Remember Me

Chapter 1

Ava

The new school looms in front of me, it's three story, limestone walls cold and forbidding. Students drift into Henderson-Justice High with all the confidence one is expected to have two thirds of the way through school. I, on the other hand, am anxious and nervous.

No friends, no relatives, no idea where I am going. I am all on my own.

"Hey, are you lost?" I hear someone ask. A hand lightly touches my shoulder as a girl in a navy blue school blazer and a pretty, white skirt peers at me in friendly concern. "I've never seen you around before."

"Hi," I reply, nerves still dancing in my stomach, "Yeah, I'm new. My, uh, old school-" I broke off as I saw realization dawn in her pale green eyes.

"Oh my god, the accident. I understand now! Well come with me, I'll take you to your locker! You have your timetable?"

"Yeah," I smile and hand the girl the sheet of paper I have been nervously folding while talking to her. She flips it open and looks at it.

"Okay, come with me I'll show you where to go." She smiles and leads me towards the school.

The building is formidable; a 1930s cathedral turned school, it sits in the expensive side of town. It is only because of the accident at my old school on the other side of town that I can go here. The spires and bell tower are still standing and the great building stretches far back behind the street. Large windows were a part of the renovations that took place here a few years ago, and even now, standing at the massive, castle-like oak doors that lead me inside the building, I can see students trotting their way up flights of stairs to the top of the bell tower where a class takes place presumably.

"Come on," the girl calls, still holding the door open for me, "You can look around later."

I nod and follow her into the building. The main foyer opens up revealing a large, regal staircase leading up to the two renovated floors above me. Three of the walls are the original oak planks, while the fourth which I'm facing is renovated pine.

"My name is Moira Snow, by the way," she murmurs, leading me towards the stairs on my left. "Who are you?"

"Avonlea," I reply, smiling, "But you can just call me Ava."

"Well, Ava, welcome to Henderson-Justice! Around here we just call it HJ though, it's easier to remember. Your locker is on the second floor but your classes are kind of all over. You have Math on the same floor, but your History and French classes are on the third floor. In the Attic, we call it. All the history and culture classes are up there. Dance, history, art, drama, French, Spanish, English, the choir room. You get it. Your last class is a spare. You can go to the cafe, library or the student lounge; the bell tower."

Moira quickly checks her watch as we continue