Peach Hills

Peach Hills High School

When I get to the school car park there are people standing around everywhere, talking, laughing, some people grabbing books and walking toward buildings I'm guessing they call classrooms. I find an unoccupied parking spot a little further away from the main office than I hoped. After I turn off the engine I grab my bag and place it on my lap. 3 deep breathes. This is my chance at a new beginning, don't blow it Tash! Don't make the same mistakes. I open up the door and step out of the car. A few heads turn as I walk toward the administration office, clearly being in a small town, everyone knows everyone. I guess I'm fresh meat. They are most likely all wondering the same thing. Who's the not so familiar face? What grade is she in? And the obvious one. Who is she? After I walk into the main office, a middle aged woman, maybe in her 50's greets me with a smile that reaches her eyes. "Good morning, how may I help you?" She asks so formally. I take a moment to think..."I'm new, I'm starting today, my names Natasha Winter." She stares me down, not intimidatingly, but curiously, then types something on the keyboard into the computer which I'm assuming is my name. She runs her fake, plum colored acrylics along the monitor and squints her eyes to focus. "Ah, yes! Welcome to Peach Hills High School Natasha. I have your school needs right here. Here, this is your timetable, teachers names, and school passwords, have a great day." I give her a thank you smile and walk out. I don't understand how to read any of this, it's all numbers and capital letters, pretty confusing actually. All of a sudden I walk directly into something  something or someone. "Oh my goodness I'm so sorry!" I blurt out. I look up to see somebody standing in front of me with blue eyes and an amazing smile! Its a boy, well a guy. My head hurts. "It's okay, no dramas. Promise. What's your name?" He asks, and an amazing voice he has too! "Natasha Winter, but preferably Tash." I put my hair back into place, hold my hand out for him to shake it and take a step back. He shakes my hand. "I'm Cory, nice to meet you Tash. So what grade are you in?" He asks. "Umm 11." He nods at me. "Same, is that your timetable?" He questions, pointing toward the piece of confusing folded paper in my right hand. I look down at it and unfold the paper. "Yeah, it's very confusing to read." I explain to him with a slight giggle in my voice. "What does EGLS1005 mean?" I read out pointing to a box in the column for my 'period 1' class. "That's English in building 1 classroom 005." He explains. "Your timetable is a little similar to mine, we probably have the same classes." I nod. "Give me your phone." He holds out his hand. Why does he want my phone? "Umm why?" I ask him. "I'll put my number in, text myself so I get yours and you can contact me if you need help finding classes." He explains to me. I hand over my iPhone 6, all black, and he puts in his number and sends himself a message like he said he would. He hands it back. "See you later Tash." He smiles and keeps walking the same way he was when I bumped into him." I just smile. Cory, the first person I met in my new home.

When I get to English class people stare, they whisper around asking if anyone knows who I am. I decide to take a seat in the back row, one table in from the back right corner. A woman walks in sternly. Her black short heels make a disturbing noise as she walks, her posture perfect. She stands in the direct middle at the front of the classroom.  Please don't tell me to stand up. Please new teacher no! I tell myself and keep repeating it until she interrupts the students all talking to start her lesson. "Good morning everybody, today we have a new student joining us." She glances toward me and I keep shaking my head, but she nods at me and continues anyway. "Natasha, would you like to come up and introduce yourself to us?" I am not 5! Why does she make me do this. I can tell by the way she looks at me it's not a question. I get up and make my way to the front of the room. I can feel my heart beating out of my chest, and many pairs of eyes staring directly at my every move. Be yourself. I say to myself. I look around the classroom at all the faces staring back at me. I notice a familiar face, it calms down my heart rate. I remember he's eyes. Cory. He winks at me and I smile. "I am Natasha Winter, I'm 16." I look at the teacher. "Do you want to tell us anything else about you?" She asks me. "I don't really know what to say, I moved here for my mums work, we haven't gotten to look around Peach Hills yet though we arrived on Sunday evening." I say looking at the teacher. "May I sit back down?" She nods and I walk back to my seat. The rest of this lesson was a blur, though on the corner of my eye I could see Cory, looking at me from head to toe. Was he admiring me? Probably just curious.
The rest of the day dragged slowly, consisting of introducing myself in every class, people whispering each time I walked past them and receiving stares from people everywhere I went. I ate lunch in panda and just listened to the radio while I checked my Facebook the whole time. I could see what my 'friends' were doing back home in Atlanta. I say friends in quotation because they are part of the reason I wasn't too sad to leave. So right now the only friend I have, my mum, and who knows what will happen tomorrow.