Ever since I was a little girl, my father made sure I knew the struggles of those around me.
He wanted to be sure I grew up understanding that not everyone has a loving home and that the tiniest bit of kindness can change someone's day. It was why he fought for the Happy Redemption Academy and he didn't keep from me the horrors that some of the students went through.
I smiled wide as I closed my locker as the busy bodies of hurried students rushed past me toward the dorms as the final bell rang not long before.
Those stories are why I insisted on being in the same school program as those he taught. Even if he was worried it would damage my application process for colleges, I insisted so I could learn about the life and stories of those he was bettering and how I can do the same in my own unique way in the future.
These people need a helping hand.
I closed my locker with the same wide smile before suddenly being shoved slightly by a hurried freshman who then hissed at the collision.
"Watch where you're going, bitch!" I gave the kid a questionable look as he didn't even look behind him to see who he collided with.
And it takes a lot of work to get them there, for sure.
I sighed before tugging my books under my arm and making my way toward the main entrance of the school.
"Hey there, toots!" I waved at the taller boy who was leaning against the railing of the large stairs heading toward the main campus square. "How's our campus princess?" A large smirk spread across the Italian's face as he ran a hand through his platinum blonde hair even though it was already defying gravity as it was.
"Doing good, Anthony!" I smiled up toward the much taller teen as he rolled his eyes at the use of his birth name.
"I hope you know that if anyone else calls me that, I would have their knees." I gave him a smirk in return as I shoved him playfully.
"You're just a big softy. You can admit it!"
"Angel? A softy? Only to you and Nifty, that's for sure." The shorter senior, Husk, who was beside Angel nudged him with his shoulder as Angel shot daggers at the much shorter boy.
"Shut ya trap, Whiskers."
"Only when you shut your legs, Dusty." I rolled my eyes at their antics as I made my way down the stairs to the main square. They followed behind me as they continued their banter.
"At least I got legs! Yours are so short they couldn't be seen with a microscope!"
"You know what one of those are? Wow, you've been paying attention to science for once. We should be proud!" I couldn't help but chuckle at that one as Angel got defensive.
"Hey! I knew what they were before I got sent here! Pops used to use them all the time."
"Drug dealers use science equipment and actually call them by their names?" I could hear Anthony scuff at Husk's remark as we got to the end of the stairs. "Seriously, I'm curious now. They actually use that shit?"
"It takes a lot of chemistry knowledge to make meth, ya know."
"Huh. Good to know." Suddenly, Anthony gasped.
"OH SHIT! I forgot to ask ya, Toots." I stopped to turn toward Anthony as he gave me a wide grin. "Heard ya daddy was bringing in some fresh meat. Any new word on that?"
"Oh yeah!" I smiled as I hugged my books against my chest again. "I get to meet her once Dad goes to show her the dormitory buildings! He wants me to meet him at the entrance wing once I'm settled in after classes. He showed me a little bit of her profile that he's allowed to show others and she's a musician just like me! I think we're gonna make good friends."
"Ah, another musician for the crowd of lost souls wandering around. I hope she's not like the ones that play their acoustic guitars at parties and think that because she can play Free Bird that she's the shit." Angel gave a shit-eating grin to Husk as he elbowed him.
"Hey! I was asked to play it, alright. You know I prefer classics anyway."
"Yeah, 'cause you have the music taste of a druggy jazz musician of the 40's."
"It ain't mean a thing if it ain't got that swing, baby." Husk smirked as he adjusted his uniform blazer as if to emphasize how cool he thought he was being.
"Classics like that one about the lady with the nipples bigger than her thumb?" It was obvious to see how flustered Husk became as a blush appeared on his dark cheeks while glaring up at Angel. "Now if fuckin' was the thing that would take me to heaven," Angel sang in a seductive tone as he shimmed his school blazer off his shoulders to his elbows with a large smirk on his lips. "I'd be fuckin' in the studio till the clock strike eleven." He dramatically put a hand on his chest as he flung his head back. "Oh daddy, daddy!" He paused to move closely up to Husk before bringing his head back down to wiggle his eyebrows at him while shimming his shoulders once more. "Shave 'em dry." Husk stared at him blankly as if deciding what to say despite a full blush on display across his cheeks.
