Exchange

When Ashley had arrived at the airport, she couldn't stop her legs from shaking, it was as if she still sat on the plane during take-off, the engines roar shaking her body. It was all a blur, but she had finally found the family of three. Brian, Anita and Andy Biersack. Brian and Anita, Asher found out later from Andy, were high school sweethearts and had had Andy pretty early on. But now, Brian was a football coach at a local high school, and Anita, a lawyer. Andy was in the same year as Ashley and shared many of her interests, music and fashion being the main ones and willingly went with her prefered name, Asher. He even reassured her that introducing herself as Asher was absolutely fine! He had black, messily swept hair, piercings and always seemed to wear black.

Andy was adorned in an assortment of tattoos despite still being in high school - something that seemed to be allowed or at least tolerated at these schools. She knew he was eighteen, but it still shocked her. Despite his initially intimidating appearance, Andy really turned into a big brother-like-figure for Ashley, so when she had to start school, it gave her a pretty good head start. No one wanted to mess with a girl who had been dropped off by the neighbouring school's scariest looking guy. Well... most of them anyway.
***
Asher had gotten used to Andy's startling appearance. She had become comforted by it. She’d always felt she couldn't dress exactly the way she wished when living in Australia, and being able to wear band t-shirts, ripped jeans, leather jackets, a pair of Doc Martin's and piercings without so many stares was oddly refreshing. Well... she'd actually have to aquire many if these things, but she had a year.

"You're going to be okay, hey. I know people here who'll help you out just because you hang with me." Andy smiled warmly.

Asher sighed, she’d been so engrossed in her thoughts, she hadn't noticed Andy had driven through the carpark all the way up to the pathway entrance to administration. He really was awesome.

"Yeah, I know. Just nervous. New country and all. Slightly scary." She bit her lip and stared out the window as if she could process everything about the school without stepping out of Andy's black 1970 Challenger.

"Hey, you'll be fine. I could always walk in with you." He offered. Back home a friend would be taunting her for her nerves, but here was Andy, a real punk looking guy, genuinely trying to help her out.

"Nah, it's all good. I'll be right. Thanks, Ando," She answered. Andy laughed at his new nickname.

"You're the only one that has ever called me Ando. Did you know that?"

"Well, putting an 'o' at the end of someone's name is a sign of affection. You'll be right."

Andy laughed, "And so will you Ash. Get into any trouble and just shout okay? I'll help you out."

Heaving a final breath, Asher grabbed her red and black backpack and exited the car, giving a final wave to Andy as he drove off, many jealous kids stare followed.

Brushing her organised mess of dark hair from her face, Asher walked into administration and was met with off-white walls, fake plants, student photos and a bombardment of brightly coloured notices. She wrinkled her nose, why did American rooms always smell weird?

"Can I help you, love?" A young receptionist asked in a thick American drawl.

"Um, yeah. My name's Ashley. Ashley Rian. I'm the exchange student from Aus-"

"Australia!" The lady's eyes widened in excitement, "There's been a lot of talk around that. We'll have you signed in, in no time."

It hadn't taken long at all. Soon, Asher was signed in and given a map, locker number and pin and her school schedule. It was different from home. Here students had three breaks: Period one, break 1
Period two, break 2
Period three and four, lunch
All days but Wednesday having a weird assembly time and then the final period. Each period went for sixty-five minutes. The first two breaks were only ten minutes while lunch was forty. Jesus. At home, it was period one, first lunch, period two and three, second lunch, period four and home. Each class was seventy minutes, but at least the lunches went for forty-five. No wonder American movies always have kids complain about school. There was a lot of it.

Asher was engrossed in the paper in front of her, trying to memorise the map and schedule for today so she didn’t look like the clueless newbie later. She was so engrossed in fact that she ran straight into someone while coming around the corner. After a few steps back to steady herself, she snapped her head up, feeling like a complete idiot.

"Whoa there. You okay?" A girl asked. She was, what Asher would call, a true emo (bordering goth) and the first she has seen. Truly, she was! The girl was tall with high cheekbones (contoured quite expertly too, Asher might add), full lips covered in a matt wine red, and pale blue eyes surrounded with eyeliner and black eye-shadow (this girl really knew how to do her make-up). Although she didn't have any piercings, her ears were adorned with large black stretchers while Asher also spotted a tattoo of what seemed to be some sort array of flowers just at her collarbones. She was adorned in black clothing and Asher would be lying if she said she wasn’t scared of her at first, but that feeling subsided when she smiled.

