Perfectly Imperfect 1

2- Kayla, meet Cal. Cal, Kayla.

KAYLA:

The bell rang. My first day of school had officially started. Slowly, I made my way to the last seat of the classroom, the one at the furthest corner. My stomach was still clenching, but I tried to ignore it. Sitting down hurriedly, I took out my binder and pen, idly doodling on the paper.

Stop staring at me, I wrote.

This is life.

I will get through this.

I am strong.

Annoying little brat.

"Hey, new kid?"

I gave a start. The whole class was staring at me, not bothering to hide their amusement. Wide-eyed, I stared back. What? What was going on?

"Excuse me?"

Shocked, I realized that there was already a teacher in the room. I had been so preoccupied with my doodling that I had not noticed that class was in session. She, my teacher I mean, was big sized, her dyed hair badly permed. On the whiteboard, her name, scrawled in big, bossy handwriting, screamed ostentatiously.

Ms. Cynthia glared at me.

"Girl, we do not tolerate spacing out in classes here," she said, pointedly. "Now, please, get up here and tell the class what your name is."

Quickly, I got off from my seat and hurried to the front, almost stumbling on my shoelaces. Reaching the front of the class, I gulped, staring at forty unfriendly faces looking back at me.

"Uhm, my name is uhh... Kayla," I squeaked.

"Kayla-Koala", a boy whispered mockingly, and the whole class laughed along. I gave a weak smile as the teacher tried to quiet them down.

---

The rest of my school day didn't get any better. For all four periods, my teachers asked me to introduce myself. For all four periods, I felt my non-existing self confidence die again and again. Finally, the bell rang again.

Break.

I might have liked break in an alternate universe, but not now, not today. Not when I did not know a single person here and was going to have to eat alone. 

In the high-school world, eating alone during break tells the universe that there is something wrong with you, that you are a social outcast; the bottom level of the food pyramid.

And indeed, I was.

I walked to the cafeteria, keeping my eyes on the ground. Wishing that I was anywhere but here. Reaching the cafe, I quietly queued up, trying to ignore the stares that had multiplied.

Honestly, did I have a big sign on my back saying 'New Kid' or something?

Again, conscious of my appearance, I tugged my shirt down. Trying to look past the fact that everyone around me looked way thinner than I did. Reaching the counter, I paid for a drink and walked outside to the benches facing the field.

Sipping my drink, I stared down at my lap, ignoring the laughter around me, the gossip exchanged. I sighed. Would I ever fit in here? Would I ever get to be one of those girls, trading secrets, chatting animatedly with their girlfriends?

"Hey."

I continued sitting there, unmoving, thinking that the greeting was for someone else. I didn't want to make a fool out of myself, lifting my head up to respond. Who knew how many kids were watching and waiting for the opportunity to laugh at me again?

The bench creaked, and I turned my head in shock. A boy with blondish-brown hair had sat next to me, his hands outstretched. He was flanked by three other boys, both as tall and as athletic looking as he was.

"I'm Cal. You must be the new kid. This is Jason, Jordan and Keith," he said, pointing to the walking Ken dolls beside him. His hands were still outstretched.

Slowly, I took it, not trusting them. There is something suspicious about this, I thought suddenly, 'coz four jocks suddenly introducing themselves does not seem normal. Having no choice though, I smiled tentatively back, although I was already getting ready for the verbal assaults that may come up after this.

"I'm Kayla."

Cal smiled and shook my hand. 

"So, Kayla, where're you from?"

"London."

"Ah, a true city girl! Man, I thought all city girls were... uh, sophisticated, but you seem pretty normal!"

I gave him another small smile, not sure whether he was implying anything. What did he mean by normal?  If he meant chubby and awkward looking, then yes, I am normal, so unlike the 'typical' city girls he must have had in mind.

Tall, thin, fashionable, I thought darkly.

Suddenly, the bell rang, breaking my thoughts. Woah. How many minutes do we have for break around here? What's the rush?

The boys didn't seem to be shocked, though, and with a quick smile, they waved at me and sprang away, already in animated conversation.

About me, of course.

I gave a sigh I wasn't even aware I was holding. If there had been any double meanings behind those words, at least they weren't as harsh as I was expecting them to be. Breathing deeply, I got up and made my way to my next class, my thoughts far far away.