𝐘𝐎𝐔 𝐁𝐄𝐋𝐎𝐍𝐆 𝐖𝐈𝐓𝐇 𝐌𝐄 ⋆. 𐙚 ˚

──── chapter one; the first day

𝐖𝐀𝐋𝐊𝐄𝐑 𝐒𝐂𝐎𝐁𝐄𝐋𝐋 felt the weight of his whole moving finally hit him as his mom dropped him off in front of the school. it was a couple of weeks after school first started, and around 2 weeks since he moved from new york to la. he had been thinking about this day for weeks, but nothing could have prepared him for the feeling of walking into his new school. he shifted his backpack on his shoulder, glancing at the tall, intimidating brick walls that loomed over him, as if the school itself was watching his every move. he was the new kid. and that alone was enough to make him nervous.

the sounds of students and unfamiliar laughter filled the air as walker came through the front door. the smell of fresh paper, old textbooks, and cafeteria food mixed together. he could feel the energy in the air—the buzz of teenagers navigating their world, the hustle of morning rushes, and the sense that everyone had their place. except for him.

his sneakers squeaked against the newly polished floor. his mind was racing, he missed his old school completely. what if no one liked him here? what if he couldn't find his classes? what if the kids here started to hate him?

after a few moments of taking in the atmosphere, walker was greeted by the vice principal, mr. hale. "welcome to ridgewood, walker," he said with a firm handshake. "we're excited to have you here. let's get you settled."

walker followed mr. hale down the corridors, his footsteps echoing in the quiet hallway. he passed students chatting by their lockers and could feel their glances as they took in the new guy. it didn't take long for him to notice that the entire school was buzzing about one thing: football.

as they walked into the principal's office, mr. hale motioned for walker to take a seat. "you're a football player, right?" he asked, his tone casual but with a sense of pride.

"yeah," walker replied, trying to keep the nerves from creeping in. "i'm here on a football scholarship."

"ah," mr. hale said, his eyes lighting up. "that's right. you're the one they've been talking about—got a pretty good reputation from your previous school. we're excited to have you on the team."

walker couldn't help but smile a little. football had always been his ticket to new opportunities, and he knew this scholarship was more than just a free ride—it was a chance to prove himself. "i'm excited to be here," he said. "i'm ready to contribute, do whatever it takes."

mr. hale nodded approvingly. "good to hear. let's get you assigned to your classes. you'll need to check in with your first-period teacher, but i've already informed them you'll be joining us today. now, as for your first day, i've assigned you a buddy for the day. someone to help you get adjusted, show you around a bit. nathan brooks should be meeting you soon. he's a good kid, knows the ropes."

walker raised an eyebrow. "buddy?"

the principal chuckled. "it's just a way to help new students get settled in. nathan's a sophomore, like you, very laid-back & on the football team. you'll be in good hands."

there was a knock at the door. it opened slightly, and a brown-skinned guy with brown hair poked his head inside. "you the new guy?" he asked, grinning.

"yeah, that's me," walker replied, standing up and offering his hand. "i'm walker."

"nathan," the guy said, shaking his hand. "i'm your guy for today—show you around, help you get settled. i know the ropes here."

"appreciate it," walker said, relieved to have someone to show him around.

nathan flashed a grin and turned toward mr. hale. "you're good to go, right?"

"yeah, i'm good," mr. hale said. "walker, nathan will be showing you the school. he's in charge of the football team's training schedule, he plays corner, and knows this place like the back of his hand."

nathan gave walker a little thumbs-up. "alright, man. let's get going."

as they walked down the hallway, nathan continued to talk, his voice full of casual energy. "so, ridgewood high. it's got everything you need. drama, good food, and the occasional fight in the hallway. you'll get used to the chaos soon enough. first thing's first, though—let's get you to your locker."

walker followed nathan down the hall, trying to keep up with his fast pace. the school was buzzing with life—students huddled in groups by their lockers, talking about everything from homework to parties, while teachers stood near their classrooms, greeting students with nods of encouragement.

as they walked through the halls, nathan filled walker in on the ins and outs of ridgewood high. "so, you play football, right?" nathan asked, glancing over at walker. "youre the one who got a scholarship?"

"yeah," walker replied. "i play running back. you guys have a pretty strong team, right?"

nathan nodded, his smile widening. "yeah, we've got a decent squad. this school's crazy about football. a lot of us get hella offers."

