A Change

Part One:

What was this? I had always hated his persona, and now I was getting a fuzzy feeling in my stomach as he walked into the room. It must have been the sour milk that I had accidentally swigged this morning just before rushing off to my first day of senior year.

I sat in my first period class, doodling on a new sheet of notebook paper, waiting for the bell to ring. As I curled into my seat, the desk in the corner that was farthest from the board, I noticed him walk in. That scum bag, William, who had made my life a living hell the year before, was somehow managing to give me butterflies. The thought disgusted me.

William crawled into the seat right next to mine, despite there being three other empty seats around the room.

"Great, another year of bullying," I thought to myself.

William turned to me and flashed a smile. He winked as he said, "Looking good, Sandra."

I knew he couldn't be serious. I knew that I had lost quite a lot of weight during the summer and discovered what make up was, but the thought of William actually complementing me was irrational in my mind, but I couldn't help but blush. I rolled my eyes and began doodling my name on the front of my notebook.

The bell rang and the math teacher headed to the front of the class to call roll. After roll was called, my mind drifted to what William had said before. Why did I like that he might have possibly complemented me? Did I like him? Did he like me? Being the girl I was, I convinced myself that I was over thinking.

I only came back to the present when I heard Mr. Adcock, the math teacher, saying,

"Shana, oh, um Sandra! You got that?"

"Yes, Sir! Loud and clear, Sir," I said in a mocking sort of tone.

The class giggled at my reply as thoughts rushed through my mind as to what he could have asked. I figured the best thing to do was to ask someone in the class. I looked around and noticed the only one directly beside me was William, and I was not about to ask him for help! Who knows what answer he would give me. He's probably tell me something completely wrong just so that I would wind up looking stupid in front of the whole class.

I leaned towards the girl in front of William, Lindsay, I think her name was. I tapped on her shoulder and smiled as I asked what exactly it was that I was supposed to "get". She giggled and replied,

"Oh, you're supposed to bring cups and plates for the back-to-school party Mr. Adcock is hosting tomorrow morning, since you didn't sign up to bring anything when he announced it! What was it you were so spaced out about, anyway?"

"Oh, um..nothing," I coughed up.

"You're and odd bird. I like that," she replied as she tousled her silky brown curls. She smiled then turned back around as she realized I was no longer in the need of her assistance.

I looked over at William as I sat back in my desk. He had a confused look in his eyes. It was as if he was hurt that I didn't ask him what I was supposed to know. If he hadn't spent almost my entire highschool career terrorizing me, maybe I would have trusted him. I just couldn't find it in myself to trust him, though. He had something dark about him, but that fact made me so inquisitive.

The bell rang and I headed for second period-Creative Writing. I loved writing, and I figured this class would be my only sanctum. That was until William walked in and plopped in the desk right in front of mine. Did he even like to write? He didn't seem like a deep kind of person. He probably got stuck in the class because he didn't want to take drama. What a jerk. William turned to me as if he was going to talk to me. I turned the other way, acting like I didn't notice. He began to speak anyway.

"Didn't expect to have another class with you, Bird."

I replied, "Well, I was hoping you wouldn't, and Bird? Where did that come from?"

"Woah now! Don't get angry, Bird. I love writing. It's not my fault that I have a natural talent. Bird is what Lindsay called you. It fits you," he chuckled.

"Oh. Well, I don't need more nicknames from you. Last year held enough," I snapped back.

His face hardened as he replied, "Look. I'm trying to better myself. I went to counseling over the summer. You don't know what I've been through. Stop judging me." He picked up his books and moved across the room.

At that point, the battle inside of myself began. My mind felt relief, but my heart couldn't help but sink.