A Misfit

Casanoff High

Point of View:

Tyler Baile

The beeping of the alarm had me shooting out of the bed. “Stupid alarm,” I muttered as I shut it off. I yawned and stretched before tossing away the covers. “Hey,” I said grabbing Clayton’s ankle and shook it, “time to get up and shower bro,” I said my voice thick with grogginess.  

“Huh,” he asked lifting his head out from under his blankets and pillows.  

“Time to get ready the alarm went off,” I said as I grabbed my toiletries.  

“Okay little man,” Clayton yawned out.  

“What,” I asked as a weird picture flashed in my mind. It was me and Clayton but younger and it was the same scenario. Clayton gave the same look and shook his head. 

“Sorry man, you just reminded me of my little brother there for a second,” Clayton said as he got out of the bed.  

“Oh okay,” I mumbled before heading into the ghastly showers. The showers were horrid but luckily we had individual showers with curtains! There is nothing worse than a group shower. I found it stupid that our choice of water was lukewarm cold and freezing; I understand most boys can use a cold shower but this school takes it to a new level. Once I washed out my conditioner and acne wash I turned off the water and wrapped the towel around my waist and practically ran to my room.  

I closed the door behind me and ran to my wardrobe and thought of that to wear my first day of school. I grabbed a pair of boot cut jeans and my deep green button up t-shirt. I was so happy to get dressed alone, cause nothing more awkward than dressing with a gay guy and straight ones. Fighting is always the end result. I went over to my mirror and squirted my hair gel into my hand and did my signature flip. I was dressed and ready by the time Clayton walked into the room.  

“Wow you get dressed fast,” Clayton said.  

“Well I didn’t want it to be awkward for you,” I said as I put deodorant on my armpits and arms. 

“What do you mean,” he asked looking for clothes to wear. 

“I’m gay,” I said calmly as I grabbed my back pack. 

“Oh,” was all Clayton said as I looked at him in the mirror. 

“Yeah and by the way that blue plaid shirt doesn’t go with those shoes, go with the purple one,” I said as I left the room. I walked out into the hall to see witches, werewolves, and fairies walking around in towels. I shook my head as I started down the stairs. I heard giggling as I started down them causing me to stop and look up the stairs. I saw a bunch of girls sitting on the stairs watching the boys in their towels. 

“And we are the ones with cold showers,” I muttered as I descended the stairs. I walked out the front door and into the chilly morning with a fake smile on my face. It took every ounce of my being to fake that I was happy to be here when the world knows I would rather be on the beach.  

“Dude tone it down,” Donavan drawled out as he causally leaned up against the pine tree to my left. 

“What are you talking about,” I asked. 

“Your smile totally screams fake. It is so not cool bro,” He said as he took a drag from his cigarette, “be yourself and the sooner time flies by.” 

“I’ll take that into consideration,” I said as I rolled my eyes at him. I tugged tighter on my bag as I brushed pass him. Seriously what is wrong with the people in this school? Everything, otherwise they wouldn’t be here. I shook my head and smiled as I walked into the school building. I slipped my backpack off and dug into it to find my class schedule and map of the building. Once I had retrieved the papers I headed down the hall to History of Magic with Professor Reeve. I really don’t like school but if it meant I didn’t die and that I would get my wand back I could suffer through it. I folded the papers up and put them in my front pocket next to my phone. I pushed back the wooden door and was surprised to see a normal class room.  

I was expecting to see broomsticks, potions and lightning strikes. Instead there was a standard class room with desks, a whiteboard and a teacher behind a large ornate desk. I walked into the class room quietly and walked over to the nearest desk and set my backpack on its top.  

“Excuse me, Professor, I am Tyler and I was told I would get my wand if I came to class early,” I said politely as I gingerly made my way up to her desk. 

“Yes,” She said in a thick accent that I couldn’t quite place. I was at the foot of her desk waiting for her to return my wand to me, yet she kept on grading papers. After a few moments she looked up at me. “Yes? How may I help you?”  

