KINGSDALE, TENNESSEE.
SEPTEMBER.
The bell rang, indicating that class would start soon and here I was trying to find my first period.
And failing miserably.
Not only was I starting school one month into the term but I'm about to be late for my first class. I groan and take my schedule out my jacket pocket and give it a once over again, Dual English was in class B5, okay, where the fuck is that?
I was close to giving up and going to sit in the bathroom until I quite literally bumped into someone and fell on the floor. "Shit watch where you're going," I looked up to meet the annoyed voice and found myself staring into cold hazel eyes, I stood up, the girl pushed past me in a fit of rage and vanished around the corner, she left a trail of vanilla perfume in her wake.
"I'm surprised she didn't punch you," another voice spoke up, I turned meeting a small girl with blue hair coming out the bathroom, "must be one of her good days, are you new?"
"Can you help?"
The five minute bell rang and classroom doors slammed shut, the girl took my schedule and I watched her eyes light up a bit. "Oh you have Mr. Collins too, sweet, this way." She walked down the hallway, I followed until we stopped a door, she knocked twice. A boy answered and we walked in, I followed her up to the desk and handed Mr. Collins my schedule, he took it and gave it once over, he told me to sit wherever, so I chose to sit next to the girl I just met as she had an empty next to her.
"Alrighty," Mr. Collins said as he stood up, "we have a new student joining us this year, please everyone give a warm welcome to Madelyn Gomez."
No one said anything.
My cheeks heated up in embarrassment, I hated being the center of attention.
The girl poked me with her pencil, I looked her. "I'm Shay by the way," she said tucking a strand of blue hair behind her ear, "if you need anything just tell me."
I nodded and tried to pay attention, Mr. Collins was going over a test review and then said, "Madelyn—"
"Maddy." I corrected.
"Maddy, you can get the notes from Liberty, when you're ready you can take the test at the end of the month, I still have to get your missed work printed up."
I nodded, knowing I was probably going to fucking busy for the next six months. My gaze travelled around the class, examining each head quickly before I glanced at Shay, she looked back at me and I turned my attention back to Mr. Collins as he droned about the test. Then my eyes met dark gray ones, I knitted my eyebrows together as the boy just kept staring, did I have something on my face? He immediately turned back around after a moment.
When class ended, "Liberty" walked up to me, she fixed her glasses and threw a purple folder on my desk. "Try to have them back before the test," she told me, then threw her braid behind her shoulder before following the masses out the door. "Bitch," I hissed tucking the folder between my binder and notebook. "Ignore her, she has this complex because she's on honor roll," Shay said, "so what's your locker number?"
I looked at the number I had scribbled on the back of my hand. "Two-sixteen," I told her, she nodded and I followed her out the classroom. "Good luck, by the way, that locker has problems," she warned and left, leaving me in front of a dark blue locker door that had a massive dent in it.
"Aaron Greer puncher that locker," the boy next to me said, as he closed his, "oh I'm James."
"Maddy, I just moved here."
"Nice, the door might get stuck, also the combination locks are shit so just get your own lock." He explained, then hit the locker door causing it to pop right open, "See pretty shitty."
I grabbed the unnecessary things from my bag and put them in there, I noticed I already had some textbooks on the top shelf despite not even having those classes, I looked at James as he pulled a French book from his locker. "Do you know where Mrs. Addams class is?" I asked. "Yeah I had last year, she's kind of a bitch though, what grade are you?" He replied. "Senior," I answered throwing my bag over my shoulder.
"Junior."
And on that note I found myself in my art class becoming bored for yet another hour. I don't even like art but because I didn't take a stupid elective back home I was forced do it now for credit. While Mrs. Addams went over how to use the sewing machines I took my phone out and looked at the message, I got a text from my mom and three from Renée.
I suddenly felt something jab into my thigh and turned my attention to a brunette. "I wouldn't be on your phone, Addams will confiscated it." She warned me, I shoved my phone back into the safety of hoodie pocket, "I'm Carmen by the way."
"Maddy."
"Where are you from?"
"Los Angeles."
"Jesus why'd you decide to move to this dump?"
"Daddy left," I said jokingly, Carmen smirked and took a tube of glitter gloss from her jean pocket. "It's all bad, just some people here suck, like for real, watch out." She said, I knitted my eyebrows together. "What do you mean?" I asked, Carmen opened her mouth but was immediately cut off by Mrs. Addams clearing get throat, we both looked up in embarrassment.
"Miss Jones, would you and miss Gomez like to share your discussion with the class?"
"Uh no," Carmen said, some of the kids giggled, Mrs. Addams huffed, "Pay attention. Now as I was saying..."
Carmen turned back to me completely ignoring the old hag. "What's your next class?"
