Self Destruct Button 1

THESELF-DESTRUCTBUTTON

CHAPTER ONE:

Here We Go

DISCLAIMER: This story is fictional. If you are under the age of 18, or if it is illegal to read such materials in your country, state, or province, then please leave. If you are willing to take full responsibility for your actions, then go ahead. This story contains descriptions of sexual activity between males and swearing. The author retains all rights to this story. Please do not publish any material without any authorization whatsoever from the author.

Life? I never expected it to be so hard? At first, it sounded wonderful to be a grown up: ya know, you don't have the hassle of your parents watching your back every 3 seconds, you get to do whatever you want to and wherever, and you get to spend as much time as you want sleeping or eating in front of the hypnotizing television set. But, as I grew up, the dream of independence and freedom pretty much slipped away from my grasps. Now, I'm seventeen years old. I guess I'm not really considered to be a grown up? but heck, I sure as hell feel like one? Life? Life? Life? I look at life as a jigsaw puzzle. As you grow older, you try to find the pieces that belong to your puzzle, one by one. Sometimes, the piece that you find doesn't fit, and at other times, the piece fits, if you just handle it differently. But in the end, life still gets the best of us.

Damn. When the hell did we grow up??

***

Receptionist: Brandon West?

Brandon: Here.

Brandon raised his hands as his name was called out from the list the young receptionist was holding. Yawning, he quietly cracked his knuckles; twisting his neck from side to side as the lady kept calling out names.

Jacey: Long day?

The comment startled him.

He looked at the blond girl that was sitting on his left.

Brandon: (Chuckles) Yeah? I just flew in 2 hours ago?

Jacey: Well, these jeans are killing me?

Brandon smiled.

Jacey: My name is--

Receptionist: Jacey Liz?

She looked up at the receptionist and raised her hand.

Jacey: Yeah, I'm here? and well, (smiling) I guess that's done.

Brandon extended his left hand.

Brandon: Brandon.

Jacey took his hand and gave him a firm handshake.

Jacey: Nice to meet you Brandon.

Brandon: And it's nice to meet you two.

Receptionist: Ok, well that's all the new students we have here. Now, if you will follow me, we will begin the tour.

Brandon & Jacey stood up and followed the receptionist as the group of 23 students or so slowly gathered up themselves as.

Care to know what is happening? Well, it's August, and yeah, it's the start of the new school year. And as I said before, I just flew in 2 hours ago from NY. Now, we're in Chicago? Chicago Silver Academy (CSA) to be exact; one of the States most prestigious high schools out there. I'm starting eleventh grade. And I flew in alone, just so you know. My parents bought me a house somewhere in the suburbs, which I arrived at around an hour ago. I just dumped my suitcase there and left. All of my boxes were there already? So why aren't my parents around? Well, my mother is a producer, and my dad, he works for the Pentagon? so their busy all the time. The school, well, I don't really know much, except that all four grades only have around 30 people in each level, except 11^th, which has 23 supposedly. Small high school. But hey, this place ain't exactly cheap, so?

Receptionist: That concludes our tour of the building. Now that we are in the cafeteria/lounge, you may sit around and introduce yourselves to each other while I go and get the principal.

The young lady left the group in the loft-like cafeteria, and everyone just stood around in silence before everyone seated themselves in one of the five glass tables. And before you could say `pencil', the hall was filled with instant conversation. Brandon and Jacey stood there as every seat was occupied, except for two at the furthest table. None of the people there seemed to be talking.

Sighing, Brandon looked at Jacey.

She nodded.

They made their way over to the table and sat themselves down, smiling at the table's three other occupants; two guys and a girl.

Jacey: (pleasantly smiling) Hey, I'm Jacey.

Brandon: Brandon.

One of the boys answered next.

Benjamin: I-I'm Benjamin, or Ben, works either way?

He said uneasily.

Nina: And I'm Nina.

And finally,

Jeff: Jeff?

Jacey: Okay, uhh? (looking at the girl with jet black hair and an emotionless face) Nina? (looking at the guy with brown hair and an innocent aura) uhh, Ben? (looking at the guy with sandy hair) Jeff? (and looking at the guy she met first) and Brandon. Was that right?

They all nodded.

Over the next 5 minutes, no conversation sparked between the five as everyone else just kept on socializing with their new pals. Every now and then, one of them would sigh or exhale in the uncomfortable silence, or smile at one another, even though the thing that was running through their minds was `I'm not speaking first/this is really, really? unproductive'.

