“Some of us here are still eating up that crap they teach you in elementary school.” Lucas said in a dark tone.

Juan felt the hair on the back of his neck prickle as another eerie silence followed. Lucas, Carmen and bunch of senior started chatting, ignoring Juan. Other groups started talking. Juan looked at Lucas and Carmen.

Suddenly a group of all ages surrounded him. Several were smoking, but all had a common thought.

“What the hell is wrong with you!” said one.

“You better hope you didn’t make him mad, or else!” said another while pulling his finger across his throat.

A junior broke from the ranks of people who had encircled him. His look was anger mixed with envy.

“I have been at this school for 3 years,” he said and his tone was deadly, “three years, and ever since I got here I have been practically begging Lucas for a cigarette. And what happens! You come here, you just meet him and throw away your once in a life time chance!”

So the next hour was passed. Full of disgust and ridicule, but when it was over, and the people began to disperse. Lucas walked up to Juan, he gave him a look of interest.

“Alright, my main man,” he said, “you may turn out good yet, there is still time.”

With that Lucas retuned to Carmen and the other seniors, and left Juan to think about what had just transpired.

Juan sighed heavily, picked up his back pack and began to walk home.