The Melody of a Protagonist

Chapter 2- Socially Unacceptable

Chapter 2.

When they arrived at the unflattering moldy-green gates the group parted ways. Lily and Jemma, 10th graders, headed to the southwest wing of the school; followed by Charlie, who was in the year below. Jake, who'd been greeted by a few other senior boys also in their final year headed to the north-eastern quadrant.

"Why are you in such a hurry?" Jemma asked Lily curiously, as she pulled her along by her arm.

"I'll tell you when we get to class." Lily replied in a hushed voice.

Charlie followed after the girls casually, trying to listen into their conversation but not quite managing to make out what they were talking about. He scuffed his feet along the pebbled path, watching the dust cover his black shoes in a white mist.

"Hi Charlie" a voice called from his left, he looked over. It was Angela, a girl from his class.

"Hey" he said with a smile "...how was France?"

"Fantastic!" she smiled gleefully, filling him in with all the exciting details as they walked to homeroom together.

Charlie's best friends, Max and Shane, were already waiting in class. They were energetically talking to a small group of girls at the front of the tidy classroom. Max waved as he saw them enter, Shane seemed to be too consumed in his conversation with a pretty blonde girl to notice. Angela moved off to sit with another group of girls who'd called to her as Charlie walked over to join his friends.

"Hey Man." Max greeted brightly, slapping Charlie hard on the back "...How was your break?" Undoubted excitement emanating in his voice.

"Yeah, it was alri-"Charlie began to reply, suspicious of Max's demeanor.

"Guess what I did!" Max cut in.

"What did you do?" Charlie responded, a little curiously.

"I hooked up with Chelsea Daniels!" Max breathed under this breath, patting his hand enthusiastically on Charlie's shoulder.

He motioned over to a petite red haired girl with a light sprinkling of freckles across her nose.

"Oh." replied Charlie a little uncomfortably, twisting the corner of his shirt in his fingers.

"Yeah!" continued Max, not seeming to have noticed Charlie's lack of excitement. "Third base! Wow man; let me tell ya-"Max was practically bouncing on the spot as he spoke.

"Quiet everyone, please sit down." interrupted Ms. Thornburg as she entered the room.

Max bounded off to his seat and gave Charlie an ecstatic smile and a quick thumbs up from over the back of his chair. Charlie managed a weak reassuring half smile in response. Ms. Thornburg took her seat up the front of the room and began to mark the class roll. She was a thin, wiry looking woman. Her eyes were an attractive turquoise green and the soft curves of her face suggest that she could have been rather beautiful in her younger years. However, long periods of stress and sadness had now left her face looking old, worn and tired. Charlie studied her, considerately. Just as Ms. Thornburg had called out Rebecca Madlock's name she was interrupted by a knock at the door.

Most of the class became distracted by the unexpected disruption, looking around and chatting loudly with one another. Ms. Thornburg scowled disapprovingly; beckoning for one of the girls in the back row to open the door. Charlie watched as a tall, quiet girl got up to let in the latecomer.

Bailey Turner casually strolled into the classroom, commanding the attention of the whole room. Every boy in the class stared at her in awe; including Shane to the displeasure of the pretty blonde girl to whom he'd been previously talking, she slapped him on the side of the face in irritation.

Bailey Turner was undoubtedly the most beautiful girl in the 9th grade. She had long, stunning golden- blonde hair and the body of woman beyond her years. She was quite athletic; spending most of her time outside in the surf, which had granted her with beautiful olive skin. However, it was her crystal blue, seductive eyes that were her most dangerous asset, granting her the ability to get just about whatever she wanted, from whomever she desired.

Ms. Thornburg frowned, noticing her lack or books or equipment.

"Miss Turner!" she protested; "How do you expect to get any work done when you bring nothing to class?"

Bailey shrugged in response. She looked up at Ms. Thornburg and smiled a little, imperiously. Several boys held up their own textbooks and equipment, offering them to her. Bailey collected a few bits and pieces that appeared in her path, as she serenely made her way to the front of the room. She flicked her hair superiorly, and then sat down next to her best friend, Chelsea Daniels. Bailey looked up at her teacher, twirling a pen in her fingers, challengingly. Ms. Thornburg sneered, unable to fault her, before begrudgingly continuing on with the lesson.

Charlie spent the rest of the morning thinking about girls. Shane was attractive, popular and confident; he always seemed to have one girl or another chasing after him. Max was less attractive, he looked kind of scruffy and a little overweight; but he was the bass player in a local band, which seemed to impress a few girls.... But now that he'd hook up with Chelsea...Charlie's stomach turned. He'd never had much luck with that sort of thing. It's not that he wasn't attractive; many girls noticed him and would smile at him flirtatiously trying to get his attention. He'd even been asked out a few times in the past but he was just too shy and intimidated to ever do much about it.

*Buzz* Charlie's phone vibrated in his pocket. He pulled it out sneakily, hiding it under the table. It was a message from Lily; she'd accidentally taken Charlie's English textbook by mistake and wanted to swap for hers. Charlie slunk back into his chair disengaged; he played with his phone disconcertedly as he waited for the bell to ring.