What had I done to deserve this? Did god really hate me that much to have some over-confident, savage human being already do this to me on the first day, with absolutely no reason to. This was just another reason to cross off any potential faith I may have on my list of beliefs...if I even had a list that is.

I began to think of the different ways in which I may die in this locker. Starving, lack of oxygen...dehydration? I just regretted not having a cigarette on the way to school while I was walking with Mikey. Damn it. I'm overly dramatic with some situations of course but I'm sure anyone else would too in this particular situation.

So much for a fresh start. I was having constant deja vu here in Jersey. It was exactly the same, just as I'd predicted it would be. The view from this locker was even the same. My mother of course had to drill it into my head that things might be different here, that things might be better. She'd said it was a good school from what she'd heard but she definitely didn't hear it from Donna. Mikey had mentioned that his mother had complained to this school plenty of times, anonymously of course, but nothing had ever changed since the day Mikey first started here. Like Frank said...school sucks everywhere.

After what felt like hours of being locked up in this dark, dingy, claustrophobic locker, I heard my name being called. It sounded like Frank. I began banging on the locker door, hoping they'd be able to find me sooner rather than later. I was in dire need of a cigarette but realistically, I knew I didn't have time. I really hoped the school hadn't contact my parents or something because I must have been at least fifteen minutes late to my first lesson. I was screwed. I didn't want the teachers to hate me already for only being late. I at least wanted them to hate me for a good reason.

“Dakota?” I heard Frank's hopeful voice.

“In here.” I said, banging on the door again. “I can't stand being in this locker anymore Frank!”

“Hold on there little Dakota.” He said before I heard a faint tap on the door, then the combination of the locker beginning to click and eventually, I fell out of it, my bag breaking my fall as I landed by Frank's feet.

“Well what do you know?” Frank giggled. “I should've known they'd put you in my locker. That's where they always put 'em.” He continued as he helped me up, brushing the dust away from my shoulders. “You okay?”

“Yeah, just a little sore.” I said cracking my neck and grimacing after hearing a horrible crunch. “How late am I for class?” I asked timidly.

“Only by like ten minutes, you'll be fine.” He answered waving his hand dismissively.

“Are Mikey and Vee okay? Are you okay?”

“Nothing I can't handle.” He answered, patting his stomach “Besides, Mikes and Vee know where and when to run with those jerks...I guess we should have prepared you a little better for that...I swear Jason has never done that to a new student, not on their first day at least. I'm sorry Dakota.” He apologised, his mouth twisted.

“It's not your fault their assholes Frank.”

“I know but I feel awful. You probably don't really want to hang around with a bunch on outcasts like us-”

“Woah. That's not true! You guys are practically the nicest people here and we pretty much have everything in common. Besides...this has happened plenty of times to me before. What makes this time different is that someone actually helped me out locker.” I chuckled, trying to lighten his mood. He rolled his eyes, his lips twitching as though he wanted to burst out into laughter at really how horrible the situation was.

“Come on, we better pick up your time table.” He said, linking his arm through mine as we walked down the now empty corridor, a horrible, clinical white surrounding me.

It didn't take long for Frank to join in and we were both nearly on the floor by the time we reached the front reception, the reason for us laughing practically minute.

The same woman, Mrs Wilbury I think, sat there, unimpressed by the two students that stood before her; her arms crossed, her lips pursed with a frown that actually frightened me slightly, causing me to wipe the smile away from my face.

“Good Morning Mrs Wilbury.” Frank smiled however, resting his arms against the counter.

“Shouldn't you be in class Mr Iero. You wouldn't want a detention on your first day...again.” She stressed.

“Are you worried for my well being Mrs Willbury? I'm touched.” He said, placing a hand over his chest. She continued to glare at him but he wouldn't back down so I gently elbowed him in the ribs, not wanting to get him into trouble.

