((Armstrongs Academy for the Gifted Arts is Copyrighted by Sikira_Uchiha))

THIS ACADEMY HAS BEEN PASSED DOWN THE ARMSTRONG FAMILY FOR GENERATIONS!!

Brendon walked through the grass slowly, in no hurry for his first day of school. His seekers began to clump up with green, the freshly cut grass sticking to the rubbery substance like a magnet and wetting his jean bottoms with thick morning due. None of that really bothered him much though, he was too tired and too relaxed to give a crap about any of it. It was nice out, cold, but nice. Though, it wasn't that cold. At least not cold enough for him to be wearing long pants, a ski cap and a white hoody that looked ready to face the Alaskan wilderness. Not the middle of Pennsylvania in Autumn. It was chilly but not that chilly.

Again Brendon didnt care much. He was just trying to calm down. It was his first day at a new school. He hadnt moved or anything, it was in the same school district as he was, closer to his house even. But it wasnt a normal school. Last year he had for all intents and purposes, flunked. He had just barely passed his freshman year and still had to take summer school. Fearing that he had no chance as a sophomore in his regular school, which he would have most likely, he opted to go to a tech school. Well he couldn't do crap with technology. So he went with another type of tech school. An arts school. The best in Pennsylvania, they assured him. And seeing as all he could do and would do in normal school was art, it seemed like the perfect solution. Thus he was attending the Armstrongs Academy for the Gifted Arts. Joy. Why it was named after Armstrong, he didnt know. Maybe it wasnt that Armstrong.

And as an added bonus he had his best bud coming with him, whose arm he was unintentionally using as a teady bear as they approached the school.

Marisela sighed as her best friend dragged her along. She didn't mind she was used to it. Though it did hurt a bit.

Unlike Brendon Marisela was not wearing a coat. At least not around her shoulder. Her bright red jacket was tied tightly around her waist. She was wearing a black Abby Dawn sweatshirt and jeans. And as usual there was no shirt under her sweatshirt. There was no need for it after all. She was wearing on her feet her pair of slip on Nike's that were about half her age and falling apart though she refused to get rid of them.

On her wrist was a purple watch that was an hour late since she said "Screw you Ben Franklin I don't believe in day lights saving!" Around her neck she had a Egyption looking eye and a small Gothic Cross. Her nails were worn down and had a fresh coat of black nail polish. He hair was brown with dark red highlights and of medium length.

Also unlike Brendon she had all intention on coming to this school. They were known for their Theater classes. And as an aspiring actor there was no better place to go within the state. She smiled happily. Then flinched as Brendon's grip got tighter. "OW Brendon circulation come'on!" She growled in fake annoyance. "Jesus..."

Brendon looked down at her, looking scared and startled by her tone. He had been off in his own world. He hadnt even noticed that he had tightened his grip. But it was understandable to him seeing as they were at the steps of the school and his nerves were going haywire. They did that. Alot. He wasnt exactly the most level headed boy. In fact, he was downright necrotic and jumpy. Everything scared him. Just about everything that is. Not to mention that Marisela was just about his only close friend, making him a bit of an outcast and afraid of people in general asside from her, and her parents. You'll note that his parents were not in that list. Well, its for a good reason. They scare him with all their religion. Not that it was bad, its just that they took everything the bible said literally. Which was frightening for someone like him that was not so devout by nature. At least in their eyes.

Brendon let go of his friends arm quickly.

"Sorry!" He said loudly, a bit too loudly. But they were nearing the the door to the school and his heart was going a mile a minuet.

Marisela shook her head, "Calm down...you'll do fine...." She smile encouragingly. "All you have to do is make sure not to piss people off!" She said with her tight smile. She gave him a hug for luck. "But really...you'll do fine! You have me after all!" She said with a grin. She knew plenty about her friend's skittishness. And how to deal with it.

"Not helping not helping!" Brendon said and latched onto her sleve, sparing her arm this time. Brendon stopped at the door unwilling to go in.
"I think ill stay out!" He said blatantly skidding on his heals to stay away from the school. He was not going in. That was for damned sure. He couldnt handle this. It was such a mental overload. He just might faint! All those people! All of them beter then him! They where probably artistic geniuses compared to him! How could he show his face in there?