“Um, I’m Tyler Baile. I was told you have my wand,” I said slowly. 

“Oh Tyler, yes now I remember,” Professor Reeve opened her top desk drawer, “here is your wand.”  

“That is not the one I had in Dallas,” I said as I looked at the teak wood stick.  

“Oh yes we know, this wand is your original and true one. This is wand once belonged to your father, but after his untimely death the wand chose you.” Professor said quietly as she looked at me.  

“What do you mean my true one?” I asked as I felt the sting of tears. 

“You will learn more in class okay deary? Now take your wand and sit in your seat. Class begins in a few minutes,” She said nodding to my seat where my back pack laid.  

“One more question before I forget,” I said as I gently touched the wand, “what is this one made of?” Professor Reeve smiled at me and picked it up and held it to her ear. She continued to stroke it before flicking the tip and the middle of the wand. 

“Beautiful, Burmese teak wood mixed with African unicorn horn, nine and half inches long infused with fairy dust and centaur blood. It was crafted beautifully in the high Scandinavian mountains of Norway.” Professor Reeves put the wand gently back at the edge of her desk and went back to her papers.  

“Thank you,” I said to her before taking my wand. I walked back to my desk before sitting down and staring at my father’s wand. As I continued to stare at my family’s wand I felt every fiber of the wand burning itself into my mind. Then as if I was in a trance, my hand lingered to the wand. My fingers soon feathered the wood’s grain and my body jolted as sounds pounded in my head. The sounds of shattering glass, screaming and gun fire raged on in my ears.  

Ring! Ring! Ring! 

I practically threw my wand back on the desk as I came back from the flashback. I dug into my backpack to distract myself from that experience. I pulled out a pen and notebook paper and stared at the blank sheet. “Hey roomie,” Clayton said sitting next to me.  

“Hey Clayton, you sleep well?” I asked as I cleared my throat.  

“Great but missed you at breakfast.” 

“Yeah sorry, I just had to do a few things before class.”  

“Good morning class,” Professor Reeves said as she got up and sat on the front of her desk.  “Today we have a new student, his name is Tyler Baile.” The class turned around slowly to look at me once she said my name. “Tyler would you like to come up and say a few things?”  

“Um sure,” I said quietly. I stood up slowly and walked up to the front where twenty-three pairs of eyes stared at me with judgment and curiosity. “Hello, my name is Tyler. I’m from New York City but I’ve been traveling intensely for the last nine months.”  

“Any questions for Tyler?” Professor Reeves asked the class. I s**t you not, all twenty-three hands shot straight up. “Yes Miranda.” 

“Where did you travel to,” the girl in the first row asked. 

“Quebec Canada, Dallas Texas, LA California, Paris France, London United Kingdom, oh I was in Chicago for a while as well.”  

“Are you the same Tyler Baile the Grand Council has been hunting down for nine months?” A boy next to Clayton asked. 

“Yes,” I said calmly. The class slowly lowered their hands and stared at me with mixed looks. 

“Any other questions,” Professor Reeves asked into the tension filled air.  

“Yes Clayton,” I asked. 

“Why did the council come after you?” 

“I honestly don’t know. I lost my memory in Paris France. I assume I was on vacation with my parents but I’ve been told they are dead. I know I didn’t kill them but I was there when it happened. I assume the council wanted me since I am a ward of the state but when I was captured in Dallas two weeks ago they tried to charge me with treason, murder, underage witchcraft and terrorism.” 

“Alright that is enough for now.” Professor Reeves said cutting me off. 

“Why all those charges? You don’t look so dangerous,” A big jock like guy said in the front.  

“They charged me with that because in nine months I murdered 89 magical creatures that attacked me. It was self-defense but they claimed cold blood. You are probably wondering why not execute me? Well they gave me the choice of school or death. My first choice was the death penalty but they wanted that.” I gulped as Professor Reeves gave me a look to shut up, “with that out of the way let’s get back to class.” I scurried quickly to my seat. 

