Chapter Text
September 1st 19XX
The first day of senior year!
‘Dear Diary.
I believe I’m a good person. I believe there is good in everyone. But I look around at these kids Ive known all my life and I ask myself…. What Happened?!’
Ekko wrote in his diary that he carried around since he was a young kid with the other students. He reminisced on running around and playing tag, singing in class, playing games, baking cookies. All of the fun things the students did back in elementary.
But now they all had grown, this was no longer high school, it was the thunderdome.
Thankfully being the last year meant they would all graduate soon. He figured college would be paradise! If he’s not dead by June.
But he truly felt life could be a better thing than this one day. He felt things could get better out of school and things could even be… Beautiful.
Just not today.
As he was walking the hall in his own world he saw a jock he recognized as Mylo Sweeny, a linebacker who picked on others. After he left Ekko approached the guy on the ground.
“Hey, are you okay?” he asked.
“Get away nerd!” the student scoffed before getting up on his own to leave.
“Okay..”* Ekko mumbled to himself before rolling his eyes and opening his diary once again.
‘Things will get better when I get a letter from Harvard, Duke, or Brown! I’ll take my diploma then I can blow this town. I dream of ivy covered walls and smokey french cafes. I fight the urge to strike a match and set this DUMP A BLAZE!’ he wrote harshly.
When he got to lunch he put the diary in his satchel he carried as a school bag before getting his tray of food. That was until he ran into Mylo once again. He did what he did every lunch and smacked the tray from Ekkos hand.
“What a dick,” Ekko grumbled today before Mylo turned to look him in the eyes, being a bit taller than Ekko.
“What did you say to me?” he asked.
“Nothing!” Ekko squeaked, showing his cowardly side. Then he rushed off to his lunch table that had Claggor Dunnstock waiting, his best friend since diapers!
“Hey Claggor,” Ekko greeted as he sat with no food.
“Hey,” the friend replied fixing his glasses. “We on for movie night still?”
“Yeah, you’re on jiffy pop detail,” Ekko told him with a chuckle.
“I rented The Princess Bride!” Claggor exclaimed.
“Again? Dont you have it memorized by now?” Ekko asked with another laugh.
“What can I say? I’m a sucker for a happy ending,” Claggor chuckled along. Claggor even kindly gave half his sandwich to Ekko since his lunch was knocked away like every day.
When they were done eating they got up to head to their lockers early when another jock approached.
“Claggor dumptruck! Wide load!! Honk!!!” the jock yelled at them causing Ekko to roll his eyes. It was just Jayce Kelly the quarterback. He was the smartest guy on the football team actually! Which was like being the tallest person with dwarfism. That was when Jayce smacked the books from Claggors hands.
“Hey! Pick that up right now!” Ekko tried to argue back. But the jock stared him down as he stepped closer to Ekko, towering over the male.
“Im sorry, are you actually talking to me?” Jayce asked.
“Yes, I am! I want to know what gives you the right to pick on my friend! You’re a high-school has been waiting to happen. A future gas station attendant,” Ekko insulted him. Then Jayce’s finger made contact with his forehead.
“You’ve got a zit right there,” he pointed out with a loud laugh that erupted the students around them to laugh. He turned and high fived his friend Mylo before the jocks walked off leaving Ekko and Claggor annoyed as they picked up books.
All Ekko could think was Why?? Why do they hate him and Claggor? Why didnt they fight back? Why was Jayce such a creep? Why wont anyone date him? Why did they hit them? Why did he cry himself to sleep??
But as they were getting ready to finally leave the lunch room, THEY, came in. The Divas. They float above it all!
Maddie McNamara, a blonde dressed in yellow, her dad is loaded - he sells engagement rings.
Violet Duke, a pinkette dressed in green, she runs the yearbook. No discernible personality, but her mom dad pay for implants.
Then Caitlyn Chandler, with dark blue hair and dressed in red. The almighty; she is a mythic bitch.
They are solid Teflon, never bothered, never harassed.
