Big Girls Don't Cry

Chapter 3

I walk into school and I am super nervous. I check my phone... 8:15 ... School starts now. As if to confirm this, the bell chimes overhead and immediately a rush of kids surrounds me. Everyone here seems to know what to do and where to go and then there's me. Standing here like a boulder in a river, not moving. Finally, I make the first good decision since I walked in the door. I go to the office to ask for my schedule.
"Hi, I'm new here. And I have no idea what to do." I say to the office lady.
"Well what grade are you in? Sixth?" She asks as if she is talking to a three year old. I respond in the exact same tone of voice. "I'm in 8th grade, not sixth."
"Oh sorry, you're just-!"
"So small. Yeah, I KNOW. Can I just have my schedule please?" I sigh.
"Okay, what is your name?"
"Kit Jones."
"Give me a second... Aha! Here it is! Should I print it?" She asks.
No I'm just going to magically beam it into my mind I think
"Ummm... Yes?" I say.
A moment later I hear he whirring of the printer as my schedule comes out, ink still wet. She picks it up and hands it to me with a flourish. Another bell rings and I hear the Pledge of Allegiance come on over the PA system.
"Come back if you need help finding your classes!" She adds cheerfully.
Not a chance I think
A few minutes later, I am standing in the doorway of a classroom with all the kids and the teacher staring at me as if I have just killed someone.
"Ummmm... Hi?" I say and my voice carries through the silent, airless room.
"Hello," says the teacher "You interrupted my interesting lecture on the Revolutionary War." I look around the classroom and see kids dying of boredom. I can't help but laugh.
"And what, pray tell, is so funny to Miss Jones?" The teacher asks the sleeping class in a stupid English accent.
For some reason, I speak right up and tell him "Because you said 'interesting' and half your class is asleep and the other half, between naps!" I exclaim. Then I lower my head, cheeks burning.
"Apparently Miss Jones has an attitude. I am going to show her what happens to wrongdoers in my classroom." There is a general intake of breath from the class and I think oh no
"Miss Jones, if you would be so kind as to follow me." says the teacher.
I obey, and he takes me to a blackboard off to the side.
"Now, you will write 'I will not interrupt Mr. Redding's interesting lectures.' 25 times."
I sigh and begin on my irksome task. My arm begins to ache after 10. Finally, I finish and slam the bit of chalk down on the tray.
"Done!" I announce.
"Very good!" beams Mr. Redding. "Now let's find you a seat."
We both scan the room and I see a spot next to a boy. Said boy looks at me and wiggles his eyebrows. I look away and search for another spot as Mr. Redding announces "Yes, you can sit next to Henry!" I look around again, expecting to see a different seat next to a different boy. I don't. I sigh.
I walk to my new seat and set my stuff down. Henry stares at my chest and I look down thinking there might be something on my shirt. Instead, I see that my shirt was from the category 'makes me look desperate' and it is extremely low-cut.
"Oh my goodness..." I whisper, pulling up my shirt.
Henry grins and I scowl. We face front and I try to ignore the fact that Henry keeps looking at me out of the corner of his eye. Eventually, I say, louder than I expected, "Can you please stop?" Henry blushes, embarrassed and I look back at the teacher to see that he is staring at me. Oh dear...
"Miss Jones! Would you like to share with the class what you just said?"
"Not really," I retort.
"Well you need to." He replies.
"Fine! I was just telling Henry not to stare at me!" I say.
"Ooooooh!" coos Mr. Redding. "A little love interest going on? Well, I agree with you, she is really pretty..."
"Ookay!" I say. "That is QUITE enough. That's weird."
"It is not weird, Miss Jones. Don't be rude. I didn't have to compliment you."
"I would have preferred it that way." I mumble.
"What?" He says.
"Nothing." I reply.
Then, just as he is about to say something, the bell rings. Freedom! All the kids pack their stuff and file out of the classroom. I am leaving, halfway out the door, when Mr. Redding calls me back. I stop, almost falling, and stumble back into class.
"Yeah?" I ask.
"I really like you, Kit." He says and the intensity of his gaze makes me blush. This is a little weird.
"Okay?" I say.
"You are really pretty, Kit." He says.
"I'M LEAVING NOW!!" I yell and walk out the door and SMACK! I run into a girl with blue streaks in her hair.
"Sorry!" She says. "I'm suck a klutz. I didn't even see you there."
"I'm sorry too." I reply.
"I don't think I know you," she says questioningly.
"No, I'm new here."
"Oh, well hi!" She exclaims, startling me. "I'm Jocelyn, but you can call me Jocey."
I smile and say "I'm Kit, But you can call me Kit."
Jocelyn laughs. Her laugh could be singled out in a crowd; it has a raw freedom and echoes all around.
"Has Redding started being creepy to you yet?" She asks and I nod, wondering how she could possibly know.
"He does it to every girl at least once. One girl said that he even tried to kiss her once." whispers Jocelyn with disgust in her voice. "I hate him."
I shrug, unsure. We compare schedules and find that we only have two classes together, science and PE. Science is next.
"What's the science teacher like?" I enquire.
"She's awful. She gave a kid detention for coming in late even though he had a note from his parent explaining why."
"Ouch. What's her name?"
"Ms. Cabella." Jocelyn says giving a big, fake, exaggerated shudder. I sigh and the bell rings, ending break. Jocelyn and I line up outside the door as it swings open to reveal a tall, stern looking woman with glasses. I can already tell that this will be my least favorite class. We walk inside and I see him.