Miles away from the house I once lived in, the one that caused the whole mess called my life, sits a school. Not a very large school, just an average sized one with a decent amount of students attending. Seven-thirty in the morning, the school was there in front of me. A foreign place full of people unknown to me.
Glass doors the width of two of myself came into sight as I approached them, making my way there slowly. Not wanting to enter, I stood for a moment thinking about all the times I had walked into my old school. The hell I went through everyday there just for being different. For not dating the right people, hell, not even the right gender. Not wearing the 'right' clothes, even though the dress code was quite strict.
No one really understood that my mom had taken care of me alone while also trying to get herself through college. They didn't get that I couldn't purchase the expensive clothes and shoes, or that I really wasn't able to pay for my lunch everyday. No weekly allowance, no trust fund waiting for me; now it's even more impossible. With no family, I'm lost in a place completely unknown to me.
The only money I got was when one of the items sold of my mother's. At the time I thought selling my mom's expensive jewelry and anything else was a good idea, but lately I've begun to regret letting those things go. Some were priceless to her, but they kept me going. Now I have very little things left from her. A necklace with my brother's, my mom's, and I's birthstones on it and her old engagement ring from my father.
I always wondered why my mother and father never got married, though I had always thought it was just because my brother wasn't his child. Even though I was his child, he wasn't around much from what I remember. He had proposed, but there was never a wedding. Then he passed, and he was nearly forgotten about.
But now, standing in front of this new place I wish one of them was here, just to walk me through the motions of getting ready; of meeting my teachers.
Someone walked up to the door from the inside, looking at me as if I were some lunatic that was lost. Opening the door, they popped their head out. "Hey, you need something? Are you lost?," I shook my head, looking at their shoes.
"I'm new, was just getting a look outside. Guess I got lost in my thoughts," I looked up at their face, surprisingly smiling. "Though I could use some help finding the office," I said. They smiled back, opening the door more and gestured for me to come inside
Keeping a good distance away from me, they turned right, down a wide, empty hallway. We were silent all the way down the hallway, though it wasn't completely awkward. Just, odd.
They stopped at a door, the sign OFFICE right above the door. I turned around to thank the person, but they were already gone. No name, and now while I'm trying to remember what they look like, I'm finding it impossible. Not even the color of their hair is coming to mind. Strange, a bit too strange.
Turning the knob on the door, I took a deep breath. I can do this. I thought to myself. Pulling the door open, I was welcomed by an obviously fake smile on the secretary's face. I plastered a fake smile on mine as well, knowing I shouldn't start off today with the secretary hating me.
"What's your name and why are you here?" she asked me. I grimaced, worried she was already angry.
Hurriedly I replied, "Ride, Maximum Ride. First day, don't exactly know where to go," I said, beginning to feel myself fold inside my body. I wrapped my arm around my stomach, as if that could protect me.
Her eyes softened, noticing my distressed stature. "Right, of course. We were informed you'd be arriving today. Your schedule, hold on a sec," she told me while rummaging through papers on her desk. On her desk sat a name card. Natalia Skye. Having no idea whether she was married or not, I knew I would never address her by her name.
"Found it," she said. Most likely more for herself than me. "All the classes you have are in this building, luckily. The room numbers, teacher's names, and subjects are on the paper." she says, handing the paper to me. Glancing at it I notice most seem to be advanced classes. I was in mostly Advanced at my old school, though I had a reason to keep up. The reason is gone now though, so I don't even know if I'll do good in these classes again
I put my fake smile back on, thanking her before exiting the office. The person that lead me to the office was leaning against the wall across from me. "Where did you go earlier? You just, well, disappeared," I said.
They just looked at me, a mischievous smirk made my eyes widen in almost fear. "I went to class. But I knew you just finished talking to miss I Like No One. Come on, I'll take you to your first class. You've only missed about fifteen minutes," they said, starting to walk to the hallway to the left. Now I can hear people in their classes, teachers teaching lessons. But the third door down from the main building doors had no noise inside. It was strange, because once looking into the small window I saw no one moving. Everyone, even the teacher, were completely still. It seemed as if they weren't even breathing. But they had to be, didn't they?
I wanted to ask, but knew it would be too odd of a question, one that probably couldn't be answered.
The fifth door down on the right side is where they stopped. Gesturing for me to go inside, I turned and looked at them. "Wait, what's your name?" I asked, honestly curious. No stranger has helped me out of the goodness of their hearts since a few weeks after the incident. Especially someone in a high school that I'm new at.
He just smiled saying, "You'll find out soon enough, maybe."
After that I turned back to the door, placing my hand on the handle. It was cool to the touch, almost so much so that it burns. Quickly taking my hand off it, I really looked at the door. It was the same as most school doors. wooden, but there was something off. There! A light indentation on the door, right below the small window. A name maybe? Or a symbol. Being too light to really read, I decided that I'd come back with a paper and pencil to figure it out.
Placing my hand back on the knob I turned it quickly, wanting to release it as soon as my hand touched it. Pushing it open, I was greeted by a younger man, someone in their early twenties most likely. A hard glare is all I got from him, most likely thinking that I was late. Well, technically I was.
"Miss Ride, so you've finally decided we're good enough for you to grace us with your arrival. Perfect. Quick, a book. Any book," I nearly panicked as he said this. I had no idea what I was supposed to say. But he said book, and of course my favorite series comes to mind.
Blurting out Child of the Ghosts may not have been my smartest move. Everyone sat and stared at me, even Mr. Dickfacce. Of course they had never heard of it, why would they have? It's not very popular, neither is..
"Jonathan Moeller right?," he asked. I nodded, my eyes widening as he smiled. A real smile that met his eyes. One that could make any ordinary girls drop their pants within a heartbeat. Too bad I took it as a threat. He knew what it was, and had obviously read it. The violence in the series, the things you could learn just from reading it were dangerous. Further meaning that he's most likely dangerous as well. Note to self, don't trust him.
He sticks his hand out for me to shake. I stand there and stare at it, not trusting that something wouldn't happen if he touched me. That person in the hallway, the secretary, they never tried to touch me. Stayed as far away as they could actually. But not this teacher, he wanted to touch me. I knowing look hit his eyes, as if he knew why I was hesitating. Though of course he didn't. My mind is safe from everyone's here. Right?
Of course. It's not possible for them to be able to read my mind, even by touching me. It just doesn't make sense. Even with the new technology being made and tested, I don't think normal high school students and teachers can mind read.
