I woke up with two things on my mind. What time is it? Why didn't my alarm go off.
I slowly grabbed my phone, and it was 9am. I was two hours late to school on the first day.
I was overwhelmed with thoughts and worries.
What were my parents going to think? Will this ruin my student placement. I quickly got dressed, and I was relieved I prepared an outfit the day before. I brushed my teeth, and washed my face.
I was out the door ten minutes later.
I went to the administrative office for a schedule, and directions. The room was cramped with people yelling and frustrated faces everywhere. The line was long, so I sat down till it shortened. I sat there angry thinking about how stupid I was to stay up all night past bedtime.
In the corner of my eye I see a lady pouring water into her dogs mouth, and this was not just cute small dogs they were Great Dane's. About Half the size of me. I was intimidated by the size of the dogs. The lady was leaving, and I realized I sat towards the exit, so I got up.
Two girls enter in. The office was chaotic already, so I couldn't move. I pressed myself against the wall, grasping onto my phone for support to ease my anxiety.
"Nice dog," said the girl that walked in.
As the lady gets distracted by the clerk, the dogs are unleashed. Becoming more aggressive, and bark. I get scared, and attempt to run away. The dog jumps onto me ripping my clothes off, and chasing me.
"WOOF! WOOF!"
The situation was bringing attention to everyone, and people left. The lady got ahold of her dogs, and I was safe.
"I'm so sorry I don't know what's gotten into them. They're usually calm and quiet."
"No! Get your dogs away from me! Next time I see them I will kick there heads off!
I noticed those girls I saw earlier were gone.
Where they'd go?
The lady was kicked out the room, and was told to never bring her dogs again. From that point on I had assistance immediately.
"Ugh can my day get any worse," i said while piling up my ripped clothing pieces onto the counter.
"Yea this is the last time pets will be allowed. I'm so sorry about that," said the lady.
"Oh let me introduce myself, my name is Beatrice I am your school counselor, and it is a pleasure to meet you!"
"Nice to meet you too!" I said with a convincing smile.
She noticed my clothes were ruined. "There is a lost and found down the hallway. Nobody will see you, please go help yourself ."
I piled through the clothes, and they were either too big or small. They smelled musty, and were dirty with stains. I found an outfit that was clean, but too small. The shirt was so tight that you could see my stomach, and cleavage peeking out. The shorts were so low and short, that my butt cheeks were hanging out, and you could see my waist line.
At this point I didn't have a choice. On the way out the bathroom I avoided looking at myself in the mirror because I was embarrassed. I was going to walk through these halls knowing I look crazy.
I took a deep breath praying that everything was going to be okay. As I opened the door Beatrice runs to me and says, "Don't forget your schedule!"
"Thank you," feeling bad because I barely said anything to her I ask, "Can you show me around?"
"Of course! That's what I'm here for", she said with a little laugh.
Welcome to Veritas Del Sole! With sprawling grounds that boast manicured gardens, ancient olive groves, and breathtaking views of rolling hills, students are enveloped in an atmosphere of tranquility and inspiration. Students are not just encouraged, but expected to do above and beyond. Our school is known for providing the best quality of education, sports, and field trips.
"So Dream what brings you here?"
"Well, I'm carrying my families legacy." Before I could get a word in.
"Are you Dream Hartz?"
"Yes."
"I was your mothers school counselor...Edwina Banks. God I miss that woman."
"Haha the fact that you remember her name is crazy." I said having her attention. I wanted to hear more.
She said, "Well I got to say I have good memory, but she was the best student I've ever had. She was a valedictorian, and rewarded the most athletic student that ever stepped foot here."
"Yea she talks about it all the time," I said under my breath.
The loud bell rings forcing our conversation to end. She leads me to the cafeteria. We say our goodbyes. I hurry to the lunch line to be first, and seeing the food makes me realize how hungry I was. My stomach starts to growl, and my mouth begins to water. I grab a chicken salad, and a juice box. I sit down at the table with the least amount of people. As I sat down I notice a group of girls staring, and laughing at me. I ignore it, and read a book, while rewarding my stomach.
A boy snatches my book. His eyes were brown and his skin was tan like a sunset. His hair was brown, and curly. His body was giving body builder, his arms had tattoos, and were covered in veins. You could tell he'd been working out.
