Where The Road Ends

Chapter Two: Gulf Coast High

I still don't know much about my grandmother, but since moving in three days ago I've learned her full name is Rose Eleanor Smith. I never knew my mother's maiden name was Smith. Stevie Leland sounds much better to me. Another thing I've learned is that my grandfather, Christopher, died before I was born.

My grandmother, maybe I should call her Rose, because she doesn't seem like my grandmother and it doesn't seem like she really wants to be, based on how she avoids me. Anyways, my she told my mom that I need to enroll in the local high school ASAP. Of course Rose already wants to get rid of me, but maybe it's not that bad of an idea. My absences outnumbered my attendance by a lot at the high school in Atlanta. My mom told me to fill out all the paperwork so I did. My first day of school is next Monday.

...

It's my first day of school at Gulf Coast High School in St. James Beach, Florida. I don't have many options for my first day of school outfit, but I'm not too worried about making a good first impression. It's March of my senior year, so I'm sure no one cares about the new girl at this point. I'm hoping to just blend in until I graduate in two months.

Only two more months, I remind myself so I don't have a panic attack.

I picked out an old band tee, ripped jeans, and black high top Converse. I'm using my mom's old backpack that Rose found in the closet. I throw in a pencil and a spiral notebook.

My mom drops me off at the front of Gulf Coast High School. The school is made up of four buildings arranged in a square, all surrounding a central courtyard, not like the one in Atlanta which was just one huge structure.

Stepping out of the car, I feel my stomach drop. Students gather in groups at the tables in the courtyard.

My anxiety starts to set in. Just two months I remind myself. There's eight more minutes until the first bell rings at 7:30. I head to the bathroom to wait. There's a group of girls in the handicap stall, so I close myself in the small stall furthest from it. The eight minutes feel like 30, but finally the bell rings. I wait for the group to head out before I leave.

My first period is chemistry. I enter the huge lab room and see the teacher at his computer. Mr. Dillard, I remind myself. All the students are gathered at lab tables, so I have no idea where to go. I walk up to the teacher and ask, "Excuse me, Mr. Dillard, I'm Tess Leland, um I'm new here."

Mr. Dillard looks up at me, he's probably in his early 30's, he seems like a nice guy and is well put together. "Oh yes, hello Tessa, welcome to Gulf Coast."

"Thanks," I smile as he checks his class roster.

"Ok Tessa," I cringe inside because I really only liked to be called Tess, but I don't want to correct him on my first day here. I know I said I don't care about first impressions, but he seems different from teachers I've had in the past. "I have you sitting at lab table number five," he points to the lab table in the back of the room with a large number 5 dangling from the ceiling.

I head to the table where three other students are already gathered, I try to plan what I'm going to say to them as a second bell rings.

"Alright guys, let's get started," Mr. Dillard announces from the front of the lab. "Attendance time."

I avoid looking at the three other students at the table, and instead focus my attention on the best way to say 'here' when he calls my name for attendance. Should I correct him and tell him to call me Tess? I zoned out halfway through the attendance and then I hear him call my name.

"Here," I say, and I feel all the students' eyes on me.

"Brandon Matthews," Mr. Dillard calls out.