Sunlight - Book 3

Chapter 4

Entering the office I made my way to the administration desk taking care not to invade anyone's personal space. I think it was more for my sake then anyone else. I didn't want to be touched by strangers. I didn't like being touched unless it was my family.

Sitting behind a desk was a woman that looked to be my grandma Esme's age. She had brown hair and chocolate eyes and a strong jaw. Her clothing choice wasn't exactly appealing at least in my eye. Then again I was trained by my aunt Alice in the ways of fashion.

I smirked to myself.

"Er excuse me Mrs.-" I paused looking around on her desk for a placard to help me.

She lifted her plaque and placed it in a better visual.

"Mrs. Robinson I'm a new student here and need my schedule."

She began typing away on her computer. "Name?" She said pausing briefly without looking at me.

"Cullen... Renesmee Cullen ma'am."

I saw her body tense before she lifted her head to look at me. Her eyes widened and her mouth fell open as she looked at me.

"Er... yes... right away Miss Cullen." she began hastily typing. Her key strokes were more sloppy and unprofessional and I saw her backspace alot.

What was with this woman? She was acting fine until I mentioned my surename. I sighed and began gazing around the room while Mrs. Robinson continued with her work. Then I saw it. The team mascot was a lion. The lion was my families crest.

I continued looking around the room and there on the wall was a picture of a monument. A lion statue with a plaque that gave thanks Bella and Edward Cullen. I narrowed my eyes.

Without taking my eyes off the picture I pulled my cell phone out of my bag and dialed my mothers number.

"Renesmee?" My mother said after a half a ring.

"Uh mom."

"Renesmee what is wrong?"

"I'm standing here in the office right now looking at a picture of a statue dedicated to you and dad. When did this happen?"

"Edward?" I heard my mother call. "Renesmee is on the phone she said there is a statue dedicated to you and I. What is this about?"

"I don't know Bella. Alice probably saw something benefitial coming from it and made a generous donation to the school. She is usually like that. If she forsees something..."

"Okay." There was a pause. "Renesmee just roll with it."

"But what if someone asks me about it. What do I say?" I whispered as I turned my back on the desk lady.

"There is nothing to say. Just shrug it off. Have a good day Renesmee."

"Okay. I love you mom." I hung up.

Turning back to Mrs. Robinson I smiled. She still looked nervous.

"Are you okay?" I asked her.

She nodded her head and then silently handed me my papers. I took them gracefully from her trembling hands and smiled before walking out the office door. I quickly glanced at the time on my phone and then looked at the time for my first class. I had thirty minutes and decided I would read over my class information.

I headed into the courtyard and found a seat directly in the sunlight. The warmth of the rays felt amazing on my skin. It was as if I could feel each ray that fell upon me. It came upon me in exhilarating waves.

After I had settled I looked at the first page of my paperwork. It was just a statement that said all my classes were chosen for me except for my extra cirricular classes. Those were chosen by me.

That was weird I didn't remember choosing my extra cirriculars.

It also noted that if I wanted to change a extra cirricular class I had to do it before the week was over. Any fees will not be returned.

I flipped to the next page. This was my classes.

Arts:

A264 Photography III and IV:

These classes are for students with a strong interest in photography who would like to continue to develop the technical and aesthetic aspects of their work. Students should aim to develop a voice or a personal style while exploring subjects and techniques of personal interest.

Course length: Yearlong course

Number of meetings per week: two 45-minute periods, one 75-minute period

Prerequisites: Photography II

Cost: $165 annual studio fee

This wasn't bad I love photography. I thought back to the camera I had recieved and that my mother had packed in my bag for me. I had assumed that it was just to document memories but I guess not.