"What are you reading?" He said.
The audacity to snatch my book without asking. Who do he think he is?
"Can you please give me my book back."
"I would say no, but since you used the words please. I'll think about it." He chuckles and flips through the pages, trying to rile me up.
I snatch the book from his hands, but as I pull away the pages rip. I shoot him a glare that could freeze fire. He raises an eyebrow and smirks, unfazed by my glare.
"Oh, feisty one, aren't you? " he says, his smirk widening.
"I have every right to be feisty. You better glue each page before giving it back to me!" I yelled so loudly, it turned the faces of others.
But before I could see the boy's reaction, the cafeteria monitor approached us, bringing the commotion to a halt. "Pardon me, what's going on here? " The cafeteria monitor's stern voice cut through the tension. The boy leans back in his seat, wearing an innocent expression.
Her eyes sharpened, and she addressed the boy sternly, "Do you have another problem, Mr. Caruso?"
He tucked the book away safely in his bag to hide the evidence.
"I was just trying to have a friendly chat with your new student," he replied, his smirk replaced with an angelic smile.
"I didn't get your name. What's your name?"
"Dreamy," I said with an unconvincing smile.
She raised her eyebrows skeptically, unimpressed by his attempts to ease his way out of trouble.
"You need to remember our school guidelines, Mr. Caruso," she said firmly, her eyes scanning his guilty face.
"Of course, Mrs. Fernandez, I apologize for any disturbance," he said, giving a slight nod of understanding.
The monitor nodded, her expression softening. "See that it doesn't happen again," she warned before eyeing him.
She left, while turning her head back a few times.
A familiar girl who I recognized from the office says, "Caleb leave her alone," her eyes narrowing at Caleb before turning to me with a warm smile.
I felt relieved to have someone defend me.
"Tell your father, he's lucky sending you breathing," he said while laughing, and walking away.
I rolled my eyes at his arrogance and turned to the girl, "Thanks for the save." I said relieved.
I get up packing my belongings, and picking the ripped pages that I hadn't realized fell on the floor. I was over this school, and the people included.
"I'll help you," she said.
"Thanks." I said in a serious tone. Making it clear I was angry.
"My name is Maya. I saw what happened earlier at the office. Are you okay?"
"Look you don't have to pretend to care. I saw you laughing earlier."
"Oh about that," she starts holding a laugh in.
"Your wearing the outfit I lost a couple of weeks ago. I forgot I even lost it."
I start laughing, and the grudge against her faded away, "You want it back?"
"No keep it. I think it looks better on you anyways."
"Stop your so nice." I started smiling. I'm Dream by the way. I'm sorry for being a butthole earlier."
"No I don't blame you. Caleb can be a bully sometimes. But it's probably because he likes you," she said sarcastically.
Maya's snarky comment made me roll my eyes.
"Oh no. I don't see how a girl could ever be with someone so conceited and obnoxious," I said, shaking my head.
"He can choke on a sock for all I care."
"Haha, yeah, seriously." Maya said.
"He's just not my type," I muttered, waving off the thought with a dismissive tone. But as Maya looked at me with a sly smile, I couldn't help but wonder if there was more to her words than just sarcasm.
As she leaned in and whispered, "Be careful around him, Dream.
"Trust me, I've seen his type before." Maya's expression turned serious.
She leaned back, leaving me with more questions than answers.
"Trust me. I'll stay away from him."
"Okay, I'll keep an eye out for you too," Maya said.
With that, the school bell rang, i realized how much time i lost track of. We fell into an easy conversation, lasting for a while. She led me to my next class room.
"So you know where to find me. It's room 211, just down the hall."
I nodded and thanked her for showing me the way.
I waited for her to turn the corner of the hall and watched as she disappeared from sight. I stood behind the door, debating if I should enter the classroom or linger for a moment. I hated being the center of attention, and I knew the teacher was going to introduce me to the rest of the class.
I took a deep breath, I straightened my shoulders and pushed the door open, stepping into the room as all eyes turned toward me.
One of the eyes being, Caleb. He sat at the back of the classroom, giving me a calculating look that sent a shiver down my spine. I could feel my heart race as I tried to ignore the intensity of his stare and focus on maintaining my cool.
