Blacksburg

Welcome to Hell :

"Are you sure your ready."
I looked over at aunt Viv as I was just about to get out of the car, keeping my mouth shut I so badly want to say.
"No, I'm scared , nervous, everyone's going to be staring, my name oh my name, where am I gonna sit at lunch."
But instead I smiled.
"I'm as ready as I'll ever be."
Aunt Viv smiled.
"Remember if anything happens call me and I'll come pick you up."
"Thanks aunt Viv."
She smiled.
"Have a good day."

I nodded shutting the car door behind me I walked up the steps to the front entrance of the school. My stomach started to turn as soon as I walked inside and the interest staring started, mind you it's not like I was dressed as a slut or anything. I wore my normal tank and flannel kind of deal with jeans and black shoes, I put my hair was down, as if it would shield me... But it didn't. Walking into the office I took a deep breath.
"Excuse me?"
The women looked up with a smile on her face.
"Hi how can I help you?"
"Uhm, I'm new my name is Gertrude Baines.... I was wondering if I could get my schedule."
"Of course... Actually here it is and your first period is Mr.Brady he's actually the first door on your right down that hall way."
"Thank you."
"Oh if you have any questions about your schedule or anything the guidance office is across the hall."
"Thanks."
She nodded going back to the paper work. Walking out of the office I speed walked to my first period class.
Room: 202
Teacher : Brady
Subject: English 3
Walking in I looked around.
"Hello?"
"In hear."
I heard a voice come from a lit room in the back.
Walking over I hesitated.
"Hello?"
"Hi."

The man turned, his hair was a dark blonde and his eyes were a light brown, his smile was to die for and he was a bit tall.
"Uhm, you wouldn't happen to be Mr.Brady would you because today's my first day and-"
"I am Mr. Brady and it is good to finally meet you. I'm sorry what was your-"
"Gertrude... Gertrude Baines but I prefer Rudy."
"Baines?"
"Yes."
"Mhmm interesting... I didn't know Vivian had a child."
I chuckled.
"Actually she's my aunt, her and my dad were siblings."
"Wait.... Your father is Arthur, Arthur Baines?"
I nodded.
"Yeah."
He covered his mouth looking extremely puzzled as to what I hd just told him.
"How is Arthur, I mean last time I saw him was graduation day, we barely spoke that day because of all the chaos and then the next day he was nowhere to be found."
I shifted my position, looking down on my feet.
"I guess the news hasn't traveled."
"What news?"
"My father he, he was killed by a drunk driver a few weeks ago. He was on his way home and the driver ran a red light hitting the driver side."
Mr.Brady sat down on a desk, his face said it all, he was incredibly shocked by my news not to mind you that fact that I was Arthur's child.
"I can't believe this, where did he go, I never got to say goodbye, nothing."
"We moved to Maryland, he never really spoke much about here, he never really talked about anything or himself , not his childhood, nothing."
"Wow. Well I'm very sorry on our behave Rudy , with loosing your father and moving, if you need anything , have any questions, ask them because me and your dad were really good friends. Oh and please tel your aunt I said hello."
He smiled waking over too his desk.
"Will do and Hank you Mr.Brady."
"No problem and your seat is in the back corner, I'll let you get settled in before everyone rushes in."
"Thanks you."

He smiled sitting down at his desk, playing with stacks of papers. Walking to the back I took out my notebook and pen, just as I sat down the bell rang and people started rushing in. With my head down using my hair as a curtain, I scribbled on my journal, then the table moved slightly and I heard a low toned chuckle.
"Stiff is that you?"
"No."
Moving my hair out of my face sitting up I looked over at.
"Michael was it?"
"Oh don't act as if you don't remember."
"Michael it is."
I looked away hoping the conversation would end there but it didn't.
"So you never told me what Rudy was short for."
"I never said I was going too."
"Okay Sassy- Frass, two can play at this game."
Standing up he walked over to Mr.Brady. They were to far away to hear but they were talking and then Mr.Brady handed him a clipboard.
"What the."
When the other bell rang he spoke.
"Okay everyone attendance!"
"Oh no attendance."
That Rat Bastard, if I didn't tell him my name he was gonna find out his own way.
"Larry Adams, Debbie Akins,  Frank Alston, and oh what do we have here. A new student. Uhm Gertrude, Gertrude Baines, Gertie where oh there you are, hi Gertie."
He waved to me in the back and I looked around everyone stared laughing.
"Gertrude what kind of name is that?"
"That is the ugliest name ever."
Everyone was laughing, pointing making snarky comments. Standing up walking down I walked up to Micheal, who's smile fades as everyone started pointing and laughing.
"Happy now?"
"Gertie I'm -"
"Just save it."

