The Rogue's Obsession

Ask Me Out

Hannah

The first days don’t suck. All days at school suck. Although there was a time when I didn’t hate going so much. And not only at school. I liked meeting my friends and hanging out with them. After that, I stopped counting my first days. It’s the same old story, to some extent.

We were constantly moving until I turned fourteen.

I don’t remember when we started travelling, at some point I thought my mother gave birth to me in the car.

But we were always in big cities that never slept. When we were on the road we didn’t sleep much either. We were always moving and doing things. We travelled even when we had settled. I was a good student so my absences were not a problem when out of the blue my mom would say for example:

“Hey, let’s go to the Grand Canyon tomorrow. “

Or some other famous landmarks.

But once I turned fourteen things began to change. When I was fifteen my mother told me she was ill. And we stopped moving. The last school in New Jersey was the first one I spent so much time in. I even made friends.

I don’t feel weird as I walk into the new school. I feel weird when students start glancing at me. How come they know it’s my first day?

But I learned the reason very quickly- the school is super small.

Everyone knows one another.

Now, that's something unfamiliar to me.

The teacher introduces me to the students and I find my seat. It’s not in the back, or the front- it’s the worst possible seat.

It’s in the middle.

I feel like I'm in the centre of a stage and there’s no wall or a window I can use as something to lean on, to hide behind.

I haven’t seen Gabriel since last night but he insisted I start school right away. Which was okay because I couldn’t stay in all day.

It’s when the thinking begins. And I don’t want to think. So here I am.

The classes end and of course, there is a teacher who comes and tells me they are available if I need to speak. My classmates don’t know why I am here but the teachers most likely do.

I go to the cafeteria and find an empty table by the window - finally, a spot with a (semi) protective wall. The food is okay but I can’t imagine eating right now, so I am just chasing the peas on my plate when some of my classmates come in.

“Can we sit with you?” one of the girls, I think her name was Maria, asked and I nodded. A guy comes with her - Peter. He sits with me in some of the classes and he takes the seat opposite me.

They both look nice. We talk about random things when Peter asks if I am going tonight.

“What’s tonight?”

“Stella’s birthday,” Maria says, bitterly.

I look between the two.

“Who is Stella?”

“The biggest b***h in this school. “

“Woah!” Peter exclaims, “Someone is jealous. “

“I am not jealous. “ Maria makes a face.

“Of course you are. “

“I am not!” Maria repeats, then turns to me and explains, “he makes fun of me because for some reason he thinks I like her boyfriend. And that’s not true. “

And I laugh because Maira looks like the nicest girl ever and hearing her speak like that surprised me. Once they’ve stopped arguing I leave my fork and give up on trying to eat.

“Are you guys going?”

I ask and Maria shakes her head but Peter pushes her lightly.

“I guess we are. There isn’t much to do anyway. So? We can come pick you up. Where do you live? “

“Uh… the house down the road. “ I say awkwardly. “The big one. “

“You live there? You must be rich.”

“No, no. “ I say quickly, “It’s my uncle’s. “

“That makes it yours. “ Peter smiles but I just press my lips. Then I remember last night. I think of Gabriel’s friend… I mistook the man for him.

I really need to get some sleep or else I will keep hallucinating.

“Shall we pick you up? “

Peter offers again.

“He wants to show off his new car. “

“Oh, you have a car!” I gasped, “Congratulations. “

That’s when they come in. I call them the popular guys- the average students usually defer from one another depending on where you are. At least that’s what I've seen in the many schools I've been to.

But the popular ones are always the same. They always wear the cool clothes, the cool bags and shoes - money gives you that. They walk like they own the place. In some cases, they literally do because their parents sponsor the school.

The guys that came in were huge, still dressed in their sports jerseys. I assume they are on the hockey team.

One of them stands out with bright blue eyes and messy blond hair.

Maria notices I am looking at him and leans slightly in.

“They say he is going pro next year, “ she says. “He is really good. “

“Yeah?” I ask, distracted. I know nothing about hockey besides that it’s hard and it hurts when you fall. I also know they fight all the time on the rink.

The guy is talking to the others on the team when he suddenly turns to me and smiles.

I glance to the sides awkwardly but there is no one behind me.

“Hey, “ he waves and then walks away with his friends.

When I turn back to Maria and Peter I discover they are staring at me

“What?”

“Do you guys know each other?”

“Uh… no. “

“Then why did he greet you?”

I shrug.

“Maybe he mistook me for someone. “

As I say it the guy leaves his friends and comes to us.

“Hi, “ he says, “I am Will. You are the new girl, right?”

“What difference does it make?” I ask and Maria and Peter’s faces pale. But Will laughs and lifts his hands.

“I just wanted to tell you about the party tonight. I’ll be there and I hope you come. “

Then he greets my companions.

“You should come too. Anyway, see you, guys. “

Once he turns his back on us Maria places her hands on the table heavily.

“Who are you?”

“What do you mean?”

“Why did the most popular guy at school just come to us and ask you out? “

“He didn’t ask me out. Wait - is he the one you like?”

This time it’s Peter who laughs first.

“No, he’s not here but he is Will’s best friend. “

“Stop saying I like him!” Maria raises her voice but I think it may not be such a bad idea to go to that party. After all, I have no shifts to cover tonight- it feels weird even thinking about it.

“Okay, “ I say in the end, “let’s meet at eight. “

"We'll be there. "

A few hours later I was standing in front of my wardrobe and discovered I had nothing to wear. I was supposed to go pick up stuff today after school, but I just couldn't be bothered.

"Whatever," I mutter and put on plain jeans and a T-shirt with a wide sweater on top when someone knocks on my door.