1. First Impressions

So sorry. I know this chapter is boring, but I had to introduce the characters sometime. Anyways, enjoy! ^-^

               “Hey, Alex,” I heard a voice call from behind me. I put on my best smile and turned around to see who it was. My friend, Mary, was waving to me, her prize-winning smile lighting up her exquisite face. Her long, light brown hair was put up in a perfect ponytail, her soft curls, slightly waving in the breeze. She was surrounded by all her other friends, as she signalled me to come sit with them at their table. I shook my head and gave her an apologetic look. I sat at another table with the rest of my friends.

              

              I only had a few friends since I moved to Franklin D. Roosevelt Private School in Sacramento. A private school had a lot of rich kids. I’m not rich. I’m barely middle class. I was in the lower middle class, if that made sense. I agreed to get a job to help my parents pay for it, so everyday, after school, I go to the mall to work at a shoe store.   When I begged my parents to let me attend this school, I didn’t care about all the people I’d be facing. I didn’t think of them at all. I just wanted to be able to get a good education, since I do have a strong passion for learning. My true passion, though, is music. I knew how to play the piano and I think I was blessed with a decent singing voice. The guitar was my next big project. Music was, at least, something I had to share with everyone here at FDR High School, but none of that mattered.

 

When I entered this school, I was expecting a school full of highly motivated students wanting to discover new things everyday. Okay, maybe not all of that, but I was expecting more than what I had seen so far. A large amount of the kids were studious enough, but there were some that just didn’t care at all. Some cared more about putting other people down than cracking open a book and just reading. I expected ridicule, which I got some of, for being one of the only “poor” people in the school, but what I didn’t expect was being ignored. While people say they feel like they’re invisible, I think I was literally invisible to some of these people. In terms of looks, well, I was pretty sure my looks didn’t help my invisibility problem. I’m short, which is no help at all, and my straight, black hair hung plainly just below my shoulders. Overall, I was too average looking, which brings me back to the subject of why I don’t have too many friends.

 

Mary, who has turned out to be my best friend, is also one of the most popular people in FDR High. She was the complete opposite of me; she was the social butterfly, and I was the anti-social ant that no one ever sees. We fortunately got around those differences though and became best friends. My other friends Lisa, Jared, Kevin and Kathy are basically like me. Extremely focused on their studies, shy, but Jared and Kathy were also sports oriented.

 

I looked up and searched for Mary, only to find her walking swiftly, but gracefully to our table. She sat down and gave all of us a warm, friendly, and beautiful smile.

 

“Alex,” she said, lowering her voice to a whisper. “Why didn’t you sit with us?” She looked at me with a questioning look.

 

“Mary,” I began. “You know I don’t belong there. I’m sure they wouldn’t even notice me, so there’s really no point in pretending otherwise, is there? Besides, my friends over here would be lonely without me, right?” I turned to give them all a friendly smile, only to see them looking down at their trays. Of course. They were all afraid of Mary, the social butterfly, even after I told all of them that she was a really friendly person. High school stereotypes, I guess. Mary looked at them, then at me.

 

“Your friends don’t seem to mind, Lexi,” she pointed out, calling me by the nickname she knows I hate. “And there’s a new guy that’s in the same English class as you. I know that the school’s unofficial welcoming committee won’t pass up an opportunity to help out this new student.”

 

I looked at her, hesitating. She knew me too well. Yes, I was the school’s unofficial welcoming committee she was talking about. I just couldn’t help it. I knew from experience that coming into this school as the new kid wasn’t the most pleasant thing to have to go through. Ever since I got through it alive, I felt that it should be my duty to help others out.

 

“Which one is he?” I asked her, giving up but not completely giving in. I scanned their table for someone that looked new, or perhaps, even greatly distressed.

 

“That one with the messy, dark brown hair,” Mary replied. “His name is Seth Sanders. Just moved here from Canada, so it’s hard for him.” I looked over to where Seth was sitting. I could hear him talking with his new friends, but there was something about his laugh that wasn’t right. He was actually good looking though. No wonder he was accepted so quickly.

 

“He doesn’t seem to be having any trouble fitting in,” I pointed out to Mary. “Look at him. He’s already doing better than me.”

