Stop and Smell the Roses

Chapter I

She walked into the building with a straight face. What seemed more awkward about this strut was how everyone looked at her with cautious eyes.

Ayana glanced at others, but nothing seemed to affect her.

"Ayana!"

Her neck swiveled to the sound her ears had attracted to.

"Yes?" She looked at the girl with a raised eyebrow.

A wave of disappointment painted her face, but she regained posture. "Are you okay?" Her question came out as a mere whisper.

"Okay?" She looked around and started to stress over the piercing eyes. "I guess," she bit her nail. "Why?"

The other girl chewed on the inside of her cheek, but nodded. "I'm Georgia Wilson," she took her hand out. "Nice to meet you." The green eyed girl eyed Ayana nervously, hoping a spark of hope would ignite into a miracle, but Ayana nodded the girls hand slowly.

A sudden realization hit Ayana.

"If I don't know you, how do you know me?"

Georgia chuckled. "My mom is friends with yours..." even thought that was a painful lie, it was the best answer she could think of. She didn't want to force anything upon Ayana.

"Oh..." was her simple response.

"Want me to show you around?" Georgia questioned Ayana, giving her a small smile.

Ayana took a moment to look at her surroundings. The walls were tainted in a rose-gold color, and posters strung on the wall. A football team called the Thorn Foxes held the title of the high school. Stairways placed themselves around the area and signs decorated the corridors.

Ayana hesitated on what to say. "You know, this place seems familiar." Georgia lifted her face, eyes twinkling.

"I can't put it on my tongue, though."

Georgia sighed, then grabbed Ayana's hand, firmly tugging her out of the crowd.

---

"Thanks for showing me around, Georgie," Ayana smiled, but then quickly stuttered. "Is it okay if I call you Georgie?"

Georgia started laughing, but as she dyed down, she replied: "Yeah, as long as I get to call you Ann?"

Both girls nodded in approval, but were interpreted by the clicking of heels.

Ayana and Georgie turned around, and the girl who had made an entrance gasped.

"You're alive..." she whispered, nearly hyperventilating.

"What're you doing here, Gracie?" Georgia hissed, nudging Ayana behind her.

Gracie quickly regained her confidence. "Visiting an old friend, eh?" Her voice was like acid.

Georgia didn't buy it. "Fuck off! Your lucky that daddy bought you out of your sentence!"

Gracie had grown amused by her reaction. "Oh my, with a language like that, people might find you unattractive... oh wait. They do." Gracie's chuckle was dry.

"So that's how you want to play it, "miss-cock-loving-crab-woman"?" By the way Gracie's eyes widen, Georgia knew two things.

She had struck a nerve.

She had also let the tables turn.

Silence slid in through the walls, and both girls were giving looks. "You deserve to rot in jail." Georgia spoke up, grabbed Ayana's hand again, and dragged her out of there with a pissed off look.

And with that, the day started off pretty confusing for Ayana Malati.

"This is going to be a great day" is one of the most fucked up saying for anyone.