Chapter Six - School

I'M BACK. I'm soooooooooooooooo sorry it took me so long to get this one done! I'm also really sorry that this one is short, I'll make sure the next one is worth the wait. Thank you all :)

It was funny to think that the old smelly apartment that we were moving furniture into was going to be my home for the next however long. Dad’s house was always perfect and wooden and high expense items that are the latest in the trade, and then to go to a level far below his where the walls and the counter tops where whatever was the cheapest, what actually really nice.

            Helping mum and Luke move furniture was the last thing on my mind. Reason? I couldn’t be bothered. I was tired, and carrying a lot of wooden furniture up two flights of stairs didn’t interest me at all. So I just watched, as Luke and Mum pilled it all in. When they had left I would rearrange all the furniture, to put in my tiniest amount of effort. I guess they liked this because Mum would always come back in and admire the room.

 

            Finally, at about 8pm, they had finished putting about, everything in, except for the fridge, which was being hauled up the stairs now. I had only taken a lot of interest when they were moving my furniture in. And I like my room, the only problem was that there was no internet yet to go with my computer. It may sound dramatic, but I really did feel a bit cut off from the rest of the world. I guess we’re the ‘digital-generation’ as I’ve heard people call it, and we prefer to be connected.

            Mum was making Luke a cup of tea before he would leave to go back to his home were Eloise was, and only then did I frantically remember that I had my phone charger. I almost barrel rolled across my bed to the bedside table where my charger was already plugged into my phone. It took me several tries to put it in the plug underneath the table because I was pushing it so frantically.

            A couple of minutes passed, and the screen lit up. It did the usual pointless start up with dramatic colour and showing some people holding hands that people rape all of their buttons until it goes away, and then the screen showed up. I waited anxiously, as the bars and indications at the top and the side of the screen were starting to show up, and then.

            Buzz buzz buzz buzz buzz buzz buzz buzz. It started vibrating like mad, the box came up on the screen reading ‘1 New Message From: Franc’ 2  New Message From: Franc’3  New Message From: Franc’‘4 New Message From: Franc’‘5 New Message From: Franc’ on and on it went until it decided to stop at eleven messages. I clicked open. Luckily the messages were short, but they all read things like “WINTER.” “ARE YOU THERE?” “?” “WHAT’S GOING ON?”

            I opened the first one, and clicked reply instantly, sending:

            I’m fine! I’m sorry, my phone died before I could reply. I hate to say it, but mum and dad had a huge fight. Like, it was huge. She slapped him. I can’t believe I’m saying this though, right now, I’m in my new house, about three hours away from you ): I didn’t want to move, but getting away from dad seemed so important at the time. I feel like s**t. I’m sorry Franc <3

            I clicked send, and it was gone. Waiting felt like the beginning adds at the movies. They went on forever. Because you wanted what was coming, you just didn’t know when, and you hoped it was soon. Mum and Luke were talking about some crap I didn’t give a crapping crap about. And then my phone vibrated, reading ‘Alarm: Do homework’ I could’ve thrown it out the window after violently abusing it. My homework, I hadn’t even done it. Great, now I’ve probably got detention. Oh wait, I won’t go to that school anymore. Sweet Jesus. But that still meant I had to find a new one. Please find me a decent one, not one that loves sport and promotes us to become healthy. Yea, it’s important, but to be forced into s****y uniforms and screamed at by some angry mussel guy to run around a field is not my idea of getting fit.

            My phone vibrated ‘1 New Message From: Franc’ my heart leapt, and so did I. I pressed open almost instantly and read her reply:

            What? Oh my god Winter, this f*****g sucks. At least you’re okay, but f**k. You’re not going to come to school anymore? )’: I hate this. You’ll have to Skype me if you guys have internet. I didn’t want you to go. This suck fat a*s. I hate you’re dad. Sorry, but he made you move away. S****y f**k poo s**t.

            I had to laugh a little bit. Franc was quite silly often when it came to words, so it was nice to see that she wasn’t completely crushed by the whole thing. But she still was sad and shocked that I had just left, and I would be too if I was in her position, but I guess its okay, now that she knows.

            I put my phone down after replying a random message and walked out to the kitchen. Luke was saying goodbye and leaving. I waved back to him and mum shut the new door, and locked it. She turned, looked at me and then looked around.

            “So,” she began, “This is the new place.” I looked around with her. Only realizing that everything was so god damn familiar, I had to ask her:

            “Did you leave dad with anything at all?” To my surprise, she grinned widely and headed towards the kettle to make herself another drink.

