I followed Jenna towards the ‘canteen’ (or as I was used to calling it, cafeteria) and found that the layout was one quite similar to my old one, except the tables were smaller and rounder, plus there was a sort of balcony at the top.
“And this, is the canteen. And before you ask, we do not have any spectacular showdowns between the cheerleaders like you do in America.” She stated seriously. Wow, this girl has been watching way too many teen movies.
“Good. So where do the ‘popular’ people sit then?” Even if we didn’t have any ‘spectacular showdowns’ in the cafeteria, the group that people considered ‘popular’ always seemed to sit at the same table every lunch.
“Everywhere and anywhere, really. Except by the bins. No-one really does that. Besides, as long as they’re together they’re always ‘popular.’ That’s just how things work around here.”
“Right… Well, I’m looking for someone who might be a ‘popular,’ – although I seriously doubt it. But anyway, do you know where I could find them?”
“I’m assuming this is your brother you’re talking about right? Well, I doubt he’ll be in with that crowd yet, but if you want to go check, I’m pretty sure they’re on the balcony.”
“Great. I’ll just be a sec.” I answered, rolling up the sleeves of my jumper grimly. Someone, (and by someone I meant my evil, abandoning brother) was going to get it. Even if they were magically popular. In fact, that was all the better since I would have an audience.
“Wait!” Jenna called, as I turned to walk up the stairs leading to the balcony. “Just remember, don’t talk, look or even make eye contact with Jake, since I bet he’ll probably be up there.”
“Jake Bennett this, Jake Bennett that! What is so special about this guy? As far as I’m concerned, he’s just some stuck up skater boy.”
“Yeah, with a bad reputation.” Jenna replied, sighing. “Just be quick, kay? I’ll be over here.” I nodded and swiftly started ascending the stairs.
Shortly, I reached the top of the stairs, where surprisingly there was another door to get onto the balcony. Luckily enough, there was a small pane of glass in the top centre which allowed me to peek in.
Yep, it was definitely that distinctive quarterback jacket. Oh he was so in for it. Abruptly, I burst dramatically into the room. A couple of heads flickered towards where the noise came from, and then the nudging started, before everyone’s head was turned accusingly to me.
Suddenly, I was feeling a lot more intimidated. Especially as these people seemed to be the lucky type: smart, sporty and good looking. I had to say that even my brother fitted in with these people. Even so, it didn’t give him the right to abandon me. I couldn’t been kidnapped for all he knew!
Ignoring the curious stares thrown my way, I marched straight up to the table where Trent was sitting.
“Hey Trent!” I said enthusiastically, but in a false tone that would be unnoticeable to anyone else. He sat there uncomfortably, probably debating whether or not to acknowledge my presence.
He turned back to the amused, yet slightly suspicious faces of his ‘friends,’ and several annoyed looking girls.
“Excuse me, guys. I have to deal with this.” He said in a disgusted tone, as if the mere sight of me was too much too handle. Standing up, he started dragging me off to the other side of the balcony, which was empty.
“What the hell are you doing here, Riles? I thought I made the rules clear this morning!” he hissed irately.
“Well maybe they would’ve been a bit clearer if you hadn’t gone off and left me. Sure, I wouldn’t have minded if you’d actually told me where I was supposed to go first!”
A wave of guilt washed over his face, before being replaced by a mask of indifference.
“Well it looks like you managed, doesn’t it?”
“You just wait till Mom hears about this!” I snarled while Trent chuckled as if I’d told the funniest joke in the world.
“You just wait till Mom hears about how you went off ‘gallivanting’ while you were supposed to be helping the rest of us unpack.” He retorted smugly. I let out of a hiss of irritation.
“You are such a self-centred, narcissistic, selfish, egotistical j-” I was cut off by another one of Trent’s remarks.
“Save it, sis. Now, if you don’t excuse me, I have friends and doting girls to attend to.” And with that, he strode off back to the other side of the balcony, leaving me scowling at his back. Wouldn’t it be so much easier if boys didn’t exist?
***
“How’d it go?” Jenna asked as I stomped back down the stairs.
“Alright. Now where do we get lunch from?” I didn’t really want to talk about my failed attempt of ‘having a word.’
“Okay, then… Well you can get hot meals from over there, and sandwiches from that stall. Then, the till’s just at the end, next to the column.”
“Kay, I’ll be back in a sec.”
As I walked over the hot meals queue, I began to wonder how I would be able to get Trent back (while not having him rat me out either) and show up at Pole Hill tonight. Somehow, the odds of me actually being allowed to go were slim, and if Trent caught me, he would also having something else against me.
Which meant I would have to go without anyone noticing that I was gone. If not, I would forever be bugged by the fact that Jake Bennett actually thought he was a better skater than me.
It sounded like the exact same situation as when I had to sneak out for my leaving party, except now I don’t have a tall tree right outside my window and a loud party conveniently going on downstairs.
Once I got to the front of the queue, I grabbed the first plate I saw (which looked like sausages and mashed potatoes, or bangers and mash as it said on the blackboard above) and headed back to where Jenna was sitting, fiddling with her glasses.
“So, who else do you hang out with around here?” I asked, then immediately regretted in. She hadn’t seemed friendly with anyone else the whole day. Maybe she didn’t really have any friends?
“No-one really, around here anyway. Not much to choose from.” she replied coolly. “But I guess you could say I hang out with Fassnidge Park lot.”
“Oh.” I answered dumbly. Somehow it reminded me of the Ridgeway ‘gang’ and how we weren’t really friends, but more a family. It seemed like everything was reminding me of America, and more importantly Ridgeway and the guys.