"Nope, that's enough Angel Dust for the day." Husk turned on his heels and started to walk away from us as Angel called out after him.
"Aw, come on Kitten! I think that was my best performance yet!" Husk yelled over his shoulder back at him as he continued walking away.
"You're a Walmart Marilyn Monroe!"
"Love you too, Husky!" I shook my head at the two of them as Angel turned his attention back toward me.
"You two are quite the unique pair, that's for sure." Anthony just smiled wide as he reached up to put his arms behind his head and seemly struck a pose with a wink.
"He knows what he's missing. He'll come around soon enough." I reached out and patted his bicep with a smile before walking past him and toward the main building where Dad's office would be.
"You bet, I'll see you around Angel!"
"See ya, Toots!" He relaxed from his pose to give me a wave goodbye. "Let me know if there's any good tea about this new girl!"
"You know I can't do that!" I shot him a glare over my shoulder and he just chuckled in reply.
"Have a good one, Princess!"
I knocked on my father's office door softly before stepping back from it and putting my hands behind my back. I took a deep breath to puff out my chest a little to make myself proud and presentable.
The normal routine. Greet the new student, introduce yourself, show them to the dorms, and then try and help them fit into the right crowd.
Well, emphasis on try.
I didn't let that thought bug me as I gave a wide smile as my father opened the door.
"Duckie! Glad to see you could make it! Come on in. Introduce yourself, wonderful daughter of mine." I couldn't help but chuckle at my father's antics before walking into his office.
"Hi, I'm Charlotte Mornings-." I looked over toward the girl sitting across from his desk next to Aunt Sera and felt as if my heart jumped up into my throat, silencing me upon meeting gazes with the tanned-skinned, brown-haired teen. One eye was a deep chocolate hue the other was greyed and obviously scarred as a line of damage could be seen from her left temple down and over it to her cheekbone, but was equally breathtaking in its beauty. She wore a red blouse with and black skirt that seemed to only compliment her skin and hair with ease.
Oh, she's pretty.
I shook my head as I felt a blush take over my cheeks as the girl tilted her head curiously while she seemingly peered into my soul with her heterochromatic eyes.
"I-I'm Charlotte. Charlotte Morningstar." I swallowed hard as I fiddled with my hands behind my back. "But I prefer to be called Charlie. I'm a student in our music program as well as part of the thespian society." I rambled as I decided to try and throw out whatever I could to make a connection with her. "I also am a member of our creative writing electives. I'm a bit of an academic too so if you have any questions on some of the advanced classes, you can always let me know." I chuckled nervously as my father put a hand on my shoulder with a bit of a laugh of his own.
"Bit of an academic? You're the top student in your class, Duckie! Even if math is still a struggle at times." I shot a glare at my father as the blush deepened on my cheeks.
"Always love to see you, Charlie." Sera gave me a smile and a nod as she stood from her chair. I nodded my head back to her as it took a lot to take my eyes off the girl beside her.
"You as well, Aunt Sera."
"This," I followed her hand and she gestured back toward the girl still sitting silently in her chair. Those eyes still staring back at me curiously as Sera introduced her. "Is Vagatha Motha."
"Vaggie is what I prefer though." Her voice sounded like a kind of melody I suddenly couldn't get enough of as it was low but had a touch of warmth to it despite obviously having a rough time to be sitting where she was.
"Vaggie. Got it." I smiled at her as I noticed the corners of her lips tugged slightly in return.
Such a pretty name for a pretty girl.
"See! I knew you two would get along!" I did my best not to snap my attention toward my father and glare at him with the rage of a thousand suns for ruining the moment, but the girl seemed to smirk at the remark before standing from her chair. Her next set of words caused something to flutter within my chest as took a step closer to me.
"I guess so, but we'll see." She slipped her hands into the back pockets of her skirt as a sly look seemed to dance in her right eye. "Nice to meet you, Charlie."
"N-Nice to meet you too." I smiled as she shared one in return while one thought danced within my head.
Oh, Anthony is going to have fun with me on this one.