The King Of High School

A month had passed since the Smiths had moved into their new town and the summer was coming to an end.

Mrs. Smith had spent her whole summer discovering more about the town and how much it changed ever since she left. She was so surprised that many of the things she remembers were either gone or renovated with the town being more modernized to the twenty-first century. Old retro arcades became bowling alleys and drive-in movie theaters became cinemas. Grocery stores were also renovated. But in an unusual way.

Instead of fresh produce, most aisles were filled with candies, frozen foods from fast food restaurants, and many other foods that a teenager would only eat. There weren't any options for healthy foods as there wasn't much variety when Mrs. Smith was shopping. The only things she could obtain were vegetables, fruits, skim milk, and meat from the very small deli aisle. Besides the store, there still weren't many people in there leaving only Mrs. Smith shopping by herself and no employees being there, but relying on self-check-out.

"How are these produce this fresh without any workers monitoring them?" Mrs. Smith wonders as she was self checking out.

For Scott, the summer wasn't that fun for him.

After signing his acceptance letter, he tried to make friends with the neighbors. But no matter how many doors he knocked or doorbells ringed, nobody would respond. Scott was scared as he was overthinking that people don't want to open their door because of his angry expression. But he told himself that people are mostly on vacation and will probably be back when the school year starts.

He shouldn't worry as his mother reminded him that this will be a fresh start for his Senior Year. Instead, Scott found an old road bike that his grandfather used to own. With some water displacement oil spray and a wrench, he fixed the bike with ease as the bike's dark blue frame was shining. Scott would usually take the bike outside for the whole month to just enjoy the fresh air and view of the town. However, he would return home early as he fears that figure from before would haunt him again.

It was now the day before school started and Scott prepared himself for tomorrow setting up his backpack and school schedule. Before heading to bed, Scott saw his baseball bat laying next to his cabinet.

Picking it up, his head started to hurt as the incident that he caused was resurfacing as he felt regretful for what he did. Many moments from that event flashed so rapidly that Scott couldn't handle the flashbacks.

"Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!" Scott screamed as the pain worsened.

The scream was so loud that Scott's mom heard it from across the room. Mrs. Smith walked towards his room wanting to know what the commotion was about. "Scott what's wrong?" Mrs. Smith putting her hand on Scott's shoulder.

When Mrs. Smith saw what he was holding and realized what was going on. "Are you thinking about what happened in Des Moines?" Mrs. Smith sat down next to him.

Scott nods his head up and down showing a memory that he wishes would go away. "Mom, when I saw this bat, it was like I was back there beating the captain again" Scott lowering his voice. "I don't ever want to see this stupid ass bat or play baseball ever again." Scott dropped the bat as it rolled towards the wall.

"Sweetie, why would you do that? Baseball has been your thing. Isn't it your dream to join the World Baseball League?" Mrs. Smith now worried for her son's interest.

Scott's mother always wanted to support her son more than needed as her ex-husband left more work for her.

"Mom, can you please throw away this piece of shit?" Scott picks up the bat, handing it to his mother.

With disappointment in Mrs. Smith's face, she took it and started to head out. "Scott, please get some rest. You have a full day tomorrow." Mrs. Smith closed the door when heading out.

"I will mom." Scott laying down on his bed.

Scott had sacrificed something that he loved to have a fresh start. But will his decision affect how his last year of High School ends?

The next day, Scott was still in bed lying down until there was a loud noise. "Holy Shit!" Scott woke up with his body being startled.

"What the hell was that, it's like six thirty." Scott opened his window.

Once he did, what he saw was shocking as fireworks were being set off, many people on the streets were celebrating, and a parade was in front of his house. A town that was once a quiet place became the loudest town in the state of Iowa.

"Oh my god, what is this parade for?" Scott looks outside of the window.

"FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL. IT'S THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL!" a guy on the parade float waving the flags of what seems like the logo of Scott's new high school.

"All that for the first day of School." Scott was curious.

He didn't care though as he got the time to get ready for his new school since he got up early. Scott took a shower, brushed his teeth, and combed his black hair down showing less of his forehead. Changing his clothes, he wore a red shirt, blue jeans, and his black top skate shoes.

