Out of Thin Air

The New Boy

Leila woke up to the singing of her cell phone.

"Hello?" she answered, her voice slurred with sleep.

"Are you not up yet, girl?" Her best friend, Makayla, practically yelled into the phone, "Get up! Get ready! Get dressed! It's the first day of high school!"

An hour later, after showering and drying and dressing and brushing and primping, Leila arrived at school. Melview High School was directly connected to Melview Middle School, and mostly everybody who was in the 9th grade had been there since they were kids. This is going to be a piece of cake, Leila thought.

"Ah! You're here, finally!" Makayla ran up to her, her long braids swinging behind her, and hugged her, "You won't believe it! I checked and we have all our classes together and everything!" They walked into the school auditorium - a big room crowded with high schoolers and a podium at the front - chatting to old friends. Suddenly, they noticed two familiar silhouettes waiting for them at the end of the hall. Makayla barely had time to roll her eyes before the two girls started squealing.

"Hey girls, aren't you excited? Today's the day our life really begins!" they babbled on, but Leila stopped listening. Taylor and Savannah were always hanging around trying to impress Makayla and her. Soon the rest of their clique joined them, looking similarly annoyed at the presence of Taylor and Savannah and they went to take their seats for the assembly.

"Ehem!" An unfamiliar young woman with short, choppy black hair standing on the podium tried to get the students' attention. Where's the normal principal, Mr. Muellers? Leila wondered.

"Hello, I'm Ms. Stellers," the woman continued, "Unfortunately, Mr. Muellers retired at the end of last year, and I'm his replacement. Of course, new school, new rules and in addition, new principal, new rules. I'm going to be making a few changes around here, nothing drastic of course, just a few.... adjustments, and I want you all to know..." Leila lost focus, her eyes drifting around the room and taking in the familiar faces, it was a pretty small crowd and she recognized everybody from middle school - except one. She stopped scanning, backtracked and found it. From what she could see, it was a dark haired boy that she was certain she had never seen before in her life.

"Hey, Micky, who's that boy?" She nudged her friend,

"Who?"

"That one over there! The one who's different."

"I don't see any "different" one, Leila."

"It's the one right-

"Excuse me - you two girls right in the middle there!" Ms. Stellers yelled, and everyone turned around to stare right at Leila and Makayla.

After a few moments of embarrassing silence, the principal spoke again. "I'd appreciate it if you would actually listen while I'm speaking. Thank you. Now, where was I... Oh yes, I've been told that you all already know each other from middle school. Is there anybody here who did not go to Melview Middle School?" There was complete silence. A dozen or so students raised their hands, they were the ones that typically looked the most scared or uncertain. Leila stared at the  unknown boy expectantly, but he didn't move. 

"No?" Ms. Steller said finally, "Okay, then. You're all free to go to your first class. Have a lovely time!"

"Oh my god, that was so embarrassing! I nearly died! That Ms. Stellers seems like she's going to be a huge pain in the ass." Makayla exclaimed as they filed out of the auditorium, her dark skin gleaming with indignation, "I'd appreciate it if you actually listened when I'm talking!" she imitated in a squeaky voice. They both burst out laughing.

"I almost wish Mr. Muellers hadn't retired!" Leila said. "Almost."

Makayla giggled. "God, was he terrible!" As the two girls and their friends walked down the hall to their first class, everybody else moved to the sides to make space for them.