Genesis

CHAPTER 14 School Days

I hadn't been looking forward to the first day of my senior year in Eden, but it was here nonetheless. Because I had spent every one of the scant summer days with Ty, I hadn't made any friends other than Mara. I really enjoyed hanging out with them, but I needed a friend like Jane who lived in Eden. I'd have to work on that. Surely I could find one girl out of all the students at South Effingham High. But today I would be the dreaded "new girl", a curiosity, a Yankee.

I had laid out my outfit the night before, in accordance with the school's dress code — a pair of cropped khakis and a white polo. Unfortunately, flip flops, always my first choice in footwear, were not allowed.

Ty picked me up this morning, as he had every day since we officially began dating, also wearing khakis and a white polo. Embarrassing. Jennie was so jealous because she and the rest of my siblings had to take the bus. My mother wasn't happy about this arrangement either. She would have preferred that I drive all the kids to school. But given the fact that the move to Eden was forced upon me, she capitulated; her only condition being that I had to come straight home from school to do homework before any extracurricular activities with Ty. Not that I would have anything else going on, at least not at school. The Student Media Club, which encompassed the newspaper, yearbook, and Mustang Radio & TV, was the only club I was interested in; however, it required one to register at the end of the previous year and perform various tasks over the summer.

The high school consisted of one large building and several portable classrooms housing the approximately one thousand five hundred students. My mother had brought me and Jennie here a couple of weeks ago to complete all the necessary enrollment paperwork so I was able to go directly to my first class, Literature — British & World Literature, to be precise — in Room 116. This was the only class I was excited about. Ty walked me to the door and wished me luck.

"I almost forgot. I got you a first-day-of-school present," he announced, taking something flat and rectangular from his back pocket. As usual, it was wrapped. I loved that he put in the extra effort that it took to wrap his gifts. It added a level of excitement. I ripped the floral paper carefully, not wanting to ruin whatever was inside, just in case it was something delicate. It was a beautiful silver bookmark with pale blue and green ribbons hanging from it along with some beads and a silver faerie. It was inscribed with a quote from Helen Keller that read, "The most beautiful world is always entered through imagination".

"It's perfect. Thank you," I said with a smile.

"You're welcome. See you after class."

Because it was the first day, I had insisted on arriving early. The last thing I needed was to walk into a classroom after all the other students were seated, bringing unwanted attention upon myself. Of course, that meant that the opposite was the case. I was the first to arrive. The teacher's back was to me and I watched in silence as he watered some plants that were grouped in front of the one fairly large window located directly across from the door.

Without turning around, he called out, "Welcome!" in a cheerful voice.

"Can I help with anything?" I offered, as I walked in and dropped my stuff on the desk in front of his.

"Thanks," he said as he turned around, holding out the watering can.

I took it from him, trying not to stare, but he was the best looking teacher I had ever seen. His wavy brown hair almost touched his shoulders and his blue eyes conveyed a genuine kindness. "I'm Mr. Joshua, by the way."

"Pleased to meet you, Mr. Joshua. I'm Essie Jacobs."

"You're the new family in Eden, right? You bought the old Edwards house?"