Ekko would give anything to be like that.
Guys wanted to be their boyfriend. If girls sat with them, guys would notice them. Claggor wished they were nicer.
Someone out there would even like to kidnap a Diva and photograph her naked in an abandoned warehouse and leave her tied up for the rats….
Anyways.
Ekko found himself heading to the gender neutral bathroom during class to get away from it all. But when he got in he heard puking in a stall which made him furrow his eyebrows in confusion. People rarely used the neutral bathroom which is why he liked it.
“Grow up Violet, bulimia is so 87,” he heard Caitlyn's voice ring out.
“Maybe you should see a doctor Violet,” a more innocent and sweet voice rang out, obviously Maddie.
“Yeah Maddie, Maybe I should,” the last voice agreed before throwing up more.
“Ah, Caitlyn and Maddie,” a teacher said as she entered the bathroom before the puking continued. “And Violet. Perhaps you didnt hear the bell over all the vomiting. You’re late for class” Mrs. Fleming scolded.
“Violet wasnt feeling well, we’re helping her,” Cait snapped at the teacher.
“Not without a hall pass you’re not. Weeks detention,” she said as Ekko stepped in. He had been hiding and writing the whole time as he handed her a hall pass.
“Actually, all four of us are on a hallpass! Yearbook committee,” he lied as she read the pass.
“I see you’re all listed. Hurry up and get where you’re going,” she said handing the pass back and leaving the bathroom. Caitlyn snatched the pass from his hand to read it over.
“This is an excellent forgery… Who are you?” Cait asked with a tone of annoyance yet surprise.
“Uhh, Ekko.. Sawyer.. I crave a boon.” he answered.
“What boon?” Caitlyn replied.
“Just let me sit at your table for lunch, just once! No talking necessary. If people think you guys tolerate me, they'll leave me alone,” Ekko begged as all three divas began to laugh at the idea. “Before you answer I also do report cards, permission slips, and absence notes.”
“How about prescriptions?” Violet asked.
“Shut up Violet!”
“Sorry Cait.”
Caitlyn stepped forward and inspected Ekko, looking at his face and hair. He had dark skin and amazing features along with pure white hair.
“For a greasy little nobody, you do have goo bone structure,” Cait complimented.
“And a symmetrical face. If I took a meat cleaver down the center of your skull, I’d have matching halves. That;s very important,” Maddie ‘complimented’ as she looked at Ekkos face up close.
“Of course you could stand to lose a few pounds,” Violet insulted as she was finally done puking and went to wash her hands in the sink.
“And you know, this could be beautiful. Some mascara, maybe lip gloss, and we’re on our way. Get this guy some blush, and Violet I need your brush. Let’s make him beautiful!” Cait went on as Ekko felt a bit over his head but ready.
“Let’s make him beautiful!” Violet agreed.
“Let’s make him beautiful!” Maddie chimed in.
“Okay?” Cait asked and Ekko nodded.
“Okay!” he agreed!
They spent a while in the bathroom before it was the end of the day and people were gathering in the courtyard to head home. People argued as Jocks threatened students and others bumped into each other. Everyone seemed annoyed like always. Until a voice broke out.
“Who’s that with Caitlyn??”
Woes and awes filled the students.
“Caitlyn, Violet, Maddie.. And someone??”
“Caitlyn, Violet, Maddie.. And a babe??”
“Caitlyn, Violet, Maddie…..”
“Ekko?” Claggor asked with surprise.
“Ekko!” others repeated as he walked with the three girls in new clothes, a new hairstyle, and enough makeup to hide any imperfection he had while also looking good.
‘Life can be beautiful! You hope, you dream, you pray, and you get your way! Ask me how it feels, looking like hell on wheels! My god it’s beautiful, I might be beautiful, and when you’re beautiful, it’s a beautiful frickin day!’ Ekko wrote in his diary before everyone started to gather on busses to leave for the day.
Tomorrow he would be sitting at their lunch table!