However, he felt as if something was missing when looking at his reflection in the mirror. Although with the shirt on, he felt as if he was naked with nothing to cover his strong biceps and large chest bulking out of his shirt. Scott went into his closet to see what other things he could wear. But nothing suited him as he felt like it was either too hot or cold for him to wear on a seventy degree weather. But one jacket stood out the most when Scott had his eyes on it. It was a black denim jacket that was on the very left end of his closet.

"My dad's Jacket." Scott picked up the jacket remembering his father.

When Scott's mother left the hospital a few weeks after Scott was born, the weather felt breezy as the cold winds of autumn blew in Scott's little body. Concerned for his son's safety, Scott's father took off his jacket wrapping it around Scott so he can feel warm and snuggly. Since then, Scott had an attachment to the jacket giving him the only thing that will let him remember his father.

Scott put on the jacket, "Ok Scott. Today is a new opportunity."

He then looked at the mirror now feeling comfortable with his new looks. With his new looks, Scott ran downstairs with his bag on his back, ate a slice of bread, took his lunch, and hopped on his bike outside. He rode with ease as there was room on the street for him to ride his bike with fireworks going off all over the place.

Scott used the GPS on his phone to help guide him to the school, following the address. Once he got there, the school was the biggest building that the town had to offer. There were stage lights, streamers around the school, and for some reason a blimp that had a sign saying "WELCOME."

Scott was surprised that this school went hard on their first day as compared to his old school, it was nothing but all the students coming back from their summer vacation. He was heading to the nearest bike rack until a car beeped next to him.

"Hey loser, move your little bike" someone in the bright red car yelled at Scott, the guy beeping it.

Inside of the car, it was a high schooler who was wearing the same jacket that the mysterious figure had, but was opened with a gray shirt, brown pants, and yellow sneakers.

As the car passed by, Scott was ready to get off his bike and come towards him with anger. However, he told himself that this should be a new opportunity for him and he shouldn't let a stupid car ruin his day.

Getting off and locking his bike to the rack, Scott headed to the entrance of the school and opened its doors. But what he saw was not like any normal high school. There were students going crazy. Some were throwing footballs, dancing, playing instruments, and even couples kissing in public, which shouldn't be allowed.

The place was so bizarre. It was like nobody cared about what they were doing, but being in the moment at an inappropriate time.

"What the hell?" Scott stood there seeing all the craziness in front of him.

Scott shook his head to snap out of it and look into his schedule to see which class he needed to go to. He needed to head to room two hundred and one where his precalculus class is. New to the school, Scott tried to ask one of the students where his class was.

"Excuse me, do you know where room two hundred and one is?" Scott tapped his shoulder.

"Sure the room is-" the student was interrupted by the intercom making a buzzing noise.

"Attention student, HAPPY FIRST DAY TO ALL OF YOU YOUNGSTERS, THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL PEP RALLY WILL START SOON SO HEAD TO THE GYM. THE KING OF HIGH SCHOOL WON'T BE WAITING." the intercom stopped its announcements.

Soon students were rushing to the gym for their pep rally. Even the student that was once helping Scott rushed to the gym forgetting that he was helping him.

"Wait I need to know-" Scott reached his hand trying to get the student back. But he was too far for him resulting in Scott following the other students around him.

When he reached the gym, it was so packed that some students had to sit on the floor. With no bleachers left for him to sit and not wanting to sit on the floor, Scott just stood up laying his body to the wall. Scott wonders to himself about why a school needs a pep rally on the first day, while it's more important to know what classes students are taking. Although a senior and not planning to go to college, Scott needs to know more about his classes so it can help him graduate.

Soon, the pep rally began. The lights started to dim and the crowd started to settle. The principal was walking toward his stool ready to give out a speech with the only light shining on him.

"Ahem. Hello students, I am Principal Dover, the head of the school. I just want to say welcome back. I'm so happy to see the many faces from before, especially the Seniors of 2021!"

The seniors, besides Scott, were cheering as it was the year where they were going to graduate.