 

“Well, yeah,” Mary said. “I was told he was also pretty popular at his old school.”

 

She was just about to drag me to her table when I help up my hands and stopped her. She looked at me, confused.

 

“If he’s so popular already, why should I help him?” I demanded. “In case you haven’t noticed, I’m not very ‘known’ in this school. I can’t even help myself, let alone help somebody else I barely know. Besides, he’s doing fine!”

 

Mary rolled her eyes. “Do you mind if I steal Alexandra for one second?” she asked the others, completely aware they were still sitting there, listening to us. They shook their heads and looked down at their trays again. Mary pulled me away from the table to an empty table.

 

“What?” I asked her, slightly irritated.

 

“Okay. I won’t lie to you, since you’re my best friend,” Mary began. “The reason I asked you to help is because he has a little bit of an attitude problem, and you’re the only person I know who can get to people and… ‘remake’ them. And I’m sure he’s a nice guy… once he can stop thinking about himself.”

 

Oh, he has a bit of an ego.

 

“But…” I began. I thought about what she said, and I told myself that I would be helpful to him and to myself. It’s always good to get to know other people. “Fine. I’ll help him. In class.”

 

“Great. Which is in about 5 seconds. I already told him about you, so have fun!” Mary smiled, leaving me at the table, just as the bell rang.

 

Great. English. My favourite subject, and I had to put up with this guy with an attitude problem. What fun.

 

***

 

            I walked in the school, nervous of our grand meeting. I was thinking of backing out, but I guess I couldn’t. I’m not the type to skip class, especially English class. It was my favourite class and I was pretty sure the teacher, Mrs. Renn, like me. I was one of the top students in this class because I loved writing. It was also one of the only classes that I could express myself in. I was so focused in that class because I didn’t have to worry about criticism while I wrote. I sat alone at my table. We were all assigned seats and luckily, there was an odd number of students in our class. Now, since Seth moved here, I would have to give up my focus. Stupid new guy.

 

            I realized I had come to class early and expected no one else there. When I walked into the classroom though, there was already a good amount of people there. A bunch of girls were crowded around my table, talking and giggling, and in the middle of it all, Seth. Awesome. Now I had to share a table with a bunch of flirting girls. Stupid, good-looking, new guy.

 

            I walked over to my table, books in hand, and tried to find a way to get to my chair. When I realized that there was no opening in the large circle of girls, I tried shoving my way through. Of course, no one moved and no one noticed. This invisible power of mine didn’t exactly come to the rescue. I stopped shoving and took a deep breath in.

 

            “EXCUSE ME!” I shouted, making sure they all heard. Everyone’s head turned to look at the invisible girl, for once. “I actually sit here, and if you’re all done drooling over the guy, then will you please move so I can sit?!”

            Nice. For once, they all listened to me and took their seats. I smiled a little at their obedience. I sat down and let out a huge sigh of relief.

 

My relief didn’t last very long though, as I heard a smooth voice ask, “Bad day?”

 

I turned my head to look at the stranger beside me. He was grinning, clearly amused by the earlier scene. I didn’t usually find shouting amusing. I tried to smiled back at him.

 

“Great first day?” I asked him back. “Seth, right?”

 

“Yeah. Seth Sanders.”

 

“Alexandra Daniels.” I introduced myself. “Mary’s friend. Oh, and call me Alex.”

 

“Ah, the poor girl,” he stated. I was shocked. Sure, I wasn’t rich, but I wasn’t poor either. He had the nerve to call me poor right in front of my face… I tried my best to control myself.

 

“The what girl?” I managed to huff out.

Author's Note

I am well aware that some readers don't like typical high school drama, so for those readers, if you don't mind, please don't make comments on how you hate my plot/story. If you'd still like to review, please keep grammar, editing, etc. in mind instead of trashing my clich�d plot.
And this is my first piece of writing, so please take the time to give me some constructive critism... if you want. :)

Thanks!

Reviews

[-Aurelia Mirella]

Hun..I write high school drama. Haha

I thought your first chapter is not a bad start! I think you've got an interesting story line going for you, and I will definately continue reading.

Something that is really weird is that I too have a character named Seth, from a different country, and in an English class scene with girls surrounding him haha.

Again, great job!

Always,
-Aurelia Mirella