It was just as alive inside than it was outside. The halls of the school were buzzing with voices, moving bodies and the squeaking of shoes scraping against the white tiled floor. And the rules still applied, everyone was still staring at me. Of course, a new girl walking into school soaking wet wasn't gonna go unnoticed, I was already embarrassed enough as it is. The whispers I heard all around me didn't help either.
"Look, that's her."
"Someone did fall in the fountain..."
"Poor girl..."
"Dude, I'm hungry."
"It's the fountain girl."
My cheeks have gone red for the second time today and I nervously began to run my fingers through my wet hair. My first day of school wasn't turning out to be a walk in the park like I'd have hoped.
Sonic seemed to have noticed my moping.
"Ah, don't feel too embarrassed, Sal." He said, placing a hand on my shoulder in reassurance. "I'm sure most of the school knows that Fiona pushed you in. She's usually responsible for the second hand embarrassments that happen here."
I nodded. Fiona doesn't seem like someone I should dance with. Infact, I think Fiona really is the first mean person I've ever met, and if she really is the cause for the bad things that happen here, then I should really stay clear of her.
I looked over at Cheese, walking obediently beside Cream. He was cute, I didn't notice until now that he had on a blue collar and wore a red handkerchief around his neck as an accessory. Oddly enough, the colors fit him well against his blonde fur.
"I didn't know they allowed dogs at school." I said curiously.
"They don't," said Amy, giving Cream a coy smile. "But..." -She nudges Cream- "When your dad is a handsome police lieutenant that was able to woo the principal into keeping the dog on campus, then you can get away with anything I guess."
"Amy..." Said Cream sheepishly, as her cheeks turned a slight shade of pink. "You know Vector is not my dad."
"Not yet." Said Sonic, joining in on the tease. "Seriously, when is Vector gonna pop the question already? I'm betting this year."
We turned a corner down the hallway and reached two large doors that simply had the sign "Boys" and "Girls" on each. I followed Amy and Cream -and Cheese- through the "Girls" door and entered what looked to be a locker room. Sonic waited outside respectfully, and Amy let the door shut.
"You're lucky we're around the same size, Sally." Said Amy, unlocking one of the navy blue lockers. "Cream, do you have any shorts?"
Cream walked over to a locker, her perfect eyebrows furrowed in thought. "I should..." She said, as she began to rummage through her opened locker.
I sat down on a bench and waited patiently. After falling in the fountain, I was afraid that no one would want to talk to me, so I'm extremely grateful for the three to go out of their way to help me out. Wow...this is like some kind of movie!
"I found the shorts!"
"This white tank top should fit."
As I began to strip down and change, something on the wall caught my eye.
"Whats all that about?" I asked, staring at the still image of the girl on the poster. It was obviously a school photo of a pretty girl with short hair, and despite the photo being in cheap black and white, her hair looked brown. Below the image, was her information and was titled in bold letters reading: Have You Seen Me?
"That's Elise." Said Amy frowning. "She's been missing since school started, about three weeks ago."
"Everyone says she just ran away." Cream said, looking at the poster. "But her father thinks she was kidnapped, or worse."
"That sounds horrible." I said truthfully. I was too young to remember, but after losing both my mom and older brother in an accident years ago, I was all my father had left. I can't imagine the pain he'll have to go through again if I go missing.
"But don't worry." Said Cream reassuringly. "Station Sqaure has the best cops around, I'm sure my da- Vector, can find her."
"Yeah," Amy said casually. "Cream's dad will find her." Cream opened her mouth to protest when Amy cut her off. "Okay! Sally, you look great but a little naked..."
I stood there shivering wearing the tank top and black shorts with my damp hair and wet flats. I felt goosebumps rise on my arms when a cool draft of an air conditioner hit me. I probably looked pathetic infront of these pretty girls.
"I got it!" Amy jubilantly walked over to the enterance door and stuck her head out, seemingly talking to Sonic. A few moments later, Amy came back with a red flannel, the very same flannel that I remember Sonic wearing. "Put this on, Sonic won't mind."
After slipping on the oversized flannel, wiping away the mascara, and debating whether or not I should walk around in my flats or Amy's extra socks, we finally left the girls locker room with my flats in my wet backpack that I carried in my hand. We were greeted to Sonic in a plain white t-shirt leaning against the wall.
"Took you guys long enough." He said amused, while his foot was feverishly tapping on the ground. "Anyway, what are your classes, Sal? maybe we got the same ones."
"Hmm..." I pulled out the wet schedule in my backpack that was miraculously still intact. "I have English, World History, Biology, PE, Art, Drama class, and Math."