English:

E409 Writing for Life:

Whether by paper notebook or online blog, people across time and culture have been compelled to make literary meaning of their personal experiences. This course explores the vast and varied field of autobiography, from classically traditional to wildly experimental. We will delve into such genres as narrative essay, memoir, poetry, photography, music, oral history, graphic novel, documentary film, and theatrical monologue. Authors and artists may include Maya Angelou, Art Spiegelman, Joan Didion, Samuel Pepys, Virginia Woolf, Frida Kahlo, Jacob Lawrence, Sui Sin Far, Garrison Keillor, Spalding Gray, Pico Iyer, Langston Hughes, and Margaret Cho. To enrich our understanding of autobiography as a creative act, we will also experiment with multiple literary and artistic modes of recording our own lives. Several personal writing assignments and mixed-media projects, shared with classmates in a peerworkshop format, will allow each student to add a few chapters to his or her own "autobiography in progress."

Course length: Spring-term course

Number of meetings per week: Two 45-minute periods and one 75-minute period

Prerequisites: None

This course worried me. I had to write an autobiography. How was I supposed to tell about my life? What would I even write about my life. Everyone in this class had atleast 15 years of life on me. I've not even been alive for a year. Still I couldn't just tell my secret, the families secret. It would endanger everyone.

History:

H417 Sustainability in the 21st Century:

(Interdisciplinary Course)

(Team-taught course—same as S417) (Spring semester only)

Global climate change, a world population of 7 billion and growing, dwindling forests, rising energy costs, drought, and violent storms are just a few challenges facing the world in the 21st century. Everywhere we turn, the world’s environment appears to be getting closer to the breaking point. Faced with increasing pressure on and conflict over the world’s natural resources, governments everywhere continue to wrestle with unequal access to global resources. Environment will be a defining issue of this century. What can we do about the myriad of vexing environmental issues facing the global community? How can we develop solutions that will help build a sustainable world? This course engages students in real-world case studies of contemporary global issues in which human actions and the environment are in conflict. In the process, students will work collaboratively and use critical thinking to analyze scientific, economic, and geopolitical realities as they work in teams to develop policy briefs, position papers, grant applications, and other active solutions. With its focus on problem-solving, this course aims to examine a few issues in great detail and encourage students to develop frameworks and skills to apply towards the challenges of the future. (Counts for either history or science credit.)

Course length: Spring semester

Number of meetings per week: Three 45-minute periods and one 75-minute period

Prerequisites: 9th and 10th grade World History; Biology; and Physics or Chemistry.

Was I even allowed to take this course? The prerequisites I had never taken in school. I ran my finger down to the next item on the list. Language.

Language:

L100 French I:

Introduction to French language and culture. This course is designed for students beginning a first foreign language as well as students who want to add another foreign language to their repertoire. Working with a standard first-year textbook and accompanying materials (feature film, electronic workbook, etc.) as well as authentic materials, students learn skills and vocabulary needed to begin to communicate effectively in French. Oral proficiency is our primary goal, so teachers and students use only French in the classroom. Among the skills acquired are: asking and answering questions; describing and comparing people, places, and objects; narrating in present and past time; expressing opinions; and giving instructions to others. These functions are performed in familiar contexts such as talking about the family, home and school life, and leisure activities or going to a store, restaurant, party, etc.

Course length: Yearlong course

Number of meetings per week: Three 45-minute periods and one 75-minute period.

Prerequisites: none

I shrugged my shoulders. Sounds fun I guess. French wouldn't exactly be my choice of language to learn. I personally would've chosen Latin or German. It seemed more challenging. I like challenges.

Math:

M520 Honors Calculus:

This course covers differential and integral calculus from an advanced perspective for students with previous exposure to differential calculus. Material covered is equivalent to two semesters of college-level calculus plus additional topics of a significantly more advanced or theoretical nature. This course builds on an intuitive, geometric understanding of calculus by exploring theory and proof.Topics include the formal limit definition of the derivative and integral, the derivative and applications, the integral and applications, advanced integration techniques, the Fundamental Theorem of Calculus, differential equations including coupled systems and phase plane analysis, series and applications, and the calculus of parametric, polar, and vector-valued equations. This course prepares students for success on the AP Calculus BC exam in May.

