ROSE'S P.O.V
"Well, here goes nothing." I thought to myself while turning the key in the ignition to my car and start to pull out of my dirt drive way. I put in my CD mix tape I made this past weekend that has a few of my favorite songs on it. The first song to play is Kiss's 'I Was Made for Lovin' You.' I begin to tap my fingers as I drive through the town square I guess I have to get used to.
I was on my way to the first day of my senior year, at a new school, and in a new town. It's kind of a pathetic cliché to say, but this year was supposed to be my year. Back home in Florida I was practically the 'It Girl,' at least that is what I have overheard in previous years. I was the captain of the volleyball team and was acing every class, I wouldn't say I was a teacher's pet by any means but they definitely liked me and let me slide on a few assignments seeing as being on the my high school's team was a big deal and they 'understood.' Over 200 girls would try out and about 18 would make it on, the school was huge and full of raging hormones and jealousy towards anyone on a sports team or had passing grades really. Despite being average looking with good grades, the only thing I was missing back then was the perfect boyfriend everyone was waiting for me to find, but I would not be lying if I said literally every boy in that city was a dick. Their egos were too big for their heads and treated girls like they were nothing, I can't even say they were treated like objects because it wasn't even that.
As I pull in the driveway of the new school I take notice as to how small the school really is. There only seems to be about 700 kids, maybe not even that. I see the main sign with the mascot and name on it leading into the parking lot.
"HAWKINS HIGH STUDENT PARKING"
"The mascot is a tiger? Really?" I say to myself as I laugh and roll my eyes away to focus on driving.
I make my way towards the back of the lot making sure not to hit anyone. I figured parking in the back would allow me to just stay out of everyone's way for today at least. As I weave through the aisles I notice that everyone is staring towards my car, which I don't blame them. I drive a classic red sports car in a town where it seems strange to drive anything but a clunker. It's like they all just know I am new here because of the car, I should've drove my aunt's car to keep eyes off me.
I finally pull into the furthest away parking spot I could, its away from everyone's car except this creepy tan van parked about 3 spots away. I gather my notebook, camera, and water bottle and toss them into my small black backpack and open the door to get out.
Once I do, I immediately get a whiff of weed, not intense but definitely smell able. I close my eyes and inhale; memories flood back to before I was on the volleyball team and I was smoking for fun in the back of my best friends car almost every Friday night after football games. Being on a sports team meant no getting caught up in drinking or smoking so the fun didn't last long for me. I felt a small smile creep up on my face when I think of this as I reach to shut the car door.
It didn't feel that nerve wracking as I was walking up to the main entrance of the school, I was used to stares to an extent but eye contact was a different story, not for me.
I pass by a group of boys who seem to be freshmen or sophomores. They're all leaning their bikes into the metal rack next to the doors. They all smiled in my direction, I return the glance and continue towards the door.
I pull on the metal door handle and step inside the building and goose bumps raise on my arms due to the much cooler temperature compared to outside. I head towards the desk to see a lady sitting up pin straight with a phone to her ear. She senses my presence and looks up and puts a finger up to me signaling me to wait a moment, I give her a small nod and tap my fingers to the beat of my favorite Tears for Fears song, Head Over Heels. The lady shoots me a death stare and I stop. I move my attention over to the kid next to complaining about his schedule.
"Mike, there is nothing we can do. Everything is full and no one else is willing to transfer, I'm sorry. Just take a seat and wait for her to get here." He listens to her intently before lightly hitting the counter and walking away with his head dragging only to sit in the chair a few feet away with his arms crossed.
I notice the lady I was standing in front of finally put the phone down and was getting ready to say something but I beat her to it.
"Hi, my name is Rose and I am a new student. I was just wondering where I can pick up my schedule?" I politely ask keeping it short and sweet not wanting to cause any awkwardness on my end.
"Yes of course we've been waiting to get a new face around here. We have heard many good things from your last school. Killer grades by the way, a few of the students around here should take notes of your seriousness towards school." She says and adds a glance towards the boy in the chair. But then continues speaking at me, "I can print it out right here for you Rose, just give me a moment.." Her voice fades towards the end of her monolog with her eyes searching the screen in front of her.
A few moments pass and then she speaks up again by calling Mike over.
"Michael, this is our new student Rose. She is a senior but I figured since you have that odd club of yours after school that meets in the senior wing you could take her to her homeroom for us?" She looked at him with a snarky look and he replies with a nod and his eyes rolling away. She holds out the piece of paper with my freshly printed class schedule on it. I glanced at it briefly and counted only 4 classes, thank god my credits transferred.
"Thank you, have a good rest of your day." I reply simply back and take the schedule from her hand.
Mike begins to walk towards the main hallway and I follow him. We start down the long walk way full of orange lockers, catching glances from everyone along the way. He leads me in silence as we turn the corner but then his eyes light up as he sees the same group of boys by the bike rack from earlier this morning. He gives them a smile and nod and they all wave back in awe. We pass them swiftly and continue on in silence. The bell rings and everyone scurries to their first classes of the day. We reach a dead end to a two way hallway and the silence broke.
"Hey can I see that?" He asked looking towards the paper with names and times on it in my hand. I comply and hand it to him and he looks at it slowly. I look around with my hands grabbing the straps of my back pack and notice how calm it is when the halls are empty, my old school could never. It was comforting in a way and then my thoughts were interrupted.
"Okay so you're just going to go down this hallway and its the 3rd door on the right, I would watch out for the blonde prick in the varsity jacket. He is a total asshole." He says as he hands my the paper back and I finally look back up at him. The kid has pristine bone structure its crazy.
