TERRA EMPIRE: ON THE EVE OF WORLD WAR

Episode 4: FIRST IMPRESSIONS WITH LOCKER LACING

Jordan Cross paused for a moment in the courtyard, looking up to stare at the large plank attached to the top of the school building before him, although his eyes squinted due to the reflection of sunlight on the board but he could still read the name of the school carved there, LYNBROOK HIGH.

He let out a long sigh, his first impression of this place was not pleasant.he hated this place when he first set foot on the stairs of his building last week while enrolling… not because of the strange logo on the board, which to him seemed like a circle of mocking people's faces, or the building is taper and many dead corners that seem painful but there is an uncomfortable feeling that cannot be explained by words.

But how else if only this school is willing to accommodate children with benefits from government social assistance like himself…at least this is what Sally can work with her condition is all lacking and can never give a good responsibility on it.

The teenager clutched his backpack strap even tighter as he climbed the school stairs and passed several other teenagers who also walked by rushing into the building. The one he met in the lobby made him even more adorable, the atmosphere is not unlike the market and the hallway to the classrooms on the ground floor which is already narrow looks increasingly hostile to the number of teenagers who are also crowded there.

“Excuse me..excuse me.” Jordan spoke many times while yelling across the hallway.

Those who were crossed by Jordan did not care about his whereabouts, remained busy chatting with their chatting friends or were busy picking things up from lockers, which was placed in the lobby as an inefficient way that is not effective. At first the lockers may be deliberately placed in the lobby to make it easier for students to put or take items stored there before entering the class, and as a result the hallway becomes increasingly narrow.

Jordan does not know if he will get this kind of locker, it should be so if this school is the same as the school that provided lockers as one of the facilities for students like him, it should be, but if not he does not want to take a headache. There was not much he took to school other than the backpack he was flanking.

The only thing keeping the crowd a little away was when there were other hordes passing by from the entrance, just like Jordan had just walked through, where the horde consists of burly and large men who are members of the school rugby team. With ease they got rid of everyone, some children who crowded in the hallway also immediately stepped aside voluntarily because they did not want to be hit by a spoon.

The shouting caused by the gang of rugby members occurred very quickly, Jordan who was late realized was pressed to hit the locker, “Ouucchh…” his groan while holding back pain in the waist due to being hit by the fist of one of the members of the gang and also his shoulder that had just hit the side of the locker.

The curly-haired boy who was the culprit glared at Jordan ferociously, “Let's see your way, weird boy!”

Jordan corrected his backpack grip in annoyance, instead of apologizing the curly-haired boy laughed at him and continued to follow the departure of his gang. As soon as the horde passed quickly, the crowd of students in the hall returned to graze. The one chatting back to chat, who was busy with the contents of his locker also re-assembled, the presence of the horde was not too messed up like his absence when sneaking among the crowd a few minutes earlier.

The teenager had not been able to continue his steps towards the classroom when his face suddenly hit the lid of the locker that was opening. Jordan too late realized that the locker nearby was open, no doubt his face hit the locker door hard. The blow caused a thumping sound that accompanied the small screech of the locker owner who also just realized there was someone nearby when opening the locker. Jordan could not hear the screech because his eyes were twitching and fell on the floor.

“Yes, geez! I'm sorry!”

Jordan could only sit like a fool, he stared to the left, still not realizing who the person who was reprimanding him earlier. What he realized was that his bag lying nearby was open and the contents scattered out, while some teenagers who had seen him hit the door of the locker that opened earlier instead laughed at him or smiled mockingly.

“You all right?”

“A..what?” Jordan only realized when his vision returned clear.

The blonde-haired girl looked at Jordan nervously, so nervously that she repeatedly fixed her glasses, kneeling near Jordan. So close that the lemon-scented odor was smelled by Jordan. The girl's face looked anxious, looking at something in Jordan's head that the boy had just noticed as swollen on his forehead.

“Gosh...I hope it won't be a big bump..” comments the girl clumsily, there is a mistake between wanting to feel Jordan's forehead but also being jaim so that there is no misunderstanding between them or other teenagers who are around.

“No...it's okay..” tell Jordan to keep the girl calm.

“Thank you..” said Jordan after the contents of his backpack back full.

“I've never seen you around here.”

“Yeah, I'm new here. It's my first day.”

The girl's eyes widen, “Creally? Wow, welcome...” he reached out to Jordan. “ immediately...introduce my name Lana McQueen.”

“I Jordan Cross,” Reply Jodan. “It's nice to meet you, Lana McQueen. Hey, what can you tell me where Mr. Class is. Banks is in?”

“Oh, did you take English Literature lessons?”

“That's the only language I want to learn,” comments Jordan.

Lana laughs loosely, showing stirrup the girl perched in it, “You're funny! Though I should have said that other than having to learn Celtic.”

“You're from Ireland?”

“Wales.”

Jordan mangosteen, “So where's the class?”

“Oh, sorry,” the girl chuckles amusedly. “You follow this path to the end there. Then turn right and enter the room number three on the right side. You can't miss it.”

“Thank you,” Jordan said as he gave a polite smile before leaving the girl and going to her class.

As Lana McQueen said, Jordan did not miss the room, which had only begun when she went inside. Mr. Banks, the teacher, looked at him in wonder and Jordan immediately said, “Good morning, I am Jordan Cross, the new transfer student this semester.”

“Halo, Cross. Glad you're here. Choose the chair as you like and sit down,” the man turned for a moment to the other students. “Greet our new friend, Jordan Cross!”

The class was silent, the teacher's words seemed to be not being touched at all, only a few children were waving at the Jordan that was because they were unintentionally looking at him. He nodded awkwardly then decided to sit on the empty front row bench altogether as all the children chose to sit on the chairs starting from the third and fourth row.

“Well, it seems everyone is ready with lessons,” Mr. Banks said cheerfully, trying to dilute the clumsy classroom atmosphere. “Now open your book, Hemingway page one hundred and fifty-six..who wants to read it first?” he waited for a while before then pointing towards Jordan. “We've never heard your voice, new boy! Please start reading..”

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