“Okay class today our lesson is on wands…” an hour later the class had forgotten that I killed 89 people and were hanging on Professor Reeves’ word. I had to admit that I learned more in one class than I have out in the real world. I was disappointed when the bell rang signaling the end of the hour. I put my things in my bag and got up to leave when the jock guy from before bumped into me. I rolled my eyes and cursed under my breath.  

“Don’t let Brock annoy you he is just a douche,” Clayton said to me from his seat.  

“Oh don’t worry I won’t let him, hey do you have alchemy next period?” I asked Clayton hoping I wouldn’t be alone.  

“No but my friend Donavan is. He will watch out for you no matter what, but be careful because Brock is in there as well.” Clayton said as he walked with me to Professor Reed’s class.  

“Thanks Clay,” I said to him as he left me at Professor Alex Reed’s class. I walked into the classroom and took the only open seat next to Brock. Just my luck I thought to myself. I pulled out my notebook and pen and looked straight ahead to the whiteboard ignoring the fact that Brock stared at me with a look of disgust.  

“Hello class,” Professor Alex Reed said as he looked at the class. “The agenda for today is going over the toxic chemicals and plants. After that we will split into groups of three and experiment with similar herbs and chemicals.” I clicked my pen and for thirty minutes I wrote a huge list of things too toxic to use in class. “Alright class um… go out and pick your partners.”  I sat in my seat and watched as all the teenagers instantly found their best friends until it was just me alone. I sighed and collected my things before sitting at the lone lab table in the back. 

“Hey can I be your partner?” Brock asked sheepishly from my right. I looked confused at him but nodded respectfully to him.  

“Hey Donavan,” I said politely as he passed us.  

“Hey Tyler right?” He asked me in his southern accent. 

“Yeah that is right,” I said.  

“Hey can you guys use a third lab partner?” 

“It’s up to him,” I replied back.  

“Sure,” He grumbled as he played with the vials of chemicals.  

“Alright class turn to page 45 of your textbooks and complete one question before the bell rings. The first group to finish will get ten points of extra credit on the first test.” Professor Reeds announced before returning to his papers. 

“Okay guys let’s get started,” Brock said grabbing Hemlock and monk wood. 

“Stop!” I said as I grabbed the monk wood. “You mix those two you would be in the infirmary faster than taking your morning piss.”  

“Uh thanks man,” Brock mumbled. 

“Don could you give me the sage, and the lavender,” I said as I poured the monk wood into the bowl. Don added the sage and Brock added the lavender. I added in ginger and mace before picking up the grinder. I ground the herbs into a fine powder for a period of six minutes. 

“Hurry up the bell is going to ring like any minute,” Brock said impatiently. 

“Oh shut up and hand me some thyme and lemon grass,” I said as I poured in water. Brock added in the ingredients and Donavan stirred it all together. “Done give me your lighter,” I said as I grabbed a bamboo stick. I grabbed Donavan’s lighter and lit the one end of the stick before putting it the bowl. A burst of light and smoke a yellow liquid was left over. “There it is done.” 

“Cool what did we make?” Donavan asked peering into the bowl.  

“An all-natural energizer,” I said quietly. 

“Mr. Reed I believe we completed lab number seven,” Brock stated, the class locked up stunned that in a matter of ten minutes a lab had been completed. Professor Reed stood up and walked quickly over to judge what we had created. 

“Let me have a taste,” He said to me. I lifted the bowl up to him and he gingerly sipped the liquid. Professor Reed made a strangled choking sound and set the bowl down.  

“Oh s**t! Professor Reed this was all Tyler’s concoction,” Brock said jumping up.  

“Nice job,” Donavan drawled under his breath. 

“Lay off jackasses. The Liquid Speed has been tweaked thanks to the sage and lavender mix instead of lavender and hemlock. Professor Reed won’t have a horrid crash after taking the supplement.” I said calmly. 