"Oh, looks we only got PE together then." Said Sonic. "You can hang with us during lunch too, Sal."
The first bell rung and we parted ways. So despite padding down the hallway in socks and wearing an oversized flannel that went past my wrists, I was actually really excited about today, especially over the fact that I'm going to see Sonic, Amy, and Cream- and Cheese, again.
"I'm going to see my friends again!" I thought excitedly.
o0o
Apparently, the school has a little intermission that happens before the start of third period. During around this time in my kindergarten days, we called it reccess, this is break. How wonderful!
I politely squeezed my way through the crowd of roaming bodies in the hallway and reached my new locker. I decided to take this time to learn my new locker combination and put my new textbooks inside. Now I'm really living like a high school teenager should, I should've asked my father to let me go to a public school years ago!
But so far, this stubborn lock is getting me nowhere. "C'mon..." I said, struggling after my third attempt.
"Need some help, Hun?"
I looked over next to me. My voice caught in my throat and my mouth went slightly agape as I stared at the source of the voice.
If I weren't straight...
She was genuinely, the most beautiful girl I have ever seen.
She was slightly taller compared to my five foot height. Her short snow white wavy hair seemed to glow in the cheep fluorescent lights, and those large turquoise eyes stood out beautifully against her olive skin, and her clean makeup as well. She wore a black and gold cropped sweater that only showed a sliver of her stomach, with white leggings that hugged her body nicely in all the right curves that I am postive a lot of guys go crazy for, and black ankle boots with heels.
If I felt pathetic under the gorgeous eyes of Sonic, Amy, and Cream, then I definitely felt self conscious infront this girl.
I felt my eye twitch.
"Why is everyone in this school so pretty?" I thought absurdly.
The girl's pink plumped lips curved up in a pretty smile, as she waited patiently for me to answer-
"Oh! um, yeah, yeah." I finally said after stupidity gawking at her. "I need help."
The girl sauntered past me- (And she smelled good too?) and put her delicate fingers to work. As she darted her eyes to the slip of paper with the combination numbers and back to the lock, she finally spoke again.
"Did Sonic give you that?" she asked, not looking away from the lock. I didn't quite catch on to what she meant until I rolled up the stubborn sleaves of the red flannel I wore. With the slight tease of her voice, I quickly tried to drive the conversation away from the sudden jump to conclusions.
"I-It's not like that!" I said, trying to stutter out an explanation. "You see- The fountain, and- and Cheese, the flannel..."
She chuckled. "I'm messsing with you, Doll." She said, managing to open the locker and helped me put my books inside. "Big blue is just a chivalrous boy. He always lends a helping hand when someone is in need."
"Really?"
"Oh yeah. Once, I accidentally left my apartment without a bra on, and Sonic was kind enough to let me borrow his large hoodie to hide these girls."
I only made a brief glance down, before quickly darting my eyes back up to her eyes. Embarrassed, I felt the heat rise to my cheeks again. But she laughed.
"I like you, babe. I'm Rouge. What's your name?"
Even her name was super pretty.
"I'm Sally." I said with a bit more confidence. Rouge already made me feel less nervous than I had before.
"As I was saying, Sally," Rouge said coolly, as she leaned against the lockers. "I didn't mean to tease. Sonic only has eyes for one girl anyway. And thats Amy Rose."
"Woah, really?" now this was a genuine surprise for me. During the time I was with them this morning, I didn't see Sonic show any signs of affection towards Amy at all. But Amy, however; always took a peak at Sonic when he wasn't looking. Now that was something I noticed, but decided not to pry on.
"Yep. But the poor boy doesn't know how to express his feelings." Rouge said. "Every time Amy asks him out or does something lovey like, Sonic seems to grow really shy and just runs away."
"He runs away?"
"He runs away." She nodded. "But from what I can see, and what everyone else sees, you can tell that he really likes Amy. I see the way he looks at her, the way he smiles, and laughs around her."
"If they really like each other," I asked curiously. "Then why aren't they dating yet?"
"Simply because Big blue doesn't know that he's in love yet!" She scoffed, as she closed her locker next to mine. "Can you believe him? Everyone is just waiting for them at this point, its no secret. We're just waiting for Sonic to realize that himself."
"Their situation sounds very confusing and irritating." I said, amused. Almost as confusing and irritating between the relationship of a certain ladybug and a black flirtatious cat that I love to watch on tv.
Rouge slung a warm arm around my shoulders. "I know." She chuckled. "But When you see how those two behave for yourself, then you'll understand what I mean."
I lost my train of thought when a sharp voice cut down the hallway. I couldn't help but stiffen when I recognized the voice that I heard this morning.
"Rouge!"
