"Teresa's POV"
My eyes cracked open, but closed immediately when I realized the sun's rays were in my eyes. I groaned in annoyance as I realized that my mother wanted me awake. I turned away from her, pulling the blankets over my head. Although I wanted more sleep, an alarming hand shook me until I made a response.
"Wake up, Teresa!" Mom's voice sounded higher than it normally did, as if she was more excited about my first day than I was.
"Ugh!"I groaned, flipping over so that my face met my Mothers. She was already dressed and ready to tackle on the day, but as for me that was going to be more of a challenge.
"Breakfast is waiting for you downstairs." My mom had said. My noise inhaled the smell of bacon grease and fluffy pancakes as soon as the words escape her mouth.
I rolled onto my side, glancing to my beat-up alarm clock to check the time. "Of course it's 7:30 in the freakin' morning." I flopped down on the bed, remembering how school back in Florida started at 9, there were even complementary drinks set out for those who were late.
"Ugh!" I groaned into my pillow.
Knowing that I wouldn't be able to sleep any longer, I swung my legs over the side of the bed and rose to a sitting position. I pulled up my fuzzy socks and stomped downstairs. The house's decor still needed work on, and all of our furniture haven't even gotten here yet, it was still on the back of a truck somewhere.
In the kitchen, My mom finished making her cup of coffee and slurped it down, eyeing me. I let my fingers run along our new granite counter tops as I stood beside the isle. Mom laid out a plate full of pancakes and crispy bacon with a side of OJ. It didn't take long to devour before heading back upstairs for the first day.
I walked into my bathroom. My own bathroom. The words sounded weird rolling off my tongue. My entire life I shared a one-sink bathroom with a prissy teenager sister, but now it was just all mine. I almost didn't know what to do with myself. The girl in the mirror looked back at me, her hair was disheveled and her face was covered in scattered pimples. I felt my heart rush as I notice the structure of my jaw was becoming more circular. I thought that not doing dance anymore would be okay, but maybe not. I continued to get ready, avoiding my reflection as I did.
I had washed my face off and then applied moisturizer for my dry skin. I brushed my teeth and used a brush to my hair. I walked back to my room and searched through some of my bags that hadn't been unpacked yet and found something to wear. I wore my favorite skinny jeans and an old t-shirt with a jacket. The ring that Trevor gave me gleamed in my jewelry box. It was as if it was begging for me to bring it along. I pushed it down my finger as I grabbed my hand mirror and made second looks at the mascara I had applied.
"Come on, Love!" My mom shouted from outside. I pressed my lips together as I turned the light off. I tried to leave behind any lingering memories or Florida or my old friends, it would only drag me down in the process of making new ones.
My mom parked the car by the curb. I stayed in the car looking out of the window.
'Welcome to Lovelorn Academy! Home of the Wolves!' the banner read.
I looked at the people who were gathered outside. Old students gathered in their groups and new students stood there on the quad, with their phones, looking around awkwardly.
I sighed out. "Well the car doors not going to open its self, I don't have that kind of money for that. " My mom joked. I looked at her, begging her with my eyes to just put me in online schooling.
"I haven't seen that look since kindergarten.'' My mom remembered. I shook my head as I fiddled with my hands. "Honey, you got this." My mom assured me. I took another deep breath before exiting the car. My heart was pounding like crazy. Another sign on the far left of the school had taken in my interest. 'Lovelorn Academy for Academic Excellence. Styling Our Lovelorn Look!' It read. I could feel my heart sink deeper and deeper in my body as I noticed the students around me. They wore button up shirts with a red and black blazer and the Lovelorn Academy logo embroidered on the side. The campus was scattered with pleated skirts and plaid pants. ties covered guys necks and Mary Jane's shined the girls' shoes.
I couldn't contain the anxiety that attacked my lungs, but it was too late as I turned around to shout at my mom, but when I turned she was already driving down. My mouth hung open. This place looked like one of those places that you saw in the movies where their parents take them to a really strict boarding school, except that I got to go home at the end of the day.
I closed my eyes. Okay, all you got to do is pass the front door and go straight to the office, so you don't become tomorrow morning talk, or even today. I thought. But people are probably to wrapped up in their own stuff to notice the new girl.
The new girl. I sighed and gave myself a couple of moments to calm my nerves and to not blow off at my mother for probably making my first week hell.
I took my long brown hair and shoved it all behind me, but then I noticed how sweaty I was and didn't want my hair to frizz up, so I just grabbed a ponytail holder out of my purse and but my hair up. Then I realized it would look sloppy to have a ponytail in that I just put up without looking at what I was doing, so I just too it out.
Good lord, Teresa, get it together.