“Sad, I know. Anyway, I might as well introduce you – seeing as you’ll probably be skating there soon.”
“He-!” I started to protest – I could so get into Pole Hill. But before I could even finish my sentence, Jenna had already gotten up and was walking towards the exit. “But I didn’t even get to finish my ‘bangers and mash!’” I called out in vain. Oh well. Who wants to eat bangers anyway? Whatever they are.
“Guys, this is Riley, the new girl. Riley, meet Hal, Brad, Levi, Ryan and Trish.” Jenna said as she motioned to them each in turn, as I did a short penguin wave to the very varied group of people.
There was Hal, who had a spiky quiff and an earring and Brad, who had blue eyes and a very Justin Bieber-esque hairstyle. Then there seemed to be the others, who had way more extreme styles.
Levi’s hair was jet black and really messed-up while, while Ryan’s was plastered with gel. Finally, the only other girl besides from Jenna and I had electric blue hair and two nose piercings.
“Hey babe.” Levi greeted carelessly. I chuckled nervously. Babe? The blue-haired girl hit Levi round the back of the head.
“Levi! Sorry about my boyfriend, he’s a total weirdo.”
“That’s okay.” I said awkwardly. So know I knew that the blue-haired girl – Trish – was dating Levi-with-the-jet-black-hair. Somehow they made an odd, but perfectly matched couple. But they didn’t really seem like real skateboarders.
“So I hear you guys like to skateboard?”
“Well, some of the time.” Another boy, who was Brad – I think – responded. “I’m pretty sure Trish here can’t even skateboard, though. So really it’s just the rest of us an-”
“And everyone knows I’m the best!” another boy butted in, who I immediately recognised as Hal (mostly because he reminded me of James, from the Vamps).
“Anyway, we should probably be going now, Ms Arthurs will freak if we’re not on time. See you later, guys.” After she finished speaking, Jenna started dragging me anyway from corner of the courtyard where we had been talking.
“Well, your friends are… interesting.” I said tactfully even though Jenna was already snickering under her breath.
“I wouldn’t call them friends – more like acquaintances. But they’re cool people, I guess.”
“Yeah, guess,” I replied thoughtfully, “but they don’t real seem like proper skateboarders, I guess.”
“Don’t you see? All the proper skateboarders already skate at Pole Hill.”
***
Well, this has been an eventful day. I mused as the final bell rang. Today, I had made a new friend (Jenna), made a new enemy (Jake) and made a challenge to see if I was as good a skateboarder as I said I was (or thought). I’m guessing that’s a lot more than most people have to deal with on their first day. Then again, I’m not really that normal anyway.
“So, I’m sure I don’t really need to explain this, but today is the end of the day – so you can go. But before you go, let me give you my number.”
I thought about my phone, which was still not in UK mode.
“Sure, but I need to get my phone sorted out first. Why don’t you just give me your number, and I’ll text you when I get it fixed?”
“Kay.” She answered, and quickly scratched out an 11-digit number.
“See you tomorrow!” I quickly called out as she waved goodbye. I had a feeling she was going to become a good friend. “Now it’s just time to find Trent…” I mumbled under my breath. I doubted he was still talking to me after the lunch time ‘fiasco,’ but as long as we showed up together, Mom would be satisfied.
I wandered out of the main door and back into the front courtyard, where loads of people were squeezing out of the gates - while many were just milling around and playing on their phones. I was kinda thinking that I’d be one of the ‘phone’ kids for a little bit until I finally found Trent.
However, out of the corner of my eye I caught sight of that familiar quarterback jacket again. But this time, Trent wasn’t with so many people. Just one more familiar face.
Jenna. Well this was interesting.
I half jogged, half-ran across the other side where my Jenna and my brother were talking? I couldn’t say I had ever imagined this happening. Inside my head I was praying that he wouldn’t ask her out or anything stupid like that. Sure, it would be a bit weird if he asked someone out on his first day here, but then again – this is Trent we’re talking about here.
“What?” I blurted out as I reached them, as I obviously couldn’t think of anything better to say about the situation. As soon as I spoke, Jenna blushed and smiled slightly, while Trent’s face took over an impassive expression.
“Er, hey Riley.” Jenna said awkwardly.
“Hi sis.” Trent added rather rigidly.
Jenna’s expression went from shocked, to confused, to slightly disappointed, then to an all-knowing look which kinda annoyed me to be honest.
“Well, I should probably get going now. Bye, Jenna.” Trent said, smiling at Jenna before facing me while Jenna waved goodbye and left. What was that? Which is exactly what I asked – well, demanded – as soon as we were out of the school gates.
“What the hell was that?” I demanded. I knew that Jenna wasn’t his type (tall, blonde and a cheerleader/netball/hockey player) – so why he was so obviously leading her on was a mystery.
“What?” Trent answered, relatively innocently. “I was just talking to my new friend.”
“Yeah, right. Don’t forget Trent, I’ve seen you pull those moves on girls time and time before – and it never ends well – for them anyway.” I snapped.
“What’s it to you?” he countered defensively.
“What’s it to me?! Jenna is my friend, and I think she might become a good one – and I don’t want you to ruin all that! Didn’t you ever realise why I never had any female friends before?” I demanded furiously.
His face softened the tiniest bit. “Look Ri-”
“Save it.” After that, I abandoned him. Who cared about what Mom thought? After all, I had much more important issues to attend to right now – like the plan for tonight.
A/N I hope you enjoyed this chapter! I know, I know it wasn't very eventful, but you can be assured the next chapter will be, but the question is - will Riley be able to sneak out? And more importantly, if she does, what will happen? Find out in the next chapter of SJASG!
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