Teach Me How to Love

Chapter 3: Elastics and Lockers

"Okay, so you can get settled in," my mother said to me as she placed my suitcase onto the floor.

I swallowed as I took a slow step into my new home. My eyes darted from wall to wall, the wood creaking beneath my toes. I stepped into my room, pushing back my auburn hair with a sigh. It was only a tiny bit smaller than my one back in Medicine Hat. I nodded at my mother, who smiled weakly and left me alone.

It was only 17 days after the crash, and already my parents had packed up our belongings and decided to move. Of course our house hadn't been sold yet, but the best thing to do was get away from that city as quickly as we could. Every night since the accident I had woken up screaming with tears staining my cheeks and nightmares flickering in the back of my mind.

My doctor had suggested leaving Medicine Hat, thinking that every familiar coffee shop or grocery store triggered memories of my deceased boyfriend. And that was what brought my family to Lethbridge, a small city in Alberta, Canada. My parents had decided to rent this house until our house sold and they could buy a new home. I ran my hand along the wall of the room, letting out a breath. I opened the boxes and slowly began placing my items onto the shelves. Finally, I had emptied out most of the boxes, and looking around my small room it felt just like my old one. Except this one reeked of a new beginning, and smelt nothing like the cologne that Danny used to wear. I collapsed onto my bed, fear of going to a new school the next day bouncing into my head.

"Jade," my mother whispered from the doorway. I looked up at her through blurry eyes, "Yes?"

"You're going to like it here," she said softly, "Your father and I put a lot of time into finding a good place for us," my mother kissed my forehead as she finished. I supplied a smile for my mom, knowing just how worried she was about my future.

"I know," I hugged her goodnight and waited for her to close off my light. I slipped under the covers and let my eyes examine the new room. I cringed as I rested my broken wrist on the edge of my bed.

It was amazing, actually. After a fatal accident, I had come out only with some scratches, a minor concussion, and a broken wrist. Yet the person next to me hadn't come out at all. I blinked back tears, pushing away the thought as to not cry myself to sleep for the 18th night in a row. I was going to a new school tomorrow, I would be the new kid, and I needed to be on my game.

~.~

"Have a good day," my mother said softly as I stepped out of the car.

I swallowed, fixing my hair one last time before I walked through the courtyard flooded with students. Each face was new to me, and as my eyes moved from group to group a queasy feeling grew in my stomach. I had never been to a new school where I hadn't known anyone, and I had been thankful for that.

I chewed the inside of my cheek as I watched my mom drive away from the school. I took a deep breath and began my walk to the front doors. I got looked at, a lot. I had expected that, for in these small towns everyone knew everyone, and there was no way in hell that I wouldn't get noticed. I had prepared for the stares, but I now realized that there was no way to prepare for having four hundred pairs of eyes on you.

Some of the teenagers glanced at me then whispered to their friends, others gave a small smile, and others simply just shot me a glare. I bit my lip, praying that I would just make one friend by the end of the day. I hurried up the school steps, eager to find my locker and just get to class. I was staring down at the school map that had been given to me, and my brow furrowed as I travelled down hall after hall. Finally I stopped at an intersection of three different corridors, completely stuck on directions. I swore under my breath, feeling slightly embarrassed as I did my best to decipher the map without being too obvious that I was completely lost.

"Need some help?"

My eyes shot up from the piece of paper in my hands, landing on a boy. I pressed my lips together, trying to find some amount of confidence to speak. He smirked at my silence, his appearance seeming to get even more intriguing in doing so.

He reached his hand out for me to take, "I'm Miles, and you must be the new girl."

I took his hand, surprised that a teenage boy had shaken my hand. I allowed myself a small smirk, "I actually prefer Jade."

Miles grinned, his teeth seeming to light up the entire hall, "Fair enough, Jade," he emphasized my name before he took the map from my hands, "Need some help finding your locker?"

I narrowed my eyes, glancing the boy up and down. His dark brown hair was slightly tussled, hanging just above his golden brown eyes. His blue jeans fit his legs neither loosely nor tightly, and his black t-shirt shaped his body perfectly, outlining his muscular build.

I held my textbooks against my chest, "That would be greatly appreciated," I said sheepishly.

He grinned, checking my locker number before he handed me back my map, "It's right down here, I'll take you to it," he began down the hall.

I nodded, following slightly behind him as I tried to hide from the stares of the other students.

Miles stopped, pointing to a locker. I nodded and reached for the lock, feeling satisfied when it clicked open. I placed my books inside and stared at Miles as he fiddled with the lock on the locker next to me. I raised an eyebrow, about to ask what he was doing when the door swung open.

He smirked, "And what a coincidence it is to have mine right beside yours."

