Part 7
The following morning Genesis woke to the absurdly loud music of Joni Mitchell. She smiled, also catching the scent of pancakes coming from the kitchen. Her mother must be in a painting mood today. Her father never cooked. Unless it was reheating takeout.
She took her time in the shower, singing along with the loud music. Her mood had improved since yesterday's confusion. Starting a new school had been hard enough, and there was that thing with Drayton - whatever the hell that was all about.
There was even a bounce in her step as she dressed in a floaty rose coloured top and swirling skirt with a pattern of ivy leaves, her red hair hanging loose around her shoulders. She was still smiling when she walked into school. Until she found Drayton opening the locker next to hers. When he saw her his cup of Starbucks coffee fell out of his hands. Genesis darted back, avoiding the spillage before it burned her feet.
"Jesus, what is your problem?" she snapped at him, her cheerful mood ruined.
"Nothing," Drayton muttered. "Sorry." He turned and walked off, pushing through the crowd of whispering spectators.
"What was that about?"
Genesis turned as Amber joined her, scowling. Genesis sighed. "Your boyfriend nearly scalded my feet."
"I'm sure he didn't mean it on purpose," Amber said cooly.
"Look, I don't know what his problem with me is. What's it gonna take to convince you?" She had thought this girl liked her. Now she was getting the cold shoulder? And for what reason? Cause Amber's boyfriend didn't like her. That was pathetic.
Amber smiled, almost sheepishly. "Sorry, I don't know what came over me."
Something about her tone sounded false to Genesis, but she just smiled back. "S'okay."
Amber waved at a girl coming down the hall. She'd introduced her yesterday to Genesis.
"Hey, Ellen. What's up?" Amber's tone had changed again, this time she was bright and cheerful.
Ellen though, looked like she was carrying the weight of the world on her shoulders. "Something I wish had never come here." She glanced down the hall, gesturing at another girl who was hovering a few faces behind her.
"Who's that?" Amber asked.
"Pandora, she's new too," Ellen answered. "C'mon, let's go to class." She took Amber's arm and led her off leaving Genesis and Pandora staring after them in disbelief.
"Wow, they really don't like new people around here, huh?" Pandora said, tucking a strand of shining raven hair behind her left ear.
Genesis nodded in agreement. "Tell me about it."
This girl sent shivers down her spine. Genesis couldn't understand it. First she was upset because of people's reaction to her. And now she had a similar reaction to someone else who was new on the scene. Genesis was normally good at fitting in with different places, she usually got on with everybody. But this town - the place had a strange vibe to it, and the people weren't exactly the most appealing. There was no reason for any of it.
"Well, I guess at least we can be new and lost together," Pandora said. Pandora didn't seem ready to dismiss Genesis instantly. Why shouldn't she like this girl?
"Sounds like a plan," Genesis agreed, her smile back. "What's your first class?"
The rest of the day progressed without any major incidents. They crossed paths with Ellen and Amber several times who were still content to ignore them. Genesis just let it go.
But throughout the day, a uncomfortable tingling was plaguing her and just wouldn't go away. There was no explanation.
* * *
The following morning Genesis woke to the absurdly loud music of Joni Mitchell. She smiled, also catching the scent of pancakes coming from the kitchen. Her mother must be in a painting mood today. Her father never cooked. Unless it was reheating takeout.
She took her time in the shower, singing along with the loud music. Her mood had improved since yesterday's confusion. Starting a new school had been hard enough, and there was that thing with Drayton - whatever the hell that was all about.
There was even a bounce in her step as she dressed in a floaty rose coloured top and swirling skirt with a pattern of ivy leaves, her red hair hanging loose around her shoulders. She was still smiling when she walked into school. Until she found Drayton opening the locker next to hers. When he saw her his cup of Starbucks coffee fell out of his hands. Genesis darted back, avoiding the spillage before it burned her feet.
"Jesus, what is your problem?" she snapped at him, her cheerful mood ruined.
"Nothing," Drayton muttered. "Sorry." He turned and walked off, pushing through the crowd of whispering spectators.
"What was that about?"
Genesis turned as Amber joined her, scowling. Genesis sighed. "Your boyfriend nearly scalded my feet."
"I'm sure he didn't mean it on purpose," Amber said cooly.
"Look, I don't know what his problem with me is. What's it gonna take to convince you?" She had thought this girl liked her. Now she was getting the cold shoulder? And for what reason? Cause Amber's boyfriend didn't like her. That was pathetic.
Amber smiled, almost sheepishly. "Sorry, I don't know what came over me."
Something about her tone sounded false to Genesis, but she just smiled back. "S'okay."
Amber waved at a girl coming down the hall. She'd introduced her yesterday to Genesis.
"Hey, Ellen. What's up?" Amber's tone had changed again, this time she was bright and cheerful.
Ellen though, looked like she was carrying the weight of the world on her shoulders. "Something I wish had never come here." She glanced down the hall, gesturing at another girl who was hovering a few faces behind her.
"Who's that?" Amber asked.
"Pandora, she's new too," Ellen answered. "C'mon, let's go to class." She took Amber's arm and led her off leaving Genesis and Pandora staring after them in disbelief.
"Wow, they really don't like new people around here, huh?" Pandora said, tucking a strand of shining raven hair behind her left ear.
Genesis nodded in agreement. "Tell me about it."
This girl sent shivers down her spine. Genesis couldn't understand it. First she was upset because of people's reaction to her. And now she had a similar reaction to someone else who was new on the scene. Genesis was normally good at fitting in with different places, she usually got on with everybody. But this town - the place had a strange vibe to it, and the people weren't exactly the most appealing. There was no reason for any of it.
"Well, I guess at least we can be new and lost together," Pandora said. Pandora didn't seem ready to dismiss Genesis instantly. Why shouldn't she like this girl?
"Sounds like a plan," Genesis agreed, her smile back. "What's your first class?"
The rest of the day progressed without any major incidents. They crossed paths with Ellen and Amber several times who were still content to ignore them. Genesis just let it go.
But throughout the day, a uncomfortable tingling was plaguing her and just wouldn't go away. There was no explanation.
* * *