Chapter Two – SM Beverly I Have Arrived
I closed my eyes for a minute then began to write in this beautiful diary. I remember my first day clearly. It's all here in my mind.
Wednesday 2nd September 2009
I woke up that morning feeling nervous. I washed up then wore my new overalls.
Daddy came to my room and laughed quietly watching me sit there on my bed with my legs crossed and praying to god,
"Suze," He sat in front of me, "You know if you want, you can continue to be homeschooled,"
I looked at him for a sec, he was never ardent on the idea of me going to high school, it was of course Heidi that forced the idea into his head, she told him I needed to socialize with people my age,
"It's not that," I held his hand, "I really want to go,"
"If that's what you really want," he picked up a brush; he ran it through my hair,
"Do you think that I would fit in?" I asked as he braided my hair,
"Yes you would," he kissed my forehead,
Daddy took the day of work that day so that he could take me to high school himself,
"Hello and good morning I'm Father Dominic," A bald guy in a white robe addressed himself to me and daddy.
"I'm Mathew Simon," My daddy shook hands with the principle, "My daughter Susannah,"
We sat down in the huge office. My daddy and Father Dominic had a long conversation about me attending high school for the very first time. I sat there listening to the two men talk, and then finally Father Dominic turned his attention towards me and smiled. "Let's get you to class," He said making my heart skip a beat.
I hadn't been nervous in a while and the sweating would just not stop. Father Dominic handed me my timetable then turned to talk to my daddy again.
I studied the sheet of white paper.
Monday
Period 1 – Algebra
Period 2 – Social Sciences
Homeroom
Period 3 –Chemistry
Period 4 – Photography
Lunch B
Period 5 – Biology
Period 6 – Geometry
Tuesday
Period 1 – Spanish
Period 2 – Free Period
Homeroom
Period 3 – Chemistry
Period 4 – Art
Lunch B
Period 5 – Algebra
Period 6 – Biology
Wednesday
Period 1 – Chemistry
Period 2 – Social Sciences
Homeroom
Period 3 – Geometry
Period 4 – Free Period
Lunch B
Period 5 – Physics
Period 6 – Photography
Thursday
Period 1 – P.E
Period 2 – P.E
Homeroom
Period 3 – Photography
Period 4 – Chemistry
Lunch B
Period 5 – Physics
Period 6 – Biology
Friday
Period 1 – Art
Period 2 – Social Sciences
Homeroom
Period 3 – Spanish
Period 4 – Free Period
Lunch B
Period 5 – Biology
Period 6 – Algebra
Homeroom – Deborah McGinnis
Chemistry – Mr. Tom Aidan
Biology – Mr. Tom Aidan
Physics – Mr. Tom Aidan
Algebra – Mr. Josh Tanger
Geometry – Mr. Josh Tanger
Social Sciences – Deborah McGinnis
Spanish – Mrs. Jacqueline Fernandez
Photography – Mr. Wesley
Art – Mrs. Tanner
P.E – Coach Geller
"Susannah," Father Dominic stood before me,
I looked away from the timetable and up at him,
"It's time," He smiled opening the door for me,
I turned to daddy nervously; He quickly kissed my forehead and said good-bye. I followed Father Dominic through the long empty corridors of the school, towards my first period: Chemistry.
The silence was interrupted by a loud bang coming from the lab. We entered the class unnoticed, the class was laughing hysterically.
The professor cleared his throat loudly once he noticed Father Domini and settled the class down which got my heart racing. I had a hunch that someone was looking at me, I blinked at the blank faces staring at me,
"Sup Father D," A Black haired girl saluted, she was really pretty and dressed up like a cute hippie.
"Its Father Dominic," He stood up proudly, "Please take your seat Sophia and put down the chemicals,"
"Ooooooook," She hopped to her seat and emptied the test tube into a sink.
I was introduced to the class, but no one was really paying attention to me. Apart from some who were whispering most likely snide comments about me to each other. I was nervous and probably turning bright red. I sat in my directed seat and stayed put throughout the out of control lesson. The professor seemed strict but decided to give everyone a day of to re-collect last year. I sat there for 50 minutes reading through the text book which didn't even make sense to me. I struggled to pay attention to my book while everyone else screamed and messed around all around me.
I began thinking…Is this high school life?
My rhetorical question was soon answered when the bell rang and everyone stormed out of the lesson and I trailed behind slowly clueless on what to do. Father Dominic had showed me around the school in the morning but…screw me for forgetting.
I hadn't a clue on what to do, so I decided to find my second period class. I was too shy to ask around anybody so I just stumbled around the crowded site on my own.
I finally found the social sciences class and felt relieved but it wasn't soon that I wanted to just runaway.
