Drifter Girl

Cheers for New Beginnings

Chapter 1 - Cheers for New Beginnings

[Reyna Elise Parker-Morrison]

A handwritten, 10-page, back-to-back essay for Mr. Isles; an intricate, detailed, handmade map of the world on a fourth of manila paper for Dr. Becker; pages and pages of mathematics equations for Madam Doherty; and lastly a ream of scientific debate on black holes for Miss Mira, due by the end of next week.

Wow, I thought, and it isn't even Tuesday night yet.

I leaned back on my desk chair, rolling away from the mountains of work that sat in front of me, choosing to ignore it for a moment. With a sigh, I use both hands to rub my tired eyes. Unfortunately, the homework list had been longer before I'd lessened it with a bit of hard work and elbow grease since the buttcrack of dawn.

God. Only a day in and the teachers were already trying to kill me with fatigue.

I had gone into Greenborough High last Thursday to get acquainted with the halls and the rooms I'd be in, almost getting lost in the process of determining routes. Eventually, I made it to the office. Or The Office, as apparently most students called it. Once in, I inquired about my schedule, my locker, and if I needed to have anything signed and returned by the end of my first day. The receptionist - Madam Trelawney - told me that they had expected me to arrive the next day, but gave in after a bout of begging and pleading.

Of course, being the daughter of both Arthur "Icarus" Parker - the once-famous football star - and Helena Morrison - A still-famous author - had given me one of the most prime lockers. Another round of walking had proven that my locker was easily accessible between classes. I walked into the office with a bright smile sent Madam Trelawney's way (which just about shocked the dear old lady) and returned the map, saying a quick thanks, and going my merry way. With my route memorized, my locker stocked, and my classes sounding wonderful, I had expected my first day in yet another school to flow by me unhitched and uneventful.

And let me just say once: expectations can ruin everything.

For my first official day in GH, my lovely mother - please, do note the sarcasm - forgot to buy my morning coffee. I had to get out of the house with no caffeine in me. Oh, the horror!

I got to school in one piece, ripping the back of my shirt on a loose screw on the bus the moment I sat up to leave. I kept my head up, of course, pretending not to care... and got a lock of my long slightly wavy hair on some kids hoodie. I nearly chopped a finger off by accidentally slamming my locker door on it, and smacked a jock in the face with the hand I was painfully waving around. Oops. And if that wasn't bad enough, I had conveniently plucked out of my brain the fact that my first subject on every Friday was - oh, God, have mercy - Mathematics with Madam Agatha Doherty.

Now, I wasn't that bad at Math. I usually got pretty decent grades, actually. But Aggie was a nightmare. A slightly overweight 60-year-old old maid, Agatha Doherty had a scratchy voice like no other. She was always slouched, coming up to only about my shoulders when I stood up. She had a wart the size of the tip of my pinkie finger, with a couple of hairs growing out of it. (Seriously. long enough for us to be able to count.) Her eyebrows were just one big, really thick caterpillar on her forehead, making her look like she's permanently scowling at you. Her greying hair was always pulled up in a severe bun, and she was almost always in one of those dresses grandmothers seem to prefer - the lace collar, the hypnotizing flower-y pattern, the puffed sleeves. And for an old bat, Aggie had sharp eyes: she always saw if you were texting in class. Always.

I'll admit, it doesn't sound quite as bad as it is to me. But - truthfully? - It was worse.

Madam Doherty always had this thin stick she carried around everywhere with her. It was thinner than my smallest finger, and longer than my thigh. It seemed like she took every chance she could to smack that stick on an unsuspecting kid's desk, making the most horrifying sound you will ever hear.