“Tyler is correct,” Professor Reed said quickly. “Tyler will be given an extra 15 points on the next quiz. Here is why, all potions in the book need to be tweaked. You all could have gotten the extra credit but because you thought it was hurting me and turned on him you will receive none.”  

“What!” Brock asked. 

“You should have trusted me, stupid homophobes,” I said under my breath.  

“Excuse me?” Donavan asked. 

“I’m gay, it is the reason most people don’t trust me or like me so it figures.” 

“I knew you were,” Brock said as he rolled his eyes at me.  

Ring! Ring! Ring! 

I quickly left alchemy leaving the class speechless and stunned. My only question was why are they so shocked surly there must be open gays at this school. I knew a few out in the real world so why was it so shocking here? Then Evelyn’s words hit me, ‘well I haven’t seen this one in a long time.’ Then I put two and two together as I made my way to Anatomy. Still I had trouble processing it all when I took my place in anatomy. Then it hit me.  

“I am the only open gay here.” I said out loud in the middle of Dr. Boned’s speech.  

“Excuse me?” Dr. Boned asked as she looked to me in the front row.  

“I uh nothing,” I quickly looked away only to see the entire class was staring at me. People’s faces either read disgust or pure joy. I looked down to my notebook and started doodling like I always do when I am nervous. I sat through the rest of anatomy taking down notes on the major arteries and pressure points. I nearly cried tears of salvation when the bell rang. In my hasty get away to escape the stares from my classmate I knocking my chair over in the process.  

“Hey wait up Tyler!” Clayton called out as I passed him in the hall way.  

“Oh sorry Clay,” I said in between pants. 

“Dude you have got to save your energy since we have self-defense next.” 

“Oh walk with me?” I asked as I tugged on my backpack.  

“Yeah did you bring a change of clothes?” Clayton asked as he led me to the gym. 

“No, but I’m sure I can whip something up,” I said as I pulled out my wand. 

“Dude, be careful magic is dangerous even in here. It drains a lot of a witch.”  

“Clay I know believe me, I have been doing this for months.” I said as we walked into the locker room. I was happy to see that it was empty when we entered. “Shelma.” I was soon dressed in a bro tank and basketball shorts.  

“So cool but seriously the school has a serious spell that increases the after effects of witch craft. It is their way of stopping us from using magic.” Clayton said as he took off his shirt.  

“And with that I am going out into the gym,” I said to Clayton as I left the locker room. I smiled as I heard Clayton laughing.  

“Think fast,” Said a voice as a large object sailed through the air toward me. I took a half step to the left and the object clattered to the floor. “Good reflects,” said a small Asian woman walking up to me. 

“Uh thank you and you are?” I asked as I faced her. 

“Mistress Tai Ming and you must be Tyler Baile. Your reputation precedes you. I have seen your handy work in person and in photo so I only have one request do not kill my students.” She said as she came further into the light. 

“You look familiar do I know you?” I asked her. 

“Yes I was the last member on the council to say not guilty. So prove me right because I can change my judgment.”  

“Yes ma’am are you a?”  

“I’m a werewolf, not a vampire, but I do have speed and strength to match your Anastasia,” She said calmly.  

“Cool so when does class begin?” 

“Now.” The lights in the gym turned on and soon teenagers in shorts and tank tops came out of the locker rooms. I quick hurried over to Clayton and Evelyn once I saw them.  

“Line up!” Mistress called out. All the students and I fell into three lines before her standing like soldiers. “Alright class we have a fighting celebrity in our midst today. Tyler come and stand by me.” She looked directly to me and smiled. I slowly got out of line and walked calmly over to her. “Can anyone tell me why you should know him?” Evelyn was the only one daring enough to raise their hand. “Yes Miss Clearwater.” Evelyn stepped forward and said loudly. 

“Tyler Baile is known for being the only teenager to elude the Grand council for a period of nine months, the longest time since Jack the Ripper. Tyler Baile has been able to kill not one vampire but nine-teen of them. He also killed twenty-eight werewolves, zero fairies and forty-two witches.” 