“Fine...I was just showing the new student here where to pick up her time table and such. I offered to help her get to her classes as well because I'm that good of a person.” He batted his eyelashes as he rested a cheek on his palm. Mrs Wilbury rolled her dark eyes at Frank before they turned to me.

“And why are you late? You are meant to arrive promptly at 8:45am before classes start at 9:00.”She glared.

“Mrs Wilbury, it's her first day-” Frank tried to help but was quietened by another glare and a wrinkled hand that was held up close to his face.

“Erm...okay, well you see, I was...I got lost on the way here and all...I only just moved here last week so I didn't really know where to go-”

“That's what the school bus is for Miss...”

“Oh, Carey. Dakota Grace Carey.”

“Ah yes.” She murmured, as she span around on her chair. She opened up my file I supposed and began looking through it, her lips still tightly pursed. She raised a quizzical eyebrow at me as she lifted the folder in her hand. “Says here you had a lot of time off at your last school. Here, we're very strict about attendance so you better keep it in the mid 90's.”

“Yes Miss.”

After what felt like forever, she eventually handed me the sheet of paper, revealing my schedule for my time at this hell hole.

“Thank you Miss, you're the best!” Frank said dramatically.

“Beat it, Iero.” She near shouted.

“Whoops.” Frank said before he began to push me away from the desk. As we walked, Frank then pinched my time table and quickly scanned over it.

“Hey! We've got Science and English together!” He beamed. Oh thank god I had something with Frank. “Well, we got Mr Banner for science right now, so lets go!”

I couldn't help but giggle at Frank's enthusiasm as he took my hand, pulling us both along the corridors before we stood outside the science labs. He gave me a thumbs up before opening the door and letting me in first. The teacher seemed fairly disinterested as to why we were late and let us in as if we were exactly on time. Thankfully, there was a desk at the back of the room for Frank and I to sit at and I sighed in relief when hearing Mr Banner say that we could sit wherever we wanted for the year, as long as we did the work.

He droned on and on about lab safety and what was on for this years criteria but Frank and I weren't really paying attention. Somehow we were able to play thumb wars underneath the table without anyone noticing and the fact that no-one did, I then found it harder to contain my laughter every time Frank lost.

---

By lunch time, I lost my way about three times and I'd already been given enough homework to what felt like would last weeks. In theory it was to only read a few chapters from textbooks here and there but most of it was for science and maths, which at times was interesting but initially boring if you didn't understand it...which I didn't for a huge proportion of the time. I was already exhausted and I still had another hour to go after Lunch. I was happy that it was Art though.

I was in two classes with Frank, one with Mikey and one with Vee. I'd be in art next with Vee to which she seemed eagerly excited for.

“Ugh! I love Art, I do but I can't draw for shit! No matter how hard I try, I just can't fuckin' do it!” She complained as she successfully threw the apple core into the bin behind us. “It's senior year and I want to get it right! Oh, do you think Gerard would actually help me this time?” She asked, turning to Mikey who was in mid-bite of his sandwich.

"He didn't the last time you asked so I don't know why he would now."

“You have to convince him to!”

“I don't have to do anything. Besides, Dakota's good at Art. She can help you.” Mikey offered on my behalf as he eventually took a bite from his sandwich. She turned quickly, her straight, blonde hair hitting me in the face, as she gripped my arm.

“Would you? Please?” She pleaded.

“I'm not that great at it but I'll try my best.” I offered with a smile. She wrapped her arms around my shoulders, bringing me close to her chest and squeezing me.

“Thank you, thank you, thank you!!” Everyone in this group seemed to love hugs.

“Oh yeah, did you guys want to come over after school today-?” Mikey asked.

“So I can tell your brother how much of an asshole he is? I'm in!” Vee beamed, linking her arms through mine on the table.

“I'm in!” Frank answered.

“No. Please don't do that guys...he's had a...rough few weeks.” Mikey pleaded.

