First day of seventh grade I had moved schools. Still in Bryersburg but a different school. It was called Gridsville, and it was just a few miles away from my old school, in the heart of the town. It would suck being the new kid, but I'd get used to it. As long as I was anywhere except home.
My dad barged into my room and woke me up; I could smell the alcohol on his breath. I jolted awake as he practically threw me off of my blow up air mattress, and onto my feet. The floor boards squeaked when I landed on the ground with a thud. It didn't hurt me, I was used to it. As he left I almost felt relieved that he woke me like that instead of the usual kick to my stomach.
I got up and gazed out of the dingy window. It was a good thing that the light shone through the tattered, rugged curtains because our electricity had been shut off ever since I could remember.
Mom came in, I turned around startled. She approached me and shoved the days school clothes at me with great force. I stumbled backward and landed on my rear, hitting my head on the wall behind me. As she staggered out of my room with drunken footsteps my head ached with pain, but I was agin relieved that I got away with only a slight shove instead of anything worse.
I put on the usual, long polyester pants, a baggy sweater, socks that reached just below the knee, and a pair of boots. I combed through my hair and kept as quietly as I could down the hall to get Greg from his room so we could leave to the bus stop. I fetched him and we carefully crept down the stairwell, through the hall, and out the door. We always slid out as quickly and quietly as we could, in fear of getting mom and dads attention.
When our feet hit the ground off the last porch step, that was when we knew were safe, at least until we got home in the afternoon. We headed out to the bus stop because as long as we waited out there, no one would have to see the eye-sore that we actually came from.
It was the same bus stop that I would use to get to my old school, but today a different bus would pick me up. I heard it coming from a distance and the sound drew nearer and nearer until I finally heard the breaks Coke on and saw the yellow vehicle before me. I got on, and I was suddenly just like any other kid; on my way to school, going about my day. The driver pulled out a clip board. "Layla Hollaway?, nice to meet you! You'll be sitting in seat 14." He then greeted Greg and appointed him to his seat which was more toward the back because he was older. I waded through the aisle stumbling over stray feet, and backpacks until I reached seat 14. I sat down and the bus moved on with the route. Kids got on, sat down, and then more kids got on and sat down, but eventually a boy about my age got on and sat down next to me.
His house was pretty although lacking proper landscape and a certain home-like quality that I could not put my finger on. As he sat down he greeted me ever so politely introducing himself as Levi Fitzgerald. I did the same telling him a bit about myself and how I was new, what grade I was going into. Eventually, I found out that he was also a 7th grader. He told me he'd show me where to go and he told me who to watch out for, and who the bullies were. The bus stopped outside of the school as we all piled off and Levi showed me around. He asked me what class I had first and showed me where to go. "See you around, hopefully we can meet up sometime today". I walked in and sat through my first period class as the wandering eyes of adolescents trailed across me.
I looked different to them, even though I've always lived in Bryersburg, the style between my old school and Gridsville were different. Tube kids here seemed wealthier and much better kept than those at my old school. I did my best to ignore them. After class I asked directions to my second period class and then proceeded to sit uncomfortably through that, while all the kids who had not yet seen me during first period, gazed at me for their first time. I was an outsider to them, they gave me weird looks, and called me names of course. But, being anywhere by my house was fine by me.
I was dazed out for my whole 3rd period class just thinking about Levi. I wondered why he was so nice to me. He seemed like one of the cooler guys at the school & definitely close to the most attractive among them all. He was talk for our age, about 5'7" and was very broad in the shoulders, with shiny chocolate brown hair, ivory skin, and captivating blue eyes. After the bell rand I snapped out of it and headed to my fourth class and to my surprised in walked Levi, which made me feel more comfortable considering I actually knew someone in the class. It was a good thing too because I am terrible at math and could use the help of a friend. He said hello and chose the seat next to me. We chatted until class started and then after the bell rang headed to lunch.
We both sat down at a table together with some two of Levi's other friends, Zachary and Collin. They were friendly to me and were also quite attractive to the eyes of a seventh grade girl.
As we sat and ate I felt somewhat embarrassed having nothing but crackers from my pocket to eat. I lied to them, saying that I ate a big breakfast and wasn't that hungry, but you could almost tell by looking at me that I never ate breakfast. I was small, and frail. Pale skin, sandy brown hair and blue/green eyes. My eyes were my best feature, they were beautiful. Not because of their color, but because of what they have seen.
After lunch I proceeded to 5th and 6th period and then it soon was time to go to the bus. I got on the bus and sat down next to Levi again as we small talked on our way home. He was dropped off at his house which was somewhat close in distance to mine and then after some stops, me and Gregory got off at ours. Back to reality.