“Excellent!” Evelyn smiled and stepped back into line. “Now there are some among you who believe they are the best, but that is not the case when compared to this seventeen-year-old before you. For this week you all are going to go one on one with Mr. Baile. He has agreed not to kill any of you but he will not hold back. Who wants to be the first one to attack him?” Mistress Tai Ming asked the class. I was surprised to see Clayton to step forward. “Mr. Summers you are first. The two of you head to the mats the rest form a circle around them and watch closely.”  

“Come on Clay,” I said as I walked to the mats.  

“Right behind you,” He replied as he followed me.  

“Is everyone ready?” Mistress asked the crowd. There was a chorus of yeses and giggling. “On my word,” She said as Clayton and I got down into our stances, “fight.” Clayton inched closer to me and as we closed the distance I could see he was contemplating his moves. I stopped moving and let Clayton make the first move. I smiled as he leaned back in his stance. Clayton kicked high at my head but I ducked down and grabbed his ankle and punched him in his stomach. I dropped his foot and backed up into him and rabbit punched him in the face and chest with the back of my fist. I then cart wheeled away to face him. The crowd stopped giggling and watched Clayton as his light green eyes turn into a deep emerald green.  

“You ready?” I asked with a smile. 

“Attack me,” Clayton grunted. I smiled as we circled as we both debated our moves. Then after going through all options I just decided to say, “Screw it,” I charged up at Clayton and aimed to kick the right temple. Clayton dropped to the floor avoiding my kick and swept my left leg out from under me, I took advantage of it and came down with my elbow positioned into his stomach. Clayton got up and managed to straddle me and punched me in my jaw. He flashed me a smile as his fist came for my face again. I moved my head to the side and lifted my legs up and around him and rolled onto my side. I kicked Clayton in the side of the face and crawled to my feet.  

“Not bad for a school boy,” I muttered as I wiped blood from my lower lip. 

“Thanks but you could use some work in your wrestling moves,” Clayton commented. I smiled as we charged each other at the same time. Clayton high kicked and I lunged down and punched up. When my fist met his ankle Mistress Tai Ming held up her hand stopping us.  

“Miranda would bring us the swords.” The girl from my first period ran to the wall and brought back two swords. “Now fight with these,” She said as Miranda handed them to us, “resume.” I gripped the handled and leaned back in my stance and nodded to Clayton as he did the same. We circled once again before we started our attacks.  We stopped and I lunched at Clayton but he easily stepped to the side and thwacked my sword out of my hand and held his to my throat. I smiled at him and said, “Nice movement.” He smiled before I grabbed his forearm and tore the sword out of his hand with my teeth. I then threw him over my shoulder and to the ground. I held the sword to his heart and smiled at his stunned expression. I assumed we were done as I lowered my sword but Clayton was quick on the ball as he swung his legs undermine causing me to crumble to the floor. We both lay on the floor smiling and panting. He sprung to his feet and grabbed a hold of the sword he had knocked out of my hands earlier. I smiled at this challenged and reverse somersaulted with my sword ready to block his attacks. Clayton’s sword came down and met mine with a surprising force. I used my foot to throw off his sword and push him off. I stood up and whipped the sword at Clayton hitting him square in the chest; I followed suit and tackled Clayton to the ground knocked our swords away. I grabbed his wrists and pinned them above his head and held my sword to his throat.  

“Finished, Tyler is the victor,” Mistress Tai Ming announced.   

“Nice job,” I panted getting off and pulling him to his feet. 

“Thanks you aren’t so bad yourself,” Clayton panted out. 

“You should see me when I use my wand then,” I chuckled.

 “Well who is next,” Mistress Tai Ming said as Clayton and I shook hands. From there on I continued to win all the matches within a matter of seconds. At the end of the class I had taken on about twelve students out of sixty-seven. I was surprised that I never got to beat the s**t out of Brock.