First Day of School

Ellie

I woke up with a joint. My body was trembling and sweaty.

"Another bad dream..."

That reoccurring dreams haunts me. The day my mother passed away. In moments like this, I'm allowed to be weak. Allowed to cry. No one will know, no one will bother me about it. I feel my eyes getting watery. A single tear stream its way downward.

I force myself to shake off the horrible images. Slowly getting out of bed, I look around my room. It littered with dirty clothes, paper and last night's dinner. God, it was a mess.

"I'll deal with this later."

I checked the time, 7:30.

"Shit, I'm gonna be late!"

I changed quickly into some faded, ripped up jeans, my favorite red t-shirt and my old sneakers. I brushed my auburn hair back into a pony tail. I took a step back and stared in the mirror.

"I guess it's fine... first day of school shouldn't be too bad... right?"

I grabbed my, almost empty, backpack and ran downstairs to my foster dad, Joel Miller. He was sitting at the table, drinking his coffee and staring off at the wall. I took a seat at the other side of the table. I looked at Joel and tried to get his attention. Waving a hand in front of his face, he had no reaction.

"Joel?".

Joel snapped out of his daydream,

"Yes? What? What's wrong?".

A little concern, I decided to not push it."Nothing, I'm just gonna head out now, alright?"

I knew about the dearest person to Joel. Sarah, although he doesn't talk about what happened much, I see those old pictures of him and her hanging on the walls. When he smiled all the time. I mean yeah he smiles around me sometimes. But other moments he is in another world.

Joel takes a sip of his coffee, "Yea, go on and be safe. Okay?".

I stood up, "For sure, see you after school."

I ride my bike to school every day. I love feeling the cool breeze against my face. All the wrong in the world shrinks and turn into nothing. I closed my eyes slightly. In my own lala land I drift off into my perfect world. A world where nothing bad happens. A world where I can be myself and be free to wonder.

I open my eyes to see myself heading straight to a curb.

"Ooohh shiiittt!"

I jerked to the left onto the road and went swiftly back into the bike lane.

"Oh shit." I chuckled "Not today!"

I pedaled on until I made it to the front of my new school. Starting at a new school was my idea of torture. More kids to pick on me. Obviously, I'm not a very social person. I'm the kid who sits down with a good comic book or wonders around aimlessly.

Call me nerdy or geeky or whatever. I thank the creators of comics.

I got off my bike once I found a bike rack. Chaining my bike and making sure it's secure, I slowly walked up the stairs.

"God, this seems too grand for me. I dont like it." I whispered under my breathe.

I see a lot of kids all crowded around a bulletin board, there we would get our first period. I looked down at my phone. 7:50

I'll check it once it clears up a bit.

I looked around the campus. It nice, I already found some good spots to lay or sit to read my comics.

I looked at my phone again, 7:55

"Shit, I gotta get going."

I walked to the board and there were only a few kids there. Perfect. I ran up looking for my name.

"Willams... williams... williams... ah-ha"

Found it room 23, luckily when I was walking around the campus I saw the room.

I jogged a bit to make it on time.

-lunch period-

Already halfway through the day. My classes are alright, just gotta stay quiet, do the work and I'll be graduating and out of here in no time.

I brought out some comics Joel had bought me. It was about some zombie related thing. Just what I like.

I sat there looking, reading every inch of the front. I couldn't wait to start this bad boy.

Moments later, I heard footsteps shuffling by me. I instinctively looked up. 3 people surrounded me. Two boys and one girl. The two boys looked at me with disgust. The girl in the back looked pissed off at them and didn't seem to want to be there.

I looked back down, just minding my own business.

They suddenly grabbed my comic. I stood up and yelled. "What the fuck man, give it back!"

He laughed,"Shut up kid, this is mine now"

He shoved it in his bag and snickered.

I couldn't just let him have it. Joel would be upset if it got stolen. I don't know what came over me. But in seconds I found myself on top of him punching his stupid face over and over. Blood was spewing everywhere. My knuckles were burning and hurting from all the punches I threw.

Kids began to surround us with their phones out, ready to tape the fight. Shit this was no good. I grabbed his bag and found the comic and ran off. More specifically towards the football stadium. I looked back before I turned a corner and saw the girl, who stood with the idiots, smiling at me. Strange. Whatever, I had to go.

I ran and ran and finally made it.

I sat there. Trembling from the adrenaline. My knuckles were bloodied and bruised. I had to clean this off. I wiped it with my other hand but nothing. The blood only spread. I looked back up, hoping to see a girls restroom. But only saw that girl. That girl who stood with them.

"Nice going new girl, I will never hear the end of this from that idiot." She smiled.

A little on edge, I said ,"Well if that fuck never messed with me, he would've still been fine."

Still smiling she took a seat next to me,"Damn, tough girl aren't you"

I felt strange about this girl. She kept staring at me with those eyes... those light brown eyes. They drew me to her. Why was I feeling this way?

I shook my head,"if you're here to beat me up, just fuck off already."

She looked at my knuckles, and grabbed my hand gently. I winced at the pain. The numbness was going away.

With a soft voice, she said,"Don't you worry, let's go to the bathroom and clean this off."

For some reason I didn't fight her. I didn't say anything. Just obeyed her order. Why was she so nice to me after I punched her friend. Something doesn't seem right. Whatever, I followed her to the bathroom as if I were in a trance. I let her wash off my knuckles slowly and gently. I just stared at her. Her hair tied up in a bun. Her face, dark skinned but yet light. There were freckles sprinkled across her nose and cheeks.

She was beautiful.

I felt butterflies in my stomach. Why was I feeling this. I've never felt this way before. Never. Not about anyone. But seeing her... god.. I am falling for her.

She was saying something but I heard nothing. I just watched those beautiful lips move.

She stared back at me. That made me snap back into reality. I looked down at my knuckle it was clean. My skin was tore apart and bruised. But it was clean.

"... just make sure you clean this daily. You don't want this getting infected." She smiled again.

I looked at her,"Thanks... uh-"

"Riley" she interrupted me. "Riley Abel." Her eyes shined so bright.

I couldn't help but smile back,"Ellie, Ellie Williams"

Maybe school wasn't going to be bad after all. First day, and I've already made a friend.

Riley Abel.