Cassie's Tale on Life, Love and Loss

Chapter 6

Monday came around and that meant school, a new school with new people and hopefully a new status quo. Hopefully as a result of Serena's help boosting my confidence will change my spot on the social ladder and I can finally find out who I truly am. New town, new people, new me, new experiences. That's what my mom told me on our way down- that this was an opportunity for a new start where no one knows our story and we can be free. I hate that I have to go through this without her, she was always there for me, through the bullying, the reporters hounding me, the trials; I wish she was here for this.

I got dressed in my uniform, the navy skirt and blazer and white shirt with the red and black stripped tie, then did a little make up. Its so weird starting school in the middle of the year, the only people here I know are the Lancasters and they will most likely not talk to me in school. A part of me wishes I was back home, atleast there I had friends, even if it was only Serena and Axel, it was still nice. With that I push Axel out of my head.

I run down to the kitchen to grab a bagel and get a ride from one of the guys. On the table there's a set of keys and note that reads You're part of the family now Cass. I pick up the keys and there are five, I'm guessing they're for the house but there's one that looks like a car key. I walk out to the garage and see a red Fiat 500x with a bow on it and the license pate read CASS547.

"What the hell?" I mutter to myself as I walk back in to the house to ask Teresa what's going on.

"Well sweetie, you're a part of the family now so you're going to need a car or some kind of transportation to go to and from school and anywhere else" Teresa said as she pulled her hair up in to a high bun.

"But, but. You didn't have to do this, this is too much. You've done more than enough for me already" I protested.

"I know tht I didn't have to, I wanted to. Besides you're the first girl I ever had in my care, so I'm going to pamper and spoil you" she smiled "now go to school before you're late"

"Thank you" I said on my way out. Why can't I be fully happy about this? I just got a car for heavens sake, it just feels like a lot all at once. I wish I could talk to someone about my mom and all of this weirdness being the only girl in the house but rafter the last conversation we had, I'm not even going to bother, he said he wants to still be friends, but it feels impossible.

I pull in to the parking lot behind the school to see the boys already parked in a row with a spot next to theirs that was reserved for me. After pulling in and checking my make up a little I made my way to the front entrance. It was elegant and scholarly inside, the school was pristine.

"Excuse me, do you know where the main office is?" I asked some random girl, she looked nice.

"Yeah its right down the hall, second door on your right" she smiled nicely.

I muttered a quick thank you to her and went down to the office.

"You must be Ms. Montgomery. Nice to meet you I'm Dean Olsten, Dean of students here." A lady old enough that she looks like she should be wearing a powdered wig gets up from a chair behind her desk and stretches out her hand.

"Nice to meet you" I respond shaking the lady's hand firmly.

"Here is your class schedule and a map of the grounds. Now for the day I have assigned you a helper, her name is Marissa" she said pointing to a girl sitting in the corner reading a book, she waved at me, "She will help you get around the school and in class she will help explain anything they have gone over so far this year that you are not familiar with, you both have the same schedule to make it easier for you. Welcome to Ditka Preparatory School for the Gifted and Talented, Ms. Montgomery, we are pleased to have such an intelligent mind among us. We have examined your transcript very carefully and are securely sure that you belong here". I was shocked, I didn't realize that this was a smart people school, I thought it was just a regular private high school, but apparently it was a place for gifted and talented. I knew that my transcript was nearly flawless but I never thought of myself as "gifted and talented"

I examined the girl, she was pretty, she reminded me of myself, A student, the schools very own tour guide, insecure. Yea that's how I was ever since the trial ended and everyone started bullying me. I could tell she was either shy or insecure, maybe both, from her body language. Memories flood through my mind of when I was popular and how that all turned around seventh grade year. My heart starts racing and I push the memories to the back of my mind. The bushy eye-browed girl gets up and speaks.

"Let's head to our first period class, English, its on the second floor in this building, so we can take our time."

"Cool. We have all classes together right?" I ask and she nods leading the way to Ms. Wullork's class.

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Surprisingly, so far my first day at Ditka went by smoothly, I didn't crash into anyone or get in the way of the populars, I pretty much just chatted with Marissa. That's one thing about shy kids, they're not shy with other outcasts, we're just scared of not fitting the norm of everyone else so we stick together.

By lunch I was pretty used to the main building, which is where English and Foreign language classes were. I had yet to go in to the building for sciences and math or the Performing Arts building.

"And who do you think you are?" A heard female voice. I looked up to see a red-head in stilettos and a black leather jacket with our uniform. Based on the two girls on either side of her, I could assume she was Queen Bee, or at least of our grade.

"Yea, everyone knows this is where we sit" one of her puppets jeer. I would've sat for lunch with Marissa but she went home for lunch.

I stand up, flushed and confused. "Hmm, wait a second" the 'Queen' says twisting the end of her hair and looking me up and down making me feel a tad uncomfortable. "Actually, sit with us" she says pointing at the chair still warm from my body.

"Ummm sure" I say taking my seat and putting my tray back on the table.