            “Well, I wouldn’t say that I completely stripped the house.”

            “The walls are still intact then?”

            “Yea, along with the photos. But that’s it.”

            “Oh god mum, so if the police arrive at the door looking for a thief named China Kingsley I’ll put on a Mexican accent and pretend I don’t know you?” I smiled widely; she gave me the don’t-be-an-idiot look at turned back to the kettle. I paused and thought about the school dilemma.

            “What are we going to do about schools for me? We don’t have the money to afford a uniform, or anything?”

            “I’ve already had a look.”
            “When?” I asked.

            “Just before in the newspaper. It’s a couple of blocks away. And there is no uniform. You can go there.” No uniform, thank the lord.

            “Have you even had a meeting with the principal or anything?”

            “Don’t need one. I called him on my cell phone about an hour ago. He’s fine with it, you start tomorrow.” First off, how often does a parent casually call a principal and in about five minutes gain their child access to the school. Secondly, tomorrow? We’ve barely moved in yet she’s acting like we’ve never even shifted. Great, now she’s going to put the whole ‘early night’ method on me, and sure enough…

            “You’d better have an early night if you want to get up early tomorrow. Off to bed then. I’ll see you in the morning.” She kissed my forrid and walked to her room. I groaned loudly and walked to my own.

            My phone was still charging and there was no new message. I sat on my bed after shutting my door. The place was quite messy actually, but it was comforting. It looked like I hadn’t moved anything in ages. I liked it like this.

            I stripped off, and for the first time, got into bed at nine o’clock and fell asleep.

 

            “Get up! Don’t want to be late for your first day!” Mum was banging on my door. The horrible cold air was creeping into my sheets and all over my body. Why the hell did they name me Winter?

            I pulled on my best and cleanest clothes that I had. It was a funky sort of orange and brown Aztec jumper, black skinny jeans and some denim shoes I found cheap in a second hand shop. I didn’t really give a stuff about my hair, so I just had the fringe bobbing under the rim on a grey beanie I put on.

            I grabbed my school bag which had a folder and three blank school books that I’ve never used, and flung it over my back.

            Mum had made me toast and a cup of tea. I ate it so quickly I almost threw it back up, I was pretty nervous, but then again I didn’t really care about school. I guess it was just meeting new people was the problem. After mum had taken her time to get ready, she locked the door adorning the steel number ‘17’ on it, and we rushed down stairs, bid the receptionist goodbye, and piled into her car.

            She sped down the road. This was the first time that I had actually got a decent view of the street. It was really long and there was even more shops down this way. They looked more exciting, but still, how many shops did they need?

            “I’ve got a job interview in about fifteen minutes.” She said, only then did I realize she was wearing one of those lady-tuxedos. You know the ones, shaped black pants and vest with a white collar shirt underneath. “So you’ll just have to go to the front desk and get them to escort you.” I didn’t care though, the cliché thing about parents dropping kids off was actually kinda true, but I didn’t want to let her know that.

            She dropped me outside of the school. A large piece of maroon marble was in the grass with neat plants around it, showing the name of the school. The actual building looked like an American school. Waving my mum goodbye, I walked in.

            There was no student’s anywhere. I guess I was late. I rushed up and pushed open the front doors. It was a sort of information area. On either side of it were two long hallways leading to other classes and stuff.

            There was an old lady sitting behind a computer, looking at me. What the hell was it with old lady’s being receptionist’s?

            “Can I help you?” She said. Her voice was whiney, and she sounded annoyed.

            “Um, I’m new.” She just glared at me and didn’t say a thing. “Could you please help me?”

            “Name?” She was looking in her computer. This woman is a b***h.

            “Winter Kingsley.” She began typing and clicking the mouse.

            “You’re supposed to be in form class. It’s class 2-2, second floor second classroom.”

            “Thank you!” I said kindly. But she didn’t say anything. What was the point in working in a school if you hated kids that much?

            I headed down one of the hallways, silently praying my luck that I was heading in the right direction. As I was looking through the windows in the class doors underneath their numbers, the other kids were staring at me with such interest, like I was some kind of animal.

            I reached the end of the hall, finally. The last class was ‘1-19’ and then there was a staircase. I ran up it, two steps at a time, and took a left. The first class I saw was on the left ‘2-1’ and on the right was ‘2-2’ my heart sort of pounded nervously for a bit, as I knocked on the door.

            I was pulled open by a male teacher. He was slightly balding but looked quite young.

            “Yes?” He said after I didn’t say anything for a bit.

            “Oh, um, I’m supposed to be in here.”

