Divided

Chapter 2: St. Rosalinda

As they pulled up in front of the school, Carter sank into her seat. "Don't worry, Pal." Joe tried to comfort his daughter. "I'll have a car for you in no time." He gave her a sympathetic smile as she stepped out of the Jeep and onto the freshly mowed grass. She gave him a nod before he set off.

She studied the campus of the school. It was fairly large and filled with new faces that she wasn't looking forward to getting to know. It seemed like as soon as she stepped out, all eyes were on her. Maybe fish-nets weren't the best choice for my first day of school. Carter readjusted her messenger bag before she took her first step into the school.

The hall way smelled different… well different from what Carter was used to. It was to be expected since everything else was basically and drastically different. The lockers weren't metal, the doors were made of real wood, and the hallways weren't as crowded in her previous school.

She tightened her grip on her messenger bag strap and continued down the hall. Okay. Labeling time. Jocks of course. Cheerleaders. Skanks. Preppy skanks, with potential fuck buddies. As she made her way down the hall, she didn't look up from her combat boots and studied with her peripheral vision. Down the hall must be my potential friends. I guess lockers aren't assigned.

"Miss Mason?" A rather large woman approached Carter. She had large glasses, and a very large frog-like throat. She was dressed in very grandma type clothes but she didn't look a day over forty.

"Yes?" she responded politely, removing her ear bud headphones from her ears.

"Ah." She felt the pudgy woman stare her up and down. "Well, I hope you will find your classes all right." She pulled a piece of paper from her folder and handed it to Carter. "This is your schedule, and if you need help, any at all, I assigned a student to help you around school."

Carter looked over her schedule. Math first period… seriously! Gym second, English third, Photography fourth, Art History Fifth, Lunch sixth, Computer Business, and Home Ec/Family Life… I didn't sign up for that! This has to be the worst fucking schedule.

She turned her heel and gestured her to follow. "I picked the best student of the junior class, and class President show you around." She opened the main office door and Carter took a quick step back. "Is there something wrong?" The girl who sat on the bench narrowed her eyes.

Barbie! This Bitch? It was the girl from the night before, where she almost ripped her head off at the Soda Shop. No way. No fucking way!

"Come, come." She said, beckoning Carter to follow. Carter obeyed after getting the death glare from Barbie and stepped into the Principal's office, and closed the door behind her. "This is Rosalinda." Carter looked the girl up and down. The other Bitch from the Soda Shop. This must be my day.

Rosalinda's eyes widened then softened as she stood up from the couch. "Hello. You must be Carter, if I'm not mistaken." She held out her hand. Carter raised an eyebrow and shook her hand. It was the widest smile she'd ever seen.

"Yeah."

She nodded. "Well, I will show you around. Any questions, comments or suggestions you may address them to me."

Is this bitch serious? "Thanks."

"I'll show you where your first class is. This school's structure is quite tricky, especially if you're trying to find the gyms, pool, and electives wing." Carter stood silent as she made her way towards the door. "Good-bye, Ms. Maulenareo." She said sweetly and exited the room and into the main office. "Angelica, quit getting detention. I'd like to go to the mall sometime this week." She said briefly as they walked by.

As soon as the two left the office, and the halls were cleared, Rosalinda's attitude completely changed but her demeanor stayed the same. "When they said I would be showing Carter Mason around, I thought I was going to show a boy around." She said casually.

Carter's eyes narrowed. "Well, I'm a girl." She spat back.

"I see that now." She looked Carter up and down. "It would be quite odd if you were a boy under that skirt, and with those C's."

"How do you know my size?" Carter followed behind Rosalinda's clacking heels.

Rosalinda shook her head. "I'm a girl. Girls should just know, based on looks alone." Carter rolled her eyes. "Well, I think I should show you where you locker is first. You're already approximately seven minutes late to class. Another four wouldn't hurt."

Odd yet accurate perception of time. "Is it far from my first class?"

Rosalinda looked down at the paper. "Yes." She took another look down. "Actually, most of your classes are far from one another." Carter huffed. "Math and Gym are in separate wings of the school. Basically, all academics are in one wing of the school, and electives in another as well as the cafeteria."

