Time To Step Up
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Chapter Two
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Yawning, I sat up from my new single bed from the second night here in San Jose. It was six am on Tuesday in September, my first day of school, which should've been my second, but Robert thought it was too soon for me to start school, plus he starts work today; so it only seems fair to start school together.
The shower woke me up properly from my restless sleep last night, but I will get used to it. It is quite annoying that whenever I have a shower or a bath I have to walk across the lounge and kitchen to my bedroom. We live in an apartment that used to belong to our uncle.
The smell of grilled bacon filled my nostrils. Just what I need; a bacon butty (which is the British slang for sandwich) and a strong coffee. As some Americans think we English folks drink tea mostly, then they're wrong about me and Robert, we drink coffee (not all the time) in the morning and during the day, then tea just before we go to bed. Here's a true fact: A hot cup of tea can help you sleep and feel better when you have a cold.
Slipping on my red high top trainers, pulling the tongue over my white jeans, I nicked one of my brother's bacon butts', taking a bite out of it and putting it back on the plate. I looked through the fridge and grabbed the jar of vitamins and a bottle of water. We always take one of these every morning for energy. I let out a burp, quite a loud one too.
"Good morning to you, too." Robert said, then noticed the bite taken out of his bacon butty. He playfully glared at me. "If you wanted one I would be happy to make you one, you know."
I shrugged, "I'm not really hungry." I took another sip of water, then poured myself a coffe, no milk and no sugar.
"I'm nervous as well, Olivia, eat something, you'll feel better." Robert told me, eating his bacon butty.
I let out a tired sigh and grabbed a banana, apparently, bananas add six hours of engery, or something like that.
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I looked out of the car window to see my new high school. It's so weird, today is my first day of an American high school. I am a little nervous about what I am going to experience all the things what are awaiting me. I just want to know how things work here and what theyr'e like. To be honest I don't want to go to school, but I'm doing one year.
There was kids the age of sixteen and over getting out of their own cars, greeting their friend, it made me a little jealous. I noticed some bikers pulling up, shoving people out of their way walking passed and entering the school, even tripping people over purposely. There were at least five of them, all wearing leather jackets and jeans and sunglasses. They're the greasers or the trouble-makers or whatever.
"I don't want you going near them, okay?" Robert told me in my ear before we got out of the car. Figured he would say that, but he's my big brother, he would, "Just think you're in year eleven again."
Hmmm.... It's quite hard to pretend this is The Hollins Technology College when no one is born-English and is wearing uniforms. And, I am not head girl, this time.
Being a coward, I asked Robert to come with me to meet the receptionist, who is a sweet old lady who welcomed me with a kind smile.
"You must be Olivia Wilde, lovely to meet you at last, dear. Principal Wilde has told me a lot about you and your brother." she shook my hand kindly, "I am Mrs Clements. I have a welcome package for you." She handed me a swipe card with my photo which is the same as my passport when I updated it a couple of weeks ago. Luckily, it isn't embarrassing.
Robert checked his wristwatch, "Oh, sorry. I have to get going to meet Adam. Take care Mrs Clements, love you Olz." After a kiss on my head he left the reception office.
"Aww, he's lovely." Mrs Clements commented. "Now, I am guessing you are not familier with how we do things here." She leaned forwards, giving me a whiff of her strong perfume.
"No, Miss, I'm now." I admitted.
Mrs Clements gladly spent the next ten minutes patiently explaining what activities I could attend and what grades I needed to graduate.
"We've made a timetable here based on the choices you made when you filled out your application. You can change anything, if you're unhappy, just let me know." She then checked the clock hanging on the wall, "You've missed homeroom, so I'll take you straight to your first class."
Mrs Clements frowned at some loiterers by some lockers, ordering them to get to class, she then lead me towards the science class.
I started to regret coming to school now, even regretting to move here. To try hiding my nervous look, I lowered my DC cap to avoid any contact with staring students.
"Mr Richworth, here's the new girl." Oh, crap, time to step up, I reminded myself.
The teacher looked up from his laptop where he was calling out names. Twenty heads swung to my direction. To hide my trembling hands I stuffed them in my pockets.
Mr Richworth looked at my direction, he was good-looking in an older guy kind of way, "Olivia Wilde?" Some murmuring started.
I nodded.
"I'll take it from here, Mrs Clements."
The receptionist gave me an encouraging look and nudge and walked away.
"Take a seat anywhere you like." Mr Richworth told me, after Mrs Clements left.
The only seat left was right at the back left next to a girl with red/ginger hair that was seriously straight that reached passed her shoulders. She looked nervous and scared for some reason when I walked to her desk.
When I sat down I offered my hand for a shake.
"Olivia Wilde."
"Amelia Jones." she whispered, shyly.
I gave her a smile and she smiled back knowing I am friendly.
"Nobody likes siting next to me. I'm a freak." Amelia whispered to me, I noticed she has braces.
"Take no notice. I don't think you're a freak, and I've only just met you." I nudged her softly, playfully, which made her smile a little, "How are you a freak?"
"I'm smart and I wanted to be a cheerleader, and I sorta babble when I'm nervous- and that's uncool."
"Huh... so you have to be a thick-shit to be a cheerleader... cool."
Amelia covered her mouth to muffle her giggle.
"Take no notice of those cheerleaders. I'd hate to wear an outfit like that. Plus when I'm nervous I always think about dancing."
"Why dancing?"
"It calms me down, I guess." I shrugged, "Same when I'm upset- I find a lonely deserted place, play some music and I dance."
"Cool.. What sort of dancing do you do?"
"Street dance."
"Awesome, I wanna try street dancing, but you don't find street dancers at this school, and I wouldn't go to public classes."
