Chapter Text
School was just about Jack’s least favorite thing ever. Aside from robotics class, it was all nonsense that he didn't care about and didn't want to know.
He didn't even care about robotics class that much.
And, of course, he was new in this school. First day, in fact. Right in the middle of the school year.
Fuck.
So now he had to hope that his old school’s curriculum lined up with this new one, which it probably wouldn't so now he was stuck with either already knowing all the shit they taught, or lagging so far behind he would have to take this year all over again.
Fuck.
Jack’s new school was much, much smaller then his old one.
Turns out ‘Fazbenders’ high school had advantages. Speaking of Fazbenders, who chose that name? It was a horrid name, if Jack was honest- which he often was.
While the school was smaller, it was still packed. The noise rang in Jack’s ears in a way that made him hunch in on himself and wish that his 504 carried over to Colorado. Which it obviously didn't.
The front desk was just as bland as Jack expected, which meant packed with papers and files that made exactly zero sense to him.
He looked up at the lady running the front desk, avoiding her eyes. “Uh, I’m new here… I think I was supposed to come here?”
The lady nodded politely. “Yes. What’s your name?”
“Uh… Jack- Jack Kennedy.” Did she need his last name? Did he do something-
“I don't have a ‘Jack’ filled under the last name Kennedy. Did I miss understand you?”
Fuck. Right. Jack often forgot that he still hadn't legally changed his name since his transition. “Right, uh sorry. My name is —.” His mind blocked out his dead name, but he was pretty sure he got it right.
The lady nodded. “Ah, yes. There you are.” She pulled out a folder with Jack’s last name on it, and flipped through it. “Your class schedule should be somewhere in here… aha!” She passed him a piece of paper with what was assumedly his class schedule on it.
“Thanks, Ms….” Jack trailed off.
“Ms. Morris.”
“Thank you, Ms. Morris.” Jack attempted a smile, then walked off to study his new schedule.
His new schedule wasn’t the worst, but he still needed help figuring out where the fuck he was supposed to go.
After working up the courage to actually ask someone, Jack approached the first person he saw. Said person was a boy about Jack’s age, though looking like either he was much, much more depressed, or gave exactly zero fucks about his appearance. Jack still approached him anyway.
“Uh, hey.” Jack tapped the boy on the shoulder. “Could you… tell me where my classes are?”
The boy quickly turned to face Jack with a grin. “Why hello there! What did ya say again?” He had a strong New York accent that Jack didn’t really expect in the middle of Colorado.
Jack flinched back, startled by the boy’s… excitement? “I was gonna ask if you would be willing to help me figure out where I’m supposed to go?” Jack held out his schedule.
“Of course,” the boy looked at Jack’s schedule, “—?”
Jack flinched at hearing at his dead name once again. “Yeah.”
The boy frowned. “That’s not your name, is it?”
“Ah, well… yeah.” Jack nodded, scratching the back of his neck. “It’s, uh, Jack.”
The boy grinned. “Nice t’ meet ya, Jack! I’m Dave! And don’t ‘cha worry, I’m no transphobe, I won’t spill your secret.” He winked, leaning forward slightly.
Jack smiled awkwardly. “So, you were going to help me figure out where my classes are?”
Dave blinked, then nodded. “Yes! Right! Um, lets see.” His eyes trailed down the schedule. “Oh, would ya look at that! We have engineering together! That’s second period, so I’ll lead ya there when it comes t’ that time.”
Jack nodded along with Dave, not quite sure if he was excited with sharing an entire period with Dave quite yet. Only time would tell. “And, uh, where's my first period?”
“Oh, right! Yes! Ya have English first… follow me! Ol’ Davey will lead ya there!” And then Dave marched off in some seemingly random direction.
Jack, who was admittedly confused about Dave’s strange nickname for himself, followed after.
English was boring as ever. Jack was lucky enough that he already knew the stuff he was being taught, which just meant he could zone out and vibe.
… which also meant he was spending his time thinking about Dave.
Dave was strange, to say the very least. He seemed to be well meaning… maybe, but he was a little more then a bit strange. He definitely wasn't popular, considering nobody was talking to him when Jack first found him.
Jack wondered, why was Dave so excitable? Was it something… eh. Jack didn't want to linger on it.
When Jack exited english, Dave was already waiting.
Dave spotted Jack, and walked over. “Hello there, Old Sport!”
Jack blinked. “I… what?”
Dave frowned. “Do ya not like it?”
“Well, no, but… I didn't really expect it?” Jack shrugged.
“I’ll take that as a good thing!” Dave grinned.
“So… robotics class?” Jack asked, hoping to nudge Dave towards actually going to where the two of them were supposed to be going.
“Yes! That!” Dave glanced around, then whispered, “Ya wanna do somethin’ else?”
Jack blinked. “I’m sorry, what?”
Dave tilted his head, almost like a dog, before he seemed to realize his mistake. “Fuck- I meant like… skip class, ya know!”
Jack considered this for a moment. It would give him a chance to understand Dave more, but did he really want to? Plus, skipping class on his first day would probably be a bad idea, to say the very least.
“Well…” Jack thought for a moment, considering his words. “What would we be doing?”
Dave rubbed the back of his neck. “Well, I… didn't really get that far. Thought we could just… do whatever, ya know?”
“That’s…” Jack pinched the bridge of his nose. “Dave, you are the dumbest person I have ever met.”
Dave bopped Jack on the nose. “And yet you're still here! I must have somethin going for me!”
Jack swatted Dave’s hand away. “Yeah, yeah, I guess.”
“So,” Dave grinned, “is that a yes or a no?”
Jack sighed. “I suppose its a yes.”
“Hell yeah!” Dave shouted, then flinched, realizing how loud he was. “I mean, hell yeah!” He said, much quieter.
Jack sighed. “Dave, you are such an idiot.”