Sunset Memories

Chapter 8 - School Blues

Mom dropped off Danielle, Curt, and me at school the next morning. It was ten minutes to eight, and Curt rushed off to his class without even saying Seeya. 

     ''I'll see you two after school,'' Mom told us as I held the car door open for Danielle. 

     ''Thanks, Kathrina.'' She was dressed in a gray shirt beneath a short, blue leather jacket and jeans. I was wearing just a plain white V-neck and loose jeans. 

     ''Bye, Mom,'' I said, and closed the door. 

     Danielle stood beside the car, staring at the building. ''So this is your school?''

     ''Yep. John F. Kennedy Secondary. But this is the building for grades seven to twelve. The elementary building is that way.'' I pointed to my left.

     We marched up the front steps and pushed open the doors. Students were everywhere, reuniting with friends and stuffing supplies into their locker. I saw a huge clump of grade twelve boys come storming at us, like they always did at the younger students, and I grabbed Danielle's arm, pulling her to the side of the hallway.

     ''Your school is way busier than mine,'' she said. 

     I suppressed a grin and lead her over to the main office. Mrs. Reichwein, the gray-haired secretary, didn't smile at us.

     ''Namen?'' she barked in strong German. Names?

     Danielle looked at me for translation. I said, ''Danielle Thomas. Sie kommt aus Kanada.'' 

     Mrs. Reichwein nodded curtly and held out some papers and a pen to Danielle. ''Registrieren,'' she said sharply. 

     Danielle stared at me. 

     ''Sign your name,'' I explained. 

     She did. Her handwriting was small and loopy. She dotted the i with a full circle. 

     She gave Mrs. Reichwein the papers and pen back. Mrs. Reichwein asked for my name, and I gave it. We both received our schedules and our locker combinations. 

     ''I'm 263,'' Danielle said to me as we walked through the halls. ''What're you?''

     I stared at my paper in disappointment. ''210.''

     We stopped at my locker since hers was further away, but I said, ''We'll go to yours first, if you want. Just incase you need help.''

     On the way to her locker, I heard my name called out. I turned and saw Hanna Ratzenberger coming toward me with a smile on her face.

     ''Hi!'' she said, wrapping her arms around me in a quick hug. Hanna and I were both guitar players, so we knew each other really well.

     I grinned down at her. ''Hey! How was your summer?''

     ''Good, you should've come to the guitar camp with me,'' she answered, and then spotted Danielle, who was watching from behind me. 

     I turned so that they could see each other. ''Hanna, this is Danielle, she's doing an exchange trip from Canada.'' 

     ''Hi,'' said Hanna. 

     ''Danielle,'' I continued, ''this is my friend Hanna, we're guitar buddies.''

     ''Hey,'' Danielle said brightly, smiling. 

     I asked where her locker was, and she pointed it to me. It was exactly four lockers down from Hanna's.