"Awesome."

"Here's your locker. You may exchange lockers with someone as long as it's a mutual agreement. You may want your locker on the other side."

"W-why?"

"Well, most likely, you're going to make friends with the rockers. They're on the other side."

"You assume that, don't you?"

Rosalinda nodded with a smile still plastered across her face. "Yes, I do."

"You're going to label me as soon as you meet me that I'm going to just be a typical rocker-goth chick based on my clothes?" she laughed lightly. "So typical."

"As is your rant from someone dressed like you."

Carter nodded again. "Dressed like me? Dressed like what?" she instigated.

Rosalinda's smile turned dark. "Like a freak-show."

Carter went to lunge but stopped herself. "You're lucky we're in school."

"Sure. That's why you didn't attack me…" she chuckled. "You simply don't want to get into trouble on your very first day of school. You're a good girl, a teachers pet, despite your clothes."

"I don't need to get a lecture from a bitchy, stuck up prep." Carter stomped off.

"Well, good luck finding your classes, Freak-Show." Carter cringed at her new knick-name and partially kicking herself for screwing herself out of a tour guide.

I hate this place.

Carter wandered the halls and waited until the bell to ask someone where the gym was. Any time she tried to get a girls attention, she would scoff and turn away. If she asked a guy, they would hit on her in the crudest manor. She was about to give up until she found a girl dressed in punk clothes. "Excuse me," she started. "but can you tell me where…"

"Later, Goth chick." She quickly stated and walked off.

"Seriously?" Carter yelled, quite frustrated. "Can anyone tell me where the fucking gym is?" Nearly everyone around her backed away, some laughed and others pretended like they didn't hear her. "Fuckin' bullshit!" she said as she stormed off back to the main office.

"Excuse me," Carter entered shyly. "I'm new, do you possibly have a map of the school?" The woman nodded and simply handed her a sheet of paper. "Thanks." It's like everyone here has a stick up their ass… I don't want to be late for my second class, on my first day.

Finally. My last class. This day completely sucked… She stood on the side of the room and waited to see an available seat. Once a majority of the people piled into the classroom, she sat in the back of the classroom. Just when she was about to pull out her sketch book, Rosalinda walked in. At first, Rosalinda paused, then continued to walk in with a huge grin on her face. She sat with her friends and began to gossip just like any girl does, but for some reason, it infuriated Carter.

Soon after, the teacher walked in. "I was informed that we have a new student with us… Mason, Carter. Carter Mason."

After watching him search the classroom for a Carter Mason, she went to raise her hand when someone interrupted. "He's in the back." One of the girls from Rosalinda's group stated and made the entire group burst out in to a short laughing fit.

"Yeah, I get it. I have a unisex name. Haha."

"Enough, class. Now, we're almost done with our meals from around the world project… Carter, you're excused from that project… So we have to get ready for our next assignment: Life." He said rather enthusiastically. Each person will be partnered up with a significant other and will be assigned jobs. Depending on that job, will determine the house/apartment you live in and your salary. You will be given a challenge/problem once a week and must present your solution to this problem on Friday. Well, I'll give you the information on that another day. For now, let's hear about the feasty fiesta Rosie is going to prepare for tomorrow."

Rosalinda stood up from her seat and smiled at the class. "Well, I was assigned Spain for this class, but as you know, having to prepare food for a class that is at the end of the day won't be as tasty as eating it earlier on. My mother and I will be preparing Spain's most famous dishes to be served at lunch, and I suggest everyone bring one extra tray. It will be two dollars a plate. One dollar a cup, and donations will be gladly accepted. All money earned will go towards the ASPCA, so fingers crossed that it will be a good turn out." The class applauded and Rosie sat down.

Unbelievable. It's like she's Mother Teresa, with a bitchy dark side.

Rosie turned her head and met with Carter's eyes. "I understand that it's last minute, but I do hope that you may possibly bring something for the event."

Carter bit back her words. "I'll see what I can come up with." She said through gritted teeth.