mean girls

i. the new girl

Greenwich Academy.

Lauren stands in front of the prestigious high school, staring at the name hanging above the entrance in big, bold letters.

Everything about the school from the large gates, to the trimmed planes and large trees screams of money and privilege.

Lauren is used to that; she isn't, however, used to wearing a fucking uniform. She looks down her frame and grimaces - pleated skirt and a fucking tie.

She bites in the bitterness and reminds herself that this ridiculous uniform is a small price to pay for a fresh beginning - God knows she needs it.

And she can't ignore that this school offers the education and opportunity she needs to get into her dream university. Besides, it's her senior year so she just has to endure it for one year and she can continue on with her life.

There are students milling around and Lauren has honestly never seen so many polished and preppy kids looking like they've got life all figured out in one place.

She watches a pair of girls with shining platinum blonde hair squeal and embrace each other as they reunite after a long summer apart. Lauren looks away. She isn't familiar with being the new kid but she frankly isn't worried about making new friends. Her plan is to get in and get out as fast as possible with top grades that'll land her a sweet spot in her dream university. Maybe even with a sports scholarship if all goes according to plan.

It's with this mindset that she enters the school and she isn't expecting much, the least being befriended by a small, overly friendly and bubbly girl right after her first class.

She's standing by the locker attempting to organize the heavy books she got from the school library when a sudden voice exclaims,

"Hi!"

Lauren startles and spins around, staring at the girl who popped out of nowhere. She's a tiny thing, a good few inches shorter than Lauren, with long straight brown hair and a smile that seems to glow brighter than the sun.

"Hi," Lauren says after a pause and blinks. "You scared me."

The girl giggles. "I'm so sorry," she says, "I didn't mean to. Hi, I'm Ally."

Lauren smiles because she can't deny that Ally's smile is quite infectious, "Hi, Ally. I'm Lauren."

"I know," and wow, she really loves giggling, "We just had Physics together. Nice to meet you, Lauren!"

She pulls Lauren into an unexpected hug and Lauren's got issues with personal space and strangers, so she almost pulls away but then she realizes how freaking soft and warm Ally's hug is - and she smells good. So Lauren lets herself be hugged as she pats Ally half-awkwardly on the back.

Ally pulls away after the little-too-long hug and beams at her. Lauren smiles back and closes her locker after getting the books she needs for her next class.

"Nice to meet you too, Ally," she says politely before she turns on her heels and walks down the hallway.

Ally follows her and struggles to keep up with her long strides, "What class do you have now?"

"Biology."

Ally lights up. "That's my class too! And oh, you're going the wrong way." She giggles as Lauren stops.

"I've got no sense of direction whatsoever," Lauren says with a soft laugh.

"No problem. Come, we'll walk together."

By the time lunch rolls around, Lauren's head is swimming with the amount of workload their teachers poured onto them on the first fucking day.