REJECTS\\M.C.

-7-

-mikey-

"Bye mum," Mikey says before he shuts the door and throws his headphones on, Blink-182 already blasting through the speakers.

He checks his phone to see if Ash is awake, anticipation running through him as he awaits the download for the demo they created last night. No response yet. A deep sigh leaves his lungs and he tries to relax, knowing Ash will get on it as soon as he wakes up before he heads to his classes.

Mikey turns onto Ula Cres, the street leading him straight to the school campus when he sights Hannah's light hair, already rounding the corner. He jogs to catch up with her, finding her head cast down to watch her black converse as they slap into the concrete. A wire from her earbuds runs down the zipper of her oversized hoodie and into the pocket while she either doesn't notice him or chooses not to acknowledge him.

He speeds up in front of her and ducks his head down into her view, trying to get her attention. She looks up at him and shrugs her shoulders as she distances herself. Mikey smiles gently, letting her know he won't intrude further into her space and removes his headphones. She removes the one in her ear between and then looks back at the ground.

"G'day," Mikey says to her, looking down at her sweatpants and wondering why she would ever wear sweatpants to school.

"Hi," she says flatly, lifting her head but looking forward.

Mikey chews his lip. Is she mad at him? What did he do? Because he pressured her to get a ride? Because Ash, his friend, didn't drop her off at the corner? He just didn't understand.

He doesn't push her, but his eyes never leave her the rest of the way. Although she wears a hoodie with pockets, one containing her phone that plays the music to her ear from the dangling wire, her arms are crossed. He wonders if she is cold, even in that thick hoodie and sweatpants.

Part of her face is visible to him, looking blank and she randomly chews the inside of her lip. Her eyes stay trained ahead towards the school, but they appear to be unfocused, her mind elsewhere. He swallows as he feels uneasy again; just sensing deep down that something isn't right. She must be real mad at him and he can't figure out why.

They walk along the football field to the side entrance before he holds the door for like he did the previous day, her eyes now downcast to avoid his. She instantly turns and stomps up the stairs, heading somewhere unknown to him. He gawks at her, feeling tempted to follow and ask what he did wrong before the bell rings; so he heads to Zero Period with Mrs. Hannenbaum.

===

Mikey sways his head to Luke's voice in his headphones, thinking of ways to refine the demo in his head as he walks to Ms. Meridan's class. He passes Calum and waves with a giggle, noticing him doing the same thing before he enters into class. His eyes immediately seek out Hannah, finding her in the back like usual but her head is down in her arms.

"Watch it," Drew Peske barks as Mikey runs into him, his gaze locked on Hannah as he begins to wonder if she is tired; thinking that makes sense for her mood change.

"Rack off," Mikey grumbles and takes his seat, grabbing his pencil he had tucked behind his ear.

"Who read the assigned chapters last night?" Ms. Meridan asks once the bell rings. Mikey half lifts his arm and leans to the side to pull the book out of his backpack, Ms. Meridan noticing and smiling at him. "Great, what are some things you have noticed about these chapters?"

A girl named Brandy raises her hand, someone Mikey has known since primary school, someone he liked a lot actually, until she told him two years ago that he was loser. He had bleached his hair for the first time and colored the middle black, feeling very punk and cool. But the first day at school with it she made fun of him and called him a skunk in front of the whole class. Shocked as everyone, including the teacher, laughed at him, he just shrugged her off until he caught her mocking him in the hallway and telling people he would never amount to anything.