Chapter 1: Newbie
We arrived at the school gate and I checked the time on my wrist watch.
"7:46. Just in time."
I was driven down here in my father's SUV by his chauffeur, Tobi.
My father was simply outraged that I slept in this morning but he was too engrossed in his office paperwork to find a suitable punishment for me.
Before my mom died, he was a medical doctor in practice. He had taken over his dad's hospital and had been running it back when grandpa died.
And now that he resigned from his military service ever since my mom's death, he was back at the hospital.
"I won't be driving you into the school premises since I need to take your father to the hospital in time. You messed up our schedule anyway so the fault is yours." Tobi said while eying me in the overhead mirror.
I nodded and alighted the car, showing the security men the ID card I had collected after my entrance exams before stepping into the school premises and making my way to the admin block.
On getting to the administrative building, I was directed to the receptionist who looked me over a couple of times with wary eyes behind her small eyeglasses <because of my skin color, I presume> before she handed me the school map and my locker number only after a few questioning. I briskly made my exit and finally proceeded into the school.
Looking around, I dwelled on the view once more of this vast land with magnificent structures as I passed by other students. I kept on walking down a footpath for an excruciating while till I considered the possibility of getting lost. Taking a quick glance at the map again, I realized I really couldn't figure out where my class block was.
Chrisland high was a huge institution in every sense, with the junior school segregated from the senior block and the auditorium. There were two separate hostels, each for the males and females, a tennis court, football field, marathon field and other recreational spots. There was the gym, library, laboratories, art studio, farm, and sundries. I know right? My father sure picked out the best school for me to attend. And one with my name written all over it.
"8:15. Damnit!"
I gave up on the map and looked up just in time to find a guy my age walking past me.
"Um, hey. Do you care to point out where the senior block's at?"
The boy stopped and turned to me with the warmest smile. "Sure. That's where I'm also headed."
No shit. I was heading past the school.
"Oh thanks. I would've lost my way if it wasn't for you. But if the school is this way, where....?" I faltered with a skeptical look towards the path he'd come.
"Oh, no I'm coming from my dorm. I'm a boarder."
"You are?"
"Yeah. I slept in so I missed the shuttle and here I am. Walking." he smiled and I nodded hesitantly.
"Makes two of us."
We headed on to our supposed building and I cleared my throat before speaking again.
"I'm guessing you're a senior?"
Taking my sweet time, I let my eyes do the wandering on my company. Good-looking?: check. Tall?: check. Got style?: check. Smoking hot?: check. May I go on? I was quite certain that a lot of girls were swooning all over him.
He had on a white customized shirt with the school's badge slapped on the left breast just beneath the school jacket and a red tie hanging down his neck. His grey pants had no crease and completing the sleek look were the chosen ashy socks and Fendi moccasins that screamed wealth. His punk dreads appealed to me the most and just taking note of his looks so I wasn't gawking here.
and definitely not gay.
On the other hand, I haven't received my uniform yet.
"Yeah. Seven more months and we're out of this hellhole." he uttered in one breath.
"That, everyone is looking forward to." I said, "The school is fine though. The ambience and entire scenery here is bitching."
"Mhm," he nodded with a proud smug, "but hey, don't forget we students are the fun and what we'll miss. The school itself? Total crap wrapped in bullshit, trust me."
I laughed at that.
"Just like how dreadful it is to have physics first period after an eyewash of some dumb orientation." he grunted with a scrunch of his nose.
"Yo, I know the pain and... it seems we're in the same boat. I'm a science too." I admitted with a replica of the pained look.
Don't get me wrong. I loved school, I loved studying and I was a nerd. All thanks to my father. Note the sarcasm.
Just that even for a nerd, education was a solid pain in the ass. Which darts back to my life yarn... I always topped the class by the end of each term. That's if I didn't want my father handing me half of my ass and have me walk around with the other half.
We got to the two-storey structure of a vibrant red and cream color with an inviting aura to it as if inviting one for a hug. We went up to the glass doors and as both our reflections materialized, I checked myself out for a hot minute.
Like I aforementioned, I had not collected the school uniform so the term newbie was imaginably labelled all over me. On me were black faded jean pants and a multicolored t-shirt with white converses to go. My black tousled hair fell to my forehead in its wetness, only inches away from meeting my thick eyebrows.
The boy got to the door before me and opened it.
"I need to catch up with friends of mine, you'll be cool yeah?" he shouted over the welcoming noise as he trotted off.
"Yeah, thank you for the...!" I yelled, hoping he'd hear me out. "Walk."
Sighing as his figure disappeared in the crowd, I looked back to the crowded lobby and adjusted the strap of my bag on my shoulder before making my way through clusters of teenagers only too happy to be back in school with friends to share gists with. Soon, I reached the hallway and subtly gasped at the numerous polished lockers aligned on the opposite walls.
"319... Locker 319... 319..." I muttered continuously as if doing so would bring my locker into sight.
I finally found the green cubic locker between a blue and red locker. I motioned to it and took a peak into the second hallway which the current hallway led off into. The hall consisted of the principal's and vice-principal's offices, the restrooms and a staircase at the far end. I returned to my green locker and slipped my ID across the sensor box stuck on the locker.
It clicked as it unlocked and when I opened it, an empty space stared right back at me. I shoved my bag into the locker and glanced at my watch for the umpteenth time today.
8:30 am? And yet the first period or at least the orientation hasn't started yet... Oh, maybe additional time has been added to get new students to school in time.
I shrugged.
"Nope. It's just first day of resumption ritual. No one's rushing and all."
I didn't realize I was thinking out loud until I heard the response and when I turned to the voice, my heart nearly skipped a beat.
fuck me!
I gazed at the Aphrodite busy with the blue locker next to mine and watched as she silently retrieved a text from her locker as if she had not just spoken to me.
or did she?
I turned to my locker and closed my eyes to get my head in order before steering her way again, about to say something only to realize she was gone. I looked around and searched for her amidst the throng before deciding I've been daydreaming.
A buzzer buzzed round the school indicating first period, and I quickly grabbed my books before closing the locker which automatically locked itself up.
Alright, let my dreadful day begin.
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