A Rough Start

Chapter One

                                      A Rough Start

                                                       Chapter One

I sigh to myself as I walk into the front doors of the school. A black and yellow banner hangs from the highest point, which isn’t very high up, advertising an upcoming football game for their team, the Gold-Digger’s. Wow, a lovely mascot.

I try my hardest to follow the signs and arrows that point me in the direction of the main office. I walk up and down a flight of stairs, walk past a door that leads to the basement, find a huge bell, and then slide down a rail to the bottom of the stairs. Standing up straight, I come face to face with the principal standing outside the main office.

Perfect timing.

"Young lady, are you aware that sliding down the railing is against school rules?" His voice raises an octave higher, and I grimace at the sound.

"Actually, sir, I'm not.” I mentally raise an eyebrow at how callous I sound.

A crowd begins to form around us and whispers erupt. I hear ‘new girl’ fly around the crowd. I roll my eyes at there childishness.

"Get to class!" He barks at them and then turns to me. "I suggest you refrain from speaking to me like that. Go in the office and get your schedule. I hope we don't have to see each other again."

"The feeling is mutual." I say and walk into the office. I hear someone yell 'Damn, she told him!', and I smile to myself.

When I walk into the office a woman in her late twenties looks up from her desk.

"Can I help you?" She asks in a deep southern accent. A suppress a smile at how motherly she sounds.

"I'm new here and the big guy out there said to come get my schedule." She chuckles at my shameless reference to the principal.

"You've had your first encounter with Mr. Bumble, I see. What's your name Hun?" Mr. Bumble? A traitorous smile forms on my face. His name suits him all too well.

After quickly wiping the smile off of my face I answer in a polite tone, "Beth. I mean, Elizabeth, but please just call me Beth."

"Okay, Beth, here’s your schedule. Do you think you can find your classes okay? I can send someone from your first class to come get you if you’d like."

"No thanks, I'm sure I can find it."  I flash an all too fake smile in her direction.

Un-phased, she smiles back. "Okay Sweetie. Good luck with your first day, come back tomorrow morning and let me know how it went!"

"Okay." I walk back out to the hallway and I felt an arm go around my shoulder as I start walking down the seemingly endless hallway.

"Hey shawty, what you did back there was beast! You wanna kick it sometime?" The male voice asks me. I stop abruptly and turn to face him. As I knock his arm off my shoulder, a glare deeply at him.

"I am not your shawty, got it? What I did back there, was not beast, it was me standing up for myself against an overage bully. On top of all that, the only time I'm going to kick it is when I kick you in the balls for not leaving me alone." Some of the kids lingering in the hallway had turned to watch us, well watch me. I walk past everyone with my chin up and start trying to find my first class.

Jesus what the hell is wrong with these people?

"Damn. And you’re a new girl?" Someone questions, coming up behind me. I stop and turn around. Slightly started at his feral looks, I take him in. Dirty blonde hair that may have been combed a week ago hangs in a gorgeous mess around his face. Bright blue eyes, like mine only darker, shimmer with humor. Muscled arms and to-die-for-hands, sum his bad boy look up completely.