Looking at the big building now, I had seriously mixed feelings. I've never been a huge fan at socializing with new people, and I mean; who would? Having to get the courage to speak up to a bunch of random people in your class about I don't know, the weather? I never had these problems back home, because I knew everyone, and everyone knew me. But here, I knew exactly no one, and my old friends that I knew very well were states away in Florida, not exactly close enough to meet up for brunch on the weekends. And anyway, I haven't had a single check up text or call since I got here. I just hope they don't end up become what my mom called 'Follow Up Friends', meaning that we followed up on our lives like, once a year, and didn't really give a crap for the other 364.
I even became really good friends with people way back in New York! I mean, not super close friends, but still, friends I had to leave behind who eventually became "Follow Up Friends." And don't get me started on having to pause things with Trevor. That was probably one of the hardest things about leaving.
And back then in middle school I was super sweet and innocent, but as I looked out into the crowded quad, that had consisted of my fellow classmates, I thought maybe I could change that. I'm not going to go all straight tough and cussy-cussy , but I won't let people take advantage of me like they did in middle school. And I should take Jennifer's advice, "Fake it till you make it." She use to tell me. And since mom is paying a ridiculous amount of money to have me in the best academic school she can, I might as well get the best of it.
Right as I was about to go running for the hills, the school bell rung, hopefully only indicating that school was just about to start. And I was right, because as the janitors open the front door, everybody went running in like a hurdle of cows. I took a deep breath and walked with my head down.
I tugged on the large door handle and walked my way into the school. As soon as I walked in, I felt as if all eyes were on me. I could see girls whispering into each other's ears, as others were stared. I held the straps of my backpack as I walked to... Well, wherever my feet could take me.
As kept walking a tall, skinny, short-haired boy, stood right in front of me.
"New girl," he smirked, his brown eyes moving quickly as he studied every inch of my face. "What's your name?"
"Teresa." I observed him just as he had done me. His hair was messy and shaded his dark eyes. His nose was just a little too big for his face, which had beauty marks here and there, and his smile hung a little crooked, but strangely enough, he was pretty cute. He just wasn't nearly as cute as he thought he was.
"Teresa," he repeated. "Nice to meet you, Teresa."
"And you are?"
"That's for you to find out. " He ran his hand through his messy hair and smirked even wider.
"Awe, you poor, poor girl." A voice spoke behind me. I turned to find a short, petite, dirty-blonde.
"Lola." She said, granting me her perfectly manicured hand to shake.
"And the mystery man is Caleb."
"They call me Mister irresistible."
"They call you revolting." She spat at him.
I stared between the both of them. They carried on their argument, but I only watched and observed, kinda frightened to be caught in the middle.
Caleb seemed laid back, very much cocky, but Lola's energy, though, was quite similar to Allie's back home. She screamed bubbly and energetic, the polar opposite of Davy's was. I towered her small, yet curvy figure. Her dirty-blonde hair was fixed into a waterfall braid and her dull blue eyes were big and round.
Lola was adorable. She had spunk and pizazz, and that was definitely why I had a feeling that we would become close soon.
"Just go!" Lola shouted in his face pointing to her opposite direction. He didn't hesitated as he gave me a small wave before leaving.
"Alright, sorry about that he's molesto," she said, speaking a sprinkle of Spanish.
"Don't worry about him, I swear he'll ease up on the flirting." She assured me with a bright smile.
"Thanks, I'm Teresa." She smiled again, "I know. I'm the student helper; they give me a list of everybody new. Nice to officially meet you," she continued, "I also know that you're a Freshman too, so we'll definitely be getting to know each other." She hugged her clipboard to her chest.
"Alright, can you first help me find, you know, the office so I can change clothes?" I pointed to my outfit, obviously it showed the wrong school-required outfit.
"Oh! Right, sorry my apologies, um, just turn a right, and then another right and then go straight done that hall and you'll see a dark door with the word, 'Office' on the side." She giggled.
"Oh! And also here is your class schedule and a map of the school." She handed me a small red folder.
"And don't worry about getting lost, it's really easy to find your rooms, just look for the building letter, level and then number."
"If you say so."
I walked the ways I had to down the hallway, I passed by the large cafeteria, with at least a hundred tables. Most of them were filled with teenagers sipping their Starbucks, eating breakfast, reading a book, or on their laptops and phones. It was extremely hard to contain my anxiety because this school was huge and obviously it was a school that a variety of different towns attended and wealthy kids.
I noticed that on the top of the doors were long, rectangular windows, where if your were tall enough you could see into. These specific windows were everywhere, on the doors and walls, creating a modern look to the corridor.
As I kept walking, I noticed that this was obviously the main floor. Their was a cafeteria, a few classrooms. One room with easels and shelves of supplies, another with computers in neat rows, I noticed the dancing room with a large window, barres and a stereo, and then their was the equipment room, that had disorganized rows of different excising machines and floor mats. Taking another right was a indoor track and behind that was an outside pool instead of inside.