"Didn't hurt you, did I?" She asked in a slightly deeper voice than Asher was expecting.

"No, you didn't. Sorry. I shoulda been watching where I was goin’." She replied, shaking her head.

The dark clothed girl raised an eyebrow, "Well you certainly aren't American."

"Uh no," Asher replied shyly, rubbing the back of her neck, "Australian actually. I'm an exchange student."

"Whoa, that's sick. What's your name?"

"Ashley, er, Asher. I prefer Asher."

"Nice name. Don't sweat it. I'm Terryn by the way, but most of the guys call me Terry."

The two girls exchanged a smile before Terry continued,

"I know a few people who'd get a kick out of the Australian thing. Would you want to come to hang with us?" Terry asked. Maybe making friends wouldn't be as hard as Asher had initially thought.

Terry led the Australian through the white halls lined with different coloured lockers at each turn. It was hard to work out, thankfully, Terry had the courtesy to explain the layout of the school. Explaining that everything was connected, and it was easier to find things in the hallways with the colours of the lockers than the lettered building. A block had red lockers, even if it wasn’t really a block, more the building that was separated from a different building. “Hallway Red”, as Terry called it, happened to lead to the front of the school without going through admin.

Terry proceeded to lead Asher outside, nodding to a few students that waved and smirking at a large group that scowled. Asher couldn’t help but wonder why. She stopped at a group of people who ranged from the look of emo, goth and very punk. Once again, she’d be lying if she said she wasn’t the tiniest bit frightened.

“How is everyone on this fine Monday morning,” Terry called out, plopping herself down onto the table, her boots scuffing the seat with damp earth. “This is Asher: the exchange student from Australia.”

Asher smiled and ran a hand through her hair as a few mumbles of surprise, whistles and ‘cools’ were said.

“Australia. Like, you’re an actual Australian? That’s so cool.” A guy smiled giddily. He wore a black hoodie, ripped jeans and dirty white shoes. His hair was straightened and swept to one side and he wore a hell of a lot of eyeliner. He was definitely a lowkey emo. It made Asher happy to think she’d be able to do the same kinda thing tomorrow. Now don't get her wrong, she didn't really pride herself in using these descriptions. It always seemed a little materialistic to her, but thinking about it that way made it easier to atergorise in her head.

“Yeah, I guess.” She said. What else was she gonna say?

There was a bit if mumbling while she stood there, at a loss of what she was meant to do. So, she decided to let her confidence grow and analyse the group in front of her. Next, to Terry, there was the dude with heaps of eyeliner, she would call him Guyliner for now. Next to him was a guy who seemed pretty cool. His dark brown, almost black, hair styled so it shaped his face on one side, an earring that mimicked a stretcher was in one ear, a silver hooped nose and lip piercing adorned his features, and once again, eyeliner! He wore a dark, faded navy denim jacket over a black skeleton print hoodie... over a white t-shirt with black ripped jeans and a pair of worn, red, hightop converses. Yeah, it was cold, but it wasn't that cold. Asher decided he was definitely punk rock – the name Punk would work for now. Behind him was a boy with blond hair, glasses leather jacket, the only pair of jeans here which weren’t ripped and a fedora of all things – Fedora worked as a name. He was laying down across the seat, one leg over the other as his foot swung to an unheard song, his eyes closed. There was an assortment of other guys and two girls who seemed to be on Terry’s fashion page. Asher was interrupted before she could analyse them too.

“Can I ask you some questions because everyone else is too pussy to ask them themselves?” Guyliner asked smirking and receiving a wack on the back of the head from Punk.

“Dude, I’m not a pussy. I just know they’re stupid questions.” He shrugged nonchalantly and started rummaging through the pockets of his jacket.

“Whatever. I’m gonna ask anyway?” Sang Guyliner, rubbing the back of his head.

