Chapter 3
“As I was saying, my seniors are taking Geography as one of their subjects and they will benefit from it so much…” Mr Hench voice drones on. He’s already told us about his seniors that many times I expect he wants someone to quote him.
Mitch is slumped on her desk behind her large Atlas, snoring softly.
I smile fondly at her. She’s been such a good friend to me so far. She’s quirky sure. But she’s kind, has a good sense of humor… and well, seems to understands me…
I watch the clock. 2 minutes till we’re allowed out to freedom!
I snake my right leg out into the aisle and nudge Mitch with my sneaker. She jolts awake and immediately starts to read the paragraph in front of her.
Now that’s talent….
She glances up at the clock and then mouths a ‘thank you’ to me. I smile in return and then tap the page number of my open book. She quickly turns to it and acts like she was on the proper page and listening attentively the whole time.
The bell rings and there’s a huge jam at the door as all 29 students in our Geography class try to fit through the door at the same time. It’s a tight squeeze and it’s only when I’m shoved up against the door frame that I realize that Jake has cornered me.
“Let go,” I say through gritted teeth.
He looks down at me, a hint of something in his eyes…
“Um, what I said back before… that wasn’t cool of me. That was way out of line… Uh I’m sorry.”
I look up at him through my hair. “Well maybe you should have thought before you said all that in front of the whole class.”
I try to get away but he presses closer against me. “Please, Hale,” his tone is pleading now.
I look up sharply at him “How can you ask me to forgive you? I’m sick of you and your snarky comments.” I feel him ease up in surprise and shove past him and out into the hall. My hair falls back into its usual curtain and I clutch my books to my chest. I feel tears pricking the corners of my eyes.
“Hailey! Hey! Wait Up!” A hand comes down on my shoulder, stopping me. Mitch leans down trying to see through my hair. “Hey, I lost you for a second there. You just took off! You’re pretty fast for someone so small– ” she stops in surprise when she sees my face.
I smile at her, brushing at the corners of my eyes “Don’t worry I’m fine… I’ll just stop by the bathroom or something…”
“Ok, I’ll come with, then.”
I smile at her gratefully, glad that she hasn’t pressed me for answers.
“Oh, by the way, do you mind if we stop by my locker? I just need to grab my jeans and shoes so I can change.”
I nod my head and she starts to lead me through a labyrinth of corridors full of staring teens, curious to see who the mousey new girl is.
We stop in front of a rainbow polka dot locker. In a sea of grey-blue lockers – this is a surprise. Mitch see’s me staring at it, “You like it? Painted it with a stencil, took long enough… You’re allowed to – the school doesn’t really mind.” She opens her locker and grabs a duffel bag. She then opens the one on its right. She grabs a couple of books and a sports bag out of it and chucks them into her own locker. “You can take this one. It’s been empty for ages so I’ve just been using it for storing some of my stuff.”
“Are you sure?” I ask her.
“Yeah, if there’s a problem then just tell them that I gave it to you.”
I smile gratefully at her, “Well, at least I don’t have to carry my Atlas around everywhere.”
Mitch grabs my arm suddenly, “Shhh! Mr Hench has ears like bat!” Her face turns thoughtful, “Looks like one too,” I can’t help but laugh. “Look! You’re laughing again! See? Stick with me and you’ll never feel sad for too long!”
I look up at her shyly, “Thanks Mitch, you’re just what I need,”
“Awww shucks. Don’t worry! It’s what I’m here for! Didn’t I tell you we’re gonna be besties? Now come on, it’s absolutely freezing in these things. I need to change ASAP.”
I put my Atlas in my new locker, shut the door and then jog after Mitch who’s already started towards the bathroom. It’s easy to find her because of her tall stature and red ponytail.
I follow her into the girls bathrooms and she immediately goes into a cubicle, “Won’t be long” she calls out before shutting the door.
I put my bag down next to the sink and look into the mirror that takes up half a wall. I stare at my lank straight hair that covers my face… My plain, unattractive face…
Well… it’s not that hard to realize that I haven’t gone out with anyone with a face and figure like mine…
Matt’s face appears in my head but I quickly shove it back. I refuse to think about him. Not Now. Not Ever.
The door opens and a bunch of girls walk in. I quickly duck my head so my hair falls in place and I start rummaging through my bag, trying not to draw attention to myself. It doesn’t work.
“Hey, you’re the new girl right?” A sneering voice says.
I look up a little, “Um, yeah?”
A girl dressed in knee-high boots and a low neck T and a pink mini skirt that screams slut, stands in front of me glaring daggers at me as she looks me up and down. She flicks her wavy hair behind her shoulder with a huff.
“Well then you probably don’t understand how things go around here.” I’m shoved up against a wall for the second time today. “Stay. Away. From. My. Boyfriend! Don’t go near him! Got it?”
“Wait, what? Who’s your boyfriend?”
“You know, bitch! Jake! Stay away. Got it? If you don’t want any trouble, stay away from him. You’ll regret it otherwise, I’m the lead girl around here,”
“Lead bitch, more like it, Luce” the pretty blonde girl lets go of me and whirls around. I hold onto the sink, steadying myself.
“This is none of your business Marshland. Piss off.”
Mitch walks right up to us and towers over Lucy. “Wanna say that again?”
I can see Barbie Bitch backing away towards the bathroom door.
Looks who’s so high and mighty now.
“Doesn’t matter, we’re leaving.” With that said B.B. walks out with a huff, her posse following behind her, throwing this-isn’t-over looks at us.
“Sheep,” Mitch mutters under her breath. She turns to me as I straighten up my shirt, “You ok? God, I can’t believe she did that!”
“Yeah,” I say “I’m good… I think. What’s with Barbie Bitch?”
