Chapter 3
I groaned as an alarm blared. By instinct I turned it off and went back to sleep.
"Payton! You're going to be late for school!" my mom called.
I sighed, I was never going to get anymore sleep with her around.
I grudgingly got up and glanced at the time. I had an hour to get ready. Luckily for me, that was easy. I jumped in the shower and turned the water up all the way. I liked my showers scalding hot.
I blow dried my hair and brushed it out to it's full length. My chocolate brown hair was in perfect waves and fell to my mid-back, almost my waist.
I usually didn't wear a lot of makeup, just some eyeliner and mascara. I threw on my favorite band t-shirt and some skinny jeans, before running downstairs. I glanced at the time on my way out, crap I guess I didn't have that much time after all.
"Mom! I'm late!"
"No way, you are going to sit down and eat a proper breakfast before going anywhere," my mom said sternly. I groaned, the only way to make it on time was if I choked down my breakfast at lightening speed.
"Fine," I said as I grabbed cereal out of the pantry. I grabbed a handful of cereal and shoved it in my mouth, never bothering with a bowl. Then I went to the fridge and drank a mouthful of milk.
"There, breakfast done! Bye mom!" I thought I heard her mumbling something about gross teenagers but I was already out the door.
I ran the rest of the way to school and stopped when I reached the front door. I needed to be calm and confident.
I took a deep breath and entered the school. It seems as if Joel spread the word about me going to Filmore because everyone was waiting for me. Literally. Kids were practically lined up in the hallways to see me walk through the door. They parted like the red sea as I walked past them.
I made my way to the front office without making eye contact with anyone.
"Can I help you?" an elderly lady working at the front desk asked.
"Yeah, I'm new."
"Right, well what's your full name?"
"Payton Elizabeth Hoffman." How I hated my parents for my old fashioned middle name.
She printed out my schedule and handed it to me. "So that's your schedule, since you're joining late you didn't get to choose your electives, so I guess you're stuck with whatever had space. Your locker and combination are also listed on there."
"Right, okay," I said. I didn't really care about my electives, as long as I didn't get stuck with something boring like an extra math class.
"Good luck!"
I mumbled a thank you before heading to my locker. It wasn't hard to find it. Filmore's building was almost identical to Woodmont's. The same hallways, same classroom placements, just different colors on the walls.
I found my way to my locker and threw my backpack in.
"Well well well, what do we have here?" I cringed. I knew it was inevitable, but I was so not in the mood.
"Leave me alone Joel."
"Now, Payton, I would be careful now that you're in my school," he hissed.
"Whatever," I said as I slammed my locker closed.
"Do you have your schedule?" Joel asked conversationally.
"Do you care?" I countered.
He grabbed it out of my hand before I could stop him.
"Hm, you have Mr. Chapman, watch out he's a hard grader. Mrs. Eastman is easy, but likes to give out pop quizzes. Most of all, Mr. Sandoval is a stickler for being on time, never be tardy to his class."
"Great," I said sarcastically. "Can I have my schedule back now?"
He faked a hurt look, "Hey, i'm just trying to help."
I scoffed, knowing better than to trust the enemy, "I need to head to class," I said, grabbing back my paper.
He laughed at me as I walked away from him, "See you there!"
I spun around, "What?"
"We have first period together, lucky you," he said with a grin on his face.
My eyes narrowed, "What other classes do we have together?"
"Well, it wouldn't be a surprise if I told you, would it?"
"Whatever," I mumbled as I walked away. The bell rung signaling that I was late. Today was not my day.
I checked my schedule and head to my first period, Mr. Sandoval.
True to his word, Joel was right. Mr. Sandoval is completely anal about being late.
When I walked in the room he glared at me. "Who are you?"
I blinked, "I'm Payton." The whole class snickered, as if my answer were hilarious. That just made the teacher even more mad.
"Okay, but why are you here?"
"To learn?"
"I don't have time for you smart answers!" he snapped. Smart answers? It's true! I am Payton and I was here to learn.
"Uh, okay?"
"Are you new?" he asked more calmly.