"So you all know why we are here right. We are here because of the KING OF HIGH SCHOOL. He led us to a better path for this school and I see him like a son. SO PLEASE LET ME INTRODUCE YOU TO THE KING OF HIGH SCHOOL, JOHN DECKER!" The principal screamed through the top of his lungs.

Suddenly, the "King of High School" was hanging on top of the school gym slowly descending towards the stool with a harness attached to him. When the lights caught up to him, he had blonde hair, a yellow and white jock jacket, black jeans, and red sneakers.

With that appearance, Scott remembered that same appearance. It was the one that looked like the figure from his reflection. His eyes were wide open with a lot coming in his mind.

"How is he there?!" Scott's heart slowly beating fast.

"Wow, that was an awesome way to be introduced." John Decker taking off his harness and taking the mic from the stool.

"Alright Sunshine High, as you all know I'm John Decker, aka the KING OF HIGH SCHOOL, and I promise you guys this year will be the most perfect year that we'll all have!" The crowd went wild after John pointed his fingers at them.

"But let me introduce the princesses of this school, cheerleaders of SUNSHINE HIGH!" the cheerleaders running from the door doing the choreography.

"Give me a S, give me a U, give me an N, give me a SHINE, GO SUNSHINE!" the cheerleaders raising their poms, especially the leader of the squad having brown hair, green eyes, having her cheerleading uniform, and shaking those pom poms like crazy.

"Awesome job girls, especially Laura, best girlfriend ever." John gave praise to the whole squad, especially his girlfriend.

"Thanks babe, my knight in shining armor!" Laura raised her poms up.

"But not only that but we would want to introduce our long time friend and our best mascot, SUNNNY!" The sun mascot came from below the gym ascending from the ground.

He had the huge face of the sun, with sunglasses and red shorts on, and his black sandals showing it all. But the suit was so creepy as it was looking at Scott with a huge smile on his face. But then it started dancing like crazy, bringing out two air horns from its pocket and blasting them crazy, making the crowd louder than before but hurting Scott's ears.

Scott covered them as the horns and the crowd was so loud, he was afraid it was going to make his eardrums bleed. Once it stopped, he uncovered them as John was about to continue his speech.

"Of course, we can't forget our football team, the same team that brought us many trophies from the state championship. So let us introduce OUR FOOTBALL TEAM!" the football team charging to the door ripping the sign that was meant for them.

"Yeah YEAH!" the football player screamed, swaying his black hair.

Another thing Scott noticed though was that the football player screaming was the same guy who beeped in front of him. "Wait, isn't that the guy who beeped at me?" Scott looked closer at him.

"Wow Troy, that was an entrance. KEEP IT UP!" John praised Troy.

"No problem dude, you win the gold for the baseball team, I win the gold for the football team." Troy pointed at John with his thumbs up.

"So with everything going smooth as ever, I think that's all for the day. Enjoy the moment that you have here because it won't be something that you'll never forget." John looked seriously towards the crowd.

"So enjoy your day as the sunshine will last forever" John puts the microphone back and walks off the stage.

Scott was surprised as it was already the end of the day even though it was only eleven in the morning. People already left the gym and headed home as the parade was still going on.

Scott questions why the town put more attention on a school than themselves as he never saw a town praising their school that much. With many questions and not being able to understand his schedule. Scott unlocked his bike from the rack and headed home thinking about the town's obsession with the school.

Once everyone in the school left, it was now the evening and John was the only one in the school who remained heading to one of the classrooms.

"Laura, Troy, can you please come to room four hundred and five." John on his phone calling them in his deep voice.

Once Troy and Laura came into the classroom, they came closer to John forming a small circle.

"What is it John? Do you need something from us." Troy asked.

"Do you need help with something babe?" Laura's voice was pitched as if she sounded like a little girl.

"There's a new guy here and he might be the last piece to this chessboard, so can you please check up on him" John gave Troy and Laura a solemn stare.

"Yes my king." Troy and Laura both said it at the same time.

They both left the room with John being the only one in the classroom. John stood up and walked towards the window staring at the town as the sun went down.

"Welcome to Sunshine High Scott Smith." John's voice deepens.