Girl Next Door

CHAPTER 2

Tired of turning around in circles and tired of guessing where the Admin Block was, Tifa decided to ask for help.

"Ohm, ex…excuse me, please" Tifa said, trying not to stutter.

"Yes?" The red headed girl whom Tifa called out to hastily replied, arching an eyebrow.

"Please, where can I find the admin block?"

"Ain't you got eyes in your head?" The red head retorted.

"That's the school's map over there, beside the logo" The read head pointed to a small edifice beside the school logo which had the map on it.

"Go find the admin block yourself!" The red head spat before stomping away, her ponytail swinging as she went.

"Uh-oh" Tifa mouthed.

"Why didn't I see that before now?" She asked no one in particular as she began moving towards the map.

"At least she didn't have to be rude. I simply asked a question".

"First day and its perks. All thanks to my brain for letting me forget my map at home" Tifa flicked her temple, sighing afterwards.

Steading her round glasses on her nose bridge, she peered closely at the map, her eyes darting back and forth, searching for the admin block. After a while, she found the admin block and the direction which she had to follow to arrive at the building.

Following the directions the map had given, Tifa found herself in front of a large building which had ADMIN BLOCK in capital letters, displayed at the top.

After having located the office of the Registrar, she followed due protocol and was given a class in no time.

"Thank you ma'am" She said to the Registrar who smiled through a “My Pleasure” before walking away.

The class was noisy and rowdy as she walked in and she couldn't be any happier as her presence was oblivious to everyone present.

Locating the desk number she had been given, she stamped her name label at the edge of the desk before settling in its chair. Pulling her backpack off her shoulders, she sat it on her lap.

She had been given a locker number but decided against walking to it and stuffing it with her books as didn't want to get everyone's eyes on her, so she decided to sit still for the moment. She was going to have a look at her locker later on.

Eyes darting around the class, she took in the different students that were littered at different corners of the class. Girls stood in twos, threes, fours and even fives, chattering about God-knows-what while some were in the company of boys doing the same.

Tifa's attention was drawn to the gales of laughter behind her. c*****g her head to the back, she spotted a group of five boys roaring hard with laughter.

She immediately recognized the teal blue eyed boy whom she had bumped into in the hallway. He was one of the five boys and she quickly realized that he had changed his outfit except his sneakers.

"Oh no!" Tifa heaved a heavy sigh.

Bumping into him and spilling coffee on him was enough. Now they had to share the same class? Good gracious!

He had a dark brown auburn haired girl who blew and popped a bubble gum she chewed on, sitting comfortably on his lap, looking like she didn't give a single care in the world.

"Oh, wow!" Tifa mouthed as she wondered what explanation the girl would offer if a teacher walked in to see them in that position.

As her gaze lingered on the girl, Tifa took cognizance of the red streaks the girl had in her hair. She noticed that she looked like a Queen Bee and someone who could do anything she pleased, not caring whose ox is gored.

Whipping her head back to the front, grateful the boy hadn't seen her, she pulled the hood of her hoodie over her head, and placed her head on her desk, using her hand as her pillow.

She knew she was going to raise her head to a mark as her forehead pressed against her skin and she could even feel her ulna and radius.

Well, there was nothing interesting anymore for her to look at, so the least she could do was place her head on her desk. Black Pink's “How You Like That” wandered its way into her head and she didn't know when she began humming slowly.

"Can I have pin drop silence, please?" The homeroom teacher, a petite woman, Miss Annabelle Greene said as she walked in, adjusting the frames on her face.

Tifa raised her head at the woman's voice. She noticed that the class had immediately been organized and desks which had been moved out of their positions were now in line with the others.

Chattering students now had their mouths shut and there was no more laughter. Inappropriate behavior had been replaced with decorum.

"So, before we resume the first lesson on the very first day, I'd like that the new student amongst us come forward and introduce herself" Miss Greene started, her eyes roaming the class.

“There's a new student amongst us?”

“And it's a she?”

“Is she pretty?”

“Why didn't we notice her before now?”

“What type of girl is she?”

“Prolly a nerd or a geek”.

“Or even a chatterbox”.

Icy chills ran up and down Tifa's spine as she heard the whispers that Miss Greene's statement aroused.

"Hush, all of you" Miss Greene's index finger pointed randomly at different students.

"Miss Usnavi, can you please come forward and introduce yourself? Starting with your name, your former High School and probably any other thing you'd like us to know about yourself" Miss Greene smiled as her amber eyes finally found Tifa's steel gray ones.

"Usnavi? What kinda surname is that?" The teal blue eyed boy who was sitting behind Tifa said, earning giggles from some part of the class.

Rubbing both palms together, believing it was going to give her some kind of confidence, Tifa rose from her seat and walked her way to the front. Her hood fell off her head, baring her buns.

“Pigtails? Who has that shitty hairstyle now?” A boy said to another.

“I mean this is the twenty first century” Another added.

“Probably she's the daughter of some staunch church goer”.

“Or a runaway nun” This last statement from the blue eyed boy sparked guffaws not only from his friends, but also from some students sitting close by.

"He…Hello there, e…everyone" Tifa began, fighting hard against stuttering.

"I'm Tifa Usnavi and the name of my former High School's Summer Academy of Arts and Science".

“Your middle name, Miss!” Someone yelled from the back.

“You from Kansas?” Another asked.

"Now that's enough" Came Miss Greene, face stern.

"You got anything else to say, Tifa?" Miss Greene asked, her face all softened now.

"Well…" Tifa fidgeted with her fingers, face down and voice low.

"I'm pleased to meet y'all and I hope to learn alongside you guys. Thank you" Tifa said, finally summing up courage to raise her head.

Tifa smirked inwardly because she knew that she had bluffed a millisecond back. She wasn't pleased to meet any student of Regis High School and all she wished for at the moment, was to appear in her room and remain indoors till God knows when. But did she have a choice?

"Thank you, Tifa. I'm Miss Annabelle Greene, your homeroom teacher. It's nice to meet you and I'm looking forward to working with you. Do have a nice stay in Regis High School" Miss Greene stretched her hand out for a handshake.

"Thank you, Ma'am" Tifa took Miss Greene's hand.

"You may please have your seat" That statement saw Tifa at her desk in a jiffy.

As she pulled her hood back over her head, her eyes met with that of the teal blue eyed boy who sat behind her. He recognized her immediately.

He had a look of threat on his face, same with the three other boys who sat beside him, making them look as though they were some kind of gangsters, with him as the gang leader.

As his gaze lingered on her, she felt the hairs on her body stand. She didn't know why though, but deep within her, she knew that those teal blue eyes spelt nothing but trouble. In block letters.