            “What’s your name?”

            “Winter Kingsley.”

            “Oh right, yup. Come in and take a seat.” I walked in, and suddenly all eyes fell on me. I hated this already. At the back of the class was the usual annoying, loud sporty guys who mocked everyone. In front of them was the bitchy s***s who were hoping their asses were always being stared at. In the middle were all of the nice people who just wanted to be away from all of the noise. And then up the front were the others.

            Not knowing anyone, I took a seat next to a very pretty girl close to the wall. I didn’t say anything. Obviously the teacher wasn’t teaching anything because the class was loud with chatter and he was just sitting at his desk typing on his computer, then again it was only form time.

            I took out my phone and text Francesca. I’d make it look like I had something to do and I didn’t care about anyone else. The girl next to me was over a book, writing something down. Keeping to herself. I kinda admired this about her, even though I didn’t know her, the fact she didn’t really care about anyone else was just showing that she wasn’t an idiot.

            I stood up slightly, on to sit back more comfortably on my seat, but I accidentally knocked her bag over and a lot of the stuff inside it fell out. She looked down at it and up at me.

            “Oh my god, I’m so sorry!” I said to her. She waved a hand at me.

            “Eh, it’s only a bag.” She smiled and shoved everything untidily back into it. “Doesn’t make a difference whether or not it’s in or out, I don’t care about it.”

            “Amen.” I laughed. She laughed quietly to herself.

            “I’m Winter by the way.” I said.

            “Winter? That’s your name?”

            “Uh, yea.” Don’t tell me doubts were already settling into the first person I met.

            “That’s such a cool name.” she grinned and brushed a piece of curly hair behind her ear. “I’m Rinette.” She smiled. I held out a hand awkwardly, I don’t usually do this, I don’t know why I did either, am I trying to be cheesy? Because it’s working. But she took it.

            “Nice to meet you.” I said, she smiled.

            We got dismissed out of the class room not to long after and we had to walk off to our classes, which by the way I had absolutely no clue where they were. Rinette wasn’t in any of my classes today, dumb. Trust the only person I know to not be in any of my classes on the first day. But she is in my science class tomorrow.

            School was not a lot more significant than any I’ve ever been to, pointless and boring. Most of what we’re learning I already know. At least I can just zone-out and not listen, unless the teacher decides to be a dickhead and call on me.

            But I suppose I could survive here for a year. Then I can do whatever I want, thank god. They say school is a happy and fun environment to learn in. I beg to differ. 

Author's Note

Sorry for it being so short >.< I will make sure that chapter 7 is a lot more eventful and worth the wait :)

Reviews

[Manpreet]

I liked your work, look forward to more of your work!!!

[jennifer little]

wonderful job keep up the good work

[Barbara Walker]

I think this story would interest other teenagers and pre-teens. You express the thoughts going through his head well. Your imagery could be tightened up a bit, but on the whole, it's good. Now for editing mistakes...
The first paragraph, long, run on sentence. You could make several sentences out of it. I would also just put in, "to go from that, to cheap walls and countertops was, actually, really nice."

"piled it all in" "In between their loads, I'd show the tiniest effort by rearranging the furniture. I could tell by Mom's admiring glances that she liked it."

Most of the 3rd paragraph, I would include in the 2nd paragraph. "I showed more interest when they brought my bedroom furniture inside. I like my room, except there was no internet, yet. I felt a bit cut off from the world. I am part of the digital generation; we prefer to be connected." Then I would have have this as the last sentence for 2nd paragraph, :"Finally, at 8:00pm, they brought the last item up-the fridge."

Delete the sentence, "It did the usual, pointless etc." not necessary to the story.

Delete Mom and Luke were talking about some crap..." not necessary to the story.

Spelling correction-"angry muscle guy"

Word Order Correction_ "Franc was quite often silly..."

Personally, I couldn't buy that he would send her some random message.

Punctuation correction-"We don't have money to afford"...no question mark at end of sentence, Use period.

Lord and God are always capitalized.

Spelling correction: forrid, forehead

In the sentence "I headed down one of the hallways..." drop the word, "luck".

Typo and word choice correction: "It was pulled open by a male teacher. He was slightly balding, yet, looked quite young."

"I kinda admired this about her..." Sentence too wordy

Word choice correction: "I straightened up to sit more comfortably in my seat..."

Word choice: "This school was just like the other schools I had gone to- pointless and boring."

[zero binty]

nice inclusion of the thougths running through any head during school. Especially a new school. Went through this three times and each time was somewhat similar to your story. Minus the female stuff.