SINNERS

I

My report card. I knew what the paper would say each time I received it, but I was still anxious when it was laid face-down onto my desk. I carefully turned the card over, concealing it from my classmates until I read the bold print. Holding my breath, I read each line; in every class, I had the highest score. A sigh of relief. 

"A 'C' in Algebra 2? What bull..." I heard my neighbor, Elijah Green mumble. "Ay Abbott, let me see yours!" He grinned. I turned to face him, handing him my report card. "You're fucking kidding me! There's no way you're not sleeping with the teacher or something." I laughed a little, taking it back. The first time someone said that to me I was in junior high, I'm used to it by now. "She wouldn't make those scores if her dad wasn't literally Honor Abbott. You seriously think she's that smart?" The girl sitting beside Elijah, Misty Piper interrupted. 

"I don't care how she gets those scores, she's getting into a better college than both of us," Isaiah argued. Our conversation was quickly interrupted when our professor, Ms. June, cleared her throat to get our attention. "Ms. Abbott, you were called to the office." Shit, anxious again.

I have no reason to get anxious the way I do. I haven't done anything wrong. I'm not guilty of anything. I know this sounds like I'm just covering for something I actually did do, but in reality, I'm the best-behaved student at our academy. I left the classroom with my things and walked several doors down into the front office. The rather bitchy secretary was sitting at her desk on the phone, "Yes, I understand Ms. Jones...I guess I can find a way to get that settled...uhuh..." It wasn't long until she noticed me standing by the door, "Ah! I'm sorry Ms. Jones, I have a student here. Please call back at another time. Bye-bye!" She quickly ended the call with a sigh of relief. Her scowl turned into a forced grin.

"Hello, Ivy! We have a student transferring to the academy tomorrow. Her school records are awful; her mother told me that sending her to a religious school would be the most beneficial." She explained to me, drinking her mug of black coffee. Swallowing, she smacked her lips and began to speak again, "I want you to give her a tour in the morning. You know the drill, walk her to each of her classes in the order they are on her schedule, then show her the dining hall. The counselor mirrored her schedule around yours hoping you would be a good influence on her." 

A good influence. Every student who gets transferred here is supposed to be influenced by me. Every student who gets transferred here gets assigned classes with me. I shouldn't even be here; I'm only enrolled because of my father's association with the academy. I nodded in agreement, "Yes ma'am...do you know her name, by chance?" The secretary, Mrs. Greta, licked her chapped lips. God, that must feel like sandpaper on her tongue. I guess it's normal when you're seventy. "Angela Li. She's transferring from Fernhill." 

After our brief conversation, I followed the traffic to my next class, Angela on my mind. She was kicked from Fernhill? Fernhill is relatively close to Spring Academy, a little less than six hours away. That isn't what disturbs me; Fernhill is the third biggest and most successful academy in the state, it's difficult to even be considered for enrollment. What did she do to get dropped from there?

When I finally made it to my class, I took my seat beside Lois and Genevra, two of the most popular girls in my year. The seating arrangement in the classroom was set in groups of four, but they didn't choose to let anyone sit in the fourth seat.  "Oh, Ivy~" Lois called, "you'll never guess what I heard." I set my things down beside my desk, tucking my blonde hair behind my ear. I wear a thick headband to match my uniform, but if I wear it normally my forehead looks like a dinner plate; so I leave my bangs out along with a couple of front strands. "What is it?" I questioned. "Well, William told Madeline that Ashton told Liam he's into you and Madeline told Annabelle to tell me to tell you." Lois and Genevra have a problem with being a part of everyone else's business.

"Wait, what? Ashton told Liam he's into me?" I wondered, resting my chin in the palm of my hand. "Yes, Ivy! I heard his parents have a shit load of money, too. You two would be so cute!" Lois responded. "Ashton is the finest guy here. You have to get with him!" Genevra interjected. 

Ashton Ross. Captain of both the lacrosse and tennis teams. He lives somewhere in California, apparently. I've only spoken to him a few times, and I guess he's a good enough guy. However, I can't see myself dating anyone at the moment. Especially a guy.

"Yeah, I don't know..." I muttered. "You should talk to him! I know his best friend's sister's friend's boyfriend and I could have him ask about you!" Genevra added. Lois scrunched her face, "Parker? Do not ask him. He is the worst. I heard one time he-" I tuned out their voices and laid my head down on the desk. Our usual English professor wasn't teaching today, but we had a substitute. Our professor left us to read three chapters of our textbook and finish an essay we'd been working on this week, yet I had already completed it.

I kept wondering what Angela was like. What she could have possibly done to get expelled from Fernhill?