...after much consiteration, i decided to make a second half to chapter 7...so...here it is!

Third period was science. Seth scanned the room, looking for an empty seat. There were four rows of three tables that fit two people. Way in the back, there was an empty seat next to Sam. He reluctantly walked over to it, and sat down without saying a word.
“Hi!” Sam said, chipper as always.
Seth held her gaze for a moment, the looked away to another direction, hand under his chin, observing all aspects of the room.
It was cold, he decided, but non-threatening. The school was well funded, and there were all kinds of objects that would not have been found at the school he went to downtown.
“I didn’t catch your name,” Sam said. “I think Jenn told me, but I forgot.”
He sighed and turned his head. “It’s Seth,” he said, and held out his hand.
Sam looked at it like fish bait. Didn’t people shake hands here? “I’m Sam,” she said.
He nodded, pulling his hand back, feeling stupid not knowing how people acted.
They sat in silence for a minute before Sam summoned up the courage to speak again.
“How old are you?” she asked.
“Fourteen,” he answered automatically and immediately.
More silence. The teacher walked in and started writing something on the old-fashioned chalk-board in front. He watched, and his gaze flickered to the mirror that was secured to the ceiling above the teacher’s black desk. It looked that it could pivot so the students could see what the teacher was doing on his or her desk, similar to an overhead projector.
He shrank back into his chair, slouching, and his jaw touched the collar of his jacket.
“How long are you staying with Jenn’s family?” Sam asked, shifting in her own black plastic seat.
Seth peered at her through the dark strands of his hair that covered his face.
Sam shut up.
“Class!” the teacher barked from the front of the room; a man, shorter than average. Brown suit and green tie, black leather shoes that nocked on the tile floor of the room as he walked, piercing green eyes and dark brown hair, and goatee around his mouth. “We have a new student today. Seth Shepherds. Stand, would you please, sir?”
Seth remained in his seat, slouched, where he was.
“Mr. Shepherds?”
Seth said nothing.
“Right then,” the teacher said.
The teacher walked back to his desk and moved a red foam apple into alignment with the other things in his space. He straightened a pen and a pencil so they were perfect where they were, and made a short hm! noise, as if intensely satisfied with himself.
The class stayed silent.
“I am Mr. Geer,” he said loudly, eyes fixated on his desk.
The class remained quiet.
Mr. Geer walked around his it, his feet making the nock, nock, nock sound as he walked. He sneezed, and then sniffed. “I have a passion for science,” he said, speaking widely with his hands. “I could be teaching high school students, or even in universities,” Mr. Geer stopped for a dramatic effect, “But,” he continued, “I,” he walked down the isle between science tables, taking a step with every word, “Teach. You.”
He continued walking around the room. Nock, nock, nock…and then he stopped – right in front of Seth.
Nock.
“Have you got that, Mr. Shepherds?”
Seth held the man’s gaze for a minute before seriously answering, “Yes, sir,” to the horrible little man.
“Good man!” Mr. Geer said, his eyebrows drawing together. He addressed the class, “Everyone get out your Science spirals as we continue our lesson on atoms. You see, atoms–” he trailed off talking, his hands gesturing wildly as if trying to communicate the deaf.
He started drawing something on the chalk board. “Copy this down, boys and girls.”
Sam tore out a sheet of paper for Seth and handed it to him, and he joined everyone duplicating the model onto their papers. “He’s not very nice,” she muttered knowingly out of the side of her mouth.
Seth exhaled a single short laugh.
“Ms. Kyoko,” Mr. Geer warned, half turning around. “Mr. Shepherds is busy, and so should you be.”
Sam’s eyes narrowed, and she continued writing out the notes on the board.

Chapter 7 (slightly revised, so re-read it anyway!)

The next morning, Seth was woken up rudely at five thirty. It had been so quite, peaceful, dark, and warm.
Then, “Hey, wake up! School!” Jenn was on top of him, shining a light into his dark eyes.
He squinted and groaned. “Get off me,” he said.
Jenn shook him. “No, get up.”
He sat up. “I said. Get. Off. Me,” he growled, sitting up.
Jenn rolled off the bed and onto her feet. She was already dressed and ready to go. “Sheesh, grouchy much?”
She shut the light off and went over to the door. “Okay, but make sure you’re all ready to leave the house and not be hungry until,” she checked her watch, “Six thirty.”
He rubbed his face and shook his hair. “’Kay.”
As she left, she flicked on the light switch. Seth dropped and covered his eyes. “Aah!”
He heard a low chuckle in the hallway.
He groaned again and got out of ‘his’ bed. He opened ‘his’ dresser and pulled out one of his black t-shirts and a dark pair of jeans.
When he’d changed, he walked into the bathroom to fix his severe bed-head.

“Ready for your first day?” Sasha asked from the front seat of the car.
Jenn was literally bouncing in her seat.
Seth wasn’t interested.
“Seth?” she asked, flicking the left signal up quickly with her finger and turning left.
A nice looking school came into view. Ivy covered the outside bricks and a black wrought-iron fence lined the yard. The sky was a blanket of gray watercolor.
And it was raining again.
He took a deep breath and gave her another one-word answer, “Sure.”
He shifted his black backpack on his shoulder, where the straps felt like plastic fabric. The binder inside was heavy with new supplies. He wore his black jacket with the high collar that went halfway up to his neck. It was really warm, and water tight. He looked over at Jenn. She was sitting on the other side of the car listening to her new iPod. She had a dark blue t-shirt on with a black cami and light jeans. On her feet were brown and light green skate shoes.
He shook his head, black hair falling into his face again and making his nose itch.
“Okay, guys, see you later,” Sasha pulled the car up to the sidewalk where other children were unloading.
Jenn opened her door, and set one foot out onto the damp sidewalk and got out. “’Cmon, Seth,” she added, holding the door open for him.
He gave a low growl and made his way to the door. He immediately knew that he was one of the only new kids because heads swiveled his way.
Yeah, pick on the figure in black, he thought angrily.
The door of the car slammed, and the BMW drove away. And he was on his own with Jenn.
Which was, technically, alone.
Footsteps were everywhere. “Jenn!” someone behind them called.
An Asian girl ran towards them and tackle-hugged Jenn. “Hey! How was your weekend? Did you get him yet? Is he cute? Is –”
Jenn clamped a hand over the girl’s mouth. “Shut up!” she hissed. “I missed you too.”
Then the girl caught sight of Seth. “Ooh, Jenn,” she giggled.
Jenn pulled away from the girl, still holding her shoulder with one hand. “This is Seth,” Jenn said. “Seth, this is Sam.”
The girl, Sam, giggled again. “Hi,” she grinned, and gave a small wave.
He nodded once.
She swiveled back to Jenn, “OhmyGod he’s cute,” she squealed before Jenn covered her mouth again.
“Shh-shh-shh!” she giggled.
Then a bus pulled up and unloaded, and Seth lost sight of the girls. Someone bigger than him shoved him and yelled, “Move it, freak!” and swore at him.
Seth staggered back a few steps and into a few more kids. Now he was feeling even more lost.
One side of his mouth drooped.
This could be a long day.