BROKEN SILENCE

Chapter Four

I ran up the steps and prepared myself for the torture ahead. I walked through huge glass doors I had never been through, as this was my first day of highschool. I didn't really know what to expect, it couldn't be much different. The same old people, same rumors and stories, same stereotypes and personalities, even the smell of this school was the same. It smelled like too much cologne and Victoria Secret perfume, the perfect bath & body works lotion. And every once and a while, when you walked into the history teachers room you'd be blasted with the scent you smell at a funeral home, the smell of old women & death. 

I met my best and only friend in line at the guidance counselors office for our schedules. Leila Kennedy, the girl every guy secretly dreamed of but could never have. The girl with blonde hair, blue eyes and a bubbly personality. She was small, but not much smaller than me. Leila was a cheerleader, the flyer to be exact and even though there was a much larger and popular clique of girls, every boy at school drooled over Leila, and even some girls too. 

As me and Leila were standing in line, everyone seemed to step back in order to clear a path. I turned my head to see who was coming, even though I already knew. Six girls were making their way to the front of the line in a pyramid shape. Leading the pyramid was queen bee, Marina Foster. Marina, in her pink, long sleeved, button up shirt with a collar, her perfectly fitting light-washed blue jeans and pink heels with fur inside, hanging off the front in a ball shape, that swung everytime she took a step. Her naturally-brown-but-died-blonde-with-brown-roots-hair was delicately curled with a solid pink bandana tied in a bow that was off center to the left on her head. Her brown eyes scanned the lines of people that acted as a hallway for her, all their faces looking up to her, hoping she'd compliment their new shoes or how they'd styled their hair just like hers. She held her head up high, letting all the peasants bow down to all-mighty Queen Marina. 

To the right behind Marina was Meredith Tate. Meredith flashed her sluttiness off to the public in a cream-coloured knit cropped sweater, and pink skater skirt. To go with her outfit she wore sandals with diamond straps. Just like Marina, she had fake blonde hair with brown roots. Her flawlessly straight hair reached her elbows and she had her side bangs pinned to the left, with her hair parted on the right. Meredith tried to hard to be Marina, and I could even see her watching Marina's gestures to make sure she incorporated them into her day. In every clique there has to be a dumb girl, and this clique had Meredith. 

Beside Meredith, Claire strutted in a red short-sleeved dress with a white collar and black combat boots. She held her head up as if she was carrying a tiara she won for her snobby attitude. Her blonde, wavy- but classy- ponytail swished from side to side. Claire Hampton, the principals daughter. Claire Hampton owned Hampton High School, literally.  

In the back line of the pyramid, to the left, stood Stella Newman, the girliest, and the biggest slut of the clique. Stella had a bob cut, but a good one. Her light blonde hair almost reached her shoulders and was accessorized with side bangs. She wore a white, long sleeved lace sweater with a white collar. Every girl in the clique owned something with a white collar, because once Stella owned an outfit- it was cool. With her beige colored heels, she wore pink pants that matched her earrings. Stella was the boy crazy, hyper, sassy girl. 

Shelby Brewer, the biggest brat. She wore white jeans that made me pray her time of the month would come when she was writing on the board in class. And classy black sandals with thin straps that I prayed would break while she ran down the stairs, making sure her boobs bounced. Then her straight, stiff, dirty blonde hair with a hint of red that went a little past her shoulders. She also clipped back her side bangs. Her pinched up nose showed how disgusted she was of everyone around her. Her annoying, fake laugh was a laugh that no one could stand, not even her friends. When Shelby laughed, Marina rolled her eyes, and Shelby knew to stop. Her royal blue peplum top showed just how desperate she was for people to notice her, how could they when Marina stuck her in the middle of the back line?

Lastly, Zoey Williams who didn't belong. Zoey wasn't mean, and she wasn't stuck up. She didn't belong in the clique, but if she backed out, her highschool life would be filled with eternal torture from Marina. She was the quiet, nice girl, always following Marina's rules. Zoey wore a casual white sweater with a navy blue heart, and dark blue jeans. She topped her outfit off with white vans, something Marina would disapprove of. But Zoey was an athlete, she didn't need heels or fake nails when she was hitting a volleyball. She tried that once before and her nails didn't exist after five minutes of practice. Her very, very long light brown hair was in a low, sorta-messy-but-cute side ponytail. Zoey didn't strut like the other girls, she walked with her head down. 

The clique made their way to the front of the line and picked up their schedules, they all secretly scanned cute boys schedules to see if they had classes with them. I could see Marina eyeing Austin's before she made her way over to him. Claire kept her posture as she glanced at Parker's schedule, anyone could tell she wanted him, but Claire was too good to want someone, they had to want her. 

I finally made my way to the front of the line and grabbed my schedule. I examined the paper, the one piece of paper that could decide if I killed myself this year. How could a paper mean so much? If I had classes with Marina and any of her followers, I'd definitely be killing myself. I couldn't take Marina's eternal torture. 

"1, 2, 3!" Leila and I flipped our schedules over at the same time, excited to see we had most of our classes together. Of course, we both had all honors. I was taking classes in art, and media concepts. Stuff like photography and filmography. The school offered a singing class, which I was told I should take, but I could never sing up in front of people. Leila went down the medical road, taking child development and nursing classes.

"Riley Andrews," Mr. Kelly, the Honors Physical Science teacher called. 

"Here." I replied, always first.

"Parker Benson," He called next, I looked behind me to find he was sitting right there, right in the seat behind me. Parker raised two fingers before slamming them down on his desk as he leaned back. He didn't say a word, or make eye contact with anyone. 

During instruction, I turned  to Parker, gripping the back of my chair with my hands. I watched him write until he cared enough to look up. 

"What?" he said, acting annoyed with me. I bit my lip.

"Uh, nothing, sorry.. nevermind." I turned around, back to face the teacher. I could hear him shake his head unbelievably.

The silence of my thoughts was broke when the bell rang. As I was putting my binder away, Parker slung his black backpack over his shoulder. Leila was making her way to me when Parker accidentally pushed me. I fell straight on my butt, infront of everyone. Including the clique, Austin and Jake. In my head, this moment went like the movies, but it really didn't. Parker did that head shake again and rolled his eyes, he turned around to catch up with Austin and Jake who were laughing. Marina and her clique walked past me, smirking. This wasn't the moment where Parker helped me up and we stared into eachothers eyes, discovering we found true love. No, the only thing I was staring into was Marina's big ego.