“Okay, okay. I’ll ask,” Punk sighed, grabbing a cigarette. “This is going to sound retarded, but how the fuck do you eat vegemite? It's gross and salty. How would you layer that on anything?” He said, clearly perplexed and disgusted by the idea. Asher laughed at his question. “I’m serious.” He exclaimed defensively.

“I’m sorry. I just didn’t realise American’s didn’t know.” She calmed herself down, her anxiety retreating when she really started acknowledging that these guys were just high schoolers too. “Well, you don’t it eat it like, um, peanut butter. That’d be gross. You chuck it on buttered toast – but only a little.”

“Huh.” He said, obviously surprised. “That makes sense now. I’m Frank by the way. Frank Iero.” Well now he had a name, it certainly wasn’t punk, but it worked. He lit the cigarette and took a long drag before handing the white role to Terry, who took it eagerly. “Okay, now that I’ve asked my question, I’ll actually introduce everyone because I’m not fucking idiotic.” He said, jabbing Guyliner in the ribs.

“Hey!”

“Shut up Pete.” Frank retorted, causing Asher to smile. “So, this idiot is Pete. Billy, Andria, Tommy, Nadine, Cole, Johnny and Terrance are over there,” he Frank said waving to the dark-clad group, “and behind me is Patrick.”

“What?” Exclaimed Fedora, sitting up and wrenching out his earphones, looking like he’d just been electrocuted.

“I’m just introducing everyone. Stay calm.” Frank laughed, patting his head. Well... his fedora.

“Oh.” He said nodding, eyebrows furrowed as leant back into his previous position, before shooting back upright, “Introducing to whom?”

Frank facepalmed, and Asher laughed.

“Hi, I’m Asher.” She said laughing still, along with everyone else.

“Oh, hi!” Patrick smiled… before lying back down and submerging himself in music.

“Excuse my oblivious friend, he’ll talk to you later,” said Pete. “Anyway, I have a few of my own questions –“

“Don’t make a fool of yourself Pete.” Said Terry as she handed back Frank his cancer stick, however, she only received a glare.

"Did you have to take so much?" Frank scolded.

"Quit whining," Pete groaned and turned back to Asher giddily. “Okay, question one: do you ride kangaroos to school?” Everyone had actually become a little quiet, awaiting Asher’s response. She waited for them to laugh, but… he was serious!

“Oh, you’re not joking.” Pete shook his head, waving his hands for her to continue impatiently, “Um no. Have you seen those things? It would be physically impossible,” she decided to scare them a little, keeping up the dangerous Aussie wild-life reputation, “besides, you’d get ripped in half by those things if you tried.”

“Whatever. But are drop bears real?” Pete asked, still deadly serious. Now, Asher was giggling. She couldn’t believe such questions needed to be asked.

“We like to think so.” She grinned at their confused expressions.

“Alright, alright fine, final question. Can you please say, ‘g’day mate’?”

Asher now burst out laughing, he had mutated the words terribly. She repeated the words receiving applause.

They began to talk more, asking questions about Australia before Asher decided to start asking about the social workings here.

“So, is this your whole group?”

“No,” Frank answered, “Pete and Patrick actually usually hang with Brendon’s group in the morning, but we sorta have our own area in the cafeteria. We’re also missing a couple.”

“Who’s Brendon?” Asher asked.

“Oi Patrick,” Frank yelled, leaning back and hitting Patrick on the stomach, causing the blonde boy to fall off the bench.

“Dude! What the heck?” He said, brushing himself off.

“Would you kindly explain the high school hierarchy here?” Frank said, smirking as Patrick's unintimidating scowl morphed into an excited beam.

“I certainly would.” I rubbed his hands together, “Okay Miss Australia – yes I had my listening ears on – you better have your listening ears on because this is going to get complex:" Patrick took a deep breath and began, "Up the top, typically, you have the Jocks and Cheerleaders and any other sporty people. They, of course, are the typical asshole and A-class-biartches. Biggest of those being the now coupled Jacob Rusto and Sandra McTaye. They, of course, have all their possie and then the beef, which include the nicknamed 'traitor' Bob Bryar and his hard-headed gang. You get it?” Patrick asked.

“Yes.” Asher was shocked. She couldn’t believe the status and group segregation was such a big thing. She also noticed Frank physically tense at the name Bob and stomp out the dead cigarette very harshly.