"Yes," I answered. I mean duh! 'No i'm not new, you just haven't noticed me for half the year' I thought sarcastically.
"Well I don't allow tardiness in my class."
Someone caught my eye in the corner of the classroom. It was Joel mouthing 'I told you so'
How did he get here so fast?
"Well sorry," I muttered, aware that I didn't sound sorry at all.
"Sit down so I can continue my lesson," he ordered.
I scanned the room for a place to sit. There was an empty seat next to Joel, no way in hell. There was a seat right in between two cheerleaders that were chewing gum obnoxiously, nope. That left a seat by the window next to a boy discreetly listening to his ipod.
I took my seat next to him as Mr. Sandoval continued his lesson on some war.
I followed suite of my seat mate and took out my own ipod. I hid my ear buds behind my long hair and took out my notebook. I looked around and most people were taking notes. I started taking notes too, but then realized that I had already learnt this a few weeks ago.
I sighed and started doodling. I had always liked to draw, I wasn't an artist or anything, but it was a hobby of mine. I drew the boy sitting next to me. He had messy brown hair, and dark brown eyes. He was well built, like a football player, but instead of a football jacket he wore a blue t-shirt.
I drew him exactly as he was, a bored expression on his face, ear buds in, his head resting on his hand.
"Is that me?" he hissed.
I looked at him, and noticed he was peering at me paper. Crap, he probably thought I was a psycho who drew pictures of unsuspecting victims.
I nodded and pushed the paper to him.
He looked at it and handed it back, "It's good," he said.
"Thanks."
"Mr. Grant! Are you passing notes?" Mr. Sandoval boomed.
"No sir," he answered.
"What is that piece of paper then?" he asked pointing to the picture in my hand.
"Notes?" he said it more like a question than a statement.
However, Mr. Sandoval bought it without a question, "Alright then."
He continued on with the lesson until the bell rung. I felt really bad about getting the guy next to me in trouble so I walked up to him.
"Sorry about almost getting you in trouble," I said sincerely.
"It's okay, I'm Grant," he introduced himself.
"Grant? So your name is Grant Grant?" I asked, remembering what the teacher said his surname was in class.
He laughed at that, "No, my name is Isaac Grant, but everyone just calls me Grant."
"Oh, well sorry again Isaac," I apologized again.
"It's Grant," he argued.
"Okay, Isaac," I said, mostly just to be annoying.
"Fine, bye Payton," he finally relented.
I walked away to my next class, but he followed me.
"Are you following me?" I asked, confused.
He chuckled, "No, this happens to be the way to my class too."
"Oh, which class are you going to?"
"English with Mrs. Young."
"No way!"
"What do you have that class too?"
I nodded, "Yep!"
He laughed again, "You're funny," he declared.
"Thanks," I replied.
"I know what it's like to be the new kid it's hard," Isaac said.
"Were you new here?"
"Yeah, I only came here like last month."
"No way! Where from?" I was excited that I wasn't the only new kid at Filmore. Granted, no one hated Isaac like they hated me, but still.
"Arizona."
I whistled, "That's far."
"I know."
"Well welcome to America!"
"I came here last month, and Arizona is in America," he told me.
"I know, it's just fun to say," I smiled at him.
"Well welcome to America to you too!"
We both laughed at that.
It turns out that Isaac was in most of my classes and that he was pretty cool. I might actually have my first friend here. Since he came here last month he didn't really care about the whole Filmore vs. Woodmont thing yet, which was a bonus for me. At lunch time he said he would introduce me to his friends.
"Hey guys, this is Payton. Payton this is Chris and Zack." Chris and Zack were both jock types, well built and muscular. However, you could tell that they weren't the brainless kind. They were smart and didn't wear their jerseys everywhere. Chris had a pair of thick rimmed glasses, they didn't make him look nerdy though. Instead they contrasted with his boyish looks and made him look cute. Zack had dark hair and wore dark clothes. The first thing I thought was that he was an emo, but I didn't like to judge too quickly.
"Hi guys," I was never nervous to meet new people.
"You're the enemy," Chris noted.
"Chris!" Isaac said as he slapped him on the back of his head.
"What? It's true!"
