You Tell Me

Chapter One: Delicious

I woke up to the shrill notes of my alarm clock.  Before it could fully wake me up, I slammed on the snooze button.  Two minutes later, my brother burst through the door.

"Nausica, wake up!" he shouted.  I groaned and listen to him fumble around in the dark.  I was thinking of the dream I had had last night.  There was a boy, and he had something in his hand. . .

Suddenly, I felt a blast of hot air on my face.

"Cut it out, Reiman!" I protested.  My hands searched for his face so I could smack him.  He flicked on the lamp on my bedside table.  I sheilded my eyes from the glowing bulb.

"Get up," he commanded.  "You're going to school in fifteen minutes."  And with that he finally left me be, closing the door gently behind him.

I groaned again.  Damn school.

I considered turning the lamp off and going back to bed, but decided against it.  My brother was kind enough to rescue me from my uncle Kale's house, where I'd been living since my parents' death three years ago.  Actually, it was more than just a kind gesture.  It was quite possibly the best thing that's ever happened to me.

Uncle Kale was a lying son of a bitch.  I hope he dies a tragic death.

I swung my legs over the side of my double bed and sat up, letting my eyes adjust to the light.  After a moment, I stood up, ignoring the black spots in my vision.  The walk to my closet was a slow one; I stomped loudly so Reid would know I was up.  I searched in my closet for a pleated plaid skirt and white polo.  The "search" was easy; there was a seemingly endless amount of skirts and polos on the racks.  It was St. Lucia's school uniform.  Gag me.

I checked to make sure my blinds were shut before taking my top and shorts off.  The neighbor boy had a habit of staring at me while I changed whenever he got the change.  I clasped on a bra and pulled the shirt over my head, then slipped my long legs in the skirt.  I reached back in my closet for my navy blue blazer, found a pair of knee high white socks, and I was dressed.

What a ridiculous uniform, I thought hostily.

After brushing my hair and applying the school's definition of make up, (mascara and chapstick, no eyeliner or lipstick or anything else allowed) I made my way downstairs.  Reid was frying two eggs and making a call.

"Yes Kale, she's going to school," he said exhasperately.  "No, I'm not going to work today.  I got laid off last week. . .yes, I know I told you that.  I'll give you a call later, Nausica just came down."  He threw the phone on the floor, not bothering to hang up.  I picked it up and pressed the end button.

"What a ridiculous bastard!" Reid ranted.  "Calls me at five this morning asking if I'm up, and I told him I didn't have to take you to school until 7:30.  Then he gave me a lecture about the importance of waking up early.  Something about early to bed makes a man healthy, or some shit."

I buttered two pieces of toast while Reid babbled.  I knew better than to interrupt him when he was letting off steam.

"Now you see what I had to put up with," I said after he had stopped talking.  He had no idea what I had really gone through.

Reid flipped the eggs onto two plates.  I placed the toast next to them and poured two glasses of orange juice.  We sat down at the four-top table and ate in silence.  I rinsed off our dishes and put them in the dishwasher, taking a mental note to run it when I got home.  Tom was reading the paper.

"Give me two minutes," I said as I ran up the stairs. 

"Mhmm," he replied.  What a talker.

I brushed my teeth and checked to make sure my hair looked good from the back while I was in the bathroom.  Then I spritzed my wrists with my mother's favorite perfume, Chanel No. 5, and went back downstairs.  Reid was still sitting with his paper.

"Let's go," I demanded.  He finished his paragraph, stood up, and silently led me out the door.

                                                                                          ~*~

Ten minutes later we pulled up to St. Lucia's Academy for Young Adults.  Beautiful girls dotted the lawn, staying in their own exclusive cliques.  Perfectly toned boys sat laughing on the benches.  I huffed and prepared myself for the first day in hell.

"Call me when you get out," Reid said as I opened the door.  I jumped down onto the sidewalk and waved him good bye.

Well, here we go, I thought.  Time to face Medusa.

I wasn't completely lost as I made my way to my first class of the day.  I had been given a tour by the dean of students earlier in the week.  I knew exactly which halls to turn down and which doors to open.  Ah, the blessings of a photographic memory.

My first period was Biology.  It would be a tourtuous start to a terrible day.

"Ahem, Miss?" the balding teacher said to me when he saw me standing awkwardly at the front of the class.  "Is there something I can do for you?"

"Yeah," I said.  He glared at me.  "Um, yes sir," I corrected myself.  "I am a new student, and I believe this is my first class.  Is this second year biology?"

The bald man nodded.  "Yes it is, Miss. . ."

"Nausica Germaine," I finished for him. 

"Ah, of course," he said, looking down his wire-rimmed glasses at a clipboard.  "Miss Germaine.  You may take a seat next to Mr. Hawkins."

Hah.  What a ridiculous name.

I looked around the class hopelessly trying to identify this Mr. Hawkins.  He helped me out by raising a hand.

My god.  The boy was delicious.

I took in his light blonde tousled hair and tan skin.  His eyes were a shade of blue the likes of which could only be compared to aquamarine gems.  He was muscular, like every other guy here, but his muscles were more beautiful and less over the top than some other boys.  His flushed lips smiled in my direction.

Click.

I took a mental picture so I would never forget my new desk partner.