Tuesday

September 6th, 2016

I pulled my brown yet blonde hair into the most messy bun and slipped on a old grey school t-shirt along with some purple sweat pants and random sneakers I found buried under the clothes in the closet. To top it off I wore some mirrored aviators even though it was obviously cold and cloudy. I was not in the mood for anyone to see the dark bags under my eyes. Could you believe it was my first day of school? I would of cared to dress up but this wasn't even my school.

I was in a new area, living in a new house, with a different family, and in an different school district. It would of been fine if I had done it before but this was a whole new experience. I went from my mom to my dad, Pittsburgh to Hayle, and now it was new school. If you understand me the transition was very rough. If it wasn't bad enough that I moved almost three hours away from home and into the most suburban place in America.

That wasn't what I had in mind when my aunt told me I was moving in with my Dad in New York. I was expecting crammed apartment living, which I was used to. I was not expecting gated mansions lined with perfect green lawns. It was on every curb which made me feel weird. I'd only seen houses like this on tv or a few times when we passed by rich areas of Pittsburgh. Here, they were everywhere.

"Cammie I packed your lunch," Vanessa, my father's wife yelled behind the door. The first day I got here I tried to find a reason to hate her. Somehow though we became friends. She was just so nice it was impossible to be mad at her. Vanessa also was a mix of Black and Puerto Rican. She had two children before she married my dad with a man she was currently divorced to and one child from my dad. Vanessa worked as a ob gyn nurse as well which shocked me how she could balance kids and work.

"Uh thanks," I yelled back before I sunk bottom back on the bed and stared at my new room. It was the biggest thing ever-about the size of my old living room in Pittsburgh along with a bathroom inside it. Vanessa wanted to make sure I felt "at home." To do that, she gave my room a black and white theme with fairy lights that surrounded the corners of the room. The queen sized bed was against a wall mural of a city pictured in black and white. She weirdly even bought me a wardrobe of clothes.

I sighed and grabbed my plain black backpack, heading out my room and down into the kitchen for my lunch. To my surprise I found Vanessa's Daugher Bex sitting in a stool behind the kitchen island, eating her cereal. Vanessa herself was in purple scrubs and fila sneakers read to go.

"You are ready," Vanessa's daughter smiled. She was a freshman as I was told by her mother who proud but also sad that she was now in high school. Vanessa was afraid Bex would get into trouble with boys. I wouldn't blame her. Vanessa had beautiful light yet chocolate skin tone as well as shiny black curls down to her waist. Her thick black eyebrows were to die for as well as her soft features. "That's one interesting outfit. Right mama?"

Vanessa laughed and handed me my lunch for me to put in my bag, "I think it's better than this lace thing you girls wear. Victoria's secret..."

"Mama it's a lace crochet tank top," She whines. I chuckle as I sip my coffee. It's a pretty outfit but I can tell Vanessa is not having it.

"So where's my dad?" I quickly change the conversation for Guadalupe's sake.

"He had to go into work early," Vanessa explained pulling her hair into ponytail. "He should be home about a hour after you guys come home? I have a late- shift so I may not be back until twelve."

"Oh great, Matthew is going to just order pizza. God I'm sick of pizza," Bex groaned and put her head into her hands. It was weird how they talked about him. I wasn't around enough to know my dad myself, they probably knew much more about him than me.

"You want to make dinner?"

"No."

"Stop whining Rebecca," She warned.

"She called me Rebecca," Bex turned to me and whispered. "It means I'm going to get the shoe later on."

"I heard that," Vanessa grabbed her purse. "Alright, I'm leaving guys. Do not miss the bus you hear me?"

"Forgetting your younger son?" Bex raised her eybrows.

"Mierda," Vanessa muttered. Spanish was not a key language but I did know all the curse words, and that was one of them. Vanessa yells up the stairs while she runs up them. "Peyton! You ready to go?"

"Where's your older brother Josh?" I ask.

"Oh," She shrugs." He gets a ride from his friends. He tries to invite me but some of the girls are too petty for my taste."

"If they weren't there?"

