"Are you sure you don't want me to stay with you just a little while and walk you in?"
Rolling my eyes I answered, "Dad, I'm 17. I do not need my father hanging out with me in the parking lot on my first day, much less walking me in."
Chuckling my father replied, "I guess you're right."
"Aren't I always?" He laughed again. "I'll call you when school gets out, but I'm still pretty sure that I'm going to walk home."
"I'd rather you not, but I can't do much about it. Have a good day honey," my father said as I got out of the car and headed towards the front doors of the school. Without turning around I knew that he'd already left the parking lot as I could hear his deisel truck driving away.
Although I tried to hide it with my father there was no denying the butterflies that were now fluttering around in my stomach like they'd just inhaled a pound of weed. At my old school I was cool and confident and well-liked. It was different here though because I didn't know anyone and I only felt comfortable around people I knew well so, I didn't talk much. My shyness was often misunderstood as being stuck-up and that definitely wouldn't go over well in a new school.
I wanted to make sure that I made it to school early enough to have a chance to find my way around, but as I tried to open the door only to find that it was locked I realized that I'd made it too early. I tried to open the door again, but seeing as I wasn't a witch or some vampire with special powers I wasn't surprised to find the door still locked. Turning around to survey the school yard I noticed a few stone benches under the shade of a big oak tree. Although it was morning, the Georgia heat was killing me. I walked over to sit on one of the benches and welcomed the shade that the tree offered.
Seeing as I had nothing better to do I took out my mirror and studied my make-up. I'd gone pretty much all out today, first impressions were lasting. My make-up was flawless. The smokey eyeshadow was applied just right as well as the eyeliner, mascara, and blush. After putting away my mirror I began to check my outfit.
The light pink button-up Ralph Lauren Polo shirt that I wore was wrinkle-free and new American Eagle jeans fit just right. I was wearing my favorite shoes which were Clark's and they had a spot of green paint on them that I'd yet to remove. I thought it gave the shoes character. I'd been so busy studying my outfit that I hadn't notice someone walk up and stand in front of the bench that I was sitting on.
"You know, if you're going to sit on one of the memorial benches you could at least sit on the edge so you didn't cover up the names," stated a girlish voice.
Looking up at a short girl with messy, yet attractive red curls I said, "Pardon?"
"Pardon? Just where are you from?" Not giving me a chance to answer she continued, "These are the memorial benches. One is for our principal who died last year and the other two are for members of last year's senior class. Usually we try not to sit on them."
I got up and apologized to the girl, "Oh, I'm sorry. I just didn't notice."
She shook her head, "No sweat. It's obvious you're new here and I don't think anybody could begrudge you for it."
I just smiled in answer.
"So, where are you from?" she asked again.
"Hilton Head. My name's Lacey Rebel."
The girls brown eyes lit up at that, "Rebel, huh? Well, hello there Ms. Rebel, nice to meet your acquaintance. You mind if I just call you Rebel? It's a really catchy name." Before I could tell her, 'I'd rather you wouldn't' she replied, "No? I didn't think you would. Rebel, I'm Ansley Lanier. What brings you down to Georgia?"
'No wonder mama left daddy and went to Carolina,' I thought to myself. If all Georgians were this imposing I didn't want anything more to do with them. "My parents are divorced and I missed my dad." Even though it wasn't really the truth about why I moved here, it wasn't a lie either. I really did miss my dad. When my parents divorced not long after I was born and mama moved to Carolina Daddy followed her to try to stay close to me, but during the summer that I turned 14 my grandfather died and left his farming business to my father. Daddy had no choice but to come back home and take over.
"Your daddy wouldn't happen to be Nathan Rebel would he?"
"Yeah, do you know him?"
"Are you serious? Who doesn't know Nathan Rebel around here? He's like that dude in the Bible who supplies all the food during the famine except he supplies jobs and it's just an economic crisis."