I am Number Twelve

9

9

It's Monday morning, on the next week when Lola snaps out of it. She's become harsh again, and she stomps around the house, all the time. But this morning, Monday, she becomes harsh with her words.

'Zeda. Get up. You're going to school.' She shouts from down the hall. At first, I don't want to get up. But then, the realization sinks in. I'm going to school. With real people. 

I force myself to get up, and I put on some clothes, flat iron my hair, and make my bed.

'Come on. Get your lazy ass up here.' She yells. I walk up the hall, and into the lounge. I sit at the kitchen table and wait for Lola to finish making her breakfast.

After that's done, and I have unsuccessfully made myself burnt toast, Lola finally speaks up.

'You will go to school, if you stop this Alien nonsense. It's not real. You were dropped on your head as a baby. Jack told me so. Deal?'

This infuriates me. How dare she! I may be fuming inside, but I keep my voice clear.

'Deal' I manage to say. I nearly didn't.I stalk back down the hall, grab a bag out of a linen cupboard in the wall, pack some spare clothes, some money and I leave through my bedroom window.

Just as I did a few days ago, I kick stones on the way down my street. I come to a concrete lamppost, and my anger gets the better of me. I punch as hard as I can. I get the side and a huge chunk comes out of the post.

I turn behind me, and here a rustling bush. I see a flash of red, and then nothing. I'm just seeing things. Honestly Zeda. You're just seeing things. 

I get to school with no more harm done. I eventually make my way to the school office, and tell the stuck up receptionist that I'm new here. She tells me to sit on the couch and wait for the principal.

I end up having to sit next to a boy, my age, with dark hair, an obnoxious red t-shirt and green eyes. 5 minutes have passed when I notice something, a tattoo of a spiral with a vertical line through it. It's Jake. I  don't get a chance to say anything though, because a skinny blonde woman approaches us. 

'Welcome! New students! Wow, its not often we get those around here. I'm Miss. Birganti, and I am the principal of Clarke County High.' She has the most annoying voice in the world. It has a similar tone and pitch to Lola's. I can tell I will just love this woman.

'Hi, I'm Zeda' I say, while Jake just says 'Jake' She pushes us into her office. 

She gives us each a map of the school, and tells us in a very condescending voice 'Any nonsense is not tolerated in my school. You will have your best behavior on at all times. My school is a place of pride. You will not ruin it.'

We both nod absentmindedly. She gives a sheet filled with subjects to choose from. I already have to take math, English, and physical education, but I have 5 more subjects to choose. I choose art, chem, bio, physics, and french.

Lola would be proud, although I love science, she has been drilling it into me for the past four years, and it was advanced, learning quantum physics and 11th grade chem, at the age of 12, was hard. But because I'm a freshman this year, as I have just found out, this stuff will be a breeze.

After we are dismissed, we leave the office, sign in at the attendance desk and walk down the blue vinyl floors, right next to each other. 

'I have chemistry right now, so I'm heading off to the science block. See ya' I wave politely and head off to the S block. I'm nearly out the door on my right when Jake says 'Oh, cool, I have chemistry too. We can walk together' He follows suit and we walk to chemistry.