Hello readers. I'm so so so so so sorry I stopped updating. Life happened. But now I am here and bursting with updates and paved plot holes. So without further ado: Chapter 4 First day from Hell.
I pulled into the parking lot of my new high school very slowly, and spent a good 10 minutes looking for a place to park. It wasn't that there were no spots (the lot was practically empty) I just didn't know where to park. I finally decided outside the front office would be good considering that is where I was headed. I was shutting my truck door when I realized with relief that most of the cars here were beaters like mine. I sighed and made my way towards the office. Knox's high school was weird because everything had a label. Nailed to the wall of the front office was a sign that said "Welcome to the office!" They had cherry signs like this all over town. I wouldn't be surprised if they had a sign in the cemetery that said "Welcome all, alive and dead! Pay your respects at someone's final resting bed."
I trudged through the mist in my black raincoat and tennis shoes opening the large glass door with a huff. Warm air immediately embraced me giving me goose-bums. I unzipped my coat, and set my backpack on the floor next to me. I grabbed the hair band off my wrist, attempting to tame my wild hair into a ponytail, so I could focus. Then I looked up already anxious for the day to end.
"Hello dear, how can I help you this morning?" A smiling, middle-aged woman with short, curly brown hair addressed me.
"Um Hi. I'm here to get my schedule; I'm starting the second quarter of junior year." I tried to seem confident and completely failed.
"Alright can I have your name?" she asked still smiling. "Sure I think I should be listed as Mary Isabella Swan." I said with even less confidence. She turned to her computer and started typing. Her expression completely changed to one of apprehension as she turned back to me and asked: "OH! Are you Chief Swan's daughter?"
Great, I thought, this is such a small town everyone must know the story of my parents break-up and now she'll come to the conclusion that I have lived in Missouri this whole time from my transfer papers.
"Yes I am" I replied completely dreading the rest of this conversation. "Mary it says here you are transferring from Hanex Academy in Missouri." She looked at me with sympathy as she continued, "Were you transferred because of the terrib-"
"Yes I was," I said cutting her off midsentence "And speaking of my file I would like to make a change. Can you list me as Isabella instead of Mary?" I asked continuing quickly so she wouldn't have a chance to go any further on that subject. I didn't care if I was being rude. I just wanted to get my schedule and leave this room.
She looked at me with pity and nodded her head pretending she understood. "Of course dear, whatever you want" she quickly made the adjustments on her clipboard and handed me the papers. "You'll need to have your teachers sign this slip and bring it back to the office at the end of the day. Now we don't have blocked schedules here, like Hanex, so you have 7 classes lasting 45 minuets each. Stapled to the slip is your schedule along with a map of the school."
I nodded mutely and attempted to smile as I folded the papers and shoved them into my backpack. Then I mumbled a thank you and picked up my bag before rushing out the door. I took a deep breath and sighed in relief as the door closed, trying to collect myself before braving the halls. I looked around the parking lot noticing how the lot had filled up since I first arrived. Students were mingling, running, screaming, laughing and being happy. I looked on jealously wishing I had someone to talk to who wouldn't badger me with questions. Then again, I am relieved that I didn't seem to be drawing any attention to myself. Hopefully I could get through the day remaining invisible and make it home.
A shrill ringing in my ear brought me out of my thoughts with a jump. The first bell, I assume, signaling it was almost time for first period. I grabbed my papers out of my bag and found my locker number: 531. That should be easy to remember I mused since it is Mom's birthday.
Knox High School wasn't very big. The students totaled to a grand 800. That's about 200 students per grade. I made my way through the halls, awkwardly shuffling my feet and trying not to panic. I glanced up from the map only to walk right into someone. I moaned as I sat up from the familiar position on the floor.
"Oh my gosh I am so so sorry! Are you ok? I didn't mean to knock you over. I wasn't paying attention to where I was going, and then I just walked right into you. I'm really sorry." I blurted out. I couldn't believe I had just walked into someone and landed us both on the floor.
"Hey, hey. Chill out it's fine. I should be the one apologizing for knocking such a pretty girl over. You're new here right?" I looked up to find a blonde haired, blue-eyed boy with a child-like roundness to his face and spikes in his hair smirking at me and holding his hand out to help me up. I took it gratefully.