Brandon took this opportunity to reflect upon his surroundings. During the tour, he pretty much found out that everything was clean, modern, and well? nice. The entire building was made out of steel and glass, and it looked like some multi-billionaire building that belonged to a government corporation. The class rooms were fitted with huge windows, comfortable chairs, glass tables, high tech computers, shelves with new, fresh books, and so much more. They passed all their subjects during the tour, including a stop at the gym, swimming pool, spa, research labs, study lounges, library, and more. The entire school had this wonderful glow to it. The marble floors were polished, the mood lighting gave the place a calming atmosphere, the furniture was modern, sometimes abstract, and the place had a clean smell. The cafeteria they were in wouldn't really qualify for a normal lunch room. It was more like a Starbucks store, but only larger. It's colorful walls with dark shades, the ultra comfortable chairs, modern glass tables, funky lights, and the surprisingly inviting counters, filled with all sorts of delicious food. It was all good.

Receptionist: Okay, now, on every table there should be a sheet of paper for everyone and a few pens. These are your special electives. What we need you to do is fill out the form and leave it on the table to be collected when your done. These special courses are supposed to aid you in searching for the profession or field of work you would like to take up on in the future. You have half an hour.

Jacey, Brandon, Nina, Benjamin, and Jeff each took a sheet/pen from the middle of the table and analyzed it for a moment.

Brandon: Wow? this has like? (his eye stopped at a certain course as he went down the list)? everything?

And yeah, it had almost everything. From engineering, design, writing, acting, piloting, journalism, to things like dentistry, bio-medicine, social sciences, psychology, physiology, health care, culinary courses.

Receptionist: Now, don't worry if you don't know what direction you want to head in, you can always change courses during the year.

Surprisingly, everyone at Brandon's table had already filled in the paper. They just sat there like before. Everyone else was looking at each others papers to find out what they are doing, or so that they can be in the same courses.

Receptionist: These courses will start next week. They are longer than your normal 1:30 hour classes, these are 2:30 hour classes. You will have all your normal classes in addition to these courses.

Everyone kept on talking.

Jacey: So? what ya put down?

She looked at Brandon first.

Brandon: Surgery.

She raised her eyebrows in approval. Then her gaze shifted over to Nina.

Nina: Same. Surgery.

Benjamin: Veterinary.

Jeff: Law.

Jacey nodded her head.

Jacey: I'm taking law as well. So, wow? we have two future doctors here, one future vet, and two future lawyers?

Brandon: That's cool.

Nina: So what type of surgeon do you wanna be

Brandon: Uhh? maybe? cardiothoracic? or general? you?

Nina: ?Same

Jacey: When do we start school?

Jeff: Tomorrow.

Brandon: Tomorrow?? I haven't even settled into my house yet?

He moaned in disapproval.

Benjamin: I heard that this school is tough on education.

Nina looked at him with a `oh my god' look.

Nina: Well, duh.. ya think? Everyone here is rich, the school is rich, my ass is rich, your ass is rich, and the school offers courses to prepare you for your future jobs, which, if you haven't noticed yet, no other school does.

She said in a sarcastic manner.

Benjamin: ?Oh? O-Okay?

Jeff: So your ass is rich, huh?

Nina: Yes, so is yours?

Jeff: Really? I don't know, would you like to check for me? (he slaps his ass)

Nina rolled her eyes, while Brandon, Jacey, and Ben giggled.

Jacey: Brandon (still giggling), are you gay?

The laughing stopped.

Brandon: What?

Jacey: Well? are you? Or bi? I mean, I've been noticing you looking at the table behind me, and well, theres a hot girl there, but you always look at the guy opposite her.

Brandon: Uhh?

Everyone ignored him for a moment and slowly looked at the person he was gazing at before.

Nina: He's cute.

Jacey: Of course, yes.

Jeff: What about me?

He said in a sly manner.

Jacey: Of course, no.

She rolled her eyes.

Then, they all looked back at Brandon.

Brandon: Yes, so what if I am

Silence.

Jacey: Okay.

Benjamin: That's fine.

Nina: Yeah, sure, whatever?

Jeff: I'm down with the rainbow.

Brandon slowly nodded his head.

Brandon: Okay?

Jacey: So? grade the guy on a scale from 1-10, Bran.

Brandon smiled.

***

Life? I never expected it to be so hard. But sometimes, if you search in the right places, with the time and patience that life always seems to demand in frickin' bucket loads, you find that certain piece that you've been desperately searching for. I'm not really sure what is going to happen next in my life here at CSA? but I know for sure that these guys will be my friends until the end.

They fit perfectly into my puzzling life.

To Be Continued.