I walked out as Mr,Brady stood up.
"Michael go sit down... Now. Everyone settle down. I hear on more comment or laugh you'll be laughing your way to the office understood."
Then the class fell completely quiet, walking down the hall wiping the tears that had escaped from my eyes I rushed into the nearest girls bathroom.

   Walking in I saw a group of cheerleaders in full uniforms , just tree of them but one had brown hair like mine only hers was lighters and curlier, and her eyes were an off shade blue, hers were darker. But something about her reminded me of someone, but I couldn't put my young to it. Walking in they all looked at me one of them Hadley strawberry blonde hair in pig tails, as she sucked on a lollipop pop. The other ones black hair was long and curly she blew bubbles with her bubble gum.
"Who are you?"
"Uhm, I'm new."
"Well dah that's why I asked."
The red head spoke.
"Rudy."
"Isn't that a boys name?"
"If you want it to be."
She was laughing then stopped as soon as I clapped back.
"Now girls is that how we treat a newbie, hi I'm Dorothy but everyone calls me Dot this is Sasha and Bethany."
I nodded.
"Nice to meet you."
Dot jumped off the bathroom counter walking over.
"See you around New Girl."
Then the walked out as if they were a trail of ants. Walking into a stall dropping my bag I leaned against the stall door, as I shed a few more tears I pulled out my phone.
"Hello?"
"Aunt Viv?"
"Rudy, what's wrong, are you okay?"
"Can you come pick me up, please."
"Why what happened?"
"Just please pick me up."
"Yeah, yeah I'm on my way."
Hanging up and wiping my tears I walked out, to the front steps sitting there I looked at the ground.
"Hey there stranger."
Turning around I saw Flan sitting on the handicap ramp.
"Hey."
"What wrong?"
She came walking over by my side, sitting down.
"I thought I was ready, but I wasn't, I wasn't ready, I don't fit in here."
"Hey, there just jerks okay, your fresh meat, they want to hurt your feelings, push you down, make you feel like your a nobody. When Rudy you are someone, you are strong, see no one in there knows you yet, they don't know what you've been through. But you have to show them, stand up to them, that's what I had to do, now your gonna have to do it. There is no sign, nothing telling you beware, assholes and fags inside. If there was it would say welcome to hell."
I smiled at her.
"Did you practice that or??"
She laughed punching my arm.
"Way to ruin the moment smart ass."
I smiled.
"Well my aunts on the way."
She nodded.
"It's hard at first Rudy. But it'll get better."
"A lot people tend to say that and it never really does."
She nodded.
"Your right, I don't know if it'll get better, your going to have to make it get better."
Pulling up in the distance I saw aunt Viv.
"Well there she is."
"She started walking back inside."
"See you around Rudy."
"See ya Flan."
When Aunt Viv pulled up she jumps out walking over squeezing me.
"Did anyone hurt you, are you bleeding-"
"No."
"The. What's wrong."
I looked at her.
"I wasn't ready."
"Oh sweetie."
He hugged me tighter, it felt good.
"Well I took the rest of the day off well go home and watching movies and eat a bunch of junk food."
"Okay."
"Sound good?"
"Yeah."
Getting in the car, I buckled up as she pulled away from the curb.
"Oh aunt Viv."
"Yeah. "
"Can u email all my teachers and tell them To call me Rudy."
"Of course, other than the bad did anything interesting happen?"
" Well my English teacher was pretty cool, he actually told me to tell you hello and there was this boy."
"Oh Really what's his name."
"Mr.Brady, he also said he knew my dad."
She stopped the car.
"Brady?"
"Yeah, why are you freaking out?"
"I'm not freaking out I'm just having a mini heart attack."
"Why?"
"It's nothing ."
"Aunt Viv...."
"Oh, well he and your father were really good friends, uhm I kinda liked him and -"
"You use to date my teacher?!"
"No, no I uhm when he graduated he was movie away for college so I thought it would be the yeah know best time to confess my love and everything."
"No way."
"And uhm yeah, what were you saying about a boy?"
"More like a jerk."
"Hmmm."
"What."
"What did he do to make you hate him."
"I don't hate him I mean yeah right now-"
"Come on land the plan."
"He wanted to know my name, I told him Rudy well he wanted to know my name, name so he walked up and did attendance and said it out loud, and called me Gertie?"
"Gertie?"
"Yeah."
She started to laugh.
"What?"
"Nothing."
"What?"
"You say you hate him now.... Just wait."
I was confused but I just looked out the window.
"Gertie."
Thinking about it now it wasn't such a bad nickname.....