Rita drops me off at the school in the minivan, we already dropped the other girls off at their school, so it's just me. AJ said him and Callie would meet me inside though, but first I have to go see the vice principal, Callie's mom. I manage to find my way there pretty easily, I knock the door.
"Come in," I hear a voice say, I open the door and she a pretty woman with dark curly hair sat at her desk, "You must be Cressida, sit down," She gestures to a couch and sits down on the one opposite, I take a seat and shake her hand, "So we basically have these meetings with new students to make sure they know the rules and also so you can have your schedule, she hands me a sheet of paper.
"Cool," I smile, "this school is really nice,"
"Thank you, we do try," She laughs, "Is there anything you want to ask me?"
"Um, do you know what I did?" I ask.
"Yeah, I do, it's important that the school knows, but it's just me and the principal that know,"
"Please don't tell your kids," I beg.
"Of course not, is there anything else?
"I don't know, I'm kind of behind in math, how can I catch up?"
"Well there's after school study sessions every week,"
"After school? I have to go straight back to GU after school, I'm on probation,"
"Yeah, I heard all about that, if you like you can come here at lunch time on a Wednesday and I can help you out,"
"Really, you'd do that for me?"
"It is my job, I'm here if you need anything,"
"Thanks," I smile, and she sees me out, now I can meet Callie and AJ by the benches outside, I saw them on my way in, so I know how to get there, I see them leaning against the tree being all lovey dovey, but as soon as AJ sees me, they stop.
"Hey," He says and hugs me.
"Did you meet my mom?" Callie asks.
"Yeah, she's really nice, and Callie, I'm really sorry about the other night, I didn't realize I was putting you in an awkward situation,"
"No it's okay, I'm sorry I had to tell my mom but I've been in your situation and I would have wanted someone looking out for me, friendship is important," She holds my hand, I hug her, "Oh, Mariana!" She shouts over my shoulder, a girl comes over and joins us, "Cressida, this is my sister Mariana, Mariana, this is AJ's sister that I was telling you about,"
"Hi, it's nice to meet you," She shakes my hand, she's really pretty, "You're gonna like it here,"
"So people keep telling me, I can't believe this school is literally on the beach, the name doesn't lie," I laugh, "Are the teachers nice? I have English first,"
"Yeah the majority of them are, I have English too, we'll be in class together, with Timothy, he's awesome," Mariana tells me, I've never met anyone so enthusiastic about school before.
"As long as you don't have Kevin for Physics you'll be fine," AJ tells me.
"I take Chem, so I think I'm safe," We all stand and talk for a little while before the bell for homeroom rings, Mariana takes me to my homeroom and tells me I have homeroom with her twin brother Jesus, he arrives there at the same time as us so we get introduced, he's really hot too, this whole family is like a work of art. He lets me sit next to him inside.
"Cressida's a cool name, what does it mean?" He asks.
"It means gold, I don't know why my mom called me that though, but I guess it kind of suits me,"
"I think it might have something to do with your hair, it's pretty golden," I take a strand of my hair and look at it, I guess it is kind of golden, I never noticed before.
"Have you met either of my brothers?" I shake my head, "Well Brandon doesn't go here anymore he got early acceptance to Julliard, but Jude is in the grade below us," He looks at my schedule, "He's in your math class," He must have noticed that I was held back in math, I just can't get the hang of it.
"Cool," I try not to be embarrassed.
"And we're in the same class for study hall, but it's basically a free period, we can go anywhere on campus for that, I'll show you around the school, you've gotta see the view from the music room," I smile at him.
The day goes by pretty fast, it kind of bums me out because for once I'm actually enjoying school, I met Jude in math and he helped me out a lot, and Jesus spent all of study hall and lunch with me, I left my lunch at GU so Jesus gave me a few dollars to get a sandwich a drink.
"I've been to a lot of schools, all of them awful, even the kids, but there's not one person here who's messed with me, it's pretty refreshing," I eat with Jesus, Callie, and AJ.
"Well that's cuz you're lucky enough to already have people you know here, and now you know us, let's just stay no one messes with the Adams-Fosters," Jesus says, the others laugh at him, "No but really, if anyone does try to push you around, they'll have me to answer to," I smile at him, he looks me right in the eyes. I notice out of the corner of my eye that AJ and Callie are giving us a strange look, so I just go back to eating my lunch and try to ignore whatever that weird moment was.
They all wait with me for Rita pick me up, Callie comes with us too, she says it's because she needs more extra credit but I think she just likes spending time with Rita and Kiara. She helps us out with dinner. I start to think more about Ty, I know I should go and see him, not for him, for me, I need to know why he didn't even try to meet me. Maybe I should ask Rita if she'll take me to see him in my free period tomorrow. I wait until she's stopped chatting to Callie and I ask her at dinner.
"AJ said my other brother Ty wants to meet me, he's in prison, would you be able to take me tomorrow? I need to talk to him,"
"Is that such a good idea?" She asks.
"He made a mistake, but I don't think he's a bad guy, I just want to get to know him a little, please Rita," I beg her, "Only for like 20 minutes," I look at her with pleading eyes.
"Fine, what time's your free period?"