Chapter Nine
New Girl
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Fletcher dropped me off for my first day at Macintosh High, even though it only took a minute to drive there. It would take less time to walk than it did getting in the car, starting up, making our way there, stopping and then getting out. But I suspected that Fletch wanted to show off his new, and quickly acquired, car. When I'd asked where he'd gotten the money for it he'd been evasive.
"You know, you could turn this car around, take me to an internet cafe and Moira would never have to know..." I tried one last time to get out of it.
"But you would know," Fletcher said wisely, "And you'd look at her bright green eyes and the guilt would eat at you."
"Okay, you got me," I conceded as I clicked open the door. "Just don't complain when I need your help with my homework again."
"I never do," he said before closing my door and driving away.
I looked away from the retreating car to my new school.
"Hey! That was a sweet car. Is he our boyfriend or something?"
I turned to see an athletic girl with dark brown hair and magnetic blue eyes. She was smiling crookedly at me, an offer of friendship. I wasn't going to let this pass by.
"Erm, no, he's kind of my guardian but more my friend."
"That's so cool! Your accent... you sound totally posh. You from England?"
"Yeah. Just moved over here. Don't know how long for."
"Oh that sucks! I've never moved, ever. I've always wanted to go overseas and all that but then when we had school camp I got soo homesick. But maybe if I stayed away for longer the sadness would just go away. You said that guy was your guardian? Where are your parents? Oh! I'm sorry if they're dead! Sorry! I always put my foot in my mouth! Bad habit. My sister says it's a habit that's going to get me killed when I speak without thinking to the wrong person. Hope you're not that person! He he."
Wow. I was kind of regretting accepting her friendship. Most of my friends were guys, except for Moro, and none of them talked this much!
"Ha. Yeah, my parents both passed away. But years ago. I don't really think about it too much." I tried to ease her away from the topic. "Do you like this school or is it a shithole?"
"Watch your language, miss," she said in a prim tone, and then giggled. "This is an exclusive school. You'll probably hear that a lot. So how did you get in? Did your guardian pay off the principal or are you an absolute nerd and got a scholarship?"
"I don't actually know..." I gave her a quick smile and then turned to the school, desperate to get away from her and into the hallways.
"What do you have first?" she asked.
I thought back to the schedule I'd memorised. "History."
"Ooh damn. We're not in the same class. Oh! I'm Tatiana by the way!" She stuck out a hand.
"Kayli," I said back, just before the first bell went, and went to shake her hand but she had jerked it away as the bell rang.
"Uh-oh, you do NOT want to be late."
She grabbed my hand and, before I had the chance to think, yanked me along behind her, through the student filled hallways, to a classroom set at the edge of a courtyard. She peeked inside the door and sighed with relief before flinging it open. To my utter embarrassment, everyone inside looked up to the door and to me. I scowled, tugged my hand out of Tatiana's, and walked into the class, taking a desk up the back that had no occupant. I didn't even bother looking to see who sat on either side of me.
"Byee!" Tatiana squealed from the door, leaving so fast I didn't have enough time to look up and glare at her. I wondered if she was rich, she'd said that students at this school were either rich or smart. Maybe if she had plenty of money I could organise a Hit on her house. I groaned and rested my head on my arms. I was NOT good at making friends.
"Are you alright?" asked a soft voice next to me. I glanced over and saw the caramel-skinned girl next to me tucking her iPod away into her pencil case.
"Yeah, I guess," I muttered and looked back to the front. Where was the teacher? I'd thought that I was going to be in trouble for being late but the teacher hadn't even bothered showing up on time?
"Well sorry for being considerate," murmured the girl next to me, not knowing that I had the ability to pick up her quiet words.
"Look. I'm sorry. I've had a bad start that's all. And a bad previous week... With the move and all." I tried to make peace.
"Uh-huh," she said shortly. But she looked up at me, her dark oak eyes smiling. "You looked like you needed a friend and you wouldn't be the first person to want your friend to be someone other than Tat."
"Err... I guess she's kinda full-on," I chuckled softly. The girl rolled her eyes.
"Tat's the Queen Bee. She lives for gossip. I swear I check a ten metre radius for her before I tell anyone anything. She's everywhere. That makes you really want to stay on her good side because she can send out bad stories about you to the entire school in a minute."
"Oh." I now really regretted talking to Tatiana. What if she expected me to be really good friends with her? Ugh! I preferred being the outcast in my old school. At least people kept out of my way.
"She's spread the rumour that I'm a lesbian, a prostitute and a witch."
"Oh... oh dear," I said, smiling timidly.
"Don't worry I'm only one of those."
Please be a witch, please be a witch. I chanted in my mind.
"I'm a witch."
Yesss!
