Crossing Lines

5. New Kid

Scarlet was the last person to get onto the bus when it stopped at her house and she realized that the school was from pre-primary through to senior year. But she was apparently the only senior on the bus, which gave her reason to inform the bus driver that she would not make use of the bus after that morning.

She was not too far from school from the short bus ride she had, so she saw no reason why she couldn’t walk comfortably to and from school. She would enjoy the movement anyway. When she got off the bus at school, she made her way to the office under the watchful eyes of the other curious students. Yes, she had the dreaded role of the new student in school.

Like she wanted all the attention!

She smiled faintly when the lady in the office glanced up at her arrival. “Morning, Ma’am. I’m Scarlet Jenkins.”

“Ah, the new student. I can see you’ll have a lot of attention with your pretty face.” She teased with sparkling eyes and a smile, while she gave her the locker number, a schedule and a map along with an attendance sheet that her teachers would have to sign when she came into their class. “Enjoy your day, young lady.” She grinned at her and Scarlet gave her a faint smile.

Who would enjoy their first day at a new school? No one; that’s who.

Absently she traipsed through the throngs of students glancing at her with curiosity and she could hear their speculation about her. Scarlet made a point to ignore them while she searched for her locker and finally found it halfway down the hall. She put in the combination and then took out the books she would need for her first class.

“Hi!” Someone suddenly spoke to her where they had stood behind her locker door the moment she started to close it and she jumped in surprise with a gasp before she turned wide bright cerulean eyes to see a peppy looking red head smiling at her. “I’m Mia Ballot, nice to meet you.”

Scarlet glanced down at her hand a moment before hesitantly taking the offered hand. “Scarlet Jenkins.”

“Your name matches my hair; it’s a match made in heaven!” She squealed in delight, causing Scarlet to wince at her excitement and voice. “So what do you have first? Can I show you around?” She asked and snaked her arm through hers without waiting for a reply and headed down the hallway. Obviously, saying no to her question wasn’t an option.

“Uhm...English.” She managed, after a glance at her schedule which was soon plucked out of her hand.

“This is awesome; we have most of our classes together. It really is fate!” She giggled and handed her schedule back, while Scarlet attempted a nervous smile. “So, SJ, what brings you here to our neck of the woods, get it? Neck of the woods.” She giggled.

“SJ?” She asked in confusion, never being called anything of the sort before.

“Yes, your initials; it’s shorter than your name, plus no one else will probably think to call you that and it has a certain ring to it.”

“You’re really peppy…” She mused while she stared at her with narrowed eyes. This girl was probably going to drive her insane.

“Well, I need to be since I’m the head cheerleader here.” She grinned at her, not even taking the slightest offence at her statement.

“You know I’m not really cheerleader material…” She answered, wondering why she had approached her in the first place.

“Like I care!” She snorted. “I get to be the first person that approached the daughter of the famed Hunter Henry Jenkins and lived to tell the tale….plus, you know….you kinda look like a lost puppy and I love puppies.”

Her sentence about living to tell the tale after meeting her didn’t make much sense, but she let it pass, considering it an exercise of dramatics. This girl was really all over the place. She could see she was going to keep her awake at school, if she were one to sleep, that is.

“Yeah, you’re definitely not a cat person.” She answered with a raised eyebrow. Did she ever slow down or breathe? She hadn’t known that her father had made such a name for himself here, but she supposed she had a lot to learn about him and his new life after eight years of complete silence on his part.

“So, here we are. Mister Camden always expects the new student to introduce themselves and unfortunately I sit in the middle of the silly boys from the football team. So I’ll see you after class.” She smiled before she released her arm in front of the already packed class and literally bounced to her seat.

Scarlet felt her face flush and her eyes widen when she saw the whole class staring at her. Mister Camden cleared his throat and she managed to tear her eyes away from the class in front of her and brought the attendance sheet for him to sign, while he smiled at her.

“Good morning, Miss Jenkins. Since Miss Ballot already stole my thunder…” He stated drily, glancing at her where she smiled sweetly at him and everyone in class chuckled. “How about you introduce yourself.”

She cleared her throat uncomfortably. “Uhm, hi, I’m Scarlet Jenkins.” She said just loud enough for everyone to hear and then, caught the signed sheet and headed to the nearest open seat and sat down. They didn’t need to know more about her, because the less attention she got through these six months here, the better.