"Hi…Umm…I'm the new student," I said nervously to the person sitting in the teacher's chair,
"And what do I have to do with that?" she asked
"Aren't you the umm...teacher?" Suze said
"Talk to me again and I'll kick your ass," She said getting up.
I stepped back to let her pass, she barged me and I blinked as some students laughed. I walked over to a desk and was just about to sit down when somebody stopped me.
"Ya you don't wanna sit there, the tables got rude graffiti on it," A girl dressed distinctively in black and had many piercing. I tried my best not to stare.
"No it's fine," I said
"Seriously I've given up enough in my life, find another one," She said
"Umm...okay," I hesitated then walked towards another desk but someone sat there. I went over to another and somebody else sat there. I tried again to take a seat but somebody beat me again to it. I looked around at everyone seated and started walking backwards which wasn't a good choice because I stepped back onto the teacher knocking down her folders as I quickly swung around to see who it was.
Some chuckled when I rushed to the floor and hesitatingly started to pick up the folders,
"I am so sorry," I said holding out the folders to her from the ground.
"Apology accepted this is hey…A new face!" She went over to her desk, "You must be Susannah Simon. I'm Deborah McGinnis. I'll be your social sciences teacher for this year. Aww no need to look so flushed dear, everyone gets nervous on their first day to school,"
I blushed harder as the class chuckled louder,
"I'm late!" Sophia floated in, "Sorry,"
"And I'm sorry I became teacher just coz my husband couldn't find a job I...Just get to your seat Sophia," she started scribbling on the board, "Class today we are going to take pleasure in learning about the Middle East,"
I stood there invisibly sweating like a freak, having no clue on what to do and not daring to look at anyone.
"Oh I'm sorry," Mrs. McGinnis turned to me, "Take a seat there,"
I quickly sat down in my directed desk,
"That is so sad," A Blonde girl from behind me said,
"I know like Overalls, I rather turn overweight than look that stupid," A brunette not far from me smirked,
"Okay so get up and tell us all a bit about you," Mrs. McGinnis said, "Stand up,"
I wanted to just drop dead, but got up at her command,
"Umm...My name is Susannah Simon and I've just moved to California from Africa," I gulped holding onto the desk,
"Really? Then why aren't you black?" The blonde from before asked looking confusing,
"Katie! You can't ask someone why they ain't black," Sophia said
"Oh you must be mixed race?" Katie nodded
"Uh...no," I answered her, "I just lived there that's all but a lot of people living in Africa are white,"
"Say what?" Katie said
"If you look away from that mirror which I will now have and listen that might get it through your brain," Mrs. McGinnis confiscated Katie's mirror,
Katie frowned crossing her arms on the table,
"You can sit back down," Mrs. McGinnis smiled at me,
I instantly sunk into my seat and breathed in. She seemed nice…Mrs. McGinnis. An overweight, short blonde haired woman, She's much shorter than me, came up to my shoulders when I stood before her. I thought I would like her and the thought came true when Mrs. Mc Ginnis introduced herself to me as my homeroom teacher.
I felt delighted. I liked her class and her way of expressing herself and teaching. The class wasn't very nice but Mrs. McGinnis did not make me feel awful at all.
Later I was sandwiched between people in the hallways and laughed at over my appearance .I didn't see Brad all morning and when I did spot him he was engaged in a tongue wrestle with some girl, I preferred not to go over and talk to him at such a time.
Third period wasn't too great either, but I was happy that nobody paid any attention to me. When people stare at men I turn red and it's just too embarrassing.
I took out my timetable from my backpack after Geometry and felt lost. I hadn't a clue on what to do in free period so I went back to class,
"Susannah," Mr. Tanger laughed softly sitting down at the edge of his desk,
He's really young and good-looking. Light brown wavy hair and piercing blue eyes, he was most certainly the best looking teacher in the entire school,
"You can do whatever you like during free period," he told me, "What do you want to do?"
I stared blankly at my timetable,
"I…I'm not sure," I hesitated, "Library?"
"Come, I will show you where it is," he offered kindly,
I followed him nervously through the busy corridors and found my destination. The library.
It's huge and there were a lot of students inside. Mr. Tanger introduced me to the librarian and then went back out.
The librarian, an middle-aged lady with a great fashion sense told me I could pick any book and take it out apart from the references book but if I would like I can have pages photo-copied,
I went around looking up at the long rows of books, hundreds, maybe thousands. I enjoy reading a good book every once in a while.
When I was younger I'd always ready fairy tales but then as I got older I realized it was time for me to move on and take on a greater challenge, a realistic challenge,
Fairy tales are only good in books. I trailed around the library fascinated by the variety of books. At last my eyes rested on a thick, dusty maroon book.
I slowly picked it up and brushed it with my hand,
"Destiny," I read out knowing straight away it's an astrology book,
I smiled and turned thinking SM Beverly I have arrived…