Course length: Yearlong course

Number of meetings per week: Two 45-minute periods and one 75-minute period

Prerequisites: Honors Precalculus. All honors courses require the permission of the student’s current math teacher.

This relieved me. Though I was already well past this I was sure it could give me a better challenge then geometery or algebra.

Physical Education:

NOT REQUIRED FOR SENIORS

I guess this was my free period. What would I do to fill the void? Wander the city for the hour maybe?

Science:

S310 Honors Chemistry:

This is a very challenging lab-based course taught at the beginning college level. The main topics are much the same as S300, but they are covered in more depth and at a faster pace. The content is more mathematically demanding, and students are expected to work more independently. Additional topics not covered in S300 include colligative properties, solubility and Ksp, and an introduction to quantum mechanics. Students who successfully complete S310 are usually well positioned to take the AP Chemistry exam, provided they commit to some additional preparation outside of class.

Course length: Yearlong

Number of meetings per week: Two 45-minute periods, one 75-minute period, and one 90-minute period

Prerequisites: Any Physics; any Geometry**

(** In addition to meeting the prerequisites, enrollment in honors or advanced courses requires departmental approval.)

Chemistry. My forte. I read so many chem books that it was rediculous. Anything about chemicals and mixing properties was fun to me. It was like creating something unique. Something magical.

I turned the page and there was a map of the school campus. All of the buildings were labled by hundreds. From just looking at the campus I was able to imagine the largevity. This campus was enormous.

On the other side of the page was my official schedule for my classes.

A264 Photography III and IV:

Time: 8:00 - 8:45

Building: Room 264

E409 Writing for Life:

Time: 9:00 - 9:45

Building: Room 409

H417 Sustainability in the 21st Century:

Time: 10:00 - 10:45

Building: Room 417

L100 French I:

Time: 11:00 - 11:45

Building: Room 100

LUNCH: 11:45 - 12:45

M520 Honors Calculus:

Time: 1:00 - 1:45

Building: Room 520

S310 Honors Chemistry:

Time: 2:00 - 2:45

Building: Room 310

I couldn't be more happier to have photography as my first class. I danced cheerfully in my seat as I read the times. Then I froze. This couldn't be right. I was supposed to only have classes three times a week but this schedule gave me a schedule made for every day.

As I ran my finger down the length of the page I noticed that every class was like this. But why?

Raising to my feet I headed back to the office.

"Misses Cullen." Mrs. Robinson greeted me as I entered. Just like last time she tensed up.

I handed her my schedule. "I think my schedule is wrong."

She took the paper into her trembling hands and looked at it before handing it back. "It's not wrong ma'am you will recieve your official schedule from your teachers. This is just a gimmick to get you from point a to point b."

I smiled. "Thank you."

I looked at the clock on the wall and gasped. I had just three minutes until class. How did I manage to lose track of time so quickly.

"Mrs. Robinison where is building-" I looked down at my schedule. "-200." I finished.

Out the door take a left follow the path through the court yard and then turn left again. You should come to the 800 and 600 building, between those is a path follow that turn right then turn left again.

My mouth dropped. What had she just said. Left, left, 800-600 path right then left. I nodded my head and thanked her before I quickly headed out.

I managed to get to class seconds before the bell rang. I took the first seat I came to and sat down clutching my bag to my chest like a life line.

After a few seconds I noticed that my leg was trembling. Was I nervous? Why was I nervous? I am the smartest child in this school hands down. I was a genious I never forgot a thing I never failed. Unless I was nervous that was normally the only acception. When I got nervous I focused entirely on that and I fall apart. I couldn't fall apart.

Sighing I closed my eyes and began humming to myself my lullaby. I hummed it so low that only I could hear it. After a few verses I began to feel myself calm. Once I felt completely serene I opened my eyes.

"Welcome to the Spring semester at Lakeview High. I am your teacher Mr. Hawthorne you may call me Drew." He began. I sat and listened in silence. I couldn't wait to start taking pictures.