I smiled. "Great, then maybe you could help me find my classes too," I closed my locker door and turned to face him.

Miles grinned, but it faded quickly as he noticed the cast around my wrist. He pointed with his chin. "What happened to your hand?" he asked, brushing his finger against the cast.

I swallowed, pulling back my hand, "Nothing, just a mishap."

He licked his lips, like he wanted to press me further but was afraid that I would burst into tears. I bit my lip, using all my strength to hold back my emotions. Miles cleared his throat, "Well nonetheless, it seems that you got lucky. There's nothing hard to fix about a broken wrist."

I supplied a small smile, "Yea, I guess I was lucky." I turned away, taking deep breaths as my eyes began to water, "C-can you help me find my class?" I whispered, cursing the fact that I had stuttered.

Miles nodded after a moment of silence, his eyes reading over my paper to check my schedule, "Oh, you have chemistry."

"Where's that?" I asked, my heart sinking in my chest at the fact of being alone once again.

He smiled, "Don't worry about it, just follow me. Lucky for you, we have a few classes together after all.”

I grinned and followed Miles down the hallway. The looks seemed to get weirder and weirder as I advanced down the halls, especially now that I was walking beside Miles.

"People like to stare," I mumbled, tucking my chemistry book underneath my arm.

Miles laughed, "Yea. They will do that.”

I stared at him curiously, "Shouldn't you have some friends to be attending to? Rather than helping the new girl find her classes?"

He smirked, "I guess, I mean yes, I have lots of them. But I think they're all busy trying to sneak into the girls' locker room," Miles showed my around me a corner.

I sighed under my breath, feeling disappointment overcome me. The first guy to talk to me, and only to figure out that he was nothing but another high school playboy.

He laughed at my expression, his golden eyes lighting up, "Don't get the wrong idea. If I was really like that don't you think I would be with them rather than helping some girl I don't even know?" he smiled, "You'd think if I was that low I would enjoy watching you spinning in circles trying to find your locker."

"Fair enough, Miles," I said, my comfort returning.

"In here," he said, pushing through a classroom door.

I stepped inside, ignoring all the stares from the teens already in the classroom. I stuck by Miles's side, afraid I'd get eaten alive if I wandered off.

"Have a seat," he said, gesturing to the desk beside where he had just sat.

I nodded, sliding into the chair. I looked around at the students. There were some who already had their textbooks open, some who didn't even seem to have a textbook, and others who were simply chatting along with their friends.

I sighed, "Oh the universality of high school classrooms.” I muttered as I drummed my fingernails along the desk. He smirked at me.

"Hey, Miles."

My eyes flickered up at the sudden voice to find what I truly thought was real-life Barbie doll leaning on the edge of Miles's desk. My observation was not an exaggeration. Her bright pink dress barely covered her butt, and her beach blonde hair was curled in perfect ringlets, burned at the tips from her constant tending. Her lips were apple red and her eyeliner was thick. I commended her effort for a school day.

"Hey, Chelsea," Miles said, seeming less than interested.

The Barbie, or Chelsea, smiled, "Good job at the football game the other day. You totally deserved MVP," her fingers slid across the edge of his desk, her grin uncomfortably wide.

Miles gave a nod, "Thanks."

She cast a glance to the side, at me, before she straightened her back and smiled at Miles. "Well, I'll catch you later," she said with a wink before she wandered to the back of the classroom where she joined a group of girls.

I smirked, waiting for her to reach her desk before I spoke, "Who's the Barbie?"

Miles looked at me as if checking to make sure I had asked the question. He let out a chuckle, "That's just Chelsea, the football team’s personal toy. She likes it, though.”

"So you play football?" I asked, slightly surprised.

He scoffed, "All of those harsh accusations and that's what you picked up from it?"

I blushed, and Miles smirked.

"Yes, I play football. Ironic, actually, considering that Barbie doesn't even know how the game works," he shook his head, his eyes darting to the back of the room before they returned to me.

I raised an eyebrow, "Even after attending every game?”

Miles looked at me, his lips curving up into a grin, "Do you know football?" he crossed his arms and leaned forwards on the desk, his smirk challenging me.

I smiled as I leaned against the back of my chair, "I’ve dabbled.”

He smirked and leaned back. I let out a short laugh, impressed with myself. The teacher broke the chatter by her entrance, and shouted to begin the class. I turned to the front of the classroom and opened my textbook as the lesson started. I glanced back and forth between the teacher and Miles, keeping watch and smiling widely as he flung elastics towards the back of the room where the Barbies sat. I rolled my eyes, trying to hide my grin as the class progressed. Who would’ve thought? I managed to make a friend.