Exit: Stories: Lake View --- Chapter 1

Drake could already feel the prying eyes starring at him as he entered the main entrance into Lakewood High School. He walked up the hall towards where he believed the counselor’s office was located. It was Drake’s first day at Lakewood. He knew it would be hard to fit in; with less than three fourths of the school year left in his senior year, he didn’t have much time to make friends, and even if he tried, he knew everyone already had their cliques and would not want to make room for him. Most people would say this was a pretty bad attitude to start at a new school with, being that a person generally finds what he expects to find, but in this case Drake merely believed himself to be realistic, and defensive so as not to get hurt by one more of his ever switching high schools.

“Well son, just go right down this hall, and turn left, and there will be Mrs. Turner’s classroom.” Said the little old counselor, as if guiding a lost puppy.

“Thanks.” Drake said, then wandered down the hall with an err of boredom. Looking to the left and right, he saw, what he knew he would see, the regulars strolling about with their perpetual habits. Drake hadn’t met anyone of them, but yet he felt to himself that he already knew them. Each although individual, played a part in the sociological system which all high schools were based. At least that is, in each of the four other high schools Drake had played a minor part in during the last four years.

Drake entered the classroom, and sat down about half way to the back of the room. No need in calling attention to himself by sitting in either the front, or the back he tought.

Mrs. Turner, Drake realized as she began a apparently routine pre-work pep talk, was easily stereo typed into the over achiever teacher category, who even though she probably had a failed marriage, and a pot-head kid, felt as though by “changing one students life, and making him realized that education leads to success in life”, that she will in some way fulfill her destiny and die a happy woman.

Mrs. Turner of course asked Drake to introduce himself in the usual, old-fashion teacher way, and so he did so in the usual, new student, don’t really want to be here kind of way.

Through out the entire day, Drake talked to very few people, only when he really had to, and for the most part just sat observing his new class mates. He of course immediately recognized the leaders of each clique. First there was Lance, he was the most dedicated of all the rich, preppy kids; the group of kids, who were the working force behind every dance, and club at school, who thought that in some way, by dressing nice, making good grades, participating in as many clubs and activities as humanly possible, and by smiling a lot, that they would make their friends and family proud, and impress a distant college enough to warrant a full ride, even though this group usually doesn’t know the first thing about college, or how to get there, and would eventually realize mom and dad would do all their work for them, paying for their education either at some private institution or local community college whichever they find to be best suited to their child’s needs.

Next he noticed Travis. He was not intentionally the leader of anything, but none-the-less was one. Travis was one of those guys who was not intelligent enough to do anything, but was strong enough to outshine anyone on the playing field. He was the starting running back for the Lakewood Vikings, where he scored more than any other player on the team. This of course meant Travis was a magnet for lackeys and lesser known athletes who envied his small account of fame. Travis also had everything it took to attract the girls. Strong build, short cut hair, bold blue eyes, and a loud reputation. Rumor had it, as Drake learned within two minutes of listening in on a conversation between some freshmen girls, that Travis had slept with every Junior and Senior girl on the Cheerleading Squad. Drake doubted this rumor, but non the less realized the power which Travis unknowingly to himself held.

Jacob was the modern farm boy. He raised animals for show, just like the classic farm boy, but participated in the pop culture of today in order to remain within the cool circle in the Lake View society. He proudly listened to Sweet Home Alabama on occasion to show his country pride, but usually listened to Eminem, Limp Biskit, and P.Diddy like all the other trendy city boys. Jacob lead the agriculturally minded students due to his apparent coolness and tough working ethic, and fascinated outsiders, by being so bold in his heritage. It was all an act. Drake could see it, and figured Jacob knew it was an act too. Jacob wasn’t any more of a heritage minded individual as Drake or any other student at Lake View, but Jacob must know that by acting this way he can manipulate others into treating him in the way he wanted.

Sean, was an odd case. He is your classic, genius pot-head. He did everything that Lake View society said not to do, but yet remained one of it’s most popular, talked about members. Sean roamed the halls freely, and did exactly what the teachers and principle hated, and yet somehow managed to go through school with merely a minor disciplinary actions. He was not a want to be of anything, he seemed to do what he wanted, period. Sean was a leader, possibly the strongest type of leader. Being self made and motivated, kept anyone from being able to destroy his reputation. Lackeys, he had plenty, but didn’t need them. Girls denounced him in public, insulted him to his face, but still had sex with him on the weekends. In fact, Sean had probably had more sex than most of the other guys at Lake View combined. Drake did wonder though while observing Sean’s behavior, how Seon could exist as such an extreme form of an oxy-moron. Meaning that oddly enough, even though Sean’s whole attitude towards life lead outsiders to believe he sought to be an outsider and a rebel to society, the harder he apparently tried to do this, the more vital part of the society he became.

The last of the leaders was Tye. Drake realized his power not in a days time, by hearing rumors or noticing his animated activities, but rather Drake realized over a matter of days how Tye was a very powerful person. You see Tye was what almost every student at Lake View would call an average nice guy who gets along with everybody. Now the most fascinating thing about Tye, was that he indeed did get along with almost everybody. Unlike all the other leaders, Tye did not get his strength from a particular group or clique, nor did he get his power from society himself, but rather he got a little bit of strength from each of the literally hundreds of relationships he had with random individuals around the school. No student was to young, or old, preppy or stoned, athletic or wimpy to be Tye’s friend, he was nice to everyone, and in turn while Tye did not have a group, or even one lackey, or very many close friends, he had many people who looked up to him, and would call him their friend, and thereby Tye was a very powerful person at Lakeveiw, and as with all the other leaders, Drake realized this.

On to chapter 2