“Like that's a great excuse for how horrible he is to some people.” Vee said, rolling her eyes.

“Vee please. He doesn't even hate you. Don't give him a reason to by teasing him.” Mikey continued. Vee shrugged her shoulders before taking a chip off of Frank's plate. “You in Dakota?”

“Sure.” I smiled, suddenly anxious at the idea of actually meeting Gerard. Over the past few days, so much had been said about him I was almost, frightened to come face to face with him. It would make things more awkward as I'd initially thought he was quite good looking from what I'd seen.

As the warning bell rang, indicating the beginning of our last period, I was relieved to find we'd escaped another run in with Jason. Vee and I said our goodbyes to Frank and Mikey as we made our way to Art, deciding to meet on the front steps after school.

The room was fairly small, with six wooden tables and stools, and I was surprised at how plain it looked. At my last school, the room had paint splatters every where, art strung up on the walls and even a fish tank at the front of the classroom but here, it was the same clinical white as it was in horrid hallways.

Vee and I took the table at the back, a few of Jason's followers throwing us dirty glares, but I followed in Vee's steps and chose to ignore them but it was far more difficult as I heard them whispers “emo” repeatedly under their breaths. A man, at least in his mid-fifties, stood at the front of the room and introduced himself as “Mr Trager” and was extremely enthusiastic. I was thankful that he hadn't noticed a new student as it meant I didn't have to introduce myself in front of the class.

He spoke for about another fifteen minutes before he said he wanted us to to focus on sketching. He said we could do anything from a pencil to the 'deepest depths of our imagination.' I was relieved to have a teacher I liked for art.

As Vee and I began to sketch, I glanced over at her, seeing her tongue sticking out in a humorous way and decided to strike up a conversation. I hoped she wouldn't be freaked out by what I was going to ask. I felt as though I needed to prepare myself for if he was going to be at the house.

“So...is Mikey's brother really that much of an asshole?” I spoke quietly. She put her pencil down as she smirked over at me.

“Are you scared about going over to Mikey's?” She asked.

“I dunno...a little, I mean...Frank said Gerard sometimes scares him.”

“Gerard Arthur Way is a brooding, annoying excuse for a human being sometimes...but he has got his issues that some of them have logical explanations for. He's okay I guess. He's not so bad to me and Frank seeing as though we're Mikey's friends.” She explained.

“Why do people call him trouble?”

“Who said he was trouble?” She smiled, leaning forward onto the table.

“Don't tell Mikey...”

“Scouts honour.” She beamed as she crossed her heart.

“My mum said it would be best if I stayed away from him...that he's done some...stuff but she wouldn't tell me what.”

“Oh, your mums being dramatic!” She giggled. “He isn't a danger to anyone, if anything, he's his worst enemy. I don't think I should tell you really what's happened with Gerard seeing as though I think it's Mikey's place to say but...yeah, he's an asshole but you should give him a chance. Just don't tell your mum.”

“Oh...okay.” I breathed. “Can I ask you something else?”

“Shoot.” She said picking her pencil up, and turning most of her attention back to her drawing.

“Who's Monica?” Vee looked up, pointing her pencil towards a slim, beautiful red head that sat on one of the tables filled with Jason's 'gang'. She was smirking and talking enthusiastically to the girl who shouted for Jason to beat me up earlier this morning.

“That's Monica. One of the cruellest people I know..why do you ask?” I cleared my throat.

“Just because when we ran into Jason this morning he said something about me replacing Monica...”

“Oh, that. I think Mikey should probably tell you that as well. It involved all of us but it hit Mikey the hardest.” She spoke, her voice hushed.

I felt like I was forcing myself into a mystery that I wanted to know everything about. But, like many things, it really wasn't any of my business to know but of course, that didn't stop me from wanting to know. I was human after all...sadly.

Notes

Hello all...Gerard should hopefully be making his next appearance in chapter 7! I'd love to know what you guys think of it so far. Take care <3