I smiled at her, feeling sorry for her. I've only just met her and we're already getting along. But, then it made me think... if she's a 'freak'?
"Do you get bullied? Sorry for asking." I was feeling protective now.
She nodded, "Tormented, is the word." She sighed, "No one wants to be my friend. Plus I'm always alone."
"Um... Amelia, you wouldn't mind being my friend? I need a guide for this place."
"Girls, do you have something you'd like to share with the class?" Mr Richworth interupted our quiet conversation.
Everyone looked at us and immediatly I thought of a lie.
"Sorry Sir, Amelia was explaining to me about what we're doing." I lied, confidently, and convincingly.
"Well, that's fine, but remember it is not a problem to ask me, that's what I'm here for." Mr Richworth.
"Okay, thank, Sir." I said, not making contact with him pretending to be slightly embarrassed.
"It's all right, can we-" he gestured the top of his head, "- lose the cap please?"
"Oh sorry." I took my cap off and dropped it on the floor next to my bag.
"Well, at least you have some manners. Right, where were we...?" Mr Richworth went back to the chalkboard.
Amelia leaned closer to me, "You told a lie."
"And a good one, too. Better than getting in trouble." I shrugged. I really do understand the subject; Electro-Magnets. I find this entirely easy, what do you expect.... I've already bloody graduated!
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Luckily, I have every single class with Amelia and she is happy as well, because she has a friend in every class with her.
At lunch we sat outside in the senior lawn, basically where all seniors hang out. We sat against the wall on the grass in the shade. I bought a bottle of water and a packet of grapes, and Amelia brings her own lunch. She told me that she lives with her Grandparents ever since her parents died in a car crash. Also, she works everyday after school at her Grandparents cafe, which is a fifties styled cafe, called Jukebox. She also mentioned kids from school harass her there.
To be fair, I told her that I never met my parents, as my dad left before I was even born, and my mum died before I could even open my eyes. I also mentioned that mu uncle is the Principal and my cousin is the gym teachers and my brother is his assistant.
"You have your own crew?" Amelia asked. Oh, and I mentioned that too.
"Yep. We're called Rebound. Right now, they're saving up and working hard to get over here." I told her.
"That's so nice, you must be really close. I'd love to meet them."
"We're a family, and yeah, I'll introduce you to them."
"Are you a big crew?"
"Not really, there's only six of us really. We're a small crew, but our routines are big."
"Awesome. You're so cool."
"Oh, Ta... Never really considered myself 'cool'." I took a sip of my water and caught a grape in my mouth after throwing it up, "There's nothing wrong with being who you are."
"I tell myself that everyday, but it don't stop the tormenting." Amelia commented.
"I won't let you get tormented, Amelia. When my crew meet you, they'll immediately like you, treat you as family and will protect you."
"Really?" I nodded, drinking some water, "Aww, wow. I so wanna meet them now."
"You have to wait, love. Might take while. But, Drake and Bradley are trying to come over sooner. Since they have family somewhere here in California."
"Lucky for them."
"Yep. Enough about me, tell me more about your dancing."
Ever since Amelia was a little girl, she always wanted to dance like the popstars. She used to pretend to dance in front of an audience, in front of her bedroom mirror, she still does it now. She reminds me of another little girl who used to do that, and still does, now. Me.
Amelia noticed my accent, she says it's different to what she expected. I have a Lancashire accent, and London had nothing to do with Lancashire. Nothing snooty and posh about me.
I noticed around us there are groups; girls wearing cheer leading outfits sitting with jocks who are arm wrestling and catching and throwing a rugby ball, which is called a football over here. I saw some smartly, decent dressed students with books and laptops sitting in a circle talking about gigabytes and physics.
"Everyone has their own group- the jocks and cheerleaders and the geeks hang out here, sometimes the jocks and cheerleaders chill at the football field." Amelia explained, "The skaterdudes and girls hang out under the bleachers and everyone else hangs out wherever. Oh, and I mustn't forget about the bad boys; they hang out near their bikes in the parking lot away from us losers. Nobody messes with them, some of them are cool with the jock and cheerleaders and the skaters, but if it's the geeks, the others and me- big mistake to even look at them."
"Sheesh, who crapped in their cornflakes?" I said.
Two of the bad boys came walking across the lawn, followed by three others. They did look like trouble, but none of those bad boys can compare to Drake. Drake is my cousin and a true bad boy, he can sure as hell start and finish a fight.
"You've probably made a few enemies, if they find out you're hanging around with me, they might start tormenting you." Amelia warned me.
"If they do I'll make sure they wish they hadn't." I threatened.
"Don't do anything stupid or anything you'll regret."
"I won't I'm just waiting." Waiting for my crew.
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Robert kindly dropped Amelia off at the Jukebox and I prayed no one harasses her from school. Robert enjoyed his first day, while I found it weird and ordinary. I listened to everything he had to say and he really loves this job. Adam let him start the lesson with the warm ups and a warm up came, Football, well, soccer season had started. He is really happy with this job, he really wanted this. That's the one reason why I agreed to moving, Robert really wanted this.
"I really love this job. The boys respect me already, they asked me a lot of questions' mainly about my accent." Robert said when we entered our apartment, "How was your day?"
"So you finally ask! It was all right, but fair warning, I ain't gonna let anyone torment Amelia anymore. Poor girl suffered since... whenever." I told Robert, firmly.
"Whatever you'll do is Max's problem, I agree with you, but I'm pretending I know nothing about this. But, stay away from the bikers, Adam told me they're threatening little fuckers. Some of them have got the police involved."
I gave my big brother a look saying 'I ain't thick', and he silently laughed through his nose.
"You need the toilet? I'm going to run a bath." Robert said, stretching his arm making a bone crack.
"Need a tinkle."