Meet the Misfits

Maybe.

To most people, the things that matter most in life are all definitives. Not perhaps, not maybe, not possibly. After all, who could waste their precious thoughts on mere maybes? They trust in their selves that they have the answers, they have to know. Their whole lives depend upon it. 

Not me. There are no definitives in my life. Maybe I'll drag myself out of bed. Maybe I'll eat something. Maybe my new "mom" will tell me she loves me as I stand there hoping, just hoping that she will. Maybe I'll get called names as wads of trash get stuck in my hair while walking down the hallway. And today, that's exactly what happened. Nothing seemed spectacular, nothing seemed different. But inside of me, there was this small seed of hope that maybe today wouldn't be what it always was. And for some god-awful reason, that seed of hope was right... 

The day started off normal enough, I did my thing, the rest of the world did theirs. But there's no foreshadowing in real life, is there? I always expected a fairy godmother to pop out and tell me something life-changing was gonna happen. But that is not how it happened. 

"Okay class, so tonight's homework is to finish up your song project. Other than that, have fun and do what teenagers do best!" The salt-n-pepper-haired, slouching man said, raising a fist to the air. 

"Drink?" 

"Have sex!"

"No," he made a disgusted but also quizzical look, "Learn! Your brains are in their prime!" The class gave a synchronized groan as they shuffled out of the classroom. As I stood to join them, Greg, the said forty-year-old, fist-pumping man, motioned me over. 

"Anna, would you please see me at the end of the day?" My heart started pounding and I began to panic, though I couldn't recall anything I did wrong. I nodded my head weakly and hurried out of the classroom, scared that he hated me. Sure, I was overthinking it, but that was how I functioned. Chemistry and History passed, and so did a million thoughts. 

Oh God, you stupid bitch, he probably hates you now. There you go again, taking the only good things in your life and ruining them. That's all you ever do. Ruin, ruin, ruin. My bathroom self-loathing party was interrupted by the loud, electronic bell that indicated I needed to haul ass to last period. I gathered my things and left, then I started trying to slip down the hallway as discreetly as possible. 

That is until I bumped into everyone's favorite pretty boy with a temper, James Hartlock. Most people called him Jamie, but I didn't call him anything because I'd never spoken to him before. He seemed to be on another level of Earth entirely, and I couldn't recall a time which we'd ever had the need to talk to each other. Until now. 

I opened my mouth to speak, and then I realized I couldn't speak because I had had the wind knocked out of me by a 6'3" football player. I fell flat on my flat bottom and dropped everything I was carrying. 

"Sorry," James said but continued walking anyway. I was, but shouldn't have been, surprised by his rudeness. As I saw him stomp and huff further down the hall though, I began to wonder why he was upset. It's not like popular people have problems, do they? Lost in my thoughts, I didn't hear the last bell that told me I was L-A-T-E. I awkwardly scurried myself to math class, trying not to get caught. Somehow, in a rare bit of luck, I made it. 

I tried to lose myself in the world of cotangents and TI-84's, to distract myself from the impending doom that would come. However, time seemed to fly and I had only done 3 math problems on the 20 question homework when the bell rang. With shaking hands and trembling breath, I gathered my things, and what little strength I had and I began to move toward Mr. Showe(also know as Greg)'s room. 

He was standing at the door, waiting for me it seemed. I felt relieved when I saw that he was smiling and calmly leaned against the door. 

"Hello Mr. Showe, wh-why did you want to see me?" My voice was shaking, revealing my nerves and I hated it, though he didn't seem to mind. 

"It's Greg, sweetheart, and come on in, I'll tell you in a bit. Or you'll figure it out for yourself." He gently guided me into the room, and I noticed there were four people sitting in a circle, with one empty chair. Then I noticed James from earlier. And then I noticed there was a girl with caramel-colored hair who was glaring intensely at him. I exchanged looks with the two others, who shared my confused and scared look. Greg followed in behind me. The caramel girl shot up at him.

"What the fuck is this bullshit, Greg?"

"Now hold up Carley, give me a chance to explain."