Chapter 4 – Aw man, school?

I woke up to the chorus of Wannabe playing out of the speakers of my alarm clock.

If you wanna be my lover, you gotta get with my friends.

I kicked the alarm clock off my bedside table to shut it up. Today was my first day of school, time to meet up with Barbie and Katherine lookalike. Oh, let's not forget Quiff. I think he uses a bottle of hair wax a day. I throw together an outfit of print jeans, crop top, leather jacket and a pair of heeled Jimmy Choo boots. I top off my look with mascara and eyeliner then shoot out the door. I'm halfway down the street before I realised I forgot my school bag. Duh.

Finally reaching Mystic Falls High, I collect my schedule and head off to classroom H48. Alaric Saltzman took my history class. I couldn't say his name without getting my tongue into a twist. Today, we happened to learn about the London Smog. Hmm, I think I visited London at the time of that crisis. 1952 wasn't too pleasant. Knowing all the details, I tune out of class and look at my timetable. I notice something weird about my room codes.

Period 1: H48
Period 2: Y19
Period 3: B24
Period 4: R06
Period 5: I37
Period 6: D12

I read the timetable downwards and see the word that sends shivers down my spine. Hybrid. Someone else knows what I am. It could be just a coincidence but my senses are telling me that there's something wrong. Before I can dwell on it any further, the bell snaps me out of my trance so I collect my books and go to Y19. On the way, Barbie and Katherine lookalike stop me in my tracks.

'Hey Scarlett!' They both chime.

'Hi.' I mutter.

'So you came here! Are you enjoying it so far?' Barbie perked up.

'No. I can't believe you guys have to go here every day. I mean, come on, it totally sucks.'

'Well, you have us. We're cool friends and you get used to it after a while.' Katherine lookalike shrugs.

'I think you forgot that I told you that I was home schooled.'

'OMG! That's like so cool! You totally need to tell me about it!' Barbie squeaked in my face.

'Look, first, get out of my face. Second, your breath smells like blood. And third, home schooling is NOT cool.' I spit.

Barbie looks taken aback by my response.

'Well, Elena and I have to go. We'll catch up with you later!' Barbie says cheerily as she flounces away with Elena.

'Good riddance to bad rubbish.' I say under my breath.

'I HEARD THAT!' Katherine lookalike jokes.

'I know you did.' I mutter and continue down the corridor to Y19.

The rest of the school day passed quickly. I spent my lunch with Barbie and her boyfriend Matt, who was nothing like Barbie. He needed some serious help with his academic studies though.

'Hey Scarlett, do you wanna go shopping this afternoon?' Barbie called from the end of the corridor.

'No.'

'We can get you some new clothes!'

'I'm fine with the clothes I have now.'

'But they're so cheapskate!'

'Ahem, my shoes are from Jimmy Choo and my jacket is from Gucci. Would you like to rephrase your previous sentence?'

'Well your crop top has a picture of a lion on it.'

'I'm cheapskate, coming from the person that shops at Kids R Us. Ironic much?' I smirk and stalk off in the direction of the main exit. I could almost hear her thoughts. Oh! No-one talks to Caroline Forbes like that! Anyway, I'll get her to come shopping some how!

Stefan and Elena pull up to the curb in Stefan's 1963 Porche Coupe and I jump in, wanting to take a ride to Elena's house. Instead, we head out into the city traffic, horning all the school kids that run across the road.

'Um, where are we going?' I ask curiously.

'To meet Caroline, for our shopping outing.' Elena replies.

'Oh come on!' I thought you guys were on my side!'

'Sorry Scar, you need to learn how to socialise.'

'Fine.' I grumbled and crossed my arms.

'So Scarlett, how was school?' Stefan asks.

I didn't answer.

'Oh the silent treatment. I'm so sad.'

'Shut up.'

Stefan took my word to heart and didn't say anything more for the whole journey to the 'wonderful shops' as Elena put it. I stepped out of the car in hatred as we arrived at the mall.

'OMG! You guys made it!' Blondie chirps, Matt's arm slung over her shoulder.

'I actually wasn't informed that I would be attending this outing.' I mutter.

'Well I'm glad Stefan and Elena dragged you along anyway!'

'Look Caroline, in case you didn't pick up the hint, I'm going to say it loud and clear. I. Don't. Like. You. Because. You're. So. Annoying. It's as simple as that.'

Blondie doesn't seem to be bothered by my remarks as she starts to flounce towards the stores. I roll my eyes and follow her.

'OMG! Look at these stilettos! They would suit my favourite dress so well!' Elena remarked.

That was what I listened to for the next hour. I bought a cookie, earning a lecture from Caroline about how calories do more harm than good. I shrugged it off and started eating the chocolate dotting the top of the cookie. Matt, Stefan and I trailed behind Elena and Caroline as they darted into shops to try on ridiculous amounts of clothes, paying for the majority of them. Out of the three of us, we had only bought a pair of converses and a cookie, yet all our hands were full with about eight shopping bags in each hand.

'Oh come on, these aren't even our bags, why are we carrying them?' I complained.

'Look, you're carrying Elena's things. Will you just do me a favour because I love her?' Stefan replied.

'Fine, at least I'm not carrying Blondie's things. If I were, they'd be in the trash can already.' I snorted.

'True.'

Matt looked like he was about to be squashed judging from the amount of bags he was holding. Being in the football team didn't help in these circumstances. We rounded the corner and I dropped the bags I was holding abruptly. Damon was leaning against a stall, very sexily eating candy floss, the wispy pink bits sticking to his stubble forming a pink beard. Damn him and his sexiness. He raises his eyebrow as he sees me.

'Liking what you see?' Damon smirks sarcastically.

'No, just taking pity on your mother and father, having such an ugly son.' I retort, although not meaning what I said. I mean, my nickname for him is Sexy Stranger for goodness sake!

'Then what's with the dropping bags and staring?'

'Disappointed that I had to see you here.' I sneered.

'OMG! Hey Damon! Wanna join us?' Caroline piped up.

'No, I'm good' He says eyeing me.

'Oh come on, it'll be fun!'

Without waiting for an answer, she tugs Damon by the arm and pulls him into our group, placing him beside me. I turn my head and pretend to look very interested in… Damon's reflection? Oh damn, why did I have to pretend to be interested in a shop full of mirrors? Damon smirks, registering my state of fluster. I smooth back my hair and l look straight ahead. A few stores later, Damon goes off with Stefan in a corner to do some 'guy talk'. I look over and… those lips… how they would feel….

SCARLETT, GET A HOLD OF YOURSELF! I internally scold myself. Huffing, I continue after Caroline who is inspecting colourful beaded slippers. If I didn't watch my actions, I would find myself falling for Damon. Well isn't that what they always say? Opposites attract.