Katrina

Chapter One

The sky is gray.

Gray, like something bad is going to happen. Not gray like there's clouds covering the blue behind them. It's just gray.

And also quite ominous for a walk to school. A walk to school on the first day, when anything can happen.

The campus of the high school is even gloomier than usual, if that's even possible. The paint on the buildings seem faint. Washed from color.

Or maybe it's just my eyes.

But it can't be, because as I enter the campus, a car, clearly painted bright teal, drives past me towards the parking lot. Through the backseat window, I can see my best friend Tinsley scribbling in her notebook. Tinsley looks up and smiles at me when as she passes me. A smile that suggests that she has so much to tell me when she gets off.

In the drivers seat is a boy with groomed brown hair and blue eyes. He's Parker, Tinsley's friend for much longer than me, and also one of her neighbors. They used to be best friends in elementary school, I think, but then they just slowly drifted apart a little. Gender differences, Tinsley had said.

I wave to Tinsley, even though she can't see me anymore.

But then the car stops, and Tinsley comes out and runs over to me. "Katrina," she says happily. "I haven't seen you for two months!"

I laugh. "I know, that camping trip and then the fifty summer camps kinda took up all of my time." I shake my head. "What the heck were my parents were thinking?"

Tinsley laughs along with me. "I wish you had some spare time. Quinn was driving me crazy. I just wanted to read and she wanted me to film her YouTube videos." She sighs. "And the only place I could escape to was Parker's house. His little sister is much quieter."

I pat her on the shoulder. "Come on, let's go to class."

Tinsley's eyes gleam with a challenge. "Race you to the door?"

"No!" I protest, but she's already flying, her golden hair in a perfect bob shape already getting messed up. I groan and fast-walk to catch up, even though she's already there. 

"I win!" Tinsley sings.

"I didn't even agree to it," I roll my eyes, pulling open the door. We step inside, and Tinsley tilts her head at me.

"Something wrong?"

I frown. "Have you noticed the sky?"

"Gray, isn't it?" she answers. "Unusual."

"Yeah," I say. "Very unusual. Do you think something bad will happen today?"

"Maybe." Tinsley lifts her shoulders, and then lets them fall. "There's always bad things that happen."

"I know, I meant something really bad." We make our way down the hallway. I pull out my schedule. "Homeroom. Room 254."

Tinsley takes her backpack and turns it around so that she's carrying it on her chest. Then she unzips it, and gets her own schedule. "Room 255." 

I sigh. "So close. Maybe next year we'll finally have the same homeroom."

"I hope so," Tinsley says. "Next year's junior year. I'm going to work extra hard this year and the next so I can relax more Senior year and hopefully get into a good college. You?"

I shrug. "I don't know. I haven't really planned out my future. You know I hate going to school. The only good thing about it is the friends." I grin at her.

Tinsley flicks me, but she's smiling. "Sure."

We climb the stairs to the second floor, where both our classrooms are. Tinsley is quiet, studying the paintings on the walls. Every year they paint something new on the walls of the staircases. I don't talk either. Admiring works better with silence sometimes.

"Right here?" Tinsley points at two classrooms, side by side. 254 and 255.

"Yeah," I say. "Hold on, my locker's right here too. Are you still not using one?"

Tinsley lifts her chin. "Nope. If I need to store anything you always have extra space anyways."

"True." I open my locker on the wall, and then my bookbag. After putting the books I won't need until after lunch in, I quickly survey the inside. Maybe I should do plain pink wallpaper this time, with a white mirror. Last year I had navy blue wallpaper, dotted with stars. It was certainly pretty, but I felt like I wanted something girly this year.

"Coming, Katrina? The bell's going to ring any second now," Tinsley's voice says from behind. I turn around and close my locker to find her looking up from her pastel-colored watch, with a paisley design on it.

"Alright," I tell her. We go into our separate classrooms, each with our own thoughts about what the gray sky might mean.

I find most of the seats still open. I decide to sit in the one not too close to the front, but close enough for me to pay attention if I wanted to. Sitting in the desk next to me is a girl, and the other side of me is the window. Perfect.

The class bell rings. I pull out my Manga book. The late bell rings a few minutes later.

Homeroom passes by fast. We don't really do much, it's just our teacher explaining some things that'll be different this year. Next is reading class.

I'm always really bored during reading class, and then I end up struggling to catch up. I have never enjoyed reading novels or articles. The only books I read are Anime and Manga books, so Reading is often one of the terrible classes for me. Math is the worst, though.

I see Tinsley as I make my way to my reading class. She takes Honors Reading, so we won't be in the same class, but I still want to compare schedules. "Tinsley!" I call.

Tinsley turns around from hurrying to her class and waves. "Hey," she says. "I have History. What's your next class?"

"Reading."

"Cool," Tinsley nods.

"Wanna see what classes we have together?" I ask.

"Okay." Tinsley already has her schedule in her hand. She reads out her schedule.

I take out my own and read it.

"So we have Science together!" Tinsley cheers. "And the same lunch period?"

"Yep," I say. I wave and start to walk away. "See you later!"

The bell rings a second after I enter the classroom. There's only a few seats left. I'm about to go sit in one when the teacher taps me on the shoulder.

"Good morning, Miss... Katrina Jones, aren't you?" She holds out her hand, her expression firm and serious. "My name is Mrs. Archer."

I shake her hand. "Good morning, Mrs. Archer." She looks very strict, and possibly even mean. I haven't seen her smile at all.

"Thank you, Katrina. Now please go sit in that desk." She points at one of the seats in the back of the room. Not the one I was going for.

"Yes, ma'm."

The desks are all facing the front of the room, and they're all grouped into pairs of two, except for a few in the back that are grouped into three. As I approach my assigned seat near the back of the room I notice that I'm going to sit next to two boys, though at least I don't have to sit in the middle of them. 

The boys in my desk group are Parker, Tinsley's friend and also one of the near-popular boys, and Jensen, best in the grade at math. I've never properly talked to either of them before. To be honest, I haven't really had a conversation with any boys since I was little and there weren't much differences between genders. I hope I won't be too awkward.

As I make my way to my seat, someone's leg is in the way and I trip over it. I stumble forward, falling onto Parker's desk. I let out a yelp of shock. My hands end up on the desk as I try to steady myself, and I find myself looking into Parker's clear blue eyes.

Talk about awkward.

Reviews

[ArtisticVisions]

I really like how you began the chapter, it makes it a bit mysterious. I can't wait to read the rest!

[SpiceCookie]

Thank you! :) I don't think I'm continuing this book but I hope you like what I have!

[ArtisticVisions]

You're welcome, I do! :)