"Yeah, I guess I am the enemy." What was I thinking, making friends with Falcons?
"No, it's cool as long as you don't try anything on us," Chris warned.
I raised my right hand, "Scouts honor."
I noticed Zack wasn't even looking at me. He was just looking down at his food and avoiding eye contact. That annoyed me, he could at least be friendly.
I snapped in front of his face which scared the crap out of him.
"What the hell?"
"Hi, i'm Payton!"
"Hi," he said awkwardly.
"Don't mind him, he doesn't like new people," Chris assured me.
"Oh, so you're shy?"
"I'm not shy," he hissed.
"So you're just quiet?"
"No, I just don't like you," he countered.
"Why not?"
"Because, no one likes you."
"Why not?"
"Because!" he grew aggravated.
"Do they like you?" I asked curiously. The emo's at my school weren't exactly popular.
He grew red, "Do you think I need them to like me?"
"Sh, down boy," Isaac said to Zack, as if he were a dog.
"You don't want to get him started on the unfairness of popularity."
"But aren't you a football player?" I asked.
"Yeah, I mean i'm pretty accepted because of that but I still don't think it's fair."
"I guess," I mumbled.
The rest of the lunch period after that passed pretty well. Chris and Zack were hilarious once you got to know them. They really accepted me and made me feel welcome. After lunch I had either Isaac, Chris, or Zack in all of my classes.
Joel and his friends also happened to be in another 3 of my classes. However, he stayed to himself and didn't bother me. Occasionally though, i would see him and his friends laughing and I felt their stare on my backs. When I looked at him, he looked as though he had a secret.
I made it a point to watch my back for the rest of the day.
When the last bell finally rung I was relieved, everyone at the school, besides Isaac, Chris, and Zack of course, froze me out. I wasn't talked to, or looked at.
Some feared me, some plain out hated me. It's not like I cared though, it was exactly a goal of mine to be miss popular here.
I grabbed my books out of my locker and started to walk home. In the parking lot however, Joel called me over.
"Hey Payton!"
"What?" I asked irritably.
"I was thinking about your little prank the other day, and I decided it wasn't really fair."
"So? I don't care what you think," I scoffed.
"Well we decided that you needed a taste of your own medicine."
"What?" I was confused, what was he talking about.
Then I realized that we were surrounded by other students. Mostly Joel's friends. Some cheerleaders, and other just random students. They all took out water balloons and grinned. I looked for my escape but they surrounded me.
Then Joel shouted the command, and they all threw their water balloons at me. I wish it had been water in those balloons. Instead it was paint, in two different colors. Black and red, Filmore colors.
"What the hell?!" I yelled at Joel.
"Consider yourself officially welcomed to Filmore," Joel smiled.
"Watch your back Joel, because this is not over," I said through my teeth.
"Is that a threat or a promise?" he asked playfully.
"Oh, it's definitely a threat," I said before walking away. I was covered in head to toe in red and black paint. Luckily, my house wasn't too far of a walk from the school, but it was a bitch to get out of my hair.
When I got out of the shower, I heard a knock at the door. Knowing who it waws I yelled, "Come in!"
Emma, Aimee, Noah, and Lee came in and sat on my bed.
"What happened?" Emma asked, seeing my paint filled clothes on the ground.
I explained to them every detail of the day. From the classes, to Joel, to meeting Isaac and his friends, to the prank.
By the end of my story they were boiling mad.
"How dare they!" Emma said.
"I'll kill them," Noah said.
"Are you okay?" Lee asked.
"How will we get revenge?" Aimee asked.
I liked her question the best, "I don't know."
"I have an idea," Emma piped up. We grinned, Emma may be little miss priss, now but when she put her mind to it, she could be evil.
"So here's what we do..."
We all nodded and exchanged evil grins. This was war.
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Picture of Joel on the side --->
Yay for an extra long chapter
I'm starting a new book soon about a performing arts academy. Sound interesting? I will have an official summary out soon, but I don't have a title yet. Any suggestions? I really wanted to finish Leather and Lace before I post it, but I might not be able to wait!
Comment, vote, fan <3
-YvonneN