"That would be so nice," She grins. "The problem is Zach Goode. God he's a fucking magnet. And the girls eat him up literally, they are so protective and think I have a thing for him-hell they think everyone has a thing for him. I mean he's hot but not enough to deal with all those crazy fangirls. Never seen anything like it."

"Dude's probably got ego problems," I laugh.

"I guess so. He's more of an asshole than egoistic, kept to himself and if you talk to him your not going to get a friendly introduction."

"Sounds like fun," I smirk.

The bus ride wasn't bad at all. Bex talked the whole bus ride there, from family, to random stuff likes shows, to even how bitchy our old teachers were. We both were just as nervous about the new school.

"Tenth grade shouldn't be that bad," She lightened. "I mean I'm pretty sure my brother is arranging right now how's he going to throw me in a trash can."

"No offense but I'm not used to this kind of enviroment," I explain as we walk into the school. "So calm."

"You just wait, I'll see you later Cammie."

I go to office first. I get a glimpse of the kids, the school design. The kids look the complete opposite to what I'm used to which is dressed in their prettiest if that's possible. I looked down at my baggy clothing and back at a girl with stunning light brown wavy hair wearing a black and white jersey and a black skater skirt along with with knee high striped socks.

I look like walking shit.

"Cameron Morgan?" I raise my head and smile at the dressed up lady standing in front of me. She was well put together wearing a tight blue dress and sleek cut blonde bob. She looked like she was about in her mid fourites with small grey growing out her hair and wrinkles on her forehead every time she raised her eyebrows.

"Yeah that's me," I stood up.

"My name is Dr. Caldwell, I am the head principal of the Hayley High School so you will see me a lot in the building. I understand you've been enrolled here right?"

I nod my head and she smiles handing me a piece of paper while skeptically staring at me through my aviators. "Sunglasses are not allowed during school hours."

"These are actually prescription glasses," I tap the temples of the sunglasses and smugly smile. Ok so yeah I was lying but these Ray Bans were very important to me. Taking them off meant taking a piece of myself away from me, I couldn't do that.

"Interesting," She slowly nodded her head. "Cam, can I call you Cam? I'm going to show you your new locker and bring you to your classes ok?"

She showed me to my locker and gave me the combination of it. The whole time we walked she gave me quick explanations of places like the library, the east wing which included stuff like photography, business, fashion, or science and tech. She seemed...ok. There wasn't much I could say except she liked to talk about the growing obsession of cell phones.

The school was so big and neat it was to perfect to actually be a public school. Was this how all public schools were in the suburbs? I stared at the glass walls that's showed off big places like the gym or library or the auditorium. With a few more lectures and looks at classrooms she finally got me to my first period class.

"How's everybody doing?" Dr. Caldwell smiled and started groaning. Obviously the head principal was not a popular person or all these kids had a problem with me. "This is your new classmate Cameron Morgan, she's moved here from Pittsburgh."

The classed just stared at me like I was growing a second head until I decided to take a seat next to a girl with short blue hair and a nose ring. Most people would view a girl like her differently, act scared, or even disgusted. I smiled and her stone hard face revealed a nice warm smile as well.

Lesson? Don't be a stranger.

"Welcome Miss. Morgan," The teacher nodded his head in an acknowledgement before continuing his lesson on African Kingdoms.

It wasn't hard to follow, he had the notes written on the blackboard for me to write. He didn't mind if you talked a bit either so I cooked up a conversation with the girl with blonde beach short hair, Elizabeth. She was nice a bit shy but I wasn't anyone I couldn't crack. She finally blurted out all her likes and dislikes, how she moved as well but originally she was from Brooklyn which was something I could relate with.

"It's just weird you know," She chuckles. "That you would befriend me. I thought you would be like them."

She showed me to the corner of room where a bunch of kids were laughing and showing eaching others their phones. The people weren't even listening to the teacher as he tried to lectured. They looked rich, pretty, and obnoxious...how could I befriend people like that?

"There not my type," I turn around and shrug.

"Maybe he's your type?" She chuckled and pointed to the other corner of the classroom. There was a guy in the corner with black shades on with his legs on a another desk with two girls next to him. He had black beats in and just like the others kids he was paying no attention to what the teacher was saying. "He lies and says he wears perscription sunglasses."

