Meredith’s wavy chestnut-colored hair was resting on a rosy, long-sleeved, cropped cardigan. The top button was fastened, leaving a white cami slightly peeking out underneath. Her blush-colored, flowy skirt complemented the cardigan as she twirled in a circle, causing the fabric to spin alongside her.
I was wearing something relatively similar—a peach and white tinted dress that ended a few inches above my knees with a cropped cardigan on top.Because all popular girls had to look the part.
“Meaning what, exactly? We’re gonna start a burn book and get hit by a bus?”
“No.” She rolled her eyes. “Meaningwe are going to have a great first day of senior year.”
“I’ll believe it when I see it.”
“Ugh, you’re so pessimistic sometimes.”
“Eh.” I raised my shoulders. “You still love me.”
“True.” She poked her tongue out at me. “So, lunch, yeah?”
“Yeah.”
Meredith pulled her arm away and gave one last smile before walking in the opposite direction to her first class. When she rounded the corner, I thumped my head against the lockers.
My mental fortitude needed to be way higher if I was going to make it through today. I clenched my eyelids tightly as I drew in a breath and released it. Straightening my posture, Isighed while lifting my clammy forehead from the cool metal that had provided a small semblance of relief. Putting one foot in front of the other, I plastered a smug look that essentially said,‘Hi, I’m Clarke and I’m too cool for school,’on my face. With a slight bounce in my step, I navigated an endless sea of pale walls until I eventually ended up standing in front of the AP Lit classroom. There were only about thirteen other students present, but each seat was filled. On the bright side, I didn’t see any cheerleaders or jocks—just a bunch of nerds.Score one for Clarke. Conversely, though, there was only one empty seat left, and it was situated right next to the teacher’s desk.Score one for the universe’s cruel sense of humor.I slid my textbook onto the surface of the rickety wooden table as I collapsed into the chair with a huff. The second my ass hit the seat, the intercom clicked on.
“Goooood morning Summerville High! Happy first day of school! Don’t forget to say hello to all our new freshman class. Some big events at the start of the year that you won’t want to miss are our annual Homecoming game on Friday, October 10th, and our Homecoming dance on Saturday, October 11th, so don’t miss out on celebrating with your friends. Be sure to come dressed to impress on September 22ndfor Picture Day, and—I can’t stress this enough—next Thursday is the last day to vote for student council, so make sure your voice is heard! Alright, that about sums it up for today, folks! Have a good first day, Honey Bees!”
Crossing one leg over the other, I anxiously flopped my foot around as I listened to the other students get acquainted with each other, whispering quietly. A petite older lady with graying hair stood at the front of the room, her sharp voice cutting through the hushed murmurs.
“Hello, class. My name is Mrs. Hawthorne, and welcome to AP Lit. If you’re expecting this class to be a walk in the park,you’ll be sorely disappointed, but if you work hard and do your assignments, I have no doubt that all of you will pass. To start this morning off, why don’t we go around the room and—”
There was a slight buzz inside my pocket—yes, my dress had pockets.How cool was that?
Pulling my attention away from the teacher, I reached down and grabbed my phone. Unlocking the screen, I saw a new message fromThe Pom Queensgroup text.
Get it?Because we’re cheerleaders. I thought it was pretty clever when I came up with it at the time.
I held my breath, pausing momentarily as my finger hovered over the chat bubble icon, already sensing the impending ridiculousness.
“Young lady, would you like to share whatever you’re doing on your phone with the class?”
My neck snapped up; my eyes flooded with fear as I stared dumbfounded at the teacher whose name I had already forgotten.
“Sorry,” I muttered, pulling my shoulders inward as I slid down in my chair.
“Phone. Away. Now.”
I stuffed my phone back into my pocket, silently pleading for my chair to swallow me.
“Good.” Her voice oozed complacency as she lifted her chin arrogantly. “It’s your turn now.”
My turn?My turn for what? What the hell did I miss?
“My turn?”
“First day, and you’re already making quite the impression.” Her lips pursed in a thin line as she sighed. “Stand and introduce yourself.”
I cleared my throat, pushing my chair back with my legs as I rose to my feet.Confident. Just be confident.
“My name is Clarke Taylor, and I’m a senior.” I flicked my hair behind my shoulder and angled my brow to form a small arch. “Thank God for that, because I’m so done with this place.” The sound of quiet chuckles emanated from somewhere in the room. “I’m also cheer captain, so if anyone wants to join the team, we are having tryouts this Friday.”
The teacher scowled, her gaze full of heat, as she motioned for me to sit back down. I thought about doing a curtsy while swinging my arms out behind me as an act of rebellion just like Katniss Everdeen inThe Hunger Gamestrilogy, but the last thing I needed was to be on this lady’s bad side, so instead, I opted on being a good little student and taking my seat in silence.
