It was kind of a strange feeling looking at Degrassi post-war. Everything looked exactly the same from the outside. The building, I mean. It stood as triumphantly as ever before and almost looked majestic in the light of the low sun. For a brief moment, I forgot about all the bad stuff that was going on in my life and just took it all in.
Unfortunately, this calming illusion was promptly shattered when I actually stepped out of the car and looked around. As soon as my foot hit the pavement I knew that things were not at all like they used to be. Flurries of red and blue and khaki circled around me in a frenzy to get to the entrance. There, I could see tall security guards greeting them with metal detectors and stoic faces. I suddenly felt helpless, ready to hide and never leave the shadows. I felt like my life was spinning completely out of my control and there was absolutely nothing I could do about it. It started to make me angry. It started to make me dizzy.
"Wow. Simpson wasn't kidding, eh?" Adam said from behind me. I turned to face him. Oh, Adam. He looked completely out of place in his red polo shirt perfectly tucked into his long pants. It was all too obvious that his mother has combed his hair in a very nerdy fashion and forced him to wear the necktie. Just like I felt, he looked so trapped. I couldn't help but feel especially bad for Adam in all of this. Being trapped inside of my clothes made me feel uneasy and uncomfortable. I couldn't even imagine how he must have felt all these years of being trapped inside of his own skin.
"I guess not," I replied, looking back towards the school.
"Well," he started, taking a deep breath, "at least I look ridiculously attractive in red," he said with a pop of his collar and a grin. I couldn't help but giggle. Adam served as some very much needed comedic relief.
When we finally got through the doors of the school (which took about 20 minutes), we were instructed to wait in the hallways for the morning announcements. I had always liked the morning announcements. They had given me a chance to forget about any sort of problem in my life and focus on something smaller. Obviously today, this was going to change. President Sav came on the monitor seated next to Holly J. They, like the rest of us were wearing blue collared shirts and identification lanyards. I glanced around at my fellow classmates. Everyone just looked so unhappy.
It wasn't that I didn't understand Mr. Simpson's intentions with this big renovation of the student body. Unfortunately, it was clear to everyone that his methods were restricting and ridiculous. Adolescents need to be able to express individualism in order to form an identity. By restricting freedoms in this pivotal time in a person's life, the person will never be able to fully develop. Why do adults always think that they know what's best for the youth of the world, anyway? Normally, I wouldn't question someone who is older than me his or her opinion, but lately, every adult in my life seemed to have a very warped view of what was right and what was wrong.
"Good morning, Degrassi," Sav started with a sigh.
"Welcome back. I know that you are all…eager to begin classes again but first, Principal Simpson has instructed Miss Sinclair and I to inform you all of the new Degrassi school rules. If any student breaks any of these rules, the consequences include immediate suspension and possible expulsion. Understand now, that there will be no second chances," Sav read from the paper in his hands.
As Sav finished speaking, Alli walked up next to me. She looked about as silly as Adam in her new uniform. Of course she had tried to Alli-fy it with a navy cardigan and a navy belt, but with no low cut top and colorful skirt, it was almost like she ceased to be Alli.
"Clare. I cannot deal with this outfit. How did you do it all those years? This is torture! I tried to make it semi-cute by adding the belt and the sweater, but seriously, there's really only so much you can do with a uniform!"
"Well, on the bright side," I said, "At least you didn't have to deal with changing outfits once you got to school."
"Clare. I am serious! How am I supposed to hook a rebound guy and make Drew jealous in this?
Of course that was the only thing on her one-track mind: boys. Thinking about Alli's love life forced me to let my own love life (or lack thereof) slip back into my conscious mind. The sharp pain of nearly losing Eli thrust itself upon my vulnerable body and throbbed. Forgiving him for everything would mean justifying it, which the logical side of my mind had a very difficult time doing. My brain shot off into a frenzy of reasons why I could accept Eli's vindictiveness. It was starting to give me a migrane. I couldn't think about it, then. I wasn't ready yet.
"On that cheery note," Holly J. chimed in, "Here are your new rules."
"One," Sav stated, "The new dress code must be followed at all times."
Holly J. looked down at her blouse before continuing, "Two: Student photo I.D.'s must be worn at all times."
"Three: No public displays of affection will be tolerated," Sav said and then looked down toward the floor.
"And four: Students will not be allowed in classrooms without supervision," Holly J. mumbled as chagrin washed across her pale face.
"This is ridiculous," I whispered to Adam, "We're living in a police state."
"Welcome to my life," was all Adam could reply.
It suddenly occurred to me that Simpson wasn't the one behind all of this mayhem; it was Mrs. Torres. With this realization, I found my frustration growing by the second. Why couldn't Mr. Simpson just man up and stand up for himself; for this entire school? This was the time that we needed him most, and instead of protecting us, he was running scared. I had more backbone than he did!
"Thank you, Degrassi," Sav said with a defeated smile, "And, until tomorrow, this is President Sav Bhandari, and Vice President Holly J. Sinclair, signing off."
The monitor went black and cold. As I began to walk to my first class, I turned my head to face Alli.
Good luck, She mouthed. I was going to need it.
NOTE: Thanks for reading, guys! I really do appreciate the favorites. We all know what's happening next chapter: Eli! AHHHHHHHHH! How will Clare deal with seeing him again in English class for the first time since that night?