The Cherry Trees

Chapter Two: 2012

My long, blond hair was braided, though I hate it that way, and I was wearing my favorite pink shirt. My mother insisted on taking a million pictures, to capture the moment of me going to a new school. A new school. What was so exciting about that? Why must my mom keep this moment forever like it is one that I would want to remember. I hated this place. Why would anything change that?

My parents both waited at the bus stop with me, waiting for the yellow bus to come rumbling down the street, the bus that would carry me to my doom. Well, not really, but I certainly felt like it would.

When it came into view, my mom squeezed my hand and kissed me on the top of my head.

"Have a good day now, sweetheart," she said.

My dad smiled and gave me a hug.

"Have fun," he added.

Yeah, right.

The blinking red stop sign swung out, and the bus driver motioned for me to cross the road. I quickly looked both ways and cautiously crossed. I leaped up the giant stairs, and walked down the narrow aisle. Then it hit me, I had no friends, so who was I going to sit with? That problem was quickly solved.

"Hi! I'm Lexandra, but I hate that name, so you can call me Lexi. I think you're new. So you can sit with me, if you want to," a rather hyper girl said.

I looked her over once. She had strawberry-blond hair and the brightest green eyes that shone like emeralds. She didn't seem to be making fun of me, so I decided to sit with her. I lowered myself onto the sticky leather seat, and she continued to talk.

"What's your name?" she asked.

"I'm Anne. I just moved from North Carolina," I replied.

"Cool!" Lexi looked down at my hand. "What are you doing?" she asked.

I glanced at my rubbing stone. "It's a stone that you can rub when you are nervous.One of my friends gave it to me."

"Oh. That's weird. Why are you nervous? You are pretty good at making friends already! Look, we can be friends... if you want to be," Lexi said.

As I looked at her, wondering if she was making fun of me, she smiled. She smelled like apples. "Sure," I replied smiling.

-

 Lexi would not shut up.

Not that I minded, I liked when she talked to me, but Lordy, this girl had a mouth.

"What teacher do you have?" she asked.

"Mrs. Hail. How about you?" I said.

"Holy Pickles! We have the same teacher! Now we can really be best friends!" Lexi said.

I laughed, until we reached the doors of the school. They were very intimidating, towering over me. I could see the inside of the school on the other side. The floor was tiled with a grayish-blue color, and the walls were cream colored cinder block. Kids were everywhere, hurrying to get to the school store before all of the scented erasers ran out. Or whatever these kids looked forward to. Lexi must have sensed my fear, because she grabbed my hand and yanked on it.

"C'mon! You are going to like it here, I promise."

I shook my head. "I have to start all over."

Lexi looked puzzled. "What is wrong with a fresh start?" she asked.

With that, she pulled me through the doors.

"Good morning class!" said who I assumed to be Mrs. Hail.