Never Walk Alone

Chapter 4

    I sat in my room the day after my birthday party, thinking how good it had been and how I had gotten to see Darren again. We had gone down to the climbing trees and tried to see who could climb the tallest one to the very top. To my surprise, Darren had won, although I had been climbing those trees since I was five. Summer had been way too much fun to give up. But now I had to go to school. A place full of people I have never wanted to hang out with. But since Darren was new to town, he would most likely be going to my school. I grabbed my backpack, which was strangely empty; although I knew that wouldn't last for long. Since I lived so far out in the country, my parents had to drive me to school. So we trekked along the dirt roads up to our tiny school of Cumming, Georgia. All I hoped at the school was that everyone left me alone and that I could keep to myself and read. Climbing up the stairs to the school was a bother; I dragged my feet along the bottom. When I swung wide the doors of the middle school, my first thought was wanting to go home. I picked a table in the cafeteria that was alone in the back and made myself comfortable. I had picked an outfit for today that I thought might give me a little bit of self confidence. This morning I had chosen a pair of skinny jeans and a graphic tee sweater with a narwhal on it and some purple chevron pattern inside bubble letters that spelled my first name. It had been a present for me on my eleventh birthday. I had a big purple chevron bow on top with some white lace decoration lining the bow. My straight brown hair was tied back in a ponytail as usual. I had even gone so far as to put on a bit of mascara. After I had gotten my table and gotten everything set up, I pulled out a book to read until the bell rings. But I only got to read for a good five minutes before I felt a tap on my shoulder. And who else could it be besides Darren?
"Hey!" he said as ecstatic as ever.
I reluctantly closed my book. He had to stop me at a good part?
"Hey," I muttered a lot less enthusiastically.
He rolled his eyes.
"You can put the book down now," he hinted at me jokingly. I stuffed it into my backpack even though I would prefer to have read the whole day. The truth was, Darren had been fun the last few days, but I still preferred to be alone, sad as it was. He was also a guy, which is a whole different personality type. I had never dealt with so much energy before. But at least he talked so much that I barely had to say anything. I nodded in between sentences and chose instead to look around at the other kids in school that I would have to deal with for the rest of the year. Darren blabbed on while I studied a group of girls who were giggling and laughing between sentences. Another group talked in low, solemn voices and would turn their heads every so often as if to make sure no one was listening. And yet another group of boys were arm wrestling and laughing, calling each other "weak" and then beginning to start to punch each other jokingly. All of the girls were laughing to each other, one was braiding another girl's hair, and others had makeup bags to share. Of course I envied them slightly. I was one of the out-of-the -norm girls who wouldn't find a best friend. But I reminded myself that I would much rather be alone, anyways. But in school, everyone knew what you were doing. There was no room for mistakes or looking like an idiot, which is what I did quite often. I would have to adjust to school rules on school property.
"Are you even listening to me?" Darren snapped me back to reality.
I looked at him and smiled apologetically. He gave me a jokingly scolding look. Just then, a group of guys came up to Darren, obviously  wanting him to hang out with them. He looked back at me as if asking me if he had permission to go with them.
"Go!" I told him as he grabbed his stuff and waved. Finally. Peace and quie-
RINGGGG!
"So, who's your girlfriend?" I heard one of the guys Darren was hanging out with yell loudly to him. I scoffed and moaned. Darren was not my boyfriend. Neither would he ever be. I shot the guys hanging out with Darren a dirty look as they walked by.