The Nicole Household: Malibu, CA
"Are you kidding me?" I couldn't believe what I was hearing.
"No, I'm not 'kidding you'. We already enrolled you at a school and its all set. You are starting at Degrassi on Monday."
"Mom, you can't do this! I can't just move, the school year is almost over, why can't I just finish it? And my friends! What about my friends?"
"Make new ones." I just wanted to cry. Leaving all my friends behind? Moving to Canada? It was all too much to comprehend in such a brief moment.
"Dad doesn't even need to work. We have plenty of money!" I answered back, looking up at the high ceilings, hoping to convince my mom. She knows it's true. Money isn't a problem for us, but apparently communication is. This is the closest we have ever come to a conversation in years. I could see her struggling to find a comeback.
"Just go pack. It's not long before we leave this town."
Leave this town? She is ridiculous. I just exhale, leave the room, and walk upstairs before I express my true feelings. The last thing I need is to be grounded on my last week in Malibu. What's the point? And maybe the school has a great theater program…
The Next Week:
What a lame way to spend a Saturday night. Unpacking and filling my new room. I could really use a friend at this moment, oh wait, I don't have any. And to make my horrible life even worse, the school sent me a uniform… a uniform! My thoughts are cut short, like always, when I hear my mom yelling for me.
"Jaylenn, Hurry up! There are plenty more boxes that need to be carried up there."
I am about ready to just get out of here. She can do it if she wants it done. I lock my door and doze off into a much needed sleep.
Monday Morning:
I wake up to my alarm ringing right in my ear and roll out of bed. I walk straight to the bathroom and look in the mirror. "This is going to be a long day." I immediately dress into my uniform, brush my curly blonde hair and mask my face with makeup. Oh, can't forget my wrist bands to cover my little "secret". Finally I am ready to grab my stuff and head out the door, to my new life.
As I arrived to school, I had some doubts about this place. It seemed nothing like the private, all-girls school I had attended in Malibu. "I just need to find my locker now." I muttered to myself under my breath and walked into the school.
Just as I finally got the combination to work on my locker, I could see a guy with dark hair and red uniform standing next to me out of the corner of my eye. I thought maybe he wanted to talk to me, but I was scared to look at him. After a few frantic moments of paranoia in my head, I looked at over at the guy. He wasn't approaching me, he was just at his locker, but just then he looked at me too. I blushed. I never talk or even look at guys, because I don't understand them. Should I say something?
"Um, are you new here?" He asked. I didn't know what to say or how to say it.
"Yeah, yeah I'm new."
"Cool…" He walked off. I felt so stupid.
"Having trouble talking there?" I heard a voice behind me and I turned quickly. It was a guy with brownish hair.
"I guess. I don't usually socialize with guys. An all-girls school will do that to you."
"Well, you speak normal now." He laughed "I'm Adam."
I answered back, "Jaylenn."
"Nice to meet you, Jaylenn." Adam smiled and headed to his class. He seems nice, but I still feel stupid after the first incident. The first bell rings and I rush to English class. Despite the delay, I make it on time somehow. Of course, the guy with the black hair is sitting there, and so is Adam. Small school.
"Class, take your seats please. This is Jaylenn. She is here from California. Please make her feel welcome. Take any empty seat, Jaylenn." The teacher smiles at me and I look around for a seat. The first one I see is right in between Adam and guy whose name I don't know yet. Why is he all I can think about? I timidly walk over and take my seat and before I know it, class is over. Daydreamed through the whole thing. I look up and see the teacher talking to the mysterious guy, then to me. "Jaylenn, this is Eli. He is going to show you to your classes today. And if you need any help, just ask." She smiles and goes over to her desk, leaving just me and Eli.
We both start to head for the door and I think he is about to say something. "California, eh?"
Don't mess this up, Jaylenn. "Yeah. I miss it, but you gotta move on I guess."
"Why? I mean, why Canada?"
"I asked myself the same thing. I guess my dad's office moved or something." I stare down and play with my wrist bands, thinking of something to say.
"Hey, relax. I'm not that intimidating, am I?"
"Intimidating? No… it's just… it's just I'm not used to really talking. I mean, I do talk. Me and my friends just kind of got each other, you know?" Again, I feel stupid.
"Ah, well I really like talking to you. You can be yourself, you know." And finally we arrive at the classroom. That felt like forever. "I'll meet you back here after class to show you around some more." He smiles and disappears into the busy hallway. I smile and prepare myself for geometry.
End of Chapter One