Dolly

DOLLY CARTER I stared up at the massive building in front of me. A public school is a place I'd never interacted with before regarding education. I've never been here before, and it looks anything but fun. Intimidating even yet I still found myself a tad excited for having that little bit of freedom I'd been deprived of for so long. "Come on Dolly, you can't stand here all day. You want to go in and meet all the people, yeah?" My older brother, Axel, pulled me from the daze I was in, staring at the mid-century brick building. Axel is 19 and extremely lucky in the height department unlike myself. Mama said that he'd look after me whilst I'm here as you never know what could happen. She also said something about me being 'smarter than the average 16-year-old' so I can be in some of his lessons, which I'm very grateful for because these giants look very strange, and mean. Axel has a larger build due to football. I love watching him play it. It's amazing how he can make something really scary and dangerous seem exciting. The best part is when he throws me in the air when he gets the ball past the white line. It is his celebration. Though on the odd occasion, he will kiss his girlfriend of the week instead. I never understand why he has had so many girls. I genuinely find it disgusting. Football seems simple but my brain doesn't understand the concept of the 'game'. Loads of players get hurt, some injuries even have long-term effects yet they continue to play, shouting, and tackling one another, and fighting. I just don't get the point of a bunch of men or women running after a ball and getting paid millions for it. Axel's best friend Charlie also goes here. I like Charlie, he buys me books and gives me chocolate cookies whenever I want. And a bonus is that he is somewhat handsome, but he is too much like my brother and also changing girls which is a big no. Having a crush on him would be like having a crush on Axel and that is freaking disgusting and wrong on so many levels. "Will you stay with me? I might get tread on and we both know I'm too pretty to die," I exaggerated reality and let my lips fall into a fake pout. Despite my playfulness, he understood how scared I actually was from the anxious fidgeting in the car. "Of course. Come on, let's get you to the office." I held Axel's hand in a tight grasp and followed him into the large building. It was just like I read about. Big blue lockers, tilted flooring with a couple of stains, and stray teenagers pushing and shoving each other through the halls. This looked worse than a horror movie I watched, Shrek. Just the name gives me shivers. Who wants to watch a big green ogre and a talking donkey? Certainly not me! It gave me nightmares for weeks, I'm not even joking. After a couple of minutes and weaving our way around some odd-looking people, we arrived in front of a set of big red doors with the words 'OFFICE' on top. Axel pushed the doors open, igniting a horrible squeak that sent a shiver throughout your body, and engaged in a small conversation with the old woman behind the white desk, but I was too busy looking at the artwork behind her. It was beautiful. In golden-rimmed frames, artwork of all sorts sat- portraits, landscapes, animals, and simple sketching. I'm guessing they were all done by students of the school. Before I could admire the captivating work anymore, I felt a light tap on my nose and looked down to see a tan finger, following the hand, then the arm up, I found it was Axel tapping me. Phew, don't want a stranger touching me, stranger danger and that. "You ok, Dolly? You were daydreaming." He asked me with a little smile. "Yes, Bubba. The artwork is pretty," I giggled with a big smile. "I'll show you some more later, but let's get you to your first lesson. ok?" "Ok." _________________________________ Unfortunately, Axel wasn't in my first lesson, so after dropping me off outside of History, I stared blankly at the brown door in front of me. What if people make fun of my outfit? Though I thought it was cute, others may disagree and murmur about me like in the movies and books. Just as I was about to open the door, a loud-shrilling sound rang. Not long after, giants-sorry I mean people- came running from all directions. My unprepared self was being pushed by them, and my heart was beginning to race. I just started following the black combat boots in front of me, hoping it would take me somewhere less chaotic. The feet soon stopped, so I looked up just a little bit and was met with a stomach. Ugh, what? Looking up a little further, I saw a very handsome boy. No, a man. He was the tallest person I've seen so far today. I even had to crane my neck to look at his face. Woah. My mouth parted at the sight of him. I hope he didn't see me practically drooling. "Ummmmm, hello, mister, you're tall and super pretty," I complimented him. Mama said I should always be nice and compliment others as you never know what they're going through. the tall boy in front of me looked down at me, and his chocolate brown eyes held a look of confusion. "Pretty? Never heard that one before. What's your name?" He questioned. Christ, his voice is so deep and raspy. I bet he has a sore throat, although it does sound really nice, so is it mean I wish for it to stay like that for my own selfish benefit, even if it does make him feel pain? I searched my