The teacher paused his lesson, "Class meet our new student, Dream Hartz. Let's make her feel welcome."
"Oh I've welcomed her," Caleb said, a smirk playing on his lips. I could feel the weight of his words and hear the laughs from my new classmates.
The teacher gestured towards an empty seat, "You can take the seat next to Caleb."
I sighed.
Reluctantly, I made my way to the empty seat next to Caleb, feeling his gaze burning into me as I sat down next to him. I kept my eyes straight ahead, pretending not to notice the unsettling interest he took in me, focusing on the way the words blurred off the page in front of me. It was going to be a long day indeed.
I shifted uncomfortably in my seat, counting the clock. Only a few minutes had passed, but it felt like an eternity. The minutes dragged on, each second stretching like taffy as Caleb's scrutiny continued to bore into the side of my head. I noticed he wasn't staring anymore.
I stole a quick glance in his direction, and saw him scribbling furiously in his notebook.
Our eyes met mine for a split second before I quickly averted my gaze, but I caught a flash of defiance in them.
The corner of Caleb's mouth turned up in a faint smile, and I knew then that this encounter was just the beginning of something much more complicated. His smile was enigmatic, hinting at a mystery that would unfurl itself over time.
As the teacher droned on about the history of the French Revolution, my mind wandered, but it kept coming back to his mysterious gaze and that faint.
I was faced back to reality, as the teacher asked, "Dreamy do you know the implications of Louis XVI's failed escape attempt?"
"I..."
The room fell silent, and I hesitated. A bead of sweat formed on my forehead as all eyes turned to me, awaiting my response.
"I believe it led to a further destabilization of the monarchy and an escalation of revolutionary fervor," I finally managed to respond, mustering up the courage.
The teacher nodded in approval, and as the class returned to their notes, I couldn't shake off the feeling that Caleb was still watching me, a knowing glint in his eyes. It was as if he was silently challenging me, daring me to uncover the secrets behind his enigmatic smile.
"How'd you know that ?" Caleb whispered next to me, causing me to jump slightly.
"He was a weak and indecisive king," I replied, avoiding his piercing gaze.
Caleb raised an eyebrow, his expression unreadable as he leaned in closer.
"Very astute observation," he murmured, his voice barely above a whisper.
"Many have underestimated the consequences of that weakness," he added, his eyes locking with mine, revealing a spark of curiosity.
"And some say it was the pivotal point for the monarchy's eventual downfall," I responded, feeling the weight of his intense gaze.
I could sense the conversation taking a more cryptic turn, as if there were hidden layers beneath our words, waiting to be unraveled. I couldn't help but wonder if there was more to Caleb's interest in this topic, or if it was merely an intellectual exchange.
The way he gazed at me made me feel like there was a deeper significance to our conversation.
The bell rang, and it was the end of our history class. I guess class went by faster than expected.
As we gathered our belongings, Caleb turned to me with a thoughtful look.
"Come by my dorm to night. If you want your book back," he said before heading out the door.
I watched as he disappeared into the crowded hallway, intrigued by his words.
I felt that there was something more to Caleb's offer.
Maya's words echoed in my mind, but that book had all the secrets I'd been searching for. I knew I had to go to his dorm that night, it was the only way that I could get my book back.
I woke up to my pen sticked to my face with a jerk, realizing that I had fallen asleep while studying again. The clock showed that it was already past midnight, and I remembered Caleb's offer. I hastily grabbed my coat and hurried out the door, wanting to make it to Caleb's dorm before I lost my nerve.
His dorm was on the other side of the school, and it was raining hard outside. The wind whipped my hair as I hurried through the campus. The rain was coming down in sheets, drenching me to the bone as I stumbled toward Caleb's dorm.
I arrived at Caleb's door, the rain pounding against the windows as I reached out and knocked. His windows were dark from the inside. Was he asleep? Or maybe he just forgot, so I called his phone number. It declined.
After knocking a few more times, with no answer I just sat there under the shelter of the building's overhang, feeling the dampness seep through my coat.
I was frustrated if he would show up or not. I shivered, feeling the chill of the rain-soaking into my coat.
My impatience growing with each passing second.
Just as I contemplated leaving, the sound of a door opening behind me made me turn around.