The New Girl

Chapter 2 - The New Girl

7th September 2021 - The School...

The halls of the school echoed with the sound of chattering students. The sun streamed through the tall windows, casting long shadows across the polished floor, painting the halls in shades of gold and crimson. Olivia, dressed in her school uniform, made her way through the crowded hallways, her textbooks clutched tightly under her arm. She glanced up at the clock, she had just five minutes left until her second out of three lessons of the day, English. As she walked, she couldn't help but earwig conversations around her, some boring and others intriguing.

A particularly interesting one caught her attention. Standing behind Olivia were two girls, Millie and Bethany. They were talking about a new girl who had supposedly joined the school, fresh out of the Netherlands. Olivia perked up at this news; she'd never met anyone from the Netherlands before. She wondered what it would be like to have a classmate who'd grown up in such a different culture, a girl who might have a completely different perspective.

As she pondered this idea, Olivia felt a gentle nudge on her shoulder. It was Chris, her tall and lanky friend, grinning sheepishly.
"Sorry," he muttered.
"You zoned out. But hey, I heard that there's a new girl. She's supposed to be pretty hot. Maybe we could check her out at lunch?" He waggled his eyebrows suggestively, and Olivia couldn't help but roll her eyes.
"Yeah, sure, I heard Millie and Beth talking about it just then." she replied, trying to not seem too excited about it all.
"Nosey." Chris chuckled.

Inside, she was already imagining what this mysterious new girl might be like. She wondered if they'd become friends, or if their differences would keep them apart. The thought made her heart race, and she couldn't wait to find out.

Chris and Olivia finally arrived at their English class, with Mrs. Hussain. As they walked down the hall, they could hear the familiar sound of Mrs. Hussain's sharp voice calling the class in. They paused outside the door, exchanging glances, and then quickly entered the room.

The classroom was filled with the sound of chattering students, all of them settling into their desks. Olivia glanced around, taking in the familiar surroundings: the posters of classic literature on the walls, the neatly organized bookshelves, and the large window that overlooked the school garden. Her gaze drifted to the seating plan on the board, and there it was: Skylar. Her new classmate's name was directly next to Olivia at the back. A shiver of excitement ran down her spine.

The door creaked open, and in walked the headteacher, Mrs. Jenkins. She was notorious for her perpetual scowl and strict way of learning. Today was no exception.
"Alright, settle down," she said, her voice authoritative.
"We have a new student joining us today. Her name is Skylar Dijkman." The class murmured amongst themselves, some already exchanging glances and whispers.
Mrs. Jenkins fixed her steely gaze on the class. "Now, I want all of you to be kind and welcoming to Skylar. She's just arrived from the Netherlands, so she might be feeling a bit homesick. Show her the same respect and compassion that you would want for yourselves." There was a murmur of understanding from the students, but Olivia could sense her curiosity and nervousness.

Olivia couldn't help but feel a mixture of anticipation and apprehension. She wondered what Skylar was like, what she enjoyed doing. The classroom door creaked open once again, and in stepped a girl with long, wavy blonde hair and piercing blue eyes. Olivia could tell that Skylar was short, even though she had perfect posture as she walked in. She seemed shy and nervous, glancing around the room before finally settling into her seat next to Olivia. Here's where the gay panic set in.