School isn't anyone's cup of tea, it's terrible, but great friends help you get through those years of torture. I'm glad I had friends; not everything though was fantastic...

I admired myself in my the mirror. The first day of school was a fashion show, so I had to look my best to impress. I wore a red tank with a bright blue hoodie on top of that. My yellow colored jeans made the outfit pop, and I accented the whole outfit with a sparkly red headband.

I walked out of the bathroom and down the stairs. I walked into the kitchen where my step-mother was waiting. The kitchen was clean and neat, my step-mother didn't want it any other way, but always made me do the work. My father had passed away a few years ago, leaving me in her care.

"Sophia White," my step-mother growled in her slow voice. It always reminded me of a sly villain in children cartoons.

"Yes, step-mother?" I asked sweetly. I didn't want to put too much sugar on what I was saying, but didn't want to scowl either.

"I spotted a speck of dust on the island," she said as she walked over to the floating counter in the middle of the kitchen. "What am I to do with you? Keep you from school, hmm? Would that teach you?"

"No!" I gasped. "No, I promise I'll come home and make the kitchen twice as clean as it already is, just don't keep me from school!"

"Fine." Her eyes squinted at me, deciding whether or not to trust me. Before she could change her mind, I ran outside to catch the bus. I boarded and sat somewhere in the middle. I put down my book bag on the seat next to mine. I wanted to make sure no one took that seat ahead my best friend boarded. I was actually waiting for two people, Cindy and Rose. I was closer to Cindy, but Rose was nice. She didn't talk much, she was usually busy with choir and sleeping. That girl had a knack for sleeping wherever. Cindy and I have known each other basically forever.

My thoughts of my friends were interrupted by a crude remark. "Hey, what's a pretty girl like you doing sitting alone on a bus?"

"Uh, what?"

"You aren't half bad, mind if I take a seat here?" he asked. He had dark hair, it wasn't long or short. He had on a green flannel shirt and dark brown pants. He had a bit of stubble on his chin, so I assumed he was about in the same grade as me.

"Actually I do mind," I said, pushing my bag into his view.

"Fine, but I'll catch ya later," he grinned and turned away. The bus driver yelled at him for being out of his seat.

The bus stopped at the next stop. I recognized the house in front of the stop, Cindy's house. She stepped onto the bus, and as soon as she saw me, she grinned.

She had on a light blue dress that was longer in the front, a belt around her waistline, and her hair all done up in a neat little bun.

"Soph!" Cindy yelled. She walked as fast as she could to get to me. She plopped down. "How are you?"

"Good, how are you?"

"Good," Cindy replied as she put her bag onto her lap. It was a small leather bag that had the same tan as her shoes.

"Wait, what happened to your high heels from last year?" I asked her about her new look. She looked more flowing, last year she had more of a glam style.

"It's senior year, and I'm thinking more clearly now. I think I can bring an earthy sorta flowing dress look to this school," Cindy beamed. "I am the number one trend setter, ya know. Personally, high heels made me look like a giant! I really do prefer these boots."

"Okay..." I trailed off.

"Don't judge me!"

"Too late," I smiled. We both laughed.

Rose met us at the school. We found her talking to one of the school's athletes, Philip. He was a pretty popular guy, as were my friends and I. We were a girly kind of popular though, not an athletic popular.

I looked up at the school, it was as big as ever. There were at least three stories and it took up a whole block. It had a white pasty color to its stucco walls. The sign for our school was painted red and black, our school's colors.

She saw us and waved good-bye to him. Rose was wearing a white shirt with some designs on it paired with a pair of pink pants. She also wore brown wedge shoes.

"So, why were you talking to him?" Cindy asked, getting a little giddy. "Is he a crush?"

"Oh, be quiet," Rose groaned. "He gave me a ride, that's all. I was only talking to him until you two got here."

"That doesn't mean he can't be a crush!" Cindy told her. Rose raised an eyebrow.

"How was your summer vacation, Soph?" Rose asked me, trying to change the subject.

"I didn't do much besides clean."

"Your step-mom is so ridiculous, Soph," Cindy said. "I would've hung out with you, but my father and the step-family wanted to go on vacation."

"Same here," Rose agreed. "My family went on vacation with Phil-" Rose stopped herself, because she had realized her mistake too late.

"You went on vacation with him?" Cindy exclaimed. "Why wasn't there anything on Facebook?"

"I don't it broadcasted to the world," Rose whispered. "Keep quiet!"

"Okay."

Unfortunately, the bell rung and we had to retreat indoors. The inside of the school looked the same as it had the years before: cases of trophies to the left, stage to the right, cafeteria to the front, and classes everywhere else.

"What do you guys have first?" Cindy asked, pulling out her schedule.

"Mr. Hook," Rose told her. "The geography teacher."

"I have him too!" Cindy beamed. "What about you, Soph?"

"I have Ms. Gothel, the home EC teacher," I said glumly. I wouldn't have my first class with my friends.

"Home EC? Why would you sign up for that?" Cindy asked.

"I didn't, my step-mother did," I grumbled. "She's so stupid! Maybe I'll see you guys later?"

"Yeah, maybe," Rose said. "Our class is over there, see ya!" They walked off together, leaving me to walk in the other direction, alone.

I reached the home EC class and sat in the back. I didn't want to sit in the front and be called on all the time. That was a bad choice. That boy from the bus sat right next to me.

"Is this seat taken?" he asked jokingly. I rolled my eyes.

"You're annoying."

"You just like me," he joked some more.

"I just met you."

"You think about me all the time."

I was about to get up, when the teacher walked in.

"The seats you're sitting in will be your seats for the next semester! So I hope you're happy where you are."

"Shit," I cursed under my breath. The boy from the bus grinned.