“Alright, short and sweet it is…” Mister Camden smiled teasingly before he started the class.

Thankfully, none of the other teachers expected her to introduce herself in the front of the class and Mia made sure she was included in everything she could. In fact, Scarlet felt like she could breathe whenever Mia was not in the same class as her, since she was just that hyper. But that only happened in one class, which was biology.

After school, Scarlet returned the signed sheet to the office and started her walk home. She decided that she would prefer the calming walk if the weather held to relax after the busy day that Mia had and dragged her along. Thankfully, Mia had cheerleader practice after school, so she could catch her breath while she walked home.

But when she came to the corner where she was about to turn towards the house, she heard someone call her name and she glanced around in confusion, only to see Rhonda waving at her as if she hadn’t seen her in weeks and then waved her over to the diner’s door where she stood.

With a faint blush, Scarlet made her way towards where she stood in the doorway of the diner and smiled in greeting. She was startled when Rhonda pulled her into a firm hug and then dragged her inside and to the counter where they both sat down in open seats.

“How have you been, Sweetheart?” She asked, as if she couldn’t wait to hear about her life.

She smiled faintly and put her bag on the chair beside her. “I’ve been doing alright. Started school today, so…”

“You did? How was your first day?” Rhonda asked with interest, before she stood and walked around the counter. “What’s your favourite flavour milkshake?”

“Oh, uhm…Vanilla, please? It was the first day, people stared, had to learn where everything is…”

“Did you make any new friends?”

“Well, Mia sort of dragged me everywhere.”

“Mia Ballot?” Rhonda asked with a raised eyebrow.

“Yes…”

“Wow…” Rhonda answered thoughtfully while she made two vanilla milkshakes before she came around to sit down next to her.

“What does that mean?” Scarlet asked when she sat next to her again.

“Well, it’s the first time she took a new kid under her wing like that. She usually stays with a certain group.”

“The cheerleaders and jocks?” Scarlet asked, though she knew the answer, taking a sip from her milkshake and almost groaning at the great taste.

“Well, yeah…” Rhonda seemed like she wanted to say something, but wasn’t sure how to.

“What is it?” She asked when she saw her expression.

“No, nothing, Sweetheart. Don’t bother yourself with the town’s talk; make your friends on your own terms.”

They were quiet for a while as they both drank from their milkshakes, then she looked at Rhonda. “She’s very hyper.” She said in a quiet voice and Rhonda laughed with glee.

“Yeah, she has the perfect character for the cheer captain.”

“She’s tiring,” Scarlet confirmed seriously and Rhonda chuckled.

“Perhaps she’s just what you need for balance, since you’re very serious and subdued. She’ll do you some good; maybe get you out of your shell.” Rhonda smiled and tucked a strand of her white-blond hair behind her ear.

They were quiet again for a while as they enjoyed their milkshakes.

“Do you want something to eat?” Rhonda offered.

“No thanks, I should be headed out. I still need to do my homework before dinner.” Scarlet answered and reached for her wallet to pay for her milkshake.

“Don’t you dare!” Rhonda threatened before she smiled. “I want to meet you here at least once a week to have a chat, you hear? It’s a girl’s date.”

“Yes, Ma’am.” She smiled faintly and then grabbed her bag from the chair next to her and received another hug before she left the diner with a small smile on her face.

She had not expected to make new friends here, or to be on such good terms with her father, considering the situation. But she didn’t mind being there for the next six months, at least. She might even stay in touch with Rhonda and Ben when she left here. She felt welcomed by the woman and she craved some female companionship after her mother’s death.

The thought of her mother reminded her why she was here and she felt a few tears fall unbidden while she walked home. She missed her so much. She would have loved it here, since they both shared a love of plants and the forest surrounding the cabin was something she knew she would have enjoyed as well.

The realization hit her again that she would miss out on so many other things happening in her life and she would have loved to talk to her about her first day there. It was hard not to have her around when she had been the biggest part of her life before.

She had a lifetime to miss her mother and she wished that she could bring her back. Why did she have to lose her now?

Getting near the house, she wasn’t ready to go inside, so she went to her tree and sat down, allowing herself a few moments to cry over the love she had lost, before she resolutely wiped the tears away and took out her homework. She thought that this would be the best place for her to do her homework. She felt refreshed here and she didn’t want to go into the house and face her father with her face showing obvious signs of her crying.