Freshman

Four Eyes and Brace Face

"Do you think that maybe," My mother pauses, "This year could be different for you?" 

My first response is for my mouth to drop open, and immediately cereal falls out into my bowl. "What?" I ask, there's still food in my mouth. I reach for a napkin and Mom sighs. 

"That's disgusting Dani," She snatches the cereal bowl away from me, across the counter and dumps it in the garbage. 

"What was that for?" I ask, now wiping my mouth on my sleeve. 

"This is your first day of High School, that means you'll hardly see your dearly beloved school chums." I roll my eyes at the though of my past classmates.  

"Your point?" I question. 

"This is your chance to.." She pauses again, "Re-invent yourself."

"I'm fine the way I am, Mom." I defend myself. "You of all people should acknowledge that." 

"I know honey, but now's the time to make a better impression of yourself for not only others, but you as well. This is a new chapter of your life and I just think that-"

"You sound like a self-help book." I say and she sighs. I swing off my stool at the countertop, and adjust the ends of my jeans. "Thank you for the advice." I add quickly, hoping not to sound disrespectful, she's my Mother after all, not my friend. "But I have to go meet Abbi in time to walk to school." I grab an apple out of the fruit bowl we keep on the kitchen counter, and take a bite. 

I head for the stairs, where I've left my bag hung on the railing beside my shoes. 

"Bye Dani! Good luck on your first day!" She calls after me as I let the door close behind me. 

I head down the front steps, past my Mom's garden and onto the street. If I want to get to school on time, I might need to cut through the ravine. I hop on my bike, and head across the street. 

Abbi is my best friend, to say the least. Abbi moved to Toronto from Durham shortly after she left. I saw my opportunity for my first real friend, and we became friends quickly. We took on the world together, and faced every challenge with each other. 

We made a promise that we wouldn't play the same sports, for one thing the both of us are roughly the same size, and just as competitive as the other. Whereas I wear glasses and have dark curly hair, Abbi is free of the nickname "four eyes" and has blonde curly hair. 

Abbi's house is a ten minute walk from mine, and around the same size. There's a giant sycamore tree on the front lawn that's great for climbing, and a pool in the back. What more could you ask for? 

I drop my bike and  make my way up to her front door, and knock three times, with intervals of three seconds inbetween, so she knows it's me. 

"Hey!" I greet her and she smiles. "Ready for school?" She beams, "It's the very first day!" I roll my eyes and she hops down her front steps. She walks over to the garage door, punches the code in on the keypad and watches the door open slowly. I lift my bike off the lawn, and wait for her to get hers. 

We start to peddle down the driveway, when she asks. "How come you didn't skype me this morning?"

"What?" I ask as we start to get into a busier part of the neighbourhood. 

"You know video chat? Like we've done everyday for how long?" Abbi questions. 

"I, uh slept in." I lie and turn the corner, my bag bouncing up and down on my back. 

"You didn't even help me choose my outfit this morning." She complains, and I scoff. When we arrive at the school, we dismount and walk our bikes to the bicycle locks. Thankfully, there's no one else there.

"Would you like some cheese with you whine?" I tease, while we lock up our bikes. And head towards the school. That's when I start finally take it in. I stop dead in my tracks, Abbi waves her hand in front of my face. 

"Hello? Earth to Dani?" 

As I look at all the busses pulling into the school, and hordes of students walking into the building I can't help but think that, I'm actually here. The hellish chapter of my life (elementary school) is over, and now I'm here. Mom wasn't kidding when she said this was a fresh start. I'm a new person here, I'm not four eyes anymore, and Abbi's not brace face, we're-

I'm cut off by a boy bumping into me, he has dark wavy hair cut short and deep brown eyes. Wow. 

"Do you think we'd ever get to class on time if everyone took a big dramatic pause on their way into school?" He questions, and I feel my heart sink. 

"I-" I choke and watch as he snickers and walks over to high five his friends, they all walk  away laughing. 

"A bit harsh, but he's not wrong. First period starts in five minutes." She gestures to her watch. "Let's move it slow poke!" She starts to push my back and I stagger. 

"Shut up brace face." I taunt her. Abbi grins, "The one and only, now let's go!"