The girl next door

Chapter 2

Riley-
It's the first day of school in this new town and I'm really nervous. I get nervous all the time and it's hard to control it. So naturally the first day of school is hell for me. Emily doesn't have a first period because she's a senior so she drives to school later. I don't have a car and my parents have already left for work so I decided I'd walk to school this year. It's not that far and it's good exercise.

It doesn't take me long to get ready for school. I wear white shoes, jeans, a yellow crop top, and my hair is wavy from the braid I had in last night. I walk out my front door and start down the street when I hear footsteps catching up behind me. "Hey your Riley right?" A voice says. I slow my walking and turn around. "Yeah, you live in the house next door right?" He nods as he catches up to me. "You go to Lincoln high Im guessing?" I ask him. "Yeah I'm a junior." He says. "Oh same." We walk in silence for a little bit. "Um so is it just you and your mom or?" He asks. "No I have a sister Emily, she's a senior. And my dad." He nods and it goes back to silence. "How about you?" "Well you met my mom, and then I have 3 younger sisters." "What happened to your dad? If you don't mind me asking of course." "No it's fine, he's a shitty person. My mom left him after my youngest sister was born." "I'm sorry." I tell him. He shrugs and smiles awkwardly. He doesn't seem too bothered about not having a dad, but I can't help but feel bad.

James-
It's second period and I'm in the principals office getting lectured about my tardies. I usually spend the night at girls houses so I'm late all the time. Today was the first time I was on time, but that didn't stop them from calling me into the office. "James four D's, an F and a B? You do realize you have to have a 2.0 gpa to graduate? If you keep these grades up you'll be pulled out of football." Principal Marcus warns me. I'm the best player on the team I can't afford to get pulled out, our school would lose every game. I lean my head on the back of the chair closing my eyes in frustration.

"Excuse me I'm confused about my schedule..." a familiar voice says. I open my eyes and bring my head up to see it's Riley. "Miss Raymond I'm kind of busy." The principal says. "I'm sorry I just don't know where room 402 is." She says coming all the way in the room and showing her schedule to the principal. He puts on his glasses and looks at. "The 400 rooms are behind the gym." I tell her. "You know what James why don't you take miss Raymond on a tour of the school, you've already missed most of second period anyways." I sigh in relief that I won't have to listen to him blab on about the school rules and expectations. "Come on miss Raymond." I say to Riley smirking and walking out of the office. She follows me rolling her eyes.

We walk around the school for around half an hour. So far I've showed her the library, the health office, the 400 buildings and the gym. I've even made her laugh a few times. It's a lot less awkward than it was this morning. "Can I see your schedule?" I ask her before she hands the wrinkled piece of paper with her classes on it to me. "Oh nice we have math and physics together." "Thank god, the only other person I know here is my sister." She says after a sigh of relief. We talked and walked around the school till the end of third period. The bell for break rang and students started flowing out of classrooms. "Oh shit I didn't go to third period." I say. "I'm gonna go to the office to try to clear up the absence, but I'll see you in math." I say to her. She smiles and walks down the hallway. I never thought I'd say this, but I can't wait until math class.