The day dawned bright, sunny and early for the morning of the first day of school. I was very tired and it seemed much too bright and early for school to start. It was 7 a.m. and had been 5 hours since I'd heard the news of my father's death and a full 24 hours plus some more since it had happened. I was on the school campus on the wide span of green grass that was the front lawn of the school. My mom had driven me to school but we'd barely talked. I guess we weren't sure what to say to each other. Students were screaming to each other across the lawn: "How was your summer?" "You broke up? Where when?" "How was Paris?" "No I didn't" "Enya did what?" "Shannon I am so sorry" "look this is what I got from rock climbing." is what I heard as I walked across the lawn.
"Lizzie!" I heard a voice call my name.
I whirled around and saw my one and only friend Katherin Rose, aka Kate, Saunders-Hill running toward me, her blonde curls bouncing. When she reached me we hugged. We hadn't seen each other at all over the summer. She smelled good.
"Hey," I greeted her.
"Hi. How are you?" she asked me.
"Um tired?" I guessed.
She laughed.
We started walking towards the school building.
"Yeah, I know. Me too. It is waay too early in the morning to be at school. Who dreams up these things?"
I laughed: "yeah I know."
"It means we'll get out earlier but I don't know which I'd rather have."
Most schools went from 9 - 3. Today we went from 7 - 1.
"I am so not a morning person.
"Mmm I know neither am I. Look, there're Belle and Miranda," Kate commented, pointing to our former friends from the previous year, 2 brunettes.
"Oh they're still here?" I asked in annoyance.
"Mmhmmm. Apparently."
"Ugh."
Kate and I used to be in 2 separate cliques but we became friends because we were the only ones that wanted to stick together.
"Omygod I can't believe they're friends now," she commented.
"Mmm I know. Go figure."
"Where's David?" Kate asked, referring to another friend of ours.
"I don't know."
"Hey assembly in the auditorium right now!" a tall girl with wild red hair called as she passed us.
"K thanks!" Kate called back but the girl was too far away to hear.
"So how was your summer?" I asked Kate.
"Um it was ok. Didn't do a whole bunch. Worked 3 jobs."
"Oo where?"
"Bookstore library coffee shop," she answered.
"Ohhh."
"Cuz I needed the money and you know my mom."
"Yeah."
I laughed.
"I also slept a lot when I wasn't working," she said.
"Yeah, me too."
A pause.
"And what about you how was your summer?" Kate asked.
"Um it was alrite. The family went on vacation for about 2 weeks so I had the entire house to myself, which was nice."
"Mmm."
"And I just mainly slept.""Oh."
A pause.
"So how've you been?" I asked her.
"Um I've been ok. Kind of better now that he's gone."
"Yeah me too. Jeez."
Kate was referring to her father who used to molest her whenever he was around.
"And what about you?" she asked me.
"Um I've been…" I wasn't ready to tell her about my dad yet. "ok."
"Oh."
Pause.
"So new school year with everything fresh, crisp and clean," Kate started.
"Yep."
"New school year, new teachers, new classes, new schedules, new life. Hopefully. A new start after last year."
"What a year that was. Hopefully less drama," I finished.
There'd been a lot of drama last year.
Pause.
"Hey Lizzie," Kate said, looking at me.
"Yeah?"
"You seem, tireder than usual. Er, I mean more tired."
I laughed.
"Is somethin goin on? Did something happen?" she asked.
"Yeah I…I'll tell you about it later."
"Ok."
We'd now entered the school and the auditorium inside it. A few feet ahead of us were Belle, Miranda and a girl who looked very much like Belle.
"Who's that?" I asked, pointing to the girl.
"I don't know. Your guess is as good as mine," Kate answered.
We found some seats and sat down. The seats were uncomfortable, wooden. In rows.
Within the next few minutes everyone was settled but still chattering.
"May I have your attention please?" the principle asked us.
He was onstage.
The noise died down a bit.
"Thank you."
He cleared his throat; "First of all, I'd like to welcome everyone. I hope your summer was enjoyable."
Some students shrieked and some just groaned, having heard this speech before.
"The rules will be enforced and we do care about you. There will be no alcohol, drugs…" I stopped listening.
"No one's gonna listen to him," I told Kate.
"Yeah they haven't before and they're sure as hell not gonna start now," she said.
We looked around the auditorium for a few minutes noticing the seats were all full.
"You know, after 2 weeks we're all gonna be wondering when the hell do we get out of here?"
I sighed; "yeah."
"Our first pep rally is in 2 weeks so make sure you sign up for cheerleading!" the principle cried.
He was done with his speech and people were now dancing onstage some of the students.
"Are you signing up?" Kate asked me.
"Yeah. Anything that keeps me away from home longer."
"Yeah, same."
"First cheerleading meeting is tomorrow after school so be there," Mr. Principle announced.
"Have you been practicising over the summer?" Kate asked.
"With what?" I was confused.
"Ballet."
"Oh. No, not really."
"Me either."
We both took ballet.
By that time the assembly was over. all the students crowded out the door at once to get our schedules.
Once we'd gotten our schedules Kate and I stepped to the side in the hall outside the big room to look at our schedules.
"What do you have?" I asked her.
"Science, math, history, English, art and anatomy. You?"
"Math, English and art."
"Ohhh."
"When's your first class?" I asked Kate.
"Um right…" the bell rang, sounding like a telephone; "now."
"Alrite see you at lunch?"
"Yep."
"Ok bye Kate."
"Bye Lizzie."
I went to my first class which was math. My math classes alternated days; on one day I had algebra and the other, geometry.
Each of my classes was 2 hours. My English teacher informed us that she was also the drama teacher if any of us wanted to sign up for the play. We also had 3 plays every year. She also offered electives such as creative writing.
Algebra was from 8 – 10 and English was from 10 – 12, which was lunchtime and by that time I was hungry.
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