Marisela looked at him and glared darkly. She expertly dropped her voice three octaves and with one hand pointed to the door growled, "Get in....now.." She said. She breathed air heavily out of her nose grabing Brendon by the ear and dragged him in or tried to anyway.

Brendon whimpered and stood there for a second, anchoring his friend to the ground like some gigantic oaf. Which he was. He probably could have stood there all day if he wanted to. He was a big guy. Not fat or anything just broad soldered and very tall. Needless to say he could hold his ground and would be scary if he wasnt such a big teddy bear and afraid of just about everything.

In fact the thing that made him move was her expression. He could never stand up to her. As soon as she gave him that look he was in that door like a gunshot. He hated her for it as soon as he came in. It wasnt as clouded as he had expected, that was good at least. He was slightly claustrophobic. The inside of the building was very nice. Very modern and stylish and the rooms were a bright blue that would have normally made his eyes hurt, but a white and blue striped tile border along the bottom of the walls softened the color significantly. Paintings and photographs where hung just about everywhere, the more recent student works behind several glass showcases in the main lobby. The thing he hated about it was that everyone inside was inside. Just them being there made him nervous. Many of them where dressed oddly, had multycolored hair, or where dressed in all black and more chains than he thought any one person could carry at a time, while others looked just like them, plain and normal. He felt out of place to say the least and clung to Marisela like a lifeline.

Marisela grinned in amazement her eyes shone as she walked in not even bothering to shrug Brendon off. "Cool...." She said breathlessly. She looked up at her friend. "Isn't this place awesome?....It feels like home!" She pretended to faint. Then stopped halfway deciding it wouldn't be a good time to make Brendon panic. She smiled at him, "Come'on you oaf lets find our Homerooms!"

Brendon followed her blindly, his dark eyes darting around the school like mad. It was all too much for him. He felt faint. He might fairt. Dear sweet Jesus Brendon dont Faint!!! And he didnt. But he just barely evaded it. Being afraid of fainting often caused said fainting, on top of what caused him to think he was going to faint of course. But Mari pulling on his arm snapped him out of it.
"Homeroom?..." he asked blearily.

"Yes Homerooms...I have to find the Theater section...and you....the Phobia section I believe right?" She joked as she looked back at him with a dry smirk. The poor guy looked scared shitless. She gave his hand a tight squeeze. "You okay hun?" She asked gently.

"I will be..." He said and shook his head quickly loosening his orange and white and blue hat from his head and sending a whirlwind of medium length curly black hair whiping around in all directions. Brendon caught his hat and placed it back in his pack. Then he noticed that a couple of kids neerby were wearing hats too. So he put it back on.
"Whats your homeroom number?" he asked.

"135....you?" Marisela asked looking up from her paper. Her classes didn't look too bad. She'd be fine.

Brendon lifted up his leg and pulled back his pant leg revealing his rather hairy ankle and his socks and sneekers. Quickly he peeled back the sock and removed his class schedule from it. He always kept important things there. He never forgot them there for some reason. Quickly he unfolded it and looked at it.
"Homeroom...135...." He read it again. And again. It still read 135m "That cant be right...."

Marisela looked at him shocked. She quickly tore the paper from his hand. Her eyes grew wide as she read the numbers. She looked up at him her eyes shearching, "It has to be a mistake. You can't act! Oh my god.....what are you going to do!!"

"I know i cant i know!" he said frantically and tore the paper back looking between hers and his noticing the similarities with horror.
"Its not just home room," He said, his voice quaking ever so slightly as he uttered the words, "All my arts classes are acting classes...except figure drawing...but everything else...I-its its fine...they just made a mistake...i just need to go to the office and theill fix it. Nothing to worry about..."
As the words left his mouth the warning bell rang. They where already late. Unless he wanted a detention, he would not be going to the office any time soon.
"Shit..." he mumbled.

