Because She Could

First Day - Aleah

Most of the ride to school was uneventful, just her and Ty bantering back and forth about dating, but it did give her butterflies when he got so flustered and “laid the law down” about her trying to get with Zeb. He had actually even used her middle name. Not that she really had any plans at all about trying to get with Zeb. Even if she wasn't already crazy about Ty, Zeb was just gross. Oh, he was good looking enough, no doubt, but all he ever did was get with a girl long enough to get in her pants, (which didn't usually take long) and then he moved on to the next conquest, and just ewww. No. Not happening.

As soon as Ty had parked, Cassie was already pulling her door open, squealing and carrying on about senior year in her usual ADHD manner. Aleah loved Cassie dearly, she was her best girl friend after all, but her endless excited chatters and squeals about essentially EVERYTHING could get tiring. But she had a great heart and had really been there for some stuff for Aleah the last couple years. Especially when Dal...nope. Not going there. She stopped her thoughts in their tracks and tried to focus on Cassie's babbles. She felt her hand being tugged behind her and looked back to see Ty meeting her eyes with his heart stopping grin. In a voice low enough for just her to hear she heard, “Have a good last “first day” of high school Lee-lee”.

She grinned back and whispered, “You too TyBear”. She didn't call him that very often anymore and never in public, but she couldn't quite give up the babyish nickname from years gone by.

She and Cassie found their lockers quickly, they were only a few apart. As Aleah threw her bag in her locker and got out her books for first period, she heard a familiar grating voice, “Well if it isn't the fat carrot top stinking up the hallways again this year.”

Aleah didn't even turn around. “Don't start with me already this morning Tracey, didn't you learn your lesson last year?”

“Listen, you fat witch, you stay clear of my territory this year. Zeb is mine and I'm gonna have him whether you like it or not!” the nasally whine continued.

Aleah slammed her locker shut and turned to face the thin barbie-looking girl with the too tight tank top and too short skirt who was demanding her attention.

“Look, honey,” Aleah drawled as she sized Tracey up, “my granny had this saying that pertains to you here. She always said 'birds of a feather flock together' and if that's too complicated for you to understand, let me break it down for your little brain. Trash deserves trash. So if you want Zeb, you have at him. I sure don't want him, I'm thinking he probably has things that bleach can't wash away after all his conquests and you do too, so, yeah, actually, get with him so y'all can quit infecting the rest of the county with crap.”

Tracey growled and moved forward threateningly, but one of her mean girl squad reminded her she had just gotten her nails done, so she flipped her bleached out hair, sneered at Aleah, and stomped on down the hall.

Aleah glanced around as the hallway had grown quiet while everyone waited to see if a fight was going to break out first thing. She smiled and waved broadly at everyone, recognizing most of them, and quipped, “Well, how about that, the trash even took herself out.” Everyone laughed and a lot of people waved back or gave her thumbs up. No one except her few mean girl squad cronies even liked Tracey anyway. She was mean, hateful, and a bully most of the time to anyone who wasn't on her agenda.

Suddenly her eyes collided with Ty's piercing blue ones. He was smiling proudly at her. He winked at her and nodded approvingly. Her heart soared. She didn't really enjoy being the center of attention, but she wasn't going to let anyone push her around either. Sheesh, you would've thought Tracey would've learned last year to leave her alone.

Cassie bounded over squealing, “O. M. Geeeee! I can't believe that witch! You shoulda beat her ass Lee!”

“Oh shush Cassie! I don't want or need a suspension. Especially on the first day, now stop and lets see if we have any classes together.” She calmed Cassie down. They discovered they had first period English, fourth period lunch, and sixth period Math together. Health, Physics and Spanish were the ones they didn't.

They both were on the cheer squad too so there was that.

Aleah looked around to see if Ty had any classes with her, but he had already taken off for his first period.

Cassie linked arms with her and they started for their English class. Most of first, second, and third periods were uneventful although she was thrilled to find she had each of those with Ty! As they were leaving third period Physics she asked Ty if he was heading to lunch. He nodded and they headed toward their lockers to drop their books before lunch. As she was organizing her books for the afternoon, she suddenly felt hot breath on her neck and somebody lean into her from behind. “Hey sexy mama! Looking better than ever this year. You ready to drop your BOYfriend and have some fun with a real man?” a deep voice apparently trying to be sexy asked against her ear.

Without even thinking her instinctive reflexes kicked in and she stomped hard on a large foot and jerked her elbow straight back into a firm belly as hard as possible before spinning around. There slumped Zeb, his trademark smirky grin gone as his angry eyes glared at her. “What the hell was that for?”

Aleah grinned cheekily. “My apologies, Zeb, but haven't you heard it isn't nice to make unwanted advances on unsuspecting girls? Why don't you go find Tracey? I heard she was looking for you. I think she wants to tell you how birds of a feather flock together.”

Zeb glared at her, then looked confused. “Whatevs babe, play hard to get, it makes the chase more thrilling.” Then he sauntered off.

Aleah took a deep breath and looked around seeing Ty glaring after Zeb. He looked at her with anger in his eyes. “What was that about Aleah Rayne?”

Aleah placed her hand on Ty's arm and softly replied. “Calm down Ty, He was trying to work his moves on me but I told him Tracey needed to talk with him about birds of a feather.”

Ty glared after Zeb for a minute and clenched his fists, then looked at Aleah with a strange look. “Sorry Lee-lee, I know you can handle yourself, but he better leave you alone or I'll stomp his ass!”

“Let's just go to lunch and forget him AND Tracey. We're having a good day remember?” She slid her hand into his and tugged him toward the cafeteria.