I took my schedule out, this poor piece of paper has seen better days, and handed it to her, she unfolded it and gave it look, biting her lips as she read it. "Shit," she poked a tall boy in front of her, "Daniel, where's McDonald's class?"
"Daniel" ran a hand through his curls and took the paper from her. "Shit I don't know," he said, Carmen rolled her eyes and turned back to me. "Useless pot head," she mumbled, "just go to the guidance office."
I made a face remembering my encounter with the lady at the desk this morning, she was so not pleased with me or my apparent attitude.
"I don't know about that," I told her.
By the time lunch rolled around I actually wanted to crawl into a hole and die, the food here was some mystery meat and I didn't wanna solve, I decided to sit alone as I'm the new kid and have no friends here.
I took comfort in an empty table, but I was immediately shoved away by some very rude band kids that kept giving me this look that told me I was not welcomed at their table. Fortunately, that James kid from the hallway called me over to his table and I grew some kind of relief, I took a seat by across from him.
"Mm mystery meat my favorite," he joked, he wasn't alone, sitting next to him was a pretty Asian girl with coily black hair. "Hi," she said, "I'm Suzi."
"Hi," I replied back, looking at the emo kid at the end of the table, "I like your shirt, Green Day is a cool band."
I saw a light smile pull on his lips, James gave me look. "Dakota must like you, I haven't been able to get him to smile since middle school." He said, then a sense of familiarity appeared in the form blue hair. "Oh wow you guys met my bestie," Shay said as she sat down next to me, "oh Suzi, my mom said yes."
Whatever her mom said yes to made the girl smile.
"So Maddy, how do you like Kingsdale so far?" James asked biting into a baby carrot that smelled weirdly of bleach. "Y'all low key suck," I answered honestly, "first off, Addams is a bitch, secondly, why is the guidance office not helpful? They're the fucking guidance office."
"I like this chick," Dakota said, causing Shay to drop her fork full of dry noodles. "You must be magic or something," Suzi joked. I smirked, then Shay let out a dramatic sigh, to which James rolled his eyes, I followed Shay's longing gaze that dude from first period walked into the cafeteria with a fairly large group of people (maybe five.)
"Leo Choi is so hot," Shay said, so that's his name.
"Yeah and he's so taken, you seriously want Avery to beat your ass?" James hissed, "Again."
Shay snorted. "She didn't beat my ass, I got in a few hits."
"Yeah one."
"It still put her into the hospital, her nose is fake now thanks to me."
"I'm sorry," I interjected, "who are we talking about?"
"Speak the devil," Suzi said, I looked over at the entrance, that girl I knocked into walked in, her black hair was pulled back into a high bun with a silk blue ribbon holding it in place, her platform boots tapped against the blue and white tile as she surveyed the lunch room. A smirk grew on her lips when she seemingly spotted her prey, a meek looking individual with her hair pulled into a blonde ponytail.
"Uh oh," Dakota said, we all watched the scene unfold, I winced as "Avery" yanked the girl's ponytail pulling her out of the stool and onto the ground, the girl screamed and covered her face as Avery got on top of her a started hitting her several times. A crowd started to gather as she continued to attack the poor girl, my eyes widened in fear, eventually a teacher or two pulled them apart and Avery was escorted from the cafeteria while the girl, who had blood dripping down her face, was taken to the nurse.
"What the fuck?" I breathed, "What just happened?"
"She probably pissed her off," Suzi said, "someone we'll come up with a rumor."
"But yeah, you just saw it first hand, don't get on her bad side."
"Noted."
The school day ended and I was thrilled to go home, I parked my car into the driveway and got out, locking it and heading inside.
"Maddy?" My mom poked her head out of the kitchen, "How was school?"
"Great," I answered trying to clambering away from the conversation, but I was pulled back into the conversation. "Maddy please," My mom said and took a seat on the couch, with an annoyed huff I walked over and stood before her, "I know this move has put a strain on both of us, I know you miss California."
"Mom—"
"No listen, I want this to work, okay? I don't want you to hate me because I forced you to leave everything, now," she said back against the couch, "Christmas is coming, so I did a little string pulling and Renée's mom said it was okay if she came."
I froze, was this a joke?
"You're bluffing!"
"No I'm not you can ask her yourself."
I couldn't believe it, no fucking way, I ran to my room, my mom calling out one final time, "Unpack those damn boxes!"
I slammed the door and quickly called Renée, she answered after the second ring, "Did you hear!"
"Yeah, I cannot believe she said did that."
"I know, I'm surprised my mom even said yes, she's worried about me going to college."
"I know."
"So how was your first day?"
I sighed and fell on my bed. "Don't even get me started."
I decided to try to enjoy Tennessee as much as could, I mean senior year doesn't last forever, so maybe I can be a little excited.