“Good, good. Alright, then you have Brendon Urie’s group, which is also right near the top. They include the mains of Ryan, Dallon, Spencer, Nicole and Sarah. Now that group sorta has a hierarchy too. Pete, Andy and Joe (who aren’t here) and I are in it, but we’re not popular with the other, higher groups and therefore, not as high in that hiearachy either. Got it?”

“Yeah…” It was getting intense.

“Alight, then you have this group. We are the main three, of course, but you also have your stoners, Asians, nerds and geeks and the stragglers, but that’s about it. Frank, you want to explain your group dynamic?”

“Yep, sure. All we’re really missing is Ray – who isn’t coming today – Gerard and Mikey. They’re brothers, Mikey’s a year younger but he hangs with us and a few of his friends will usuall tag along, but it's mostly just Josh and Tyler. Mikey and Gerard are usually here soon, but Gerard hasn’t been at the school for a week...” Frank trailed off, furrowing his eyebrows.

“Okay, I think I got it.” Asher nodded, slightly overwhelmed, “Aye, quick question. Why is Bob a traitor?”

Everyone tensed a little, some looking down at their feet, but Frank seemed the worst. He scoffed and shook his head, clenching his fist. “The fucker really hurt a guy in the group. Still messes with us. Turned to the jocks like a puppy and now we want nothing to do with the fucker."

Asher nodded, a little disgruntled at the tension in the atmosphere.

“Don’t stress. What you got first?” Patrick asked, changing the subject.

“Uh, math.”

“Oh sweet. Same class.” Smiled Frank. He went to say more but was interrupted by a boy from in the car park. He was that loud.

“Sup motherfuckers!” He was tall with dark hair that seemed to defy gravity. Jeans, a grey hoodie and leather jacket over the top.

“Well then, that’s us. Peace out," said Pete, grabbing his bag as Patrick trailed behind him.

“That’s Brendon?” Asher asked.

“That’s Brendon,” replied Terry, shaking her head.

Groups of people had accumulated around the place, the most significant being near Brendon. Talking and banter could be heard from everywhere but soon died down. Asher was about to ask what was up when she heard it too, the rumbling of a motorbike. Why that was such a big deal was oblivious to her, but still, she watched. The rider pulled up into the carpark, the sidecar containing a passenger. The two hopped out, the one in the sidecar taking his helmet off first. His slightly spiky hair was dark, like his clothes and he had pointed features. He looked bored. The driver finally took his helmet off and chucked it into the sidecar. Asher still hadn’t seen his face.

“Why is everyone staring?” Asher asked Terry, who was smirking.

“Becuase only one dude in the whole school has a motorbike, and he hasn’t been at the school for a while. He's got a bit of a rep. A few rumours thought he'd ran off or died. Of course, that's bullshit.”

“Who?” Asher asked, looking back at the two.

“Fucking Gerard Way,” she said with a grin.

The passenger walked to the curb and waited for the other guy, who had finally turned around, a cigarette now hanging out of his mouth. He wore black, ripped jeans, a red and black t-shirt, shin-high riding boots and leather jacket.

The bored one started walking over, and his facial expression changed into a beaming smile. “Hey guys!” He yelled, not even reaching the table yet.

“Mikey fucking Way, you seem too happy for morning school arrival.” Scolded Terry, even though she was grinning too.

“Yeah well, Gee could finally get me to school. So, I didn’t have to walk for forty-five fucking minutes.” He smiled.

‘Gee’ had arrived, dragging many stairs from the abundance of groups of kids their way. As he walked past, some of the younger groups stepped back. He smirked as he walked towards them, obviously enjoying the entrance he had made and the way people were staring.

“Hey, Gerard.” Frank beamed, “you’re back.”

“Hey, Frankie.” Gerard smiled, leaning against the tree not even a meter away.

Asher analysed him too. He had… pixie-like features? His longish hair was obviously dyed black and meant to be styled, but it was messy and stuck up in strange places, yet he pulled it off remarkably well. It looked like his lip was healing from a very nasty bust-up, around his eye was slightly yellowed - obviously from a black eye - and white tape used to holds cuts closed was over his eyebrow. Even his ear seemed to have been banged up along with a slight, healing graze running from the base of his jaw, part way on his cheek and to his temple. This guy looked like trouble.

