprint toward my house, tears filling my eyes and clouding my sight. People on the pavement turn their heads toward me, and I feel their piercing stares.

I can't believe it. I don't think I will ever 'fit in.'

I bury my face in my hands. The laughter of people follows me down the street, even though I know nobody is there. The tears welling up in my eyes make the streetlights look like golden circles dancing around.

Chapter 6

Orlando, Malvern Elementary School

The rest of the weekend is a blur of embarrassment and shame. Before I know it, the weekend is over, and I am back to school. To be honest, the weekend was the worst. Every time I close my eyes, I see the cup tipping over me. Every time I open them, I hear laughter. I replay the moment over and over again.

The weekend was over. Back to school. The worst weekend of my life.

All I can think about is the incident at the party. Surely, everyone will be talking about it. Maybe even high schoolers.

When I reach the front entrance, I lean against one of the pillars, still imagining the whispers.

Suddenly, Henry approaches me. Oh no, I bet he's just going to make me feel more embarrassed, I think.

"Yo, I'm sorry about Friday for laughing at you, bro," he tells me.

No way. He isn't making me feel embarrassed; he's making me feel better.

Next, Theo, James, and Oliver come toward me and say the same thing. Finally, Liam says the same thing.

"You know what? It was unfortunate that he crashed into you, but I know you're still cool. So I decided—without telling you guys"—he looks at the others—"that I wanted to invite you into our 'group,'" he finally tells all of us.

"Nice!" cheer some of them.

"Wow, thank you so much. You know, you guys seemed pretty cool too," I tell them.

Yes, let's go! No way I just got into their group.

Unfortunately, physics is always boring. I tap my pencil against the desk. The teacher's voice fades into a blur of words I don't bother to follow. I stare at the clock, wishing the minute hand would go faster. As a result, I spend most of my time thinking about how in the world I got into that group. My group partner is some random kid who seems to bore me to death, so I decide this is the best time to spend my time thinking. The problem is I'm more dull at home than this kid beside me. I have to act cool to stay in the group, which means I really have to have two personalities at this point.

"Time to present your projects, everyone!" yells the teacher.

Wait a minute. We haven't finished our project yet. I don't think we have even started it.

In the end, the teacher eventually finds out. I don't think I'll be getting an A-plus on physics anytime soon.

Chapter 7

Orlando, Malvern Elementary School

"Do you all think that Mr. Brown is the meanest teacher in the school?" asks Liam.

"Do you?" asks Henry.

"I do, 'cause yesterday we were getting our books out for history. Then he just shouted at the kid at the front desk because he accidentally dropped his textbook," Liam explains.

"Not really," says Theo. "I think he's not that bad," adds Theo.

Changing the subject, "Anyways, what did you do this weekend, Noah?" Oliver asks.

"Me?" I say.

Immediately, my legs and arms turn to jelly. My heartbeat races like a sports car, while my mind starts blasting things at myself. I know the real answer is watching cartoons and napping. Why did you have to ask? If I tell them that I just watched cartoons and napped, they'll think that I'm a lazy, worthless person, I think.

So instead, "What did you do over the weekend? I just played some sports," I tell him.

"Regular stuff, including sports," he replies.

With relief, my legs and arms stop being wiggly and become normal. That was a close call, I think.

Later, we are having lunch at the cafeteria, and everything is normal.

"That food fight—is it normal here?" I ask the group.

"Not really, but when it happens, it's brutal," answers James.

Then "I was about to ask you. You act differently when Liam's not around. You got two faces or something?" adds James.

Hearing this, my face starts to turn as red as a tomato, and my mind hits a dead end as I show a hint of desperation. I hope he hasn't found out. He's just saying it as a joke, right? It's all right; they won't find out, I think, panicking.

"What do you mean? I don't see myself having two faces anytime!" I tell all of them.

Inside my head, there is the heaviest sigh of relief of all time. The next thing you know, they're going to find out about my rock collection.

Chapter 8

Orlando, Malvern Elementary School

It's been a few months since I failed physics, and we just finished the Easter break. Looking back, I guess I really seemed weird at the start of the year. I was probably known as the kid who had the funny accent and no friends, but now I understand the school here. The friend system here.

Last week, Oliver asked me what I did over the weekend.

"I watched cartoons and napped," I said. No lies. No two faces. My heart pounded, but I said it anyway.

To my surprise, he just shrugged. "Same, honestly."

And by the way, I still have my rock collection. It's under my bed in a shoebox. Maybe one day I'll show them. Maybe I won't. Either way, it's my choice now.

I grab my backpack and head for the door.

"See you tomorrow," I call out.

Nobody laughs. Nobody stares. For once, I'm not pretending.

And somewhere between the front door and the bus stop, I realize: I'm not dull. I'm not invisible. I'm just shuffled.

And maybe that's exactly where I'm supposed to be.