I ran up the stone steps to my new school. It was huge. The building was a faded red brick. I saw the other kids and realized quickly that I wasn't going to fit in well. My mind raced as I opened the door and walked into the school building. Everyone was dressed in clothes that looked extremely expensive. I looked down at my plain green tee shirt and denim jeans. Unlike the other girls I didn't have an elaborate bag or purse. I sighed as I walked into the main office and up to the desk
"May I help you?" One of the ladies asked.
"I'm Sara Peterson. I'm supposed to start school here today," I said. The lady was already moving through a stack of papers. She pulled one out and handed it to me
"Here you go," She said, "Welcome to Brookdale High," She smiled at me. I forced a smile back before leaving the office. I looked down at the paper she had handed me. My locker was 140 and I was sharing with someone named Hallie. Wonderful, the name sounded like a cheerleader. God I hoped she wasn't a cheerleader. I walked slowly toward down the hallway as I looked at the locker numbers. My locker was already open and a girl was standing in front of it. I walked over
"Hello." I said, "Im Sara Peterson," The girl looked at me. She had shoulder length black hair and deep chocolate brown eyes. Her clothes didn't look expensive like the other girls and she seemed to be a girl I might not mind.
"Hallie Carton," She replied. She looked at me for a second, "Who are you?"
"I'm a new student, and your locker mate," She nodded
"Top shelfs mine," She informed me, grabbing a book off the shelf. I smiled, the possibility of me liking her was growing.
"Understood," I said. She looked at me curiously, looking over my hair, which was hanging down by my face unlike most of the other girls who had them up in some elaborate fashion, and my clothes. It looked like neither of us was one that blended in with the crowd.
"What did you say your name was again?" She asked
"Sara," I repeated for her. I looked down at my paper with my locker number and class schedule, "You wouldn't know where the English Lit class room is would you?" I asked
"Mm-hmm. I'll show you, thats my first class," I nodded and unzipped my bag enough to pull out a text book, but my bag unzipped the rest of the way, the contents scattering.
"That was stupid," She said, bending down to help me pick up the things. I smiled
"If you want to improve, be content--," She cut me off
"To be thought foolish and stupid," We were both smiling
"You know Epictetus?" I asked
"What person couldnt?" She replied back
"I dont know. A normal one," Hallie laughed
"Okay, I'll give you that," She handed me the papers she had gathered.
"Thanks," I stuffed them back into my bag and hung up my back pack up on an empty hook. I heard the warning bell ring
"We better get to class, Sara," Hallie said. I nodded and she walked off. I followed closely behind her. Once we were in the classroom I walked up to the teacher while Hallie sat down at her desk.
"Im Sara Peterson," I said to the teacher, "I'm a new student," She smiled at me, that same big grin that the girl in the office had given me, like they were finding a long lost daughter or something. It was weird
"Glad to have you Sara. Im Ms. Evans," She looked at the room, searching for an open seat I imagined. She pointed to an empty seat, "That will be your seat," She said. I nodded and walked to the seat, setting my books on the desk.