Redlyn Fanfiction

The First Day

           Today is the first day of high school. I'm always nervous before something new, but this is the most nervous I've been in a while. I think my mom can tell, because she pulls over before we get to school to have a talk with me.

"Honey, there's no need to be nervous. You're going to school with all the people you've been going to school with since you were six years old. Plus, if things get bad, you can always go to EJ. You know he's always willing to help you out."

"I know mom," I say with a groan, "and I'm not that nervous." I say that last part while staring at my hands, knowing she would be able to tell I was lying if I looked her in the eye.

"Ashlyn, I've been watching you twist your necklace for the entire twenty-minute car ride. You're nervous, and that's to be expected. However, I don't want you to worry yourself sick. You'll find your people and make tons of new friends. I just know it."

She said that last sentence with a small, comforting smile and a knowing look. I hadn't had the best track record with making friends. Despite being in almost every possible club at school, I just was never able to connect deeply with anyone. Sure, I had casual acquaintances, but no one I would consider a best friend. I was kept from being too lonely by the closeness between my cousin EJ and me. But other than that, it was just me all the time. I know that was partly my fault, because I had the social skills of a hermit crab, but I did try. I really did. It just didn't come naturally to me. So, no matter how many times my face appeared in the club section of the yearbook, when people talk about me I will always and forever be known as "EJ's odd cousin".

"I know mom," I said completely unsure, "can we just go to school now? If I don't get there soon, I'll be late for my first day."

I walked through the front doors and took a deep breath. Luckily, I spotted EJ just a few feet away. I quickly walked to him for a bit of comfort before my first class. I also took out my schedule as I was walking his way so I could ask him where to find my first class, geometry. EJ's back was turned to me, so he didn't see me walking up to him. Right as I was about to tap his shoulder when I heard one of his friends say, "EJ, watch out, you're already getting a fan club of weird freshman girls asking for directions as an excuse to talk to you."

EJ quickly turned around and saw me standing there with my face redder than my hair. I felt tears coming and quickly turned and headed for the bathroom before anyone could see me. As I was walking, I heard EJ yelling at the guy who had made that comment, but this wasn't the first time this had happened. People were always making these kinds of comments to me and, no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't fully protect me from them. I saw the bathroom in the distance, which was good because my vision was getting blurred from tears. I was almost there when I felt myself trip over someone.

"Hey sorry about- woah, are you okay?" A slender boy with bright red hair and freckles all over his face gave me a soft smile. I recognized him from years past, but I didn't know his name. I just quickly nodded and hurried into the bathroom before I could embarrass myself even more.

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After quickly pulling myself together, I walked out of the bathroom to head to my geometry class. I was particularly nervous for this class because, since I was on an honor's track, there would be both freshman and sophomore in this class. I was one of the last people in the class, so I quickly took a seat towards the back so I wouldn't draw too much attention to myself. When I finally got my stuff out of my bag and looked up, I realized I had sat right next to the boy I tripped over on the way into the bathroom. Great.