"Perfect, thank you for not letting me look lost on my first day. Have a good day Mike." I replied back and started walking towards the door.
"Please don't be weird, don't make it awkward, please don't be weird." I kept repeating this to myself as I continued my strides towards the classroom with the yelling teacher coming from it.
"Oh great." I think to myself as I pause my steps right beside the entrance to the room. I listen to her go on without being seen through the window of the door to hear the words being thrown.
"Mr. Munson this is the last time I am warning you, act up one more time or be late again and your grade drops. You clearly do not care about your assignments or classmates." I hear the teacher say.
"Ma'am, if I may? I don't think its right if you drop my grade purely out of the fact I have been late a few ti-." He starts to say but is then cut off immediately.
"17 times Munson. That is not a few times and for talking back I am sending you to the principles office. Go now please Eddie." I hear the teacher say back in a harsh tone.
I hear a few laughs from what I assume is the other students, I figure now is the time I should open the door and just walk in while nothing important is being said and they're in the middle of gossiping about someone else.
Another statement starts being produced out of the boys mouth as I reach down for the door.
"You know what Ms. V, this is ridiculous, I try so hard in th-" He forces the door open at the same time I step in front of it to pull it open.
I suddenly flew to the floor and tried to catch myself with my left hand, only to feel an immense amount of pain shoot up my arm.
"Fuck!" I yelled as I hit the floor. I started to breath heavily as my arm just began to hurt worse with every little movement. I reach my other arm to my head and rest it on my forehead. Just when I thought today was going to go smoothly.
"What the hel-? Oh my god are you okay?" I heard from the same voice that was talking back to the teacher before, just in a panicked tone now being spoke in my direction. I see a figure kneel down next to me. I'm in too much pain to take in their features right away. I take a second to collect my thoughts and realize what just happened.
I looked up and just saw... hair? Brown, dark, slightly frizzy curly hair. I only saw the top of his head as he was checking my legs to be sure nothing else was hurt I guess. There were no scratches or anything, all he would find were my little tattoos. When he finally looked up at met my gaze with his deep brown eyes, he asked me if I was okay once more. I paused at the eye contact and took a few deep breaths to try and calm my nerves. It took me a few seconds to pull my eyes away but I did manage.
"Holy shit I uh. I ughm, wow I love your hair. Uhh um yeah.. I think I am, my wrist really hurts I tried to catch myself and clearly, failed miserably." I said back with a small painful laugh motioning my other hand towards the floor. I see him look over to my left hand and heard what I was hoping not to hear.
"Oh shit... That is definitely a broken wrist." he said softly while looking over to my wrist holding it gently. I winced at the contact and closed my eyes.
"MR. MUNSON. LANGUAGE PLEASE." I hear from that same bitchy teacher that won't leave him alone. I hear her heels click the tile ground closer and she comes into my vision, where the boy is the door holding open with his white sneaker, getting them creased and scraped from the ground.
"Oh dear, do we need to get you to the nurse.? I hear her say in what sounded like a fake worried tone.
"Wait, you must be the new student from Florida I don't recognize you. I'm Ms. V, apparently your new homeroom. I imagine this isn't the best meeting situation but there's always tomorrow. I'll call the nurse just stay put." She says in a more calm tone but still leaving that lingering haste even after seeing I was laying on the ground in the hallway.
She talks with her hands a lot oh my god that is going to be annoying . I roll my eyes at the thought. She walks away towards what i'm assuming is her desk.
"Jesus Christ I feel bad for her husband. That attitude is disgusting." I say under my breath and look at my wrist, nauseous at the thought that it could be broken. I sigh and put my head back down to the ground totally forgetting someone is sitting next to me. I hear a low quiet laugh coming from over me that sends chills over my body.
"Don't worry Ms. V, I'll take her. I was already on my way over there." He said as he picks up his stuff he dropped, including a folder labeled "HELLFIRE" matching what his shirt said. He grabs his text book off the floor beside him and takes his denim vest off. The movements of his body allowed the door to swing closed.
"Here, this might hurt a little bit but it will be better than just letting your arm hang. If you need to just grab my arm and squeeze if it hurts too much okay?" He says while lifting my wrist to the book and moving it to where it can lay as flat as possible. I nod my head and grab his arm just incase. God damn he must be toned under this leather jacket. I shut my eyes at the pain caused by the movement of him trying to lay my wrist flat and turned my head as my eyes started to water. I slowly dig my fingers into the fabric of the jacket but not hard out of fear of hearting him.
"Hey um... I never got your name?" He states after clearing his throat, and he takes the vest to tie it around my wrist and the book to make it stable. He is very gentle trying not to cause too much pain which I very much appreciate.
"Oh I'm sorry, my name is Rose I just moved he- OW!" I squealed in pain and dig my nails into his arm as I look at what he was doing, he had just tied the last knot making it secure.
"I'm sorry Sweetheart, I'm sorry. Jus' trying to make it easier for when we walk. But, its nice to meet you Rose, I'm Eddie. Now is the time I would normally offer my hand for a friendly shake but uh, seems you're out of order on that front so we'll save that for a later day. Right now we just need to get you off the ground and out of here, okay?" He responds in a calm reassuring tone while looking at the damaged arm.
I sit up to reach my stuff, only to find nothing and he is already standing up with it around his shoulder. He slowly grabs the arm with the fake sling and pulls me up so I stand on my own two feet again. I take a step away noticing how close we were.
"Okay, let's go. I'm okay, feel free to lead the way." I state starting to walk back down the damn hallway towards the exit.
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AHHHHH okay so i've never done this before but i think it could be fun, i have no thoughts for the future. i blame tumblr for the addiction to one shots i have no other explanation.