"Um thank you, I guess. Yeah, I figured the whole invisible thing wouldn't work for long." I choked out quietly. "What? I'm sorry I didn't catch that. I'm Mike by the way, Mike Newton." He replied looking a little confused. "Oh nothing. Thanks for helping me up. I'm Bella, and yes I am new here." I said, blushing. "So, Bella, where are you headed? Can I help you find your first class?" He asked, eyes shining like an excited puppy. "Well I was actually looking for my locker when I bumped into you. I'm 531 but can't seem to find the right hallway." I told him, hoping I would have time to get to class before the next bell. "Oh ok. I know where you need to be. We're actually in Sophomore Hall right now," he said while leading me through the winding hall, "but right over here is Junior Hall give or take a few seniors."
He showed me my locker and I smiled while thanking him, but he didn't leave; so I turned to my locker and arranged my books, notebooks, and binders the way I wanted them. I tried to take my time organizing my stuff, but Mike just leaned on the locker next to mine chatting about classes and teachers. I didn't pay much attention, but nodded at the right intervals. I didn't want to be rude. After all, he did help me and he didn't yell at me when I knocked him over. So I decided I would try to be more tolerant; maybe the doting look in his eye would fade after a while. When I was done I turned back to Mike nervously and asked, "So could you help me find my first class too? I know it's a lot to ask but I really don't want to be late."
His eyes lit up, "Sure, what is your first class?" I told him and showed him on the map. "Oh cool! We have first period together. Literature with Mr. Stanton, come on this way." We weaved our way through the halls and mass of students until he stopped outside what I assumed was our Lit class. "Ladies first." He motioned to the doorway, grinning like a fool. I chuckled and walked in.
Mike made his way to a group of boys and easily joined in their conversation leaving me alone. People were still missing so no one really noticed me as I walked up to the teacher's desk. I introduced myself and handed him the slip. He nodded and said he would return it at the end of the class. Then he handed me the syllabus, I skimmed over the list of books and reports. I could tell I was going to ace this class. They were studying revolutionary women writers in history. This meant we were reading Jane Austen, the Bronte sisters, Emily Dickenson etcetera. I briefly wondered if in the boxes of papers and school crap from Hanex I still had my reports, maybe I could even recycle a few. Mr. Stanton told me to take a seat anywhere and wait until class started. I nodded and walked away.
I stood there slightly off to the side and surveyed the classroom. Every minute more people came in, and I didn't know where to sit. Mike looked up and saw me. "Bella! Come over here and meet the guys." I blushed as I walked towards him. "Hey guys this is Bella, she is the new girl. Bella, these are the guys." He said motioning to the two other guys with him.
"Hello beautiful, my name is Tyler, and I want to offer you my deepest apologies that the first guy you met here at Knox was Mike. Don't worry, not everyone here has the intelligence of a fruit fly." He addressed me grinning, pretending to say the last part as if Mike couldn't hear. I chuckled lightly and blushed again, relieved that they seemed to accept me immediately.
"Tyler you freak! Come here! I'm going to make sure you never open your fat mouth again." Mike said as he punched him jokingly and backed him to the wall by the collar of his shirt, laughing. I smiled watching the boys roughhousing and turned back to the other boy. "Hi Bella, I'm Erik Yorkie, it's nice to meet you. Don't worry about those two, they mean well, they just tend to screw up first impressions when it comes to girls." He introduced himself smiling and shaking his head at his friends. I laughed agreeing with him and said "Mike was really nice to me this morning. I got lost trying to get to my locker and he helped me find it and this classroom. Tyler seems nice too; I can tell you guys are good friends and have been for a while. But then again it's a small town so everyone here must have gone through school together since kindergarten right?"
"Oh yeah we have. Is Knox a lot smaller than your old high school?" He asked responding to my statement. I panicked momentarily not wanting to ruin my chance of finding friends with my past. I knew all too well that once someone knows that you were there, that you saw it happen, they never look at you the same. They call us the survivors, refugees, or even my favorite the "strong souls." I looked up at him "Well you see I'm from um a private high school in a city so to me Knox is a small town." His eyebrows scrunched up in confusion and I could tell he was going to ask more. I looked around quickly trying to figure out what I would say next when the second bell rang, officially starting first period. Saved by the bell, how cliché. I thought completely thankful that someone up there was watching out for me.
I sat down in a seat in the back not too far from the guys and Mike, who was up two seats and over a row. I set my bag down and pulled out a notebook and pen along with the syllabus ready for the lesson. Mr. Stanton got up from his desk and moved to the podium. He pulled out his grade book and started calling role. I was familiar with this, it seemed as if every high school calls role first period just to make sure no one skipped. We didn't have to call role at Hanex though, the teachers knew all the students so if someone were missing they simply would've looked around the room and just marked it down. "Bella Swan" he called. "Present" I replied loud enough for him to hear. Everyone turned around to see the mysterious new girl and Mike winked at me. I blushed and smiled as I quickly looked back to my notebook.