Besides, Renée was coming in two months.
So last night I unpacked the rest of my boxes, I even got my clothes out for the week—look at me being productive.
Oh but my morning had to be ruined, because the minute I walked into class, Liberty walked up to me, looking pissed. "What?" I asked, she scoffed and rolled her eyes. "The notes?" She sneered, I examined my acrylic. "Oh, sorry I haven't got to them yet," I said, she made an annoyed look and went back to her desk, minutes later Leo walked in a took his seat, he sent me a smile, not far behind him was Shay.
I watched her stop at his desk, and start talking to him. "Did you do the homework for Mr. Scott?" She asked sitting at the empty desk in front of me, Leo pulled his English binder out his bag and nodded. "Yeah do wanna copy it?" He asked, Shay nodded and batted her eyelashes, she then turned to me and winked. I took notice of her makeup, she didn't have on any yesterday, I wasn't going to assume anything but her outfit wasn't exactly conservative.
"Thanks," she said and took the paper to sit at her desk, I gave her a look and she tilted her head to one side. "What are you doing? He's taken." I whispered. "Not anymore, look," she pulled her phone out and handed it to me, it looked like screenshots of their Instagrams—their bios said single. "Okay," I said, "is that why you're all dolled up?"
She furrowed her eyebrows together and shook her head. "No I'm retaking my school pictures."
"Oh," I said suddenly realizing I didn't have a school ID or photo for the year book, "um where exactly do you do that?"
"It's today and Saturday, if you come with me you can ask."
I nodded and turned back around as Mr. Collins walked into the class and we began the lesson.
I fell behind Shay's long strides as we exited B building and walked across campus to the lobby or commons, there multiple photographers and cameras positioned everywhere, teens of every grade former unorganized lines as some sat in the lounge while they waited for their turn. We walked up to a long white table and Shay handed the girl a white card, then jabbed me in the rib with her skinny elbow.
"Oh, um, how long are they doing retakes for?" I asked, the girl sighed and opened a book next to her. "Until two-thirty Saturday," she told me, I nodded, bidding Shay goodbye and going to my locker, unfortunately, James wasn't there and much of the hallway was empty. Opening my locker I pulled out my school bag I stuffed in there and slung it over my shoulder as I darted down the hall and to my art class.
When I got there the door was locked, I knocked, but no one answered, I huffed, so I was late and I had no choice but to march myself to the guidance office and get a late pass.
To say Mrs. Addams was pissed was an understatement.
"I expect better from you miss Gomez," she told me as I gave her the slip and rolled my eyes discreetly, I took my seat next to Carmen and listened, ever so enthusiastically as the horrid woman talked about the sewing project we'd be doing.
I hate art.
When I returned to comfort of my house and the safety of my bedroom I decided to start on some of the missing assignments I needed to do, some of them were just bonus points like write five things you like about yourself and dumb shit like that—it was just to get my grade up. While I worked I played some music from my speakers, but was immediately interrupted by the group chat I was added to blowing up. I knew this was about homecoming, it's all the group could talk about at lunch today, which I was doubtful about going to because it was nearly October and I was definitely unprepared. As Shay went on about what color she wanted her dress to be I simply muted the conversation and went to doing my school work—it was six by the time I finished and I took a shower.
When I got back, Shay was now on the topic of Avery and Leo, they were an item again, I called that honestly. I still didn't see what was so bad about Avery, I mean, despite the whole beating others up for no reason, I was sure she was nice enough, maybe she just had a bad home life.
People shouldn't be so judgmental.
Oh what am I saying? I was judging this town before I even moved here.
Friday blew by in a breeze, that Saturday I woke up at seven am sharp and drove to the school to I my photo retakes, I wanted to get there early so I could get in, and hopefully go back to sleep. However, it seemed like so did everyone else because the parking lot was packed, I found one in the back of the lot and started my way up to the school doors, when I was inside I immediately regretted this and thought about going home.
Had it not been for Carmen running up to me, I would have.
"Oh you look hot," the brunette said with a laugh, that's when I noticed the purple braces she had, Jesus Christ I need to start paying attention more.
"Me? Please look at you," I was not a liar, that's one thing you'll realize soon enough, Carmen had on the cutest off shoulder jade green top, that I was going snatch one day, it showed off her stomach and pushed her boobs up—I wasn't sure if that's what she was going for but the flared jeans and chunky Steve Madden heels really pulled the look together.
I, on the other hand, settled for a simple pink cami top with lace trimming, baggy ripped jeans, and a black leather jacket—I felt straight out of wattpad novel and as Leo Choi approached me, the strong sense that I was definitely entering cliche territory grew stronger.
Oh fuck me.