Yonderly (NOT YET UPDATED)

- First Day -

It's the first day of high school. My first day of 9th grade. I have 3 close friends, they don't treat me like crap, and they care about me.

I think.

The 'popular boys' annoy me during first period. I have math, what more could you want at 8 am every morning? They call me names and throw papers at me. All except for one of them, Caleb Petrelli. He glances at me, quick enough so his friends don't notice, but not quite quick enough so I don't, and then scolds them to stop. Good try, I think, but the odds they won't listen are high.

After the teacher went over class expectations and such, we had a few minutes until class ended. Caleb, who is sitting on top of his desk behind me, turns around and taps my shoulder. "Hey, how are you?" I can hear his friends scowling behind him. He seems very awake, considering it's 8:40 in the morning. "Pretty good, you?" Good. I see a paper ball fly to the other side of the classroom. "Same. Sorry for them, by the way." Why is he apologizing if he didn't do it? "It's fine, you can't control them-" "Well yeah, but it's gotten worse since last year." He cuts me off by accident. "Sorry, I should probably just ask you what I wanted to." Oh? I don't show a reaction. "Could I have your number?" Be careful. "Sure, unless this is some sort of trick?" He smiles. "I would never," he says jovially. We exchange numbers.

I'm still unsure. Don't believe it. But maybe it's real. He wants to hurt you. He remembered last year, he paid attention. Whatever. Second period comes around, in which I have a study hall. No one does work, since there is none. I could listen to music. Three of the 'popular boys' are in my class. And Lincoln, Caleb's friend. One of his few actual friends, I should say. The two have been by each other's sides since first grade. We are assigned seats for the year, and I'm next to Lincoln and one of his cohorts. Behind me is Felix Borges, one of my best friends. Felix is one of the most considerate people I've ever met, you could see that in his round, emerald-like eyes. If only our classmates could see that. Felix and another student, who I believe is in the grade above us, are talking about what they are going to do after school. He invited me, but I told him I wouldn't be able to join them tonight. I didn't want to get in the way. I'm texting my other friend, Addison. They only live two towns over, which is pretty nice. Every Sunday we meet up at the same library where we first met 3 years ago.

Caleb texted me. He added me to a group text, with Lincoln. Ignore it. He looks at me. He wants to use you. I put my phone down and don't pay attention. Not to him, not to anything. Just my music.

The day goes by too slowly. I can't wait to get home and lock myself in my room until the petrichor settles. The 'new girl' is already popular. Pretty privilege. She lives on my road, no doubt my mom will try to get me more friends soon. The boys are swarming her. Don't you want to be her? I put my earbuds in, an attempt to not pay attention to the kids behind me. Dismissal is one of the loudest parts of school, besides lunch. Lucky for me, I know a shortcut to my road. I see my neighbor, Robbie, unlocking his door. I don't talk to him often, but we've walked to school and back together a few times, mainly when we were younger and too scared to walk alone. He likely left the minute the bell rang. Odd, though, I haven't seen him all day.