The Guardian

I walked down the hallway with my head down. Being the new kid was hard enough without being the new white girl in a predominantly black school. A pair of pink Nike high tops slammed my books out of my hands and I forced back rage as I hurried to pick them up. People laughed and a few even went as far as to kick them farther down the hall. I heard a few "white bread" comments as I scooped them up. I felt sick to my stomach and now I was almost late to class. I made it to class with seconds to spare.

"Miss Sabbahi!" I froze and looked up at Mr. Thomas.

He was tall, nearly 6'4 with black hair and a goatee. He wore wire rimmed glasses and a bow tie. Somehow he made the bow tie look good. His skin was a chocolate color and his eyes were grey. He was a handsome man in his late 30's. He walked toward me and sat on the edge of his desk. His khaki's were pressed and creased, his polo shirt starched and white.

"Yes sir?" I swallowed my annoyance looking into his eyes.

"What time does this class start?"

I cleared my throat. "1:25 sir."

"So then why, Miss Sabbahi, are you late?"

"I got lost I guess."

"You guess? Either you got lost or you didn't, which is it?"

"I got lost."

"If you think because your mother is the new principal you'll get special treatment, your wrong."

"I don't."

"Have a seat Miss Sabbahi and do not be late to my class again."

I slowly walked to the back of the classroom red with embarrassment. I hated this place. I sat in an empty desk and opened my book. The door opened and a boy walked in. He handed Mr. Thomas a note and headed toward me with a frown. Closer inspection revealed my mistake. He was actually a she. She stopped in front of me and lifted an eyebrow. Her eyes were grayish blue and framed by long black lashes. Her hair was cut boy short and the back held a design. Her tee shirt was loose and her boxers peeked out from under her baggy jeans. Black timberlands graced her feet.

She leaned close and I froze. Please don't punch me in the face. "You in my seat shawty." Her voice was soft and velvety, nothing like I expected.

I blushed violently and felt bile rise in my throat. "Please, please just don't humiliate me and trip me when I get out of your seat. I can't take anymore bullshit right now. I really can't." In my old school I was the queen bee, here I was just another fly in a pond full of hungry frogs.

"First day?"

"Third and I already have a target on my back apparently." I stood up and moved to the next seat over.

"Damn. I'm Taz yo. Whats ya name?"

"Amentet but you can call me Ame." Ame was pronounced as Amy.

"Where you from?"

"I just moved her from California but I'm Egyptian."

"What da fuck? Why you move to bum ass Cartersville? Dis shit hole is pure ghetto."

"My mom is the new principal. We came to the states a few weeks ago for my grandmother's funeral and she got this job."

"Dats straight, I was just in her office."

"Wow.. why?" Taz was nice and I could feel myself slowly warm up and unwind.

"Misunderstandin. She gave me detention."

"Oh." Damn her!

"But she coulda suspended me again so I ain't trippin."

Before I could say anything, I spotted pink high tops headed our way. I looked up and groaned. She must be the queen bee. She was beautiful in every sense of the word. Her skin was a light caramel color and she was tall. Her figure was athletic and curvy in all the right places. Her eyes were a brilliant green, her lips full and lush and she had dimples in her cheeks.