“You got a light?” He asked Frank, who nodded and help it up to Gerard’s face, who held the cigarette close, waiting for it to catch. Once it did, he smiled crookedly and took a long drag.

Asher was mesmerised. She didn’t really admire the habit, but somehow, this Gerard guy made it look mesmerising. His pinkie finger held out a lot further than his others, the strangely provocative way he exhaled the smoke... She was interrupted by the said smoker,

“Who’re you?” Gerard asked, quirking an eyebrow, smoke wafting out of his mouth.

“Asher Rian. Exchange student.”

He nodded, “Australia?”

“Yeah. How’d you know?” She asked.

“Accent,” he shrugged and waved his hand before turning away to one of the guys talking to him.

Asher felt slightly dishevelled. He was friendly to the others but very dismissive of newcomers it seemed. Gerard stayed distant, not even really talking to Frank. Asher looked at his hand as he brought the cancer stick back to his lips and saw his knuckles covered in yellowing bruises and cuts. His other arm had a bandage on it that seemed to run up into his sleeve. She couldn’t help but wonder what the other guy looked like…

Finally, the bell rang. Gerard clapped Frank’s shoulder and walked off… No. Not walked. Sauntered. But that word wasn’t particularly right either. It was almost as if he sashayed. Yes, that was a little more accurate.

Asher watched him with a frown as Gerard sashayed away, many students making way for him. She swore there was a slight limp in his step. Soon enough, he was swallowed by the number of students entering the school.

“Hey, don’t worry about him. He’s shy is all,” said Frank in a tone that didn't sound like he was just trying to convince her. He put an arm around Asher’s shoulders and led her to a different building. “Math is Hallway Orange, it’s on the other side. I’ll take you to your other classes too. Or hand you off. Don’t worry, we’ll help you out.” He said, flipping his middle finger at another student who had barged into him.

Asher laughed, “Thanks, mate. But I can’ help but wonder why you're all being so nice.”

“Oh my god. Do you just call me mate?” He asked, smiling wide.

“Yes. Is that alright with you… mate.” Asher was beginning to really like Frank. He was cool.

“Yes. That’s awesome.” Frank replied, shaking his head. “And I'm nice because I can see you were freaking out earlier and, I saw you get out of Andy’s car. We’re friends with him, so I thought the least I could do was help a friend’s friend. Guessing you’re bunkering down at his place?”

“Sure am.” Asher smiled. Andy was right. Her smile disappeared, however when she saw Mikey, and her thoughts backtracked to Gerard.

“Hey Frank,” she asked, he turned his head her way, waiting, “what happened to Gerard?”

“Oh, he got in a fight.” He said, waving it off like it was nothing.

“No shit... Does it happen often? He looked pretty banged up.” This time she felt Frank tense. His arm was still around her shoulders because he was trying to barge through people who didn’t seem to want to make way for him like they did the others.

“I guess. It really depends on what the week is like.” He replied, pushing apart a kissing couple he had been trying to get around.

“Right. Last week being?”

“Um… pretty bad. This is Gee's first day back since Wednesday.”

“Oh. I wonder what the other guy is like.” She wondered out loud.

“Yeah… well. Don’t tell anyone this but… ugh, don’t worry.” He said running a hand through his hair.

“What? It’s not like I’m going to go yelling it around is it?”

“Is it weird to say I honestly believe you. Like, I can tell I can trust you. Is it weird?” He asked, stopping at the door thirteen – their Math classroom.

“Yeah, nah. It’s not.” Asher replied.

“Okay, you asked what the other guy is like? Gerard is the other guy. He’s making himself look a lot better than he is. Shit, he was beat pretty bad.”

Before Asher could ask any more questions, their teacher popped his head out the door and got them to come in.

It seemed American high school was going to be a lot more interesting than she initially thought.

Notes

Okay, so I'm not entirely sure how American high schools work, I'm just going off what I could find and an American teacher at my school who explained it briefly to me. If you've got any little facts or suggestions for me, don't hesitate to send them through.

Thanks, KayXo