We turn and see Fiona and Mina taking long strides toward us. Fiona's pretty face twisted in nasty fury as her blue eyes were dead set on Rouge. The sight made me shrink back a bit. If pushing people into fountains was Fiona's idea of fun, then I definitely don't want to spiral into her rage. Rouge, however; stood there next to me with her arms crossed. Her round face set in nonchalance as she raised one perfectly drawn eyebrow.
"This should be good." She said, once Fiona came close. The two were face to face, one had a feral snarl and the other quirked her lips up in a feline smile. It was blue against turquoise as they stared each other down. "What did I do this time, Fiona?" Rouge asked, coolly.
"Don't play dumb." Fiona seethed. "I saw you talking to my boyfriend yesterday-"
"Last I checked, Scourge broke up with you." Rouge said sweetly.
"Last I checked," Fiona said haughtily, as she stood straight with a hand on her hip "we're back together again.
"What, did you two make up right after you made out with Jet Hawk yesterday?"
Fiona gave a tight smile. "What was that, Rouge?"
"Did I stutter?"
"I never kissed anyone behind my boyfriend's back." She said snobbishly.
"Yeah, Rouge." Said Mina, finally speaking up. "Besides, she and Jet only kissed once yester-"
"Mina!"
Mina flinched back.
I cupped a hand over my mouth to supress a laugh as I watched Fiona's reaction. Her eyes grew wide, and her face got so red; the little freckles that flecked her nose and cheeks disappeared among her beat face. I've only been here a day, and I can tell that catching Fiona off guard can be the highlight of anyone's day.
Fiona looked angrier at Mina than she originally did with Rouge.
"Shut. Up."
Mina shrunk back in embarrassment, and indeed kept her mouth shut.
Fiona huffed and turned back to Rouge.
"Well, just stay away from my Scourge. Got it? Or else-"
"Or else what, Hun?" Rouge dropped her voice and her smile. She took one step towards Fiona, the latter visibly took one step back. "Your "boyfriend" is a big flirt, he came to me, and I didn't come here looking for trouble. you did. So if you've got some nurve prodding into something that you're too dense to prove, then make your move, Barbie."
Fiona didn't seem to faulter after that speech, her face was still set in a stubborn scowl. She gave Rouge on more look before turning to leave.
"Bratz..." Fiona muttered under her breath. "Lets go, Mina." And with that, Fiona and Mina turned and walked away.
After finally looking away from Rouge, did I realize that everyone in the hallway was staring at us, some watched Fiona and Mina leave.
"Go about your own business." Rouge said loudly for everyone to hear. Everyone seemed to snap out of their trance and went back to what they were doing, the hallway filled noise again.
"Fiona's boyfriend, Scourge," I asked. "Who is he?"
"Not Fiona's boyfriend thats for sure." Rouge laughed. "Those two have been on and off all of last year, but he officially dumped her weeks ago, she just can't get over it. I can't say if the two deserve any better though."
"Is Scourge just as bad as Fiona?" I asked in disbelief. Oh no, I don't want to have to encounter another Fiona in this school.
"No, not really." Rouge said, thinking hard. "But he really is an egotistical flirt. That's why he was trying to impress me yesterday, Scourge talks to a lot of girls, but he never lasts too long with one."
"Just like one of those popular boys in movies?"
"Almost." She shrugged. "But I wouldn't bother with him, Doll. Scourge is a hottie, but he's like a shark, comes in for just one bite and leaves them wounded. Trust me, Hun, I don't want you to be a part of his never ending trail of broken hearts, you seem too precious for someone like him."
I stared up at her in awe. My father once told me that first impressions are always important. And Rouge, nailed it. Already, she seems to be just as beautiful on the inside than she really does on the outside. To me, she looked like she could've easily pummelled Fiona to the ground earlier, but instead, decided to be the bigger person and handled it a better way.
And she's so nice. I added in stupidity. Then an absurd observation from earlier made me think.
"Why did she call you a Bratz?" I asked.
"Because I once called her a walking Barbie, and in turn, told me I looked like a Bratz doll." She smiled triumphantly at the memory. "I took it as a compliment, Bratz dolls are far more plump and beautiful looking than a regular Barbie doll, don't you think?"
The bell rung, signaling the end of break, and everyone in the hallway dispersed in all different directions trying to get to class. Rouge slung a pretty white bag on her shoulder while I slipped on my now crusty backpack.
"Find us during lunch, Sal." Rouge began before leaving. "I'm good friends with Sonic and the other cuties. See you then." With an added wink that even made my own heterosexual heart flutter, Rouge left. I eagerly waved a goodbye before departing for my next class.
