Shadow Protection

Chapter 2

"Okay kiddo you ready?" My dad asked as we pulled up in front of the school. The above marking on the entrance of the school read Charlottesville High School there were also black and orange banners which I'm guessing were their school colours. I had to admit the school was big and pretty but that was only from the outside.

"Dad, I'm not going off to war. I can handle myself."

"But it's your first day. Can't I be worried? Of course I should be worried I'm the dad and you're the daughter." My dad said, answering his own question.

"Dad this is not my first, first day and it won't be the last. I'll always be on the top of the social hierarchy no matter what." I said and my dad gave me a funny look.

"What, what did I say? Do I have something on my face?" I asked and looked into the side mirror to see what my dad saw and that's when I noticed the obvious.

"Right, I almost forgot that's not who I am anymore." I said with dejection it seems this nerd thing was not going to be as easy as I thought. My dad placed a comforting hand on my shoulder.

"You're not there yet you can change your mind if you want and your clothes." He said and I really sat and thought about what my next move would be and what I would be signing myself up for.

"How about I just go back to doing what I'm good at."

"And what's that?"

"Proving people wrong." I said and got out of the car with a smirk and my dad laughed.

"You are so much like your mom. Good luck hun."

"Bye dad." I replied and gave him a wave; he waved back and drove out of the compound.

I looked at the entrance and decided it was now or ever. Who did I want to be when I entered those doors, the nerd, the popular girl or a wallflower? I almost forgot that such a click existed. The perfect in-between for a girl like me, still pretty but not outspoken, shows some but not all of her talents and remains mysterious. Yep the wallflower it is I'm sure my mom will give me a I told you so laugh when I tell her I changed my mind. But let's be realistic, you can't pretend to be someone you're not and will never be. You're just wasting your time. I will still keep the same mentality that I did before concerning my personality change but that didn't mean I had to give up everything that made me...me.

"Aren't you going in? A voice asked that startled me out of my inner monologue.

"What?" I asked as I turned to look at who asked me the question but the sun was reflecting off the glasses and frankly I couldn't see shit.

"God these damn glasses." I mumbled. I rubbed my eyes once and finally the sun cleared from my vision and I saw a tall, blond-haired boy with his medium length hair styled into a quiff, blue eyes, a very handsome athletic looking type, like a handsome football jock. He was wearing a grey T under a black leather jacket, black skinny jeans and black boots. I die for boys wearing outfits like these. Not die, die of course but melt, swoon.

"I asked if you weren't going in. You were standing there for a while." He said with a slight rasp to his voice. Damn he's hot.

"Oh I was. I was just thinking nothing weird about that." I said and he laughed and held his hands up in surrender.

"I never said it was weird." He replied with a smile and I swore I melted. "I'm Zeke, Zeke Dominic." He said and stuck his hand out for a shake.

I hesitated for a moment before I answered. Not whether to touch him or not but I couldn't remember my name.

"I'm Mary Jane Smith, nice to meet you." I said and shook his hand.

"Mary Jane? You don't look like Mary Jane." And I laughed.