Senior Year

Chapter 1

"Your lunch is in your bag, I know you know my phone number, so call if you need any-"

"Mom!" I cut her off. She just can't shut her trap today. "Honey, I just want you to be ok, it's a motherly thing," she says, furrowing her brow in concern. "Well I'm ok. Now let me shine!" I reassure her in a mockingly enthusiastic tone. She furrows her brow further so I wrap my arms around her in a tight hug. "I love you, I'll be fine."

"I love you too," she said, returning the hug. I pulled away and gave her a reassuring smile. I turned around and started walking towards the place I would "learn" this year, though I doubt that's what I would be doing.

The building was old and dusty. It has a cornerstone with a cross and the engraved numbers, 1829. It confirmed my suspicions that this place could literally collapse if I blew on it. I walked to the door, where the principal was waiting to greet each student.

She was a short woman with icy blue eyes, bright pink lipstick, and jet black hair with wisps of white. Though I could've easily wrestled her to the ground, her intimidating aura got the best of me and my stomach did a flip-flop.

"Good morning," she said. She sounded genuine, but I was still intimidated. "Good morning," I replied. I sounded so fake, I could barely recognize my own voice. I headed inside, and the musty smell hit me. The smell of my new school.
'The lack of an elevator is a first world problem,' I told myself as I reached the landing at the end of the third flight of stairs. I wiped a bead of sweat off my pale skin and round the corner, down the long hallway.

'Room 15, Room 15,' I chanted to myself. I felt as if I was in Alice In Wonderland with all those doors. 12....13....14....15.
I took a deep breath and opened the door. There were kids rushing around the room, preparing for the day. There were groups of girls gossiping, and guys teasing one another in a "manly" sorta way.

I searched the room for a chair sans backpack. There was only one, right next to the door, so I plopped my stuff down, and looked around for a friendly face.
In the vicinity, there were two groups of girls, with three girls in each. One group was murmuring seriously to themselves, and the other was laughing and poking each other, in what appeared to be a poking war.

It was easy to know which group to approach. I walked up to them and gave a small, awkward wave. "Hi, uh, I'm new, I'm Belle."

The three girl's chuckles faded away, but their smiles didn't. The one on my left had slick black hair, with chocolatey brown eyes, and a cute button nose. Her hair was slicked into a high pony. "Hi!" she said, "I'm Ashlyn." I gave her a small nod and moved to the middle girl.

She had a tight face, and and wasn't smiling, but started to when I made eye contact with her. She had acne-riddled skin and greasy brown hair, which was also in a ponytail. Her eyes were a blank blueish-green. "I'm Ethel." I gave her a nod and moved to the last girl.

She had strawberry blonde hair, light brown eyes, and freckles on her own pale skin. She spoke timidly, "I'm Briar, nice to meet you."

Suddenly, I heard a loud laugh, and whipped my head to face it. There were two girls, one in a choker, with short brown hair styled with blonde wisps. She's whose laugh I had heard. Her hair is swooped over the left side of her face, and swooshed as she laughed. The other girl, standing with her, had long brown hair, tied up in a messy bun. Her dark brown eyes were scrunched from laughing. I could only assume they felt my eyes on them because they turned to me as their laughs faded.

I smiled and waved, and they came rushing over. The taller of the two, whose laugh I had heard in the first place, gave me a welcoming smile and asked, "Are you new here?"

"Yeah," I nodded, "I'm Belle."

"I'm Raven," she responded, "This is Lizzy."

"Nice to meet you," I said.

"Would you like to sit with us at lunch?" she continued.

I nodded vigorously, awash in the glow of acceptance. Suddenly, a boy rushed in.
"Mr. Pratt is coming!" Everyone scurried to take their seat, as did I. And in a flash, Mr. Pratt walked in.

And damn, he was gorgeous.