False Confidence

3

Last first day of school means lots of pictures. Sometimes I think having twins ruined my parents for emotions and being sad we are almost moving out. They were more than happy after the first picture but Harriet wanted the perfect back to school post and after denying her matching different coloured outfit I grin and bare it. 

Thankfully I am in my favourite embroided daisy t-shirt and the mom jeans I wear on default. Harriet was wearing her daisy sundress. So we kind of matched. She probably did that on purpose, knowing my wardrobe choice. "Harri, I think we are done." Mom is halfway to her yoga class in her mind and over the fact that she has not taken the 'perfect' photo. Dad is already finished his cup of coffee.  

"Just one more of us with the roses." I let her have her photos because I know she is not looking forward to the challenges the school year will present- This year will decide which path she takes and I know the fact stresses her out more than she lets on. I wish I could somehow get through to her that she doesn't need to follow some fantastically hectic college course to be successful. That she just needs to follow her passions. Which are wide and varied. For instance, her dress, she spent the whole summer working on it and it is amazing!

"Okay now get your butts to school!" Dad shoos us off just as his driver pulls up on the curve. He has a few factories all over the state so he spends a lot of time in the car, he got a driver so he could work at the back of the car  without wasting the day.  Kissing my mom and waving our way with a good luck he disappears into the blacked out SUV. 

"Your father is right, you are going to be late, chop chop."

I hop into the drivers seat since Harriet hates driving- she can't concentrate long so the twenty minute journey to school takes all her concentration. I do not mind driving so I take one for the team. School is bustling with everyone dressed to impress. I can feel Harri's glare that I barely made an effort. But if I have to spend eight hours in this place then I am going to do it in comfort. 

"I have a quick meeting with the team, see you in homeroom?" Squeezing her hand in comfort we part ways and I head to Spencer's locker, he is surrounded by some of his other friends who seem to fade away as I approach. They never stick around long when I am around. Spencer says they are busy people but I am not sure they like me much. I mean I have seen them talking to Harriet with ease and she is like queen bee- if I had to put things into a stereotype. 

"You couldn't have just worn the dress?"

"Do you know me, Dork?"

"Do you know your sister? I had to listen to a full rant last night." 

"I heard." Harri's voice is loud and she barely even tries to whisper, besides I was bored scrolling through social media. I even left our moms latest post- a picture of Harriet and I last night in matching pj's- see I compromise. Besides, Alena hasn't replied to my message from days ago and so I think whatever 'friendship' was there has stopped, making face book a whole lot less interesting. "You heading to homeroom?"

"Yes, I promised Harriet I would save her a seat." Maybe I should be hurt that I will not get to sit with either of them but then again I know Harriet needs all the support she can get and if Sitting next to Spencer gives her that then so be it. I can sit next to Sarah if she isn't still annoyed with me for sending bad tumblr posts till one last night. 

Only Sarah isn't in our homeroom. I frown, I was sure she said I must go to sleep and she will see me in homeroom, we never have different homerooms. Harriet walks with purpose to the seat behind me and I turn, indicating to the empty seat next to me. "Where is Sarah?"

"At the office."

"Why?"

"There is a new kid." Harriet hisses and she seems to either be having a panic attack or be really pissed- a little confused by her attitude I turn in my seat and lean against the desk, hand holding my head up. Waiting for the morning announcements. Jessie Luke's voice comes over the loud speaker in her usual cheer, rattling off the various clubs and duties the school will undergo this year, she ends with a cheesy quote and I am half asleep when the door bursts open. The teacher merely waves Sarah off for being late, she is a favourite. Student Body president. 

I wait for the lesson to continue, as she slips into the seat next to me, glaring slightly at my cheesy grin I send her way. Only the excitement doesn't stop there. The door, is pushed open, revealing the very figure of my declined interest in Facebook. She looks every bit in control of her surroundings as she ever did. Her hair falling in perfect curls across her bare shoulders, her red top tight and form fitting as it tucks into a maxi skirt that flows down in black silk to her heels. She wore heels to school. We have a policy against that but somehow I do not think that will stop her. The only thing pointing to a less than perfect picture is her arm, which is in a black cast, fingers paler than her others as they clutch her phone. I have sat up straight and in the process banged my knee against the underside of the table.

"Shit!" Before I can stop myself I let out a loud explicit and if everyone didn't turn at the bang they are turning now . I am sure my face is beetroot red and I regret refusing the base Harriet offered me this morning. Covering my mouth in Horror my eyes meet the molten lava pits, which seem to glint in humor and then darken to unreadable pits once more. I am confused, what did I do?

"Harper, please!" Luckily Ms Fern likes me or I am sure I would be getting a detention. This school is anal about swear words. "Ms Reed, kindly find a seat." There is no introductory, this is senior year. Not child's play.

The lesson gets underway as Ms Fern starts handing out our work pack for the semester, talking about the projects we will be expected to hand in, the standard and points we will receive. Only I am half listening as my eyes follow Alena to her seat in the back. Craning my neck to watch her sit with grace in the horribly awkward chair. Placing her bag next to her and her broken arm on the table she sits straight, looking around slightly. I hold my breath as her orbs find mine. I smile, trying to let her know that I am happy she is here, even if she has been ignoring my messages. She merely tilts her head and looks away. I frown, moving to face forward once more. What was that? Does she not remember me?

The gut punch that realization brings is enough to keep me from glancing backwards. I desperately want to, feel my neck burning with the force of keeping it forward. I take notes, filling in my diary with dates of the year to keep my hands busy. 

"What you got next?" Sarah leans over to look at the timetable I have haphazardly on my desk. "Why are you taking everything AP?"

I frown in her direction "Are you not!" I thought we agreed we would do it together! I do not want to suffer everything AP alone!

"No!" I gap at her, what the heck. Now I am mad at her. I am mad at her as the bell rings and I have to find  my way to my next class alone. Spencer and Harriet have different electives. Only thing AP Spencer has is math because he is really good at it and they wouldn't let him take the normal class. I was happy because that meant I had someone to help me.

Still annoyed that Sarah ditched our AP efforts I walk into Bio. Scanning the classroom and finding an empty seat towards the back. Recognizing the students that file in after me is very different from having a friend in the class.  I am still annoyed when Sarah walks in closely followed by Alena. I frown, maybe Alena has this class? It doesn't bring the same sense of hope after her cold greeting but maybe after I re-introduce myself? 

"Ms Daisy please take a seat." Sarah nods and my jaw drops when she promptly sits right next to me, Alena moves to the other side of the classroom. 

"What?"

"That was for last night." Sarah says with a small smile " I told you to go to sleep."

"Touché." I grin, folding my arms as I lean back in my seat. She is truly evil. The lesson starts and like before I keep myself busy so as to not look in the direction of class that Alena is frequenting with her aura. Guess I have a friend in the class now. 

I wonder what Alena being here would mean to Harriet, I do not think she is impressed, but then again Alena seems to have a broken arm so maybe she will not be joining cheer. For Harriet's sake I hope so. From a small amount of google research I did I know that she has moved from various schools and was top of all of them. I do not think my sister can take that blow. Not only does Alena represent a rival in cheerleading but also in academics and that is not even a fair competition since Harriet has a learning disability.