"And that principal actually believes it? Wait, never mind that's exactly what I told her," I clear myself up.

"Either way he could still get away with. Hell his mom is the head principal of the school he could shit on the flag pole and still get no consequences."

"Dr. Caldwell is his mom," I gasp a little to loud causing the class to look at me.

"Dude's got ego problems," She whispered.

"What's his name," I blurt out. I know where this is going and I can't controll myself. This is what I always love to do...help people. Hell I don't care if the drag me down with them I don't like seeing people fail. Guys like him were the perfect projects.

"Why do you want to know so bad? Got a crush?" She smirked.

"Opposite actually," I smile over my shoulder to his corner. "I want to be his friend."

She laughed. "What?"

"He doesn't have friends that are girls," She stated.

"Well I'll be the first," I explained. "Tell me his name."

"As long as you tell me your plan."

"Fine, he just looks like he is in deep shit. I want to fix him."

The idea sound even more idiotic out loud but she doesn't give me a look instead she smiles at my idea. "You make it sound like he's a toy...but since you told me his name is Zach Goode."

"Oh damn," I slap my hand on my face. "It all makes since."

Zachary Goode. Aka the asshole Bex was talking about. Was I that stupid that I couldn't put two and two together.

"Huh?"

"Nothing," I shake the thoughts out. "When's lunch?"

"Uh third period for me, but I don't know which period it is for you."

"Oh," I sigh again.

Time flies by and it's already lunch. I've met so many chill people yet they aren't in my lunch period. Most the kids were seniors who had full on beard and crap like that. I was just about to sit down alone when I spotted Zach Goode.

His table consisted of him and a few of his guy friends along with a bunch of girls.

Typical.

Most people wouldn't of dared to sit at the table. I wouldn't of either but if Zach was sitting there I was there. And I meant that in less creepiest way.

"Hey," I grin and sit down next to a guy with blonde hair grey eyes. He stared at me skeptically, better than the blank faces I was receiving from all the girls at the table. "My name's Cammie, I just moved here."

"Ok Cammie," He looks for assurance from Zach who shakes his head and stares back at his phone. "I'm Stone. This is Heather and Sam."

The two blonde girls forcefully wave their hands at me. I recognized them from the first period.

"And this is Jackson," He points over to the Hispanic boy with black curls. He politely grins and tells me how he has the same hoodie as me. "Oh and that's Macey."

I recognize this girl too. She's the pretty one that made me feel like literal shit after seeing her. Goodness I'm starting to have that feeling again...

"And then the one and only Zach," I wave at Zach and he gives me a slight nod.

This was going to be harder than I thought.

"So Cammie where did you move from?" Jackson asked.

"Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It has a more city feel than here."

"Huh," Stone looked at Jackson. Somehow I felt like they were telepathically communicating. "Do you know Julian Harris?"

"Yeah that's my step brother," I raise my eyebrow.

"So your the hot stepsister he's been talking about," Stone smirks.

"Oh no that's not me my name is Cammie," I try to explain to them but they start laughing . Everyone except Zach. "What?"

"The hot stepsister is you Cammie," Jackson smiles. I immediately blush, to cover it up I start to eat some food. Why would Josh say something like that? Oh it's going to be so awkward when we get home.

"Shut up Jackson," Macey rolls her eyes. "What's up with the Ray Bans?"

"Well they are perscription," I lie and she shakes her head.

"What is with you and Zach with these glasses."

I smile and stared at Zach. He doesn't crack a grin back just lifelessly staring back at his phone. Damn, was he dead?

"You know what you guys are nice," I compliment.

"What exactly did you expect," Macey questions.

"Preppy, snobby, just plain rude."

"Were nothing like that," Jackson shakes his head and furrows his eyebrows.

By the time lunch was done I had done more talking than eating. Stone and Jackson were really nice while the girls were a bit quiet. Mostly they whispered to Zach a few things and chuckled.

