Chapter 1
1028 Words
Ugh... I hate being the new girl at school.
Stop staring!
I push through the cafeteria doors, trying to maintain a confident stride. It feels like every eye is on me, sizing me up.
I can almost hear their unspoken questions: "Where will she fit into our circle?"
How trivial...
If only they knew there were far more significant concerns beyond their narrow little circles.
"Hey, Louisa!"
The voice snaps me from my thoughts. I suppress a sigh and turned around.
Here we go, I think.
Bam!
Three "It" girls stand before me, the very archetype of high school royalty. The scene feels straight out of a TV show.
Oh, God!
So, the TV shows were right!
“Hey, I’m Catherine,” says the girl with curly hair, her smile both welcoming and scrutinizing.
“I’m Briana,” adds the blonde girl, who seems to have a perpetual smile plastered on her face.
“And I’m Mellanie,” chimes in the curvy girl, making sure her presence is felt.
They introduce themselves with the practiced ease of those who are used to making grand entrances. I offer a polite smile, even though the situation feels absurd.
“Hi, girls,” I replied with a small wave.
Catherine continues, “Anyway, we wanted to invite you to our table so we could get to know you better.” She says it like it’s a rare honor, while the other two nods in agreement.
This is the moment they’ll judge whether I’ll fit into their circle.
Not that I care too much, but avoiding bullies is definitely preferable.
I want a peaceful life, so it’s probably better to accept their invitation.
“Sure,” I said with a smile, and followed them to their table.
The table is already occupied, mainly by boys who immediately start eyeing me with a mix of curiosity and predatory interest.
Great, here we go, I think, trying to keep my expression neutral.
“Who do we have here?” one of the boys says, his gaze lingering a bit too long. Before I can respond, Mellanie introduces me as though she’s known me forever.
“Chris, this is Louisa, the new girl,” she says, casually taking a seat next to me.
“Louisa,” Catherine continued, making me turn my head to the left where she was sitting. “Let me introduce you to our friends: This is Chris. Be careful with him.” She playfully jabs Chris, indicating a familiarity that makes me uncomfortable.
“This is Kurt, Lucas, Eric, and Paul,” she adds, and I give a general wave to acknowledge them.
Suddenly, a dark, heavy aura washes over me. I turn my head sharply towards the door on my right, where a boy with an ominous presence is approaching.
What… I think, feeling a shiver run down my spine, when I heard a chuckle from beside me.
“That’s Titus,” Briana, seated directly in front of me with her arms around Paul, said, noticing my reaction. “He’s trouble. Better watch out for him.”
“A maniac,” adds another, confirming my unease.
It’s almost physically painful how intense his presence is. What’s up with him?
We continue talking, mostly about me and why I’ve joined the school.
I try to respond politely and avoid any insults, despite the overwhelming amount of chatter.
When the bell rings, I’m practically exhausted. God, this is draining.
“What do you have after this?” Catherine asked, as the four of us started walking together, with the three of them trailing behind me.
I pull out my schedule. “It’s Math in room 311?” I ask, unsure of where the room is located.
“Yes, I have that class too!” Briana exclaims, her enthusiasm almost infectious. “You’re with me. Come on!” She grabs my left arm and leads me away from the others. “See you later, girls!” she shouts over her shoulder as we head towards room 311.
“Sorry for the sudden ambush,” Briana says once we’re out of earshot of the others.
I looked up, surprised, and saw her offering a sheepish smile before letting go of my arm.
“I know it must be a shock for you. Cat, Mel, and the others can... well, be a bit overwhelming?” she says quietly, causing me to burst into laughter. Thank God, she sees it the same way. It means she’s normal.
“What?” she asks, noticing my laughter.
“Don’t let them hear you,” I replied, making her smile in understanding.
“I guess we could be friends, the real kind,” she says, and I’m relieved to hear that. It feels genuine.
I glance at my phone and see a text from my concerned father.
‘How’s school?’
With a happy smile, I replied, “I’ve already made a friend.”
And I’m genuinely glad that’s true.
Until a dark, painful sensation hits me, causing me to faint during gym class.
When I wake up, the nurse is there, explaining that she thinks I just overexerted myself on my first day since I arrived only yesterday.
I give her a grateful smile as she tells me I can rest here until I feel better before she heads back to her office next to the medical room.
As soon as she leaves, the room grows colder.
Oh, crap!
I thought something's bad was coming, so I quickly scrambled to get up, only to be halted by a presence blocking the door.
It’s the boy from the cafeteria…
“That’s Titus,” I remember Briana saying. “He’s trouble. Better watch out for him.”
What is he doing here?
Titus stares at me, blocking the exit, and I realize he’s not alone.
My eyes widen as I see another pair of eyes locked onto me.
So that’s why I felt something when he was approaching.
It’s...
“You can see her?!” Titus exclaims, his shock palpable, while I stand frozen, unsure of how to defend myself.
Crap!
Busted on day one?!
What should I do?
--------
- Writer