Mitch chuckles, “Barbie Bitch, nice! She’s the head of the ‘plastic’ girls. You know? Like from that movie Mean Girls. Yeah, they’re the people you don’t want to mess with…”
“But I don’t get it! Why’s she pissed at me? I don’t even like Jake,”
Mitch starts to curl a strand of her hair around her finger, “Well, for people who don’t know the story, it does kinda look like he likes you…”
“Bull,” I cross my arms over my chest “He hates me! Ever since we were little he’s hated me. I don’t know why maybe…” I stare at my reflection and sigh “…he just does….”
Mitch bundles up her shorts and tosses them into her open duffel bag. She stands there in skinny jeans, red plaid converses, and a leather jacket over her white T. She pulls her hair out of a ponytail and starts to brush it.
“Sweetie, seriously, don’t sweat it. If anyone doesn’t like you they have no clue about what they’re missing out on. I mean, I’ve known you for, what? 2 hours? Feel like I’ve known you for ages! You’re a nice person Hale, a person who deserves to be with a guy who actually knows he’s lucky to be with you. Don’t worry. I’ll help you find him,” her reflection winks at me and a smile tugs at my lips.
Mitch puts away her things and then heads towards the door. I pick my messenger bag up and follow her.
The bell rings as we open the door and Mitch swears loudly.
“Dammit! Didn’t get to eat!” We head to our lockers and Mitch takes out a muffin and tries to swallow it whole. I stop her just in time.
“Whoa there, eat a bit slower!” I take out a muesli bar and try to eat it quickly while grabbing my folder to see what classes I have next.
Mitch finishes her muffin and groans. “Joy. We have Double English next… then after lunch double sport! Yes!”
We head to English; I try to keep up with Mitch’s long strides. I lose her around a corner and try to find her auburn hair. I get pushed around by the crowd and bump into so many people.
“Sorry” I mutter each time. Because of my height I can’t see the numbers on the doors indicating which room is which. People stream past me and into classrooms. I’m concentrating so hard on trying to see past people’s heads that I don’t realized that I’ve walked right into a group of boys slumping against their lockers.
“Oh s-sorry” I stammer. I try to find a way out but realize that they’ve closed their circle around me.
“So you’re the new chick?” One of the guys leers. He’s tall with bulging muscles under his thin tank. “What’s your name curves?”
I try to shove my way out; I’ve seen these kinds of guys before, you don’t mess around with them. “Sorry, um could you let me through please?”
The bell that signals the start of 3rd period goes off. The hallway quickly empties of people.
He grabs my arm, “Wait, wait, wait. Hold up now sugar, I asked you a question. What’s your name?”
“Can you let go?” fear creeps into my voice. “I need to get to class,”
A guy with shoulder length dread locks and a long drawl laughs. “Nerdy much? Stuff class, you don’t just need brains to make it big in the real world,” He looks me up and down.
I blush and hug my books to my chest.
This top was definitely a bad idea.
“Why don’t you wag? Come with us, and we’ll have a good time.”
“I don’t really think–”
I gasp as the first guy leans on me from behind wraps his arms around my middle. He whispers in my ear, “Or I could show you a good time,”
I can feel panic rising up in me. I don’t know what to do, what to say. I clench my books wishing that Mitch was here to help me out.
“Trent get off her! What the hell man?”
Trent eases off me and I quickly scramble away to stand behind Wes. Tears are burning in my eyes again.
Since when have I become such a wuss?
I quickly swipe at them.
Trent smirks at him, “Ease up dude, I’m just being friendly,”
“A bit too friendly, you’ve scared the hell out of her.” He turns around and looks down at me. “Come on Hale, let’s go.” He steers me away down the near-empty hall and around the corner.
He stops and leans down so he’s level with my face. I dip my head forward, ashamed that I can’t even handle a bunch of jerks like them.
Wes manages to look at my face through my hair. “You ok?” he asks.
“Yeah, I think… Thanks” I whisper.
“Are you sure?”
I nod my head.
He straightens up and gives me a one-armed hug. “No problem. Tell me if they give you trouble again ok?”
I nod again.
“What do you have next then?”
“Double English,”
“Anyone in there you know?”
“Um yeah, Mitch Marshland.”
He nods his head, “Ok, you should be good then. Mitch is a nice person…” he clears his throat “Um, well I’ll get you to English then. What class?”
I take out my schedule, “Um S3”
“Yeah that’s just around here,” we start walking. It then occurs to me that not only am I late for class but so is Wes.
“I’ll try and find it myself Wes, you’re late for class too, aren’t you? Just go, I’ll find it by myself!”
Wes laughs “Nah it’s ok I’ve got a free at the moment.” We round the corner and bash into Mitch.
“Omigod! I was so worried! I like lost you on the way to class and only noticed when I walked through the door! I’m so sorry! I asked to go to the bathroom and I’ve been running around trying to find you! Oh. Hey Wes.”
Wes nods his head at her, “Hey Mitch.” He turns back to me.
“Well I think you’ll be good from here. Mitch will tell your teacher that you were lost. Just try to look as small and shy as possible and you should be right…”
“Thanks Wes,”
“Actually you wouldn’t really need to act… You’re already short enough!” He ruffles my hair. I kick him in the shin. “Ow! Is this the thanks I get?”
“Don’t mess with the hair!” I retort and stomp away tugging a bemused Mitch along with me.
A smile creeps across my face as I hear Wes yelling obscenities at me.
A door opens behind us. “EXCUSE ME, Mr McLane. What are you doing?”
Mitch and I run around the corner trying to hold in our laughter as Wes tries to explain his actions. We fall to the ground laughing as we hear the telling-off he gets from one of the History teachers.
Mitch wipes tears from her eyes. “C’mon, we better go now or Mrs Henderson will think I’ve fallen asleep in the bathroom or something…”