Heath
Heath rolled over in his bed and blinked tiredly.
Another day in America. Oh joy. He was so filled with it, he could get up and bloody dance.
He got out of bed and made his way to the bathroom. He grimaced slightly at himself in the mirror, then went to have a shower.
Washed, dressed and shaved, he got his breakfast. His mother was babbling about something...oh yeah. He started school today.
"Yes, I know where the school is. Yes, I have my bag ready. Yes, I know that if I have a problem, all I have to do is call you. I know the bus route, and I have a timetable in my wallet. See you, Mum."
Heath rose from the table and went off to school.
He looked up at the gates and headed inside to the office, ignoring any comments on the way he chose to dress. He wasn't going through a major wardrobe change and shift in image just because he'd moved to a new country. The faded jeans, black t-shirt, flannette top, riding boots and Akubra would continue to suit him just fine. And everyone else could just...live with it.
He got his class timetable, a map and set of for this thing called 'Homeroom'...he was guessing it was like Rollcall.
He knocked on the door of the room he had been directed to.
"Come in!"
Heath took a breath and entered.
"Ah, you would be the new student."
"Yeah..."
"Heath, was it?"
"Heath Black." Heath looked around at the room of students, face carefully blank as he lounged back onto one leg comfortably. The teacher fussed with a piece of paper.
"Should I just sit down somewhere, or what?" He drawled.
"Why don't you tell us a bit about yourself?"
"Riiiighhtttt..."
Heath blinked carefully.
"As you might have guessed, I'm from Australia. We moved here this month. Bit o' a fuss and a bother with the paperwork, which is why I'm only starting here today."
"What's with the hat?" A guy called out.
"What, this?" Heath took his Akubra off and ran his fingers through his hair.
"Believe me, mate, when you're in Oz, you need some sort of protection. California got nothing on the scorchers we get back home. Forty degree days...no bloody idea what that is in Farenheit. Just take it that it's bloody hot. And that goes on for weeks at a time...no shade, no rain, no wind. Just dry stifling heat."
He put the hat back on his head.
"Any other questions? And no, before you even think of asking, I have never ridden a kangeroo, in any way. And the only time I've seen a croc was at a zoo. I'm from New South Wales, not the Northern Territory or Queensland. True blue country boy, me."
"Been to Sydney?"
"Course. Might be from out back, but been to the Big Smoke."
Heath looked at the teacher again.
"Alright, you can sit down now, Heath."
"Ta."
Heath walked to an empty chair and settled himself in it, fingers tapping restlessly at the fake wood of the desk. A girl leant over to him.
"So...is it true what they say about Aussie guys?"
"In what way?"
"Well..."