Just to give me something to do I copied the syllabus down on the first page, this way I wouldn't lose it. I was very organized but I still always managed to lose important papers. Class continued with a review of what they did last quarter and what we would be studying the rest of the semester. He introduced Pride and Prejudice and gave some notes on Jane Austen. I wrote down major details but not much else. I knew these books like the back of my hand. Every book on this list was sitting on my shelf at home. I am an avid reader and have been since I was eight years old. Books are my escape. I loved the 19th century because it was a whole different world and just for a while I was allowed to enter it and live there.
The class flew by and soon it was time for second period. I got my slip back from Mr. Stanton and checked my schedule. I had Public Speaking next, and unfortunately it didn't look like I was very close to the classroom. I was gathering my things when Mike approached me. "Jeez that man never stops talking, I almost fell asleep. I don't know how any straight man decides he wants to teach about women poets for the rest of his life. Anyway where are headed now?" I grimaced slightly at his words but continued the conversation. It seemed no one these days had any appreciation for the classics or the written word for that matter. "I have Public Speaking with Mrs. Penne in S4 next." I replied. "Hey I'm going that way so I'll show you your classroom." Said Erick from behind Mike.
I followed Erick through the halls and down some stairs, and he flirted with me relentlessly the entire way. He was really starting to look at me like I was his idol or something and it was really annoying. Nevertheless I was kind and extremely quiet so I could make sure that he didn't get the wrong message. I was happy to hear he had to run back to his locker and I would be able to enter alone. I walked in and located the teacher's desk. "Hi my name is Bella Swan and I'm new here. I have a slip for you to sign." I said politely. "Oh right! Ok, so you're the new student. I'm Mrs. Penne it's nice to meet you, I'll give this back to you in a minute ok hon?" She said in her booming voice, I definitely understood why she was the teacher of this class.
Several students had turned forward to see me after hearing her proclamation. I scanned the room for an empty seat; there was one next to a curly haired brunette wearing glasses. I made my way to the seat and asked her if it was taken. "Oh no not at all, please sit down." She said smiling. "I'm Angela Webber, it's nice to meet you." I smiled at her "Bella Swan, although you probably heard." She laughed "Yeah that's just Mrs. Penne for you. She is loud and doesn't realize that not everyone wants to be heard." Class started then with Mrs. Penne introducing herself and explaining what the class was about, what we would be doing, and how to succeed in her class. She was about to continue when she looked at me "Oh wait a minute guys. Bella, I'm sorry I almost forgot here is your slip. So lets hear about you, we all know each other but you hold that mystery because we haven't known you since kindergarten. Where did you go to school before Knox?"
"Well I went to Hanex Academy, it's not around here so you've probably never heard of it." I said nervous as to where this was leading. "I don't know of that school you're right. Academy that must be a private school, is it one of those all girl schools? Where exactly is it?" She replied interested. "Yes it is an all girls school. It's in a city in Missouri, my home state." I was getting really uncomfortable. "Now that you mention it I might have heard something about that on the news. So if you're from Missouri that means you were pretty close to the disaster…wait! Hanex is that private school that was completely destroyed. Ok so you transferred here, but this is a long ways away from Area X. Oh that's right I think I heard Maureen say you are the chief's daughter right? Wow so this must be a huge change. Well we welcome you here to Knox where absolutely nothing exciting happens." She continued driving a stake into my heart.
I couldn't breath; everything started swimming as I processed her words. My secret was out, what am I supposed to do now? I couldn't stand the stares as the class erupted into whispers and questions being shouted at me. "Nothing exciting my foot she's a survivor!" one kid yelled. "We're doomed she's either a water-child or a digger. Everyone says there's no safe place if you're with one!" I heard someone say. I started seeing spots and could almost feel the slap to face as I heard the names. The class was in an uproar and it was my entire fault. But then again why wouldn't it be? The kid was right I'm a digger, and I knew that for the rest of my life when people met me that's what they would think when they found out.
"Bella? Bella! Are you ok? Wait!" I saw Angela had a concerned and pained expression on her face as the spots grew. Tears gushed down my face as I looked around at the chaos I had created. I tried to stand up so I could flee, but I couldn't. I wasn't breathing enough, I was choking on my tears, and the world was spinning and growing darker and darker. Soon it all came spiraling down as my face met the floor and I embraced the blackness, happy at last to hear nothing.