"come on, i'll take you to the gym," nathan started. "then lockers, but most football players hang out in the gym before school so i'll take you there first."

they turned a corner and entered the gym, where a group of girls were practicing cheer routines. walker noticed how they moved with perfect synchronization, their laughter and energy filling the room. one girl stood out more than the others—her long, dark hair cascaded over her shoulders, and her smile was as bright as the gym lights. she was graceful and strong at the same time, the kind of girl who drew your attention without even trying.

as walker and nathan entered the gym, the energy shifted. suddenly, a loud voice called out across the room.

"nathan! get out!" came a girl's voice, sharp and commanding. the cheerleaders stopped mid-routine, and walker's eyes landed on the girl who had spoken. it was her—naomi. she had a fire in her voice that made everyone stop and turn. she was looking directly at nathan, and her expression was both annoyed and amused.

nathan laughed, clearly used to it. "alright omi, alright," he said, raising his hands in mock surrender. "i'm just showing the new guy around. i thought the football players were in here anyways."

naomi crossed her arms, giving him a pointed look. "show him around somewhere else, please. this is cheer practice. the football players are in the field house, go there."

nathan rolled his eyes and turned to walker. he waved a hand in naomi's direction, then turned back to walker with a grin. "don't take it personally. she's cool once you get to know her."

walker chuckled, though he couldn't help but feel a little intimidated. he'd already gotten a taste of how strong-willed naomi was, and he had to admit, he kind of liked it.

"alright," nathan said, clapping his hands. "let's get out of here before she kicks me out for good. i'll show you your locker."

as they started walking toward the exit of the gym, walker took one last look at naomi. she was back with the cheerleaders, but there was something about her that stood out. he didn't know what it was yet, but he was sure he'd be seeing more of her in the future.

"that's my sister," nathan said, noticing where walker's gaze had landed. "naomi."

walker didn't know what to say. there was something magnetic about her, something that made it hard to look away. he nodded in acknowledgment, trying to act casual even though he felt the pull. "she's... wow."

nathan laughed, clearly amused by his reaction. "yeah, i know. she's kind of a big deal around here. everyone loves her, and she's been with trey forever. he's the quarterback on the football team."

walker shifted uncomfortably. "trey?"

"yeah," nathan confirmed. "her boyfriend, my best friend. they've been together for a while. trey's the face of this place, you know? quarterback, everyone knows him. if you're thinking about making a move, you should probably think twice."

walker didn't know if it was a warning or just a casual observation, but he couldn't shake the feeling that naomi was someone he'd want to get to know. maybe it was the way she moved, the way she held herself. or maybe it was just the feeling that he was already getting drawn into the drama of this new place.

"i'm not looking for drama," walker said, forcing himself to focus. "just trying to fit in and keep my head down."

nathan slapped him on the back. "that's the spirit, man. anyway, let's get to your locker. i'll introduce you to a few more people, and then we'll hit the cafeteria. it's where all the real action is.

as they walked across the gym, passing the cheerleaders as they went, walker couldn't help but glance back one more time at naomi, hey started walking toward the exit of the gym, but as they did, nathan shot walker a side glance. "yo, stop looking at my sister like that," he said, his tone suddenly serious. "she's taken, and she's got enough guys paying attention to her already. just... don't make it weird."

walker felt his cheeks heat up, but he nodded, trying to play it cool. "yeah, no worries. i wasn't... i mean, i wasn't staring or anything."

nathan shot him a skeptical look. "good. just keep it that way. alright?"

"yeah, i got it," walker said, trying not to make nathan upset even more. it was only his first day so he didnt need all that.

as they walked down the hall toward the locker area, walker couldn't help but feel a little awkward. nathan had made it clear that naomi was off-limits, and that wasn't even the part that bothered him. it was the way nathan had acted like he was already sizing him up.

they reached walker's locker, and nathan helped him get it set up, giving him a quick rundown of where everything was. walker didn't mind it; it was nice to have someone showing him the ropes.

"alright, this'll be your spot," nathan said. "let's head to the field house. i'll introduce you to a few more people and give you the full tour."

walker nodded, still processing everything. he wasn't sure if he was just overwhelmed by the newness of it all or if it was something about naomi and nathan's protectiveness, but he couldn't shake the feeling that his first day at ridgewood high was going to be a lot more complicated than he expected.

𝐋𝐀'𝐍𝐈𝐘𝐀 𝐒𝐏𝐄𝐀𝐊𝐒 ─── ⋆˚𝜗𝜚˚⋆

ok first chapter was a bit disappointing i know im sorry, next one will be better.

with love, @love4niyy