Finding Me

Chapter 1

I walk down the hallway, head down, and not looking anyone in the eye. I pull my hood farther over my head and ignore the whispers. I ignore the feeling of people staring at me. I just want to get through the day without having to deal with these people.

I walk to my first class and walk to the back of the room where I see someone sitting in my spot. I scowl and walk up to my usual desk. I lift my head to where I can see his face and he can see my face. I give him a dark glare, signaling for him to get up.

He has the audacity to snicker at me. I give a harder glare and walk closer to him. I grab his shirt and jerk him up with my arm. He is surprised at my strength, and his face seems to become slightly pale.

I say through gritted teeth, "Move."

I let go of his shirt, and he hurries to pick up his backpack and walk to the front of the room to an empty desk. I set my backpack beside the desk and take a seat. It's then when I see the other guys staring at me wide eyed and the girls staring at me with disgust.

I look down at my desk and wait for class to start, ignoring some of the comments I hear.

"Miss Walker?" I look up and see my history teacher looking at me, along with every single student in the classroom.

I inwardly groan. "Yes?"

"I'm going to need you to take your hood down. It's against the rules to have it on," she says with slight reluctance in her tone.

I inwardly groan once again, but I pull the hood down anyway. I smooth my hair as she goes back to teaching. I give a sigh of relief because she didn't say anything more to me. I listen to her for the rest of class.

I go through my next two classes without having to get called on, which is a miracle. Soon, it's lunchtime. I hurry to my locker, take my lunch out, and hurry to the courtyard. I sit in front of one of the trees and pull out my small notebook and a pen.

A group of four girls sit at the picnic table a few feet away from me. I hear them trying to talk in hushed tones, but I am able to listen to their whole conversation because they're extremely loud.

"Oh my gosh, did you hear the news?" one girl asks excitedly.

"What?" another girl asks.

The first girl says, "Nick is moving here!"

The second girl gasps. "You're kidding?"

"Totally not!"

Another girl pipes in, "He said he was on an interview."

"Why in the heck is he moving to such a small town as Clearwater Bay?" the second girl asks.

The third girl answers the question. "Apparently, his aunt or something lives like right on the beach. He told the reporter that he wanted to have a small break and get some inspiration."

The first girl comes back into the conversation. "I can't wait until we have the Nick Caldwell living here! It's going to be so freaking amazing! Do you think he'll date anyone from here?! How cool would that be?"

"Don't be stupid. None of us can can compete with his rumored girlfriend. She's like a model or something," one of them replies.

I roll my eyes at their enthusiasm and go back to writing in my journal. I finish what I'm working on and finish my sandwich. By this time, they have already gotten up and gone back to the cafeteria.

I pull my hood back over my head and throw my trash away as I walk back inside to go to the library. Yes, I'm someone who enjoys going to the library. I'm not a student who slacks off or doesn't know anything. I actually kind of enjoy school. Sadly, most people think that I don't pay attention in class or even make good grades. I'm just the troubled girl who nobody wants to be friends with.