• • • [unedited]
Let's just say that winning the football game really boosts up our schools' reputation and cockiness.
Everyone's walking around and saying how Athena High can suck it.
I genuinely feel bad for the kids from Athena that are coming to Crestview Today.
Yup, today is the day when the big swap happens.
I am currently standing outside the school, waiting for Hayden, Romeo and the other kids.
The school assigned a bus for us that will take us straight to Athena.
I arrived a bit earlier than everyone else today because let's just say morning at my house wasn't pleasant.
My dad yelled at me because I forgot to meet him at the office after school on Friday.
You see, after the game ended, Hayden, Romeo and I went to the after-game party, and I forgot about the whole office meeting.
This morning, my dad came back from his weekend business trip and yelled at me.
And then I stormed out of the house all the way here.
Also, after the party, I went home to take a shower and found my knee scrapped.
I don't know when it happened, but it must've been at the party.
Fun, right?
"Ay, Ashton!" I hear someone yell from beside me, and I can already tell by the voice that it's Hayden.
Romeo is never that excited in the morning.
I turn my head and wave at the blonde boy.
Once he's all caught up with me, he lays down on the concrete and takes in a deep breath and then lets it out.
"This weekend was crazy. I went to the after-party. People were congratulating us for the win."
Since Hayden is the quarterback of the Devils, he gets a lot of fame.
Instead of hanging out with the popular ones, he stays by our side.
One of the best things I like about Hayden is that he's loyal.
I roll my eyes, "you are the American dream."
Hayden's about to throw back a witty response, but someone cuts us off.
"U-um, is this the waiting place for the buses?"
Hayden and I both crane our heads to the side and see a small blonde-haired girl standing there.
"Uh, yeah," Hayden says, not caring much.
"I'm gonna guess you're Kavina?" I ask.
She shakes her head and looks down, "I'm Mina," she barely whispers.
I look over to Hayden and give him a questioning look. He shrugs his shoulders in response.
"Oh, I'm Ashton, and this is Hayden."
She nods her head, and pink lights up her cheek, "I know."
She must be shy.
I talk to Hayden while we wait for the other two, and Mina quietly observes from the back.
Soon after Romeo shows up, so does the bus.
The four of us jump in, and Mina sits at the very back, Romeo and Hayden sitting together on the right meanwhile I sit on the left.
"Wait, aren't we missing a person?" Hayden leans over to ask the bus driver.
"Well if they don't show up in the next five—"
"I'm here! I'm here!" Someone yells from outside, and we all turn our heads to the bus doors.
There, stepping onto the bus with her three-inch heels, is, who I'm guessing Kavina.
"I'm sorry I have to be fashionably late to show off in front of the Crestview boys and girls," she says, dragging her backpack and purse.
"That's pretty straightforward," I say to Romeo, but he only shrugs in response.
"It's too early for this," he mutters.
Kavina sashays to the very back of the bus, taking a seat beside Mina.
Mina, in response, awkwardly shuffles farther away from Kavina.
Ignoring the whole Kavina situation, Hayden continues to tell me about the game from Friday.
"Dude, it was last week, let it go." Romeo rolls his eyes.
"Nuh-uh, we beat them twice in a row. That's something I need to brag about."
Romeo starts arguing with Hayden. Meanwhile, I tune them out and stare outside the glass windows.
I wonder how this is going to go.
•••
The first thing that introduces us when we get off the bus in front of Athena high is a girl with long brown hair and a forced smile spread across her face.
"Hello, my name is Jessica and I'll be your tour guide today!" she says with a bit too much enthusiasm, and I flinch at her tone of voice.
Beside me, Romeo mutters, "Jesus, take it down a notch."
Hayden steps out from behind me and stands right in front of Jessica.
"Listen, we all know that Athena and Crestview don't get along, so just drop it okay?"
As soon as Hayden says that, Mina steps beside him and tugs at his arm.
"D-don't listen to him, and I'm happy you're taking time off for us."
"Thank you," the girl smiles at Mina and then looks at Hayden, "at least one of us is being a decent human."
"Follow me," she says and then turns around and walks off in the other direction.
"Ugh, let's get this over with," Kavina says and sashays right behind Jessica.
Then Mina follows and then Romeo.
Just as Hayden is about to walk off, I grab ahold of his arm.
"Try not to get on their bad side," I say.
Hayden rolls his eyes then sighs, "fine."
.
"These will be your lockers," Jessica announces, pointing her hands at the array large blue metal doors.
"Find one that you like and then put your stuff in them. After that, I'll hand you your locker codes and schedules."
Hayden rushes over and opens every locker, trying to find the cleanest one. Once he does, he dumps his belongings into it.
Romeo takes the one beside him and Mina beside Romans.
I walk over to the one at the very end and place my belongings in there as well.
I'm surprised everyone gets their own lockers. Back in Crestview, we had to share.
My locker buddy switched school on the first day, and I ended up getting my own.
I look over to see everyone except Kavina with their lockers.
Jessica looks at her strangely, "is something wrong?"
"There is no way I'm using this disgusting locker. Mina trade lockers with me," Kavina scowls.
"O-okay—" Mina begins but get's cut off by Romeo.
"She isn't going to trade lockers with you just because you don't like it. Deal with the damn locker yourself so that we can all get to our classes."
Kavina, with her mouth open like a fish, stutters, "t-there is no way I'm—"
"He's right," Jessica cuts her off, "put your stuff in your locker or we're leaving without you."
"Ugh!" Kavina yells and then starts to shove everything inside.
"Mental that one," Hayden mutters beside me.
When we're all standing in a fine line in front of the lockers, Jessica comes over and hands us a piece of paper each.
I look down at the paper and see a bunch of subjects and numbers. This must be our schedule.
"All of you have the same schedule, so don't come running to me if you lose one. Ask your friends," Jessica's voice booms.
Why the fuck is she so loud?
"Jessica, calm down. You're scaring them." A voice sounds from the end of the hallway.
We all lean over and turn our heads to the right.
There, walking down the halls is a petite girl with brown hair and big brown eyes.
She looks a bit familiar? Meh, I see a lot of people everyday.
Jessica scoffs as she sees the girl walk over to our direction.
"Arent you supposed to be in class?" She asks.
The girl stops right in front of Jessica, her back facing us.
The petit girl shoves a paper in front of Jessica's face, "I'm late. Missed the bus."
"Of course you did."
I watch as the girl turns around and faces us.
It's driving me crazy that her face looks so fucking familiar, but I just don't know who and from where.
Her eyes scan over every one of us.
Her body freezes, and her eyes widen when she spots me at the very end.
She brings out her hand and points a finger at me and yells, "you're the guy from the convenience store!"
"Huh?"
What is she talking about? What convenience stor-
Oh, wait.
Now I remember her.
"Oh, hey Lia," I say, smiling brightly.
•••
Sorry for the delay, online school is getting to me.
Anyway, if you spotted my Harry Potter reference in the book, comment on it!
Thoughts?
Until next time.