I feel the chill breeze of the cool September air on the back of my neck. My long, straightened, deep red hair hung swayed in the wind as I cautiously made my way through the oversized steel gates. The schools’ towering spires loomed over me and shadowed the graveled pathway leading up to the main door. I felt stupid in my pleated, checked skirt and tweed blazer as I walked in, but sadly St Rufus requires all pupils under the sixth form to wear a ridiculous mandatory uniform.
“Good morning, would you happen to know what form you are in?” My eyes rolled up from my already scuffed school shoes towards this blonde standing in front of me. Her hair was done as a pixie cut, which could’ve looked slightly decent if her dark roots did not stand out so prominently. Her skirt hung down at knee length, unlike mine which was rolled up till it met my thighs. I stared at this girl from head to toe, trying to take her in before muttering a simple “I don’t know, sorry.”
“Could you give me your name, we can check on the register.” She tapped her perfectly manicured nails on her clipboard with indication. “ Alex Markus,” I responded with hesitation “But it could be put down as Alexandra?” She squinted at her clipboard in concentration. I noticed she was wearing a named badge. It read Sophia Bridge, she was in year 10 also. “ You would be in Mr Groves form this year, lucky thing.” When she finally found it, she looked up and smiled. I returned the gesture back unsure of how to react to that. She seemed alright, I mean I could use all the friends I could get at the moment. Maybe she was a bit of a goodie two shoes with a posh totty voice. No, Alex don’t make assumptions, you can’t afford it. I have no one at the moment, be nice. My nails were digging in my palm in frustration, I quickly released tension. It was a bad habit.
I waited patiently beside Sophia while she noted down which form group this other girl called Jessica was in. Her mum was fussing over her, holding her arm tightly. A friendly glance was casted over, flinching in response I was afraid I might get the same overprotective care. “I will show you to our locker rooms.” Sophia was explaining while she was walking us over once Jessica’s Mother finally abandoned her. My own Mum was too occupied by work to bother taking me to my first day, and my Dad never had time off. I was paying mild attention to what Sophia was saying, going into a daze. Although out of the corner of my eye I could see Jessica eyeballing me. “You looking for something?” I said sarcastically.
“No sorry, just your hair is like... perfect” Her response made me smile, I recently had it done a darker shade last week Tuesday. “ Thanks.” Her mousey brown curls stumped me when I attempted to return the compliment, so I just stuck with this goofy grin. She probably thinks I am such a creeper. Why do I have to be such a twat?
We walked through the school, having a short guided tour on the way given by Sophia. All the time Jessica was still looking, but I just shrugged the creeping feeling off. Finally the long ‘tour’ ended at a building of grey cement. The school was pretty impressive, better than any other I had been to so far. There were five rooms labelled from year seven to eleven but at the far end on the year eleven room the lights were dimmed and it didn’t seem very lively in comparison to the other four rooms. “They wouldn’t be much space because we have to share with the year elevens for the first half of term. They have reparations going on from last year - supposed gas leak I guess.” Sophia said indicating towards the empty locker room before she pushed past both of us and walked into the year ten locker room. I followed her swiftly with Jessica on my trail.
