=Cassaundra's POV= {Please note, Cassaundra is pronounced Cass-on-dra not Cass-an-dra. Thank you.}
I can't do this... I look up at the archway over the gates to my new school. Erickson High. I can't do this. I don't know what to expect in an American school!
I take a deep breath and walk through the gate. The schoolyard is filled with other students already, even though it's only 7:32 in the morning and as far as I know, the bell doesn't ring until eight o'clock. I came early in hopes of finding a guide of sorts. Not like I have the courage to speak to anyone. I've never been good with people.
If I can just find someone all by themselves I can manage... I look around for a little bit, but to my dismay, everyone is in groups of six or more people. I continue to avoid everyone else, and eventually find the smallest group possible to find. A group of three boys. They appear to be a little older than me. Possible sophomores. The one closest to where I'm standing is an incredibly tall boy with brown hair tipped with red streaks. He is wearing a plaid button-up with the tops few buttons undone, exposing pale, freckled skin, scruffed up black jeans, and really old tennis shoes. The next one over, a kinda on the shorter side guy with really messy blonde hair. This one is wearing a plain, light green tee with ripped up light blue jeans and muddy, once white, running shoes.
But I just about forget about their entire existence when my eyes fall upon the third of the group.
About a head taller than me, leaning against a jet black motorcycle, the third guy looked to me like he had jumped straight out of 'Grease'! His black hair was greased up and he had a fag right behind his ear. His leather jacket, a little on the older side, is zipped up and I can barely make out a white shirt under it. His dark blue jeans were in good condition, and he has heavy leather boots. His skin is tan and his smirk, I swear, could kill; on top of that, he had a barely visible scar above his right eye. I can't make out what it looks like from here.
I can't seem to stop staring at him. I don't understand why. Before I can pull myself away, his head jerks up and his eyes meet with mine. His eyes are a strange violet color that I've never seen as an eye color before. I can feel my cheeks becoming hot. He blinks at me and tilts his head. I can somehow tell he isn't listening to his friends' conversation anymore. I'm definitely blushing now.
"Wwalk awway wwhile you can." I jump a foot in the air and swing around to face the source of the voice. Behind me, a girl had appeared. It takes me a minute to process it but I soon find myself taking in her appearance. Her black hair is curled, but is at LEAST waist long when straight. The bangs over her forehead and framing her face are a bright purple, black-rimmed glasses are perched on her nose, and she has a small amount of make-up on -just enough to be noticeable, but not over-baring-. She is wearing a black sweatshirt, a striped dark blue and light blue scarf, and a blue and black striped skirt going a little bit below mid-thigh. Her tennis shoes are purple with a blue stripe in the middle, and her black socks go up to her knees.
She tilts her head to the side and smiles softly. "Sorry. I didn't mean to givve ya a scare. Just thought I'd wwarn you that those three are major flirts. Especially the one in the leather jacket." She stumbles over her "w"s, and her "v"s sound like a regular "w".
"O-Oh! It's f-fine." I shift from foot to foot un comfortably.
"You don't talk to people much do you?"
"...N-Nein..." She quirks an eyebrow, a perfectly trimmed and arched eyebrow, then snaps her fingers as realization dawns on her face.
"Oh! You're the neww girl from Germany!" Her smile widens. "I'm Ariel. It's a pleashore to meet you!"
Her smile is contagious. I find myself smiling back. "H-Hallo. I'm Cassaundra. I don't care if jou shorten it to anyzing... Jou can if you like."
"Alright. I havve a quirk for nicknames." She sighs. "Like my nickname, Ariel. I'm made fun of for it and the way I dress." She pulls on her skirt a little and gives a sorta insecure look, and I feel compelled to compliment her so she feels better.
"V-Vell. I zink jou look very pretty." Her head snaps up and looks at me in shock. I recoil a little.
"R-R-Reely? You think I'm pretty?" I feel my heart twinge. Poor girl must not be used to compliments.
"J-Ja." I barely get the word out of my mouth before she tackles me in a giant hug. And that's when I notice... I'm not sure if I'm right, and I don't want to insult Ariel, so I don't say anything.
"Thank you! No one evver tells me I'm pretty! Thank you thank you thank you!" Ariel's absolutely ecstatic.
"J-Jou're velcome. S-So... Vould jou help me out? I have no idea vhere I'm going..."
"Shore!" Then Ariel's smile falters. "If you wwant me to... I mean. No one else here reely likes me, so... If you wwant to make friends you should probably avvoid me."
"I vould really like it if jou helped me." I smile and hand Ariel my schedule. I gain a wide smile in return.
"It looks like wwe havve four classes together! That's good!" I gain enough courage to ask.
"A-Ariel... V-Vhat, just out of curio-" I get cut off.
"I knoww wwhat you're gonna say." Ariel's silent before sighing. "My real name is Eridan. Eridan Ampora. I just prefer Ariel. I got into it in eighth grade." Well that explains why he wanted me to avoid him in order to get friends. Poor guy.
I'm silent for a minute, and I can see worry begin to form behind his glasses. "Jou still gonna help me out?"
The relived smile that spreads across his lips makes even me smile wider. "Yeah. No problem. Just stick wwith me. I'll showw ya around real quick. Come on." He turns and starts walking away. I hesitate only a moment. Going against my better judgment I turn to look over my shoulder. To my surprise the 1950s guy, Cronus as Ariel had said his name was, was still staring at me. He sees me staring back and smiles.
I quickly turn and run after Ariel. I've never done well with guys. Well, except Ariel I guess. That was a surprising turn of events.
I catch up to him and walk by him as he leads me into the school. He shows me around a few twists and turns before stopping abruptly and turning around. "Let's go back this wway." He begins to drag me back the way we had come, but someone grabs my other arm.
"Hey hey hey. Lookie here. A new freshman chick!" I look up and see a really tall male. He has a letterman's jacket covered in athletic letters. It takes all my will not to gag and yank my arm away. I hate jocks. The boy looks over at Ariel. "Oh. Hey fag. Haven't seen much of you around here lately." Ariel physically flinches at the word, and looks ready to accept more words from the jock, but his attention is back on me. "Hey. Name's Richard. Ya can call me Ricky. No need to hang with this moron here. Come hang out with us!" He gestures to some guys snickering and checking me out behind him. "We can have some fun!" I did NOT like the way he said that.
I glance at Ariel. He's worried. I look up at Ricky. "Jou are grammatically incorrect." He blinks.
"What...?"
"Jou are grammatically incorrect. Jou called him a fag. Zat ist grammatically incorrect. A 'fag' is a cigarette. If jou vere vanting to insult him, zen jou didn't do it right." I smile sweetly. "I apologize, but I must decline jour offer. Jou are quite obviously older zan I, vhere-as Ariel ist mein age. Gut day to jou Ricky." I grab Ariel and walk past the jocks down the hallway, leaving them all speechless.