She's Just A Skater Girl

'You just love causing trouble, don't you?'

A round of laughter, mostly from the Neanderthals ensued, followed by a chorus of 'yeah rights.'

"Quieten down, kids." Mr Woods roared again. I don't think he seemed to realise that we were teenagers, and most of us would be able to drive in America.

"Sorry, sir. It just she really does look like that girl from the Pole Hill yesterday." Jake said, his handsome face stretching into a smirk. "Although come to think of it, I doubt that Little Miss America would have the guts to show up there anyway."

I didn't like where this was going.

"And who says I wouldn't?" I challenged. On the outside, I appeared confident, but I couldn't exactly say the same on the inside. Sure, I could handle confrontations, but in front of a whole class of people I didn't know, it was safe to say that I was out of my comfort zone. A lot.

"Because Pole Hill is for the best skaters in town only. Not for some random valley girl to go and pick up lads!" Jake sneered.

"Really? So how come you skate there then?" I retorted, walking up to his desk. I knew this was getting slightly out of hand - but hey, I was caught up in the moment!

Before he could respond with another misogynistic or sexist comment, a loud, shrill bell rang, which I assumed signalled the end of the lesson.

"Great!" exclaimed Mr Woods, throwing his hands up. "We've just wasted a whole lesson! Next time I want all of you to focus and put your heads down for once! That includes you, Riley."

Silently, everyone exited the room, bursting into loud conversations as soon as we were out of earshot.

"I can't believe you just stood up to Jake Bennett, Riley! And on your first day as well!" Jenna cried.

"I know right... Well, he deserved it." I replied, smirking a little. I'd always had a little feistiness in me, but sometimes it took that one special person to bring out my 'flame.'

"Are you insane?! I heard his brother's in a gang..." she whispered furiously, while I gulped at her words.

"Well, his brother doesn't know who I am, does he? And anyway, I'm new, barely anyone knows who I am."

"They will soon..." Jenna muttered miserably. "Let's just go to History, shall we?"

After walking about halfway across the school (I had no idea how I'd ever find my way around here!), we finally reached one of the History classrooms. It was big, with tables and chairs packed in everywhere. It kind of amused me how there were about 5 people on each table, whereas in America it had been one to a desk.

Unlike Maths, there was minimal messing around before the lesson actually started.

"How come no-one's standing on chairs and everything like in Maths?" I asked curiously.

"Because Mrs Amberson is a witch. If she even catches us talking in her lesson, it's a straight-up detention."

"Sounds like fun."

"Good morning class, I assume you're all ready to learn about communism in the Korean War?" A chorus of half-hearted 'yeah's and 'sure's came back. "So, the Korean War was an episode in the Cold War..."

***

"Well, that lesson nearly killed my brain." I mumbled as the class poured out of the classroom.

"Meh," Jenna replied thoughtfully, "you'll get used to it."

"So, what now?" I asked curiously. I was really oblivious to the English school system, and at the moment, Jenna was my only hope of survival.