I had then kept walking down the long way until I found myself standing in front of the large door labeled, 'Office.'
I slowly opened the door as I was met with dark brown eyes starring straight into mine.
"Hello." I had quietly spoke out as I stepped into her office. Her face was gentle, yet I knew she was going to be tough. She had short blond hair, a narrow face, with wrinkles everywhere. She looked pretty skinny with her dark attire on. 'Ms. Russo' the board behind her read.
"Hi, how are you?" She smiled. I took a seat in front of her desk.
"Good, um, I was just wondering about where I could get my uniform?" I asked.
She blinked a couple of times before answering back. "Well, that should have been purchased during the summer."
I shifted my weight in her chair. "Well, I wasn't here during the summer, so..."
She giggled. "I know I'm just messing I with you."
"Oh." I nervously chuckled.
"Well, yes the school uniforms should have been purchased during the summer, but understanding your circumstances, I see that you need..." She pushed against the desk and rolled back getting out of the chair and walking over to her metal inventory box.
"This," she held a bag up, full of neatly folded clothes.
"This your school uniform." She handed me the bag before sitting down.
"But first, let's go over procedures," She continued. "You most have the appropriate attire on for the who entire 8 hours and 45 minutes." She spoke, keeping her hands tightly folded on her desk.
"We do not allow jewelry, unless purchased on our online shop. You can bring a light jacket or coat depending on the weather, you cannot color your hair a distracting color, your not allow to have any tattoos, or they well be covered with a band-aid. Also, not hats, hoodies or anything that can cover your face and or head; for security reasons, and you are are allowed to participate in after school activities, sports, and clubs so long as your school grades stand 70 or above."
"That is all of the school procedures and guide lines, on Friday we'll gather in the gym to talk about some more rules and answer any comments, questions or concerns." She finished, handing me a list of the rules.
"Sign here and you'll be good to go." She cheesingly smiled.
Footsteps sounded closer to the door and soon enough it swung open and close.
She groaned, lying back in her chair. I kept my gaze locked on the contract, scare to make any awkward contact with Ms. Russo or the person that had walked in.
"What is it now, Mister Morales?" She asked in annoyance.
"Need a pencil." He said.
My chest strummed like the strings on a guitar. That voice soothed me, in a way I could't really put into actual words.
She sighed loudly, opening her desk drawer and handing the guy a pencil.
"I hope a pen will do Mister Morales, I'm all out of pencils." She reached above my head to hand him.
Morales. I thought. It rung bells, but I still couldn't pin-point it.
"May I have my uniform now?" I asked.
"I don't suppose you have 85 dollars on you right now, do you?"
"No!" My eyes widened.
"Then just for today, you'll have to call your Mom to pick you up. Your outfit is distracting to your fellow classmates."
"You mean, leave school?" I asked, I thought that sounded stupid until she answered me back a duh sounding yes.
"Here." The familiar voice said. He slapped an hundred dollar bill on the desk before leaving the office.
"Seems that Mister Morales does have a heart." She smiled to herself as she handed me the bag.
I was speechless. It bothered me that I didn't know who had paid for me, that I couldn't say thank you.
"Better hurry, Miss Glaser, class starts in ten minutes." She reminded me. I thanked her one last time before heading back out into the hallway.
I walked into the bathroom, the floors were marbled including the walls and counter. 25 stalls all stood at the same size. I walked into one of them, a nice looking toilet with a mirror and a trashcan. I closed the top of the toilet, putting down the uniform. Getting use to wearing a uniform was going to take some time, but I wasn't going to embarrass myself like that ever again.
I stripped out of my clothes, pulling up the white button-up, and then sliding on the red blazer. I strapped on the pleated skirt, pulling up the weirdly patterned socks, finishing it out with the shining black strap shoes. I open the stall, stuffing all my clothes in my bag. I checked my hair in the mirror, disgusted at the way my hair had laid. I tried my best fixing it, but it was no use. It took more than my hand and a hair tie to handle my head.
I checked my face again. I notice how the girl beside me had clear skin, one that seemed to glow in the light above her, she was flawless. I stared down at my hands before swinging my backpack on and walking out of the bathroom.
"Yah, you got your uniform." I could hear Lola's bubbly voice. I nodded my head.
"Your the first person to have that type of money lying around on campus."
"Believe me, I don't. This guy that had walked in paid it for me." Ms. Russo's voice played back in head.
Morales. She said. That last name seemed all too familiar.
"Teresa?" The voice I had once heard spoke. Morales. It played again.
It couldn't be.
Henry, Henry Morales?
AUTHORS NOTE
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QOTC: "The difference between school and life? In school, you're taught a lesson and then given a test. In life, you're given a test that teaches you a lesson." -Tom Badett
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