Wayne Meets Daniel (Excerpt from Chapter 1)

     He went to respond when Rachel responded for him, “Why don’t you guys leave him alone? Don’t you have anything better to do?”

     “Stay out of this, Rachel,” said Daniel. He paused for a second. His attention seemed to turn towards Wayne who was almost hidden in the background as he tried to sneak away. “Who’s the new kid?”

     Wayne jumped and spun around. He didn’t seem happy that he was noticed, “Who? Me? Oh…I’m Wayne, Wayne Wright.” He smiled and slowly extended his hand towards Daniel.

     He just stared at him, “Wayne, huh? Why are you hanging around a loser like him?” He pointed at Ryan. “Are you a loser like him?”

     “I wouldn’t exactly call Mr. Harper a loser,” replied Wayne, “but I haven’t exactly known him all that long. He might be…he might not be. As for hanging out with him, I wouldn’t exactly call this hanging. More like, getting better acquainted. You could say I’m learning my surroundings.” He eyed Daniel closely, “You must be the proverbial alpha male.“

     “What?” questioned Alex.

     Grant replied, “You’re weird.”

     “Whatever you consider it,” said Daniel, “can I give you some friendly advice, friend?”

     “Of course, always willing to learn something new.”

     Daniel peered at Wayne, “High school life can be harsh enough without complicating it by who you hang with. To survive, you see, image is everything. It’s all a part of your reputation, and you’re right now. Your reputation is a blank slate since you’re new here. But you are who you hang with, so you should choose your friends carefully. Don’t hang around with losers like Ryan here. You need to hang with winners. You’ll survive a lot longer.”

     “Winners like you?” remarked Wayne as he eyed Daniel.

     Daniel smiled, “Of course, I’m king of the hill around here. I make and break reputations at the drop of a hat. Just remember that when you choose who your friends are.”

     “I’ll take that under advisement,” said Wayne. “I believe, though, that it’s not who you know that is important. It’s about staying true to yourself, and how you treat others. I appreciate your advice, but I think I’ll stick to my own instincts to survive.”

     Daniel’s smile faded. He didn’t seem to approve, “You’re entitled to your opinion. It’s your funeral.” His focus changed as he look towards Rachel. She squirmed uncomfortably as her eyes met his. “You can really pick ‘em, Rachel.”