Cortello - D'Angelo (New)

c h a p t e r f i v e

No.

"Mhm."

"Okay, have a good day."

"Thanks."

And that's that. I'm out of the car walking towards what feels like my own personal hell as Elijah peels out of the lot.

There's a few students loitering around outside but it's nothing compared to what's behind the giant double doors. It's full, and it's loud.

I catch tidbits of morning conversation while at the same time trying to stay out of everyone's way while walking and trying to get to the office in one piece.

There are two receptionists. A young, no-bullshit blonde in the back whose bun is so slicked and so tight, I'm sure it's pulling her eyes back and a sweet old, graying lady that called me sunshine as she handed me my documents. Mrs Barlowe introduces me to Valerie, our student body president and the one in charge of giving me a school tour.

Valerie shows me to my locker and stops so I can gather everything I need for my first class. She shows me where all my classes are and takes me around to other rooms in the school I could, at some point, use like the theatre and the library. The tour ends in the most luxurious cafeteria I have ever seen. It has couches and bean bag cushions surrounding the mass of tables. On the far end is another set of giant double doors that are currently open, leading to the outside field.

The warning bell sounds as the tour finishes. I find my homeroom class easily thanks to Valerie. I'm the second student inside and grab a seat right in front by the window.

By the time the second bell goes, the class is full. Someone plops down in the seat next to me and I chance a glance at them. The girl's already looking at me when I turn.

"Hi, I'm Camila," she beams.

She's gorgeous is the first thing I note. Clear, acne free skin, long wavy, light brown hair and honey coloured eyes.

"Hi," I finally reply after a second too long, "I'm Adrian."

"Cool," she nods, "well my friends are over there," she points to a group of two, a boy and a girl, in the back corner on the opposite side of the class, "and we were wondering if you wanted to sit with us?"

Oh. This isn't what I expected at all. An opportunity to make friends in my first half hour of being at this school? Definitely exceeds any expectations.

"Sure," I finally return her smile.

"Great," her own smile widens if that's even possible, "come on. "

I follow Camila through the rows of desks. Her friends look at us as we get closer and I can't help but notice that neither of them particularly unhappy at seeing me. In fact, they're both smiling but that could be from the conversation they were having.

"Guy's, I've adopted another stray!" Camila announces when we're close enough.

I don't understand if I should feel offended at being called a stray or not.

The girl, who I notice is equally as goegous as Camila, leans up to tell me, "She means because last week there was another new student that Cam adopted into our group."

"Right," I nod.

"Anyway," Camila chimes, "this is Adrian," she gestures to me, "Adrian, that's Vallyk, or Val," she points to the boy with dark hair and light eyes, "and that's Kendall, she doesn't like nicknames."