Chapter 2
The sound of an annoying, repetitive buzz filled the small bedroom. Out of habit I stuck my arm out and pressed the snooze-button hoping that it malfunctioned, went off early and that I really had another hour or so to sleep.
Cracking open my eyes I looked at the red numbers and say six twenty-two a.m.
“Shoot!” I sat strait up and immediately grabbed my jeans and black t-shirt for the day. Hurrying to the bathroom I rushed and grabbed my shower, dried my hair, and slipped on my typical outfit.
Grabbing a brush I got the knots out of my mid-back length blonde hair. Checking my phone it was two after seven, and my bus came at ten after.
I went into the living room, grabbed my backpack, and ran down to the bus stop. I made sure to hurry down the road in case it came early.
Once I reached the spot the bus came right on cue.
I climbed on and went back to my normal seat. Sitting down I put my backpack on the floor, and said, “Good morning.”
Michael glanced at me for a second, “Good morning,” Then went back to doing his Spanish homework.
I looked at his papers, “Didn’t do your homework again?”
He tapped his paper with his pencil, “It’ll be done by the time we get to school,” then continued trying to figure out the Spanish words.
Chuckling to myself I put in my headphones and listened to the background sound of music as we head our way to school.
The bus pulled up to the school and let us all off. Going through the front doors I made a left, saying high to Rachel as I passed her by. I went up the stairs and waiting in their everyday spot was Ashley, Ryan, and Kelley.
Saying my usual hello I sat down my backpack and sat on the floor between Ashley and Kelley.
Kelley looked up from her book, “Hey Jules. Hear about all the rain coming?”
I sighed, “Yeah it sounds like we’ll have backyard swimming pools.”
There was a pause until I looked to my left and saw Ashley with her nose practically smushed into the book. I asked to Kelley, “Give her a new book?”
I heard a, “Yup. She’s been obsessing over it all morning.”
Knowing what she’d do, I reached for the book and she immediately held it out of my reach going, “Nonononono, my book,” and continued to read over it as if she had to finish it within the next couple minutes.
Reaching again I said, “Maybe I want to read it.”
She tried to bite my hand, her short brown hair getting in her face, “I said mine!” Her eyes looked as if she were almost possessive.
Putting my hands up in surrender I told her, “Okay, okay, calm down. Don’t make me get a muzzle for you.”
With a humph she went back to her book. Looking up at the clock that hung from the ceiling I saw that it read seven forty-six, which meant class started in four minutes.
I grabbed my backpack, slung it over shoulder as I stood up, and kicked Ashley in the foot telling her it was time to go. She stood, with her backpack already flung over her shoulder, and began walking down the hall while reading her book all the while.
Shaking my head at her I turned to Kelley who was waiting for me by the water fountain, putting her long brown hair into a ponytail.
I skipped a step, “Ready for gym?”
She sighed, “As ready as I will ever be. It’s better than Spanish class.”
I laughed, “You got that right.”
We made our way down the closest stairs and went to the gym. Putting our stuff on the bench we waited till everyone was there and started their normal beginning activity with basketball, soccer, and such. Instead of joining any of the small groups in their activities we began to walk around the gym just as a couple other girls did.
After our first lap I grabbed my notecards off the bench and began to put them in the correct order. Eyeing my cards Kelley asked, “Your turn for a speech today?”
I nodded, “And I just made these last night. Two of them!”
She crossed her arms, “Two, for a five minute speech? I had six note cards!”
I flipped my cards in my hands with a smug smile, “Well I guess that means you just aren’t as good as me.”
Kelley smacked me on the back of the head which caused me to flinch, “Well, get on with it then. You’re going to make me listen to it now or later, so it might as well be now.”
Jokingly I cleared my throat and pretended to fix my non-existent tie. I was just about to start talking when a basketball that was carelessly thrown at the wall bounced back and hit me in the side of the head.
I dropped my cards and put my hands to my head, feeling like my head was throbbing terribly. Kelley bent down and picked up my cards and asked, “You alright?”
Rubbing my head I said, “This is why helmets need to be a requirement in gym class!”
The kid that had thrown the basketball hadn’t even turned in my direction, but instead continued to whirl the ball over and over at the wall.
Grumbling I added, “And why some people need to be more considerate.”
I took the cards off my friend and said thanks. She shrugged her shoulders, “Well Haila, not everyone’s going to care about things, and as you see, he’s one of them.
By that time we had made it to the other side of the gym where some boys where playing football. Before we could even blink, the football hit the wall right in front of us. Kelley turned to me, “And it seems today you are just a ball magnet.”
It was my turn to shrug, “Well whatcya going to do when you’re so popular? They can’t keep their hands off of me!”
She rolled her eyes, “Yeah well those are in-animate objects.”
I poked her with my cards, “Do you want to hear my speech or not?”
Sighing she replied, “I guess so. Bore me away.”
I began my speech and afterwards we talked about other things such as class projects or gossip we both heard. Before we knew it first block was over and it was time for our next class.
Running to the locker room I changed into my tan colored dress pants, blue v-neck dress shirt with a white tank-top underneath, and my brown dress boots to top it off. Standing in front of the full length mirror I tied my hair up in a ponytail. Pulling it tight I sighed to myself, today wasn’t going to go fast enough.
