Chapter 3: New Girl Learns About Hierarchy
1518 Words
The next morning, I laid on my bed after dressing up as an old feeling took over me. The feeling I always had in my old town 24/7; the feeling of not wanting to even try anymore.
The fact Nate, someone from an earlier past, was here meant that this fresh start wasn't going to work out for me. All the optimism and hopes I'd had earlier were shattered and pieces crushed.
I didn't want to do this.
There was a knock on my door and mum pushed it open without waiting for a response. "Sweetie– don't tell me you're not ready yet."
I sighed and sat up in my bed. "I am."
"You didn't go for your morning run today."
"Didn't feel like it. I'll go tomorrow."
Mum quietly stood by the door where she was, hand still on the knob as she stared at me. I knew she would try to get me to talk about my feelings or whatever but I wasn't involving her in my mess of it. And I knew stuff like this was usually awkward for her so I was going to save her that.
I stood from my bed and pretended to get busy looking for a book on my little shelf.
"Okay, come down for breakfast when you're done here." Mum said as she slowly backed out, closing the door as she left. I sighed. This was going to be a long day.
Once I got to school, I noticed a few stares at me but I didn't put a lot of mind to it. I was the new girl and already anticipated the stares for a while.
Entering homeroom, I was met with a near panic attack. At least everyone stared at me and they wouldn't take their eyes off. Like a "yes, we're staring at you and what about it?" kinda stare.
A little bit horrified, I went to my seat. Amber-Rose was on hers and I have her a little smile. She glanced at me but then frowned with a "hmph" before looking away. Confused and feeling very self conscious, I slowly sat in my seat and put my head on my desk.
Homeroom was torture, as all I could think of was if I'd already become a freak in this school. No matter how much I think of it, my mind always went back to my interaction with Nate and Tara. Did it have anything to do with all these?
When homeroom was over, I packed my stuff and headed to my locker, alone. I had A.P chemistry class first and I'm not sure Amber offered it so I was still going to be alone anyways.
Immediately I closed my locker after taking out my text book, I almost jumped in fright. Amber was leaning on the next locker with an annoyed look on her face.
"Hmph!" She exaggeratedly made that sound and I blinked. Now what's with her?
"What's with you?" I laced my tone with a little bit of hostility because honestly, I was already done with this school. I won't allow myself to be confronted with judgement for what I didn't even know.
"Maybe I'm the only one taking this new friendship seriously, you know?" Amber narrowed her eyes at me and to be honest, with her cute round face, she didn't look the slightest bit intimidating. I wanted to smile but I wouldn't till I figured out what was going on.
"What?"
"Hmph!" She said again and I sighed as the bell rung for my next class. If she was going to be like this, then I was leaving.
"Okay. I'm leaving for chemistry."
"I mean, I definitely wasn't expecting you to text me yesterday like I asked. It's totally cool."
I paused in my steps then turn back, that smile now dangerously threatening to break through. "Is that what this is about? And not whatever the rest of class was on?"
"Huh? What?" Amber looked confused for a second before putting her "angry" face back up. "I'm not speaking to you."
I finally smiled as I patted her shoulders. "See you later, Rosie, new girl doesn't want to be late for her class."
I didn't see her expression as I headed towards what I think was the chemistry lab, hoping I was right in direction. Amber had showed me around yesterday and I was embarrassed to say that I was not directionally inclined. And with almost everywhere in this school building looking a little bit too alike, I really hoped I don't get lost.
I finally got to a chemistry lab I think was where my class was supposed to be holding and peeked around a bit to see if I would see anyone vaguely familiar. Most embarrassing thing to happen to me at this moment would be to go into the wrong class and still be clueless for a long time.
"That's your class."
I heard a really pleasant voice and looked to see an even more pleasant looking owner. His features weren't harshly masculine at all but just soft curves that all came perfectly together to form a very beautiful masterpiece.
His dark hair was in a messy fringe and I appreciated the fact it wasn't all slicked up with gel. And goodness, was he tall!
I realized I'd lost it for while there then blinked and pushed something coherent out my mouth. "H-huh?"
"Amber told me you lost your way to the girl's restroom yesterday so she gave me a task." He smiled so slightly for a second I almost missed it. Then suddenly, his hands were on my shoulders, leading me in.
There were few students in the class and gratefully, not one stared at this flushed, confused girl being led in by a beautiful boy.
Amber told him I got lost on my way to the toilet... what?
I mean, I shamefully admit, that was true but did she go around sharing that information?
It was when we sat down at the table in front, which normally I wouldn't have dared approach, it clicked.
"Are you Aaron?" I asked and he looked at me with an amused face but didn't reply, turning back to his textbook and turning some pages over. Amber did say he didn't talk much and I couldn't think of any other person that fit the profile more. "You're Aaron."
Throughout the class, Aaron didn't talk to me, or even talk at all unless the teacher asked him to explain something. Which was terrifyingly a lot of times. I kept expecting her to direct a question to me but it seemed she didn't trust anyone one else in the class except Aaron to have a perfect answer. And I saw why.
The way he carried himself, the way he spoke, the way he even glanced into his textbooks, the boy was a genius. And I think I was developing a little crush.
After Chemistry, I don't know what I was expecting; maybe a little more interaction from him. However, he just took his things and left me there a little depressed.
Well, Sarah, the guy barely knows you. And technically, you barely know the girl he's friends with.
The rest of my day and classes went fairly well, ignoring the stares that still persisted. And I had enough by lunch break.
"You have any idea why people are staring at me like I'm some kind of freak." I asked Amber, a little annoyed. I also noticed Aaron wasn't here. Not that I was looking for him or whatever. I just noticed.
"Not as some freak." Amber sighed, staring at her wheat bread in near disgust before taking an unnecessarily large bite. "Most are just curious about you."
What?
"Curious about what?"
Then Amber adjusted, facing me fully. I blinked.
"Now that topic is up, how do you know Nate?"
"I- what?"
"Now the reason you're getting all these stares is because some people saw you talking to Nate... and Tara too." Amber explained and I frowned. "And thing is, Nate doesn't actually talk to people he believes aren't worth his time or taste, such an asshole yes, so talking to you–"
"Whoa, wait wait wait." This was getting ridiculous. "I thought y'all didn't do this hierarchy stuff over here."
"Nate's a mini celebrity, not just in school, so there's some hierarchy when it comes to him." Amber turned back to her sandwich and shoved the remaining into her mouth.
I stared at her for a while. "You good over there?"
She sighed. "Yea, I'm trying to stick to this diet my dad put me on. But wheat bread? Ugh."
"Your dad put you on a diet." I deadpanned. What right does he have? Amber wasn't obese or anything.
"Yeah, I asked him to supervise actually." She waved it off. "Anyways Nate talking to you was such a big deal it appeared in class group chats. Now almost everyone is curious to know who you are."
I shook my head as I turned my attention back to my phone again.
Ridiculous.
- Writer