Marisela nodded in fear dragging him off, "Come'on I've never got a demerit and your mistake is gonna cost me..." She ran off only hope he was following. She paused outside the room with her number waving to Brendon to follow her in as she slipped into the room.

Brendon whimpered pitifully. He didn't want to follow her. Not into the acting section. Marisela was right. He couldnt act. At all. He was a painter and not exactly the best one at that, but he was no actor. He could barely read out loud in class let alone act. He couldn't even act alone! Mostly because he had never tried because quite frankly he had beter things to do and it was downright stupid. So he doodled and painted, and animated on occasion, making funny comics. Or at least he thought they where funny. His cousin Sal thought they were funny, but he thought everything was funny. Art was his forte. Not acting and it would never be.

Still Brendon reluctantly followed. Cursing himself and the god damn school for making him so worked up on the first day the whole way down the hall.

Marisela smiled walking into the class it was filled with many students. More girls then boys she noted. Whatever. I like girls better anyway. Then she spotted a group of familiar faces. Sal's girlfriend Misa, Valone her "Twin" and Kiro. All four of them were on the same soccer team since they could kick a ball. She felt herself personally responsible for hooking Misa and Sal up. After all she knew him threw Brendon first. But she wasn't a good match maker most of the time. She nodded to Kiro who was half-waving at her half listening to Chirs as she played with her long hair. 25" and whenever some one asked she said she was just growing it for locks for love. Only Valone and Marisela knew the truth. It was her secret weapon the whip. Valone and Mirasela who were consider 'Twins' was for the reason that they acted the same but not even on purpose. They didn't look the same per say but other wise same people. "Hallo sup..." Mirasela smiled.

Kiro grinned at her, "Were just getting our ears chewed off by Misa over there..." Mirasela raised one eyebrow.

"Hey...It's not my fault Sal didn't listen when I asked him to join....he said no..." Misa sighed.

"I say good...no offense but Sal can't act anymore than I can stop talking to myself..." Valone smirked.

Marisela looked at her, "I thought you were getting help?"

Valone shook her head, "Losy Theripist...I don't need help..." All four of them laughed.

Chris looked at Valone with a big eyed smirk and turned to Kiro. Using one hand to block his mouth he mouthed Shes nuts and twirled his finger around the side of his head with the other, further proving that he thought she was coo coo for cocopufs. Brendon smiled a bit, still not feeling comfortable enough to sit. He knew these people somewhat. He knew Misa though Sal and was quite frankly glad that his cousin was not in the acting section and rather in the band were he belonged. He knew Valone because she was Marsela, give or take a little schizophrenia. Kiro he knew since he was young as he grew up in the same neighborhood as her and he knew Chris very well and regretted it very much.

Christian thought of him as a friend, though they were most certainly not. He had met him when he had made the mistake of going to the local Celtic fest. Chris had been given drinks, a bad mistake on his fathers part he had been told, and in his impaired state thought Brendon was Irish. As everyone at Celtic fest must be Irish, or at least so he said. In reality a good number of people just came to see the festivities like he had and where not Irish or in any relations to anything Celtic in the least. Brendon being a prime example of this as he was half Dutch, half Colombian. Never the less Christian called him 'Mick' ever since. Christian himself was half Scottish, part Pennsylvania dutch and Irish. Brendon did not like Christian at all.

"Hey there Mick!" Chris chirped in a friendly tone, using his little 'inside joke' right off the back, "What are you doing here? I thought you were in the art program?"

"I am," Brendon said shifting uncomfortably, "They printed my schedule wrong"

"Aw...that sucks," he said sincerely tussling his once mud colored hair around. He had dyed it sometime over the summer. Now instead of its natural color, it was a dashing milky white. It made his chrystal blue eyes sparkle. He hated Chris.

"Im sure they'll work it out eventually," Chris said sympathetically, " Have you gone to the office?"

"Not yet," Brendon said shifting away from him, "The bell rang before i could go...I didnt want to get written up"

"Yea," He said with a nod his perfect hair falling in his damn perfect gorgeous face, "When the teacher gets in and takes attendance get a pass. I'm sure theill fix it up no problem."

