Epitome

Chapter Four

The welcoming committee enters the office shortly after I hear the laughing. In walks these three girls all dressed in floral print with thick lipgloss covering their lips; a brunette on the right and a blonde on the left. But they aren't the ones that catch my eye: It's the girl standing in between them that does. Her eyes are blue. Like really blue. Like the kind of blue that resembles a summer sky. They're close set, but not in a bad way. She has this chocolate colored hair that is braided back in all of these fancy ways, and it somehow makes her facial features even more prominent. She has subtle cheekbones and a heart-shaped face. She is gorgeous. And familiar, for some reason. But I can't really place why.

She extends her hand out to me, but I hesitate. "My name is Gemma. Welcome to Skyview." She says, and she sounds so sincere that I can't help but shake her hand.

I suddenly feel very shy, which confuses me. Am I naturally this shy? I'm not sure how to respond. "Delaney." I say.

She smiles and says she is going to escort me to my locker, so after the other girls introduce themselves, I follow her. People smile and wave at her as we walk down the hallway, and I begin to feel uncomfortable. She seems very popular. Am I good enough to be her friend? Of course I am, I just choose not to be friends with preps. Duh.

Every time I glance her way to study her, I catch her staring at me. She probably thinks I'm too quiet. For some reason I feel the need to make a good impression, but at the same time I feel like being silent might be a better way to go. We get to my locker, which is number seven, the third one in from the end. I stare at it for a moment, feeling like having this locker was a strange coincidence. I feel like the number seven used to be important somehow. I look at the ugly, blue, chipped paint. It must have been painted over because a rusty red color is behind the blue. It isn't pretty, but it isn't ugly. It has character.

"My locker is number eight. So we can see each other quiet a bit." Gemma say. She smiles at me, and it has that familiar feel to it once again. I can't place why. I nod.

"So where are you from?" She asks after a moment of silence between us.

I went to Chicago Public schools back where I used to live. It's basically where all of the poor kids go. Everybody knows that. I'm embarrassed to tell her, for some reason. But at the same time, part of me doesn't really care. That must be the Delaney part of me. "Chicago Public Schools." I mumble. She smiles and nods politely. I don't think she heard me, but I don't mind.

Her friends from the welcoming committee walk up and greet us. They smile at me warmly, and the one named Tes is practically fawning over me. I wonder if it's because I am rich, but I don't say anything. The three girls show me all of my classes, and when the bells rings the Sarah and Tes leave and it's just me and Gemma again. She takes me to Choir (which she also has) and then History (which she also has), and then we depart.

Those first two blocks weren't bad, but my third is AP Chemistry. As soon as I enter all eyes fix on me, and now Gemma isn't there to distract me. I can feel my face turning beat red.

"Hello, miss." The teacher, Mr. Haize, says. "You must be our new student! Would you care to tell us about yourself?"

I'm frozen. Literally stuck in my spot at the door. Why am I so scared? Why do I care what they think? The past me must have had stage fright. But Delaney doesn't. I take a deep breath, which immediately cools my cheeks. I blankly stare at the students. "Hello. My name is Delaney, but you guys can call me Laney or Lanes."

Suddenly, a boy in the front row whistles. "Hot name." He yells. The class laughs. How immature. He's got this shaggy blonde hair and dumb green eyes. His smile is sideways, which he has clearly practiced in the mirror.