39. WHAT HAPPENED TO US

First day of school! Bas is so excited. They'll finally learn cool stuff in high school. And he'll meet his friends again. What could possibly go wrong? But what are these? Pimples?! Oh no! How did he not notice them before? They need to be covered up immediately.

Welcome to San Sequoia Gilbert Gilberts High School.

Laura: Hi Bas. Why aren't you wearing a chess club shirt?

Bas: What?! Are you all in the chess club? Why no one told me? I'd have joined too.

Rom: Nah... it's just that kind of day. Didn't you get the info? Well, maybe active Sims don't get it. 

Bas: Who is Laura talking to? She seems... I don't know, excited?

Rom: Oh, this is Atlas Michaelson. He's before his senior year. And he's the school president. And Laura seems to like him. Like a lot. 

Bas: Ok... We should probably get to class now. 

Bas took books from the locker and went to class, passing Laura on the way. He imagined this first day differently, but it turned out, he won't be even in the same class with his friends. At least the lessons themselves were as they should be. Listening to the teacher, Bas finally felt at home.  

That same day, there was a Career Day at school. Bas went there out of curiosity, but most of the jobs didn't impress him.

Bas: So, trend-setter... Uh, that's more for my mom, I guess.

Criminal: Or maybe a job that requires intelligence and cunning?

Bas: Sure, but I'd prefer something legal. 

But eventually something caught his interest.

Guest: Modern problems require modern solutions. Start your engineering career and solve problems with computers and gadgets!

Bas: That sounds awesome! What skills are most useful?

Guest: Handiness, robotics, and programming are the top skills.

It wasn't exactly the perfect day for Bastian, but he met with his friends again, he was finally in high school after all, learning interesting things, and even finding out about a cool profession. But something was bothering him and he couldn't name it. Something was clearly wrong. 

The next day at school.

Barb: What are you wearing to the autumn prom? The theme is Dance Macabre.

Rom: Uh... I don't think I'm going. It's not my thing.

Bas: Autumn prom? Already? We just started school.

Barb: When would you like to have the autumn prom? In the winter? 

Bas: I was thinking about this prom... What do you think if we all go together and dress up thematically, like Jedi? Or Grimterns?

Paul: Sorry mate, I'm going with Karmine Luna and she wants to dress up as pirates.

Barb: I'm out too, going with Arno Johnson.

Laura: I'm going with someone too.

Bas: How on earth you all have prom partners already? It's just the 2nd day of school!

Paul: Well, we spent the summer in San Sequoia. There were a few opportunities to know more people.

Barb: You have to keep up, Bas. It's school, the most popular will survive. I'm invited to 5 parties already. 

Bas: So what? I've been gone for 2 weeks and you've all already made new friends?

Laura: But what's your problem? We'll all meet and hang out at the prom anyway.

Barb: Relax, Bas. You sound like a boomer. Let's go to class, lesson will start in a moment.

Bas: Now I don't know if I even want to go to this prom.

Rom: You know, I said it's not my thing, but if you want we can go together, you know, as buddies.

Bas: That would be awesome! We could dress up as Luke Skywalker and Han Solo!

Rom: Okay, don't get carried away, mate!

JHowever, Bastian's mood did not improve.

Jace: And how was school, Champ? Everything okay?

Bas: Actually, it's quite shitty.

Maja: Hey! We don't use such vocabulary in this house!!

Bas: Seriously?! I can't even express my emotions anymore? 

Bas: Then why are you even asking??!! Besides, it's just a word, like any other! Shitty! Here it is. S-H-I-T-T-Y!

Maja: Have you been drinking? Or smoking? Do you want to get grounded?

Bas: Wonderful! Yeah, please, ground me so I don't have to go to that stupid autumn prom! 

Bas: I'm going to my room to think about my current mean streak phase.. and how everyone is pissing me off!

Maja: We're not done yet, young man! And what kind of prom are talking about? Why I don't know anything?

Jace: Let him cool down. He really should think through few things, I guess.

Maja: Jace, something's going on with him, he's never acted like this before.

Jace: He's growing up, figuring himself out.

Maja: But he's testing our boundaries! I don't think we should let that happen.

Jace: We should give him space. Something clearly happened, but he won't tell us now anyway.

Jace: We'll talk to him when he calms down. Maybe then we'll understand what happened.

Maja: I don't know...

Jace: Hey, I was a teenage boy. Trust me, it's not easy. 

How they don't understand anything! Why do they ask these idiotic questions if they only want to lecture him? He's not 10 anymore and they treat him like this. Everything is pointless. Prom is pointless, stupid invitations to prom are pointless. High school is pointless. 

The next morning, Bastian's acne attacked with a vengeance.

Bas: I can't believe it! I can't even cover it up! This day couldn't have started any worse.

And Paul didn't make the situation better...

Paul: Look at them, such lovebirds. You'll see, Laura will be the first one of us to reach first base.

Bas: Hey, you're talking about our friend.

Paul: What? I only say what I think. Unless it's me and Karmine at the prom, you know what. 

Paul: Oh man! Your face look terrible! I just noticed! And right before the prom! No wonder you don't want to talk about kissing! With a face like that, I wouldn't want either!

Bas: Thanks! You could at least refrain from commenting...

Barb: OMW! I can't focus around you! I'm going to the library.  

At least Bas aced the test. But his mind wandered: will Laura kiss Atlas? Or already did? Maybe. Not his business. She has a boyfriend. Everyone does, it seems. Whatever. He shook it off. Time to focus on what matters: studying and crushing the Science Fair. Yes, that’s the plan. Stay on track.

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