"Yea i was going to do that anyway," He snapped, not meaning to do so. Christian sunk back, looking at him for a long moment, confusion bubbling up under those perfect sapphire eyes. He looked almost hurt. God he hated him. He hated him so much his face flushed with it.

"Ok Mick...sorry..." he said and went back to Kiro.

Kiro patted him on the head. "It's okay my little gay puppy of a boyfriend...." Misa shook her head while every one else grinned.

"Changing subject for a bit Valone how's the trial going?" Mirasela asked.

Valone scowled and wrinkled her nose, "Not guilty on account of Insantity....so now i have go to Crazy Camp with my Baby daddy...again" Everyone in the group looked at her.

"Wait hold on I thought you were joking!" Misa exclaimed. Over the summer Valone had joked that sometime over the summer when she was in Crazy Camp she got knocked up.

Valone smirked, "That doesn't mean I don't want him to be my baby daddy...." Misa sighed and rolled her eyes.

"Trust me you don't want a kid...." Misa scowled. They all nodded.

"Right....well what about you Kiro? Your case settled yet?" Mirasela asked gently. It was a touchy subject that no one really wanted to talk about. Kiro replied by whimpering and burying her head into Chris' chest.

Chris smiled, leaning into her like the happy little puppy he was. When she burried herself in his chest he just smiled softly and patted her in a comforting manner. Chris didnt seem to react too much to anything that Valone had said. It was like he was numb to it, or just used to it. He kept his big goofy smile up the whole time, just listening.

Brendon didnt understand how anyone could be like that. He didnt understand him and he definitely didnt understand Valone. He desperately wanted to ask "So...wait...is she pregnant?" But he held his tong and listened quietly still anxious to get out of the room.

All the girls waited till Kiro poked his head up again, "It...it's going okay...It looks like my dad..." She paused visibly flinching at the word, "Is going to be in jail for 15 years and a there's gonna be a restraining order..." She smiled weakly.

The others nodded. "I think the fucker should just be killed..." Valone said. Marisela nodded in agreement.

"Yeah...and Kiro you should have told us sooner we would have been able to help you..." Marisela stated.

"Yeah it went on for too long..." Misa agreed.

"I know...I know..." Kiro murmured returning her head to Chris' chest for comfort. She needed his happy go lucky attitude. They all knew that if it weren't for Chris who knew if Kiro would still be alive. She might have given up years ago.

Chris's cheerful face grew hard at the mention of Kiro's father. He had a sad look in his eyes, though his lips seemed to be etched into a concrete frown. Still his movements where light, resting his head against Kiro's and warping one arm around her shoulders while rubbing the side of her arm comfortingly. It was a sweet but possessive gesture.

Everyone around knew that Chris was protective of Kiro. Brendon didn't know much on the subject but he knew that Kiro was abused often and Chris had had a scaring experience that he scarcely talked about and evaded constantly. But he assumed that it was along the lines of some kind of family abuse much like Kiro, though he knew his family and didnt see how that was possible. Ether way, Chris gravitated towards her and had in the past year never left her side unless she asked him to. He had once punched a guy for being inappropriate to her. If any other guy did this you would think that he was overly possessive, but because it was him, no one worried.

"Its ok babe...its ok..." he muttered sofly as he stroked her arm.

Kiro smiled looking up at Chris and kissing him gently. Valone made gagging motions and Misa smacked her. "Don't be jealous...." Valone stuck out her tonuge and sulked. Marisela shook her head. She sighed. Everything was normal she looked at a Brendon with a frown. He looked skittish.

Marisela poked him gently, "Hey don't worry the Teach will be here soon..."

Chris smiled and kissed her back. Brendon tenced up again and waited quietly for the teacher. This was taking too long. He was going to explode. BOOM! Brendon chunks everywhere! And Valone would steal his left kidney and use it as a hat.

"Right...." he said, imagining them using his heart as a hockey puck and his legs as hockey sticks.