I was late for the bus. Being the slow ass it had taken me a while to get used to my combination. Once I did open my locker everybody was gone and I had just finished getting everything. By the time I ran to the bus lanes they were already gone.

"Shit," I drew the word out. I glanced at the parking which consisted a few cars. I could ask a teacher for a ride home, which would be weird.

While walking toward the building I smelled a faint tobacco. The smell repulsed me, mostly because when I was younger my mom told me I would die if I inhaled it. Also having asthma did not help.

I turned around and looked on the steps to see Zach him self with a cigarette in between his teeth. He stared ahead while he puffed out the smoke. He seemed calm but I didn't like it at all.

He needs to be stopped.

I marched over to the stares where I stood in front of him with my hand held out. "Hi I'm Cammie Morgan, I sat at your table at lunch."

"I know," He takes his headphones are out. His voice is fucking deep, a bit hoarse which I weirdly find satisfying. "What do you want?"

Strike 1.

"Well I need a ride," I grasp my palms together.

"Ok get one," He coldly tells me and puts his headphones back in.

"Yeah that's why I came over here. Can you give me a ride?"

"Can't you walk?" He squints.

Strike 2

"Well my surrounding are kind of new since I just moved here."

"Use google maps then," He grumbled.

Strike 3

"You know what your right," I giggled. "before I go can I get a cigarette?"

"You smoke?" I nod and he hands me the pack and the lighter.

I directly look him in his eyes as I empty out the pack of cigarettes and throw the lighter as far I can. Softball seemed to work out because I manage to get the lighter into the middle of a two way lane. I innocently smile back at Zach who is staring at all the cigarettes that have been sprawled on the street.

"What the fuck!" He growls and stands up and hovers over me.

Well now I feel short.

"Oh I guessed since your playing asshole than I would be playing asshole too," I shrugged. "It doesn't feel good does it? See I gave you about three chances. Your from the suburbs—I get it. I get that here you guys can talk hard shit and get away with it. But guess what? If your playing that game than I'm playing it too. I don't give a fuck if your the fucking principal's son you will not give me that sarcastic little cold look. Alright you hear me I'm not taking your bullshit."

After the anger has gone away I feel a bit calmer. I realize the whole time I was ranting I was a little to close to him and took a few steps back. "Sorry," I muttered.

He looks mad, furious actually. I watched him tug at his dark brown locks and decided I was most likely not going to get a ride now. I pull up my google maps app and type in the address of the new house.

"I'll drive you ok?" I hear him sigh as I walk.

"No, I'm not going to force you to do something you don't want to."

"Get in the car I'm not asking again," He says and I freeze.

I huff, "Fine."

We get into his car which is actually a nice black Mercedes Benz. I don't bother talking, hoping he gets less mad on the way home.

"So you smoke huh?" I try to break the awkward silence.

"Just because I'm giving you a ride it doesn't mean we can talk. It just means I don't want to be the reason you were kidnapped and sold on the black market."

This bitch.

"I'm not trying to get in your pants if that's why you think I asked you for a ride. I missed my bus so I'm sorry if this bothers you. In fact, I give up. Your such a bastard, the most genuine person in the world couldn't even be your friend. You win ok I'm done, stop the car."

"No we are half way there let me take you the whole way."

"I don't care," I snarled. "If I have to stay with for another five minutes I'm going to throw myself out this car–stop the car."

"I'll be uh...nice ok?" He struggles to say nice but he manages. "How was your day?"

"You don't even care," I roll my eyes.

"Now your just being stubborn," He chuckled. "I'm doing what you want and your still mad. I don't do this just for anyone, especially after they empty my pack of cigarettes and and throw my lighter into the street."

My serious manner crack into a grin and I sink into my seat thinking about what I did.

"See," He glances at me. "I made you smile."

"Technically I made myself smile," I point out.

"So how was your day then?" He asks again.

"Interesting, your school is nothing like mines."

"How so?"

I was just about to tell him when I looked out the window and saw the house. "I can tell you tomorrow when you pick me up," I confidently say.

"Oh really?" He smiles. It's much better than the stone face he always shows.

"I'll see you tomorrow," I get out the car.