pink rucksack for something, completely forgetting his question until he lifted my chin with his really yummy-looking fingers. "Oh," I giggled, "I'm Dolly Rose Carter, and I'm new here. Here, have this lemon soother it will help your sore throat," I exclaimed, holding my hand out with the wrapper. With a look of confusion, he took the sweet out of my hand and peeled off the wrapper. The boy plopped it in his mouth. I swear you're not supposed to take sweets from strangers, they could be drugged or something. Eh, he looks like he could handle it. The boy just stood there staring at me and me too at him before I remembered that I had to go to my lesson. "Goodbye. It was nice meeting you, and I hope your throat gets better," I shouted, walking out of the empty classroom he'd led me to. ______________________________________ 4 lessons later and a whole lot of introductions later, I had finally completed my first day of school. I was exhausted. I don't think I like school very much, well the people. Every time I walked into a new lesson, everyone would stop what they were doing to stare, something I hadn't prepared myself for. And then, when I went into the cafeteria with Axel and Charlie, all the girls gave me nasty looks, which made me not want to be there whatsoever. So starting tomorrow, I decided I will go to lessons before all the other students and stay outside for lunch, under this big tree I found when it was my free period. I skipped into the parking lot to find Axel, but he was nowhere to be seen. I plopped down on the steps waiting for him, but after what felt like forever, I got bored and started to walk home. I should probably ask Mama to buy me a phone if it's not too expensive. I've never had a reason to have one until now, I only needed my iPad. After ten minutes of directionless walking, I decided that I forgot which way to go in order to get home. We didn't live that close, and I'd never done the journey before. And now the sky was blessing me with a shower. Yes, rain. My new shirt that my grandma had bought me is getting drenched, and because of the material, it's going to get ruined if not dried right because it's one of those materials that shrivel up when wet. Brushing away raindrops from the tip of my nose, I tried looking for any signs that could get me home, but I didn't realize that I was too close to the road, so when a large truck went flying past me, I jumped and tripped to the damp concrete resulting into a bloody knee and scraped palms. Great. Never mind a damaged shirt, I just ripped my jeans. A loud engine roared from the road, startling me. I looked over and saw a really clean car driving through dirty puddles. And it was my second favorite color, white! Pink was obviously my first. I stared at the car in confusion. I don't think I'll get kidnapped, who kidnaps a girl with now dirty jeans in a crawling position on the floor? Nobody. And it's usually a white van, soooo....they got the white right. The door slowly opened, and I was met with the classroom guy from earlier. "Oh, hello again," I greeted with a small wave, admiring the raindrops that were already turning his hair slightly curly. "Come on, let me take you home. What are you doing out here in this weather?" He questioned with a glare. Why was he glaring? "I was walking home. What's your name?" I asked, remembering what Axel always said. 'Never get in a car with a stranger, walk away as quick as you can.' "My name is Valentino," his sharp tone scared me. I only just realized that the sweet did not help his throat, it was still very raspy, oh well at least I tried. I slowly made my way into the back of the car, but just as I was about to sit down, I was scooped into the arms of Mr. Pretty- I mean Valentino. "What are you doing?" I asked him with a small frown, ignoring how good I felt in his arms. I could just fall to sleep, literally. "You'll sit in front with me. You're not a child, are you?" He had a knowing smirk on his face. "No, I'm 16. I just usually sit in the back because my brother and his friend go in the front," I replied as my heart fluttered. After her (for some reason) strapped me in, and got in himself, he started the chair. Though he was a tiny bit of a stranger, I felt like I could trust him as he'd been nothing but nice to me and gave me no reason to think otherwise. After a couple of minutes, he asked where I lived, so I told him I live near the park. I only told him that because I know my way back from the park. Plus, I don't think I should tell him where I live, even if I do know his name. "What happened to your knee?" He asked, concern evident in his tone as he just noticed my incident, which I'd forgotten about. Giggling, I poked his hand that was hovering over the rip in my jeans. "I tripped, but don't worry, it didn't hurt too bad this time!" A little smile painted his face, but it was gone as soon as it came. "You should smile more, it makes you look pretty." "Pretty?" He repeated. Did he not hear me? "Yes, pretty, I've seen you twice today, and you looked sad. Are you depressed? M-" Valentino cut off my sentence with a deep chuckle, and oh Lord- it was a very nice sound. A very nice one, indeed. I think he caught me admiring his face, so I quickly looked out the window, hoping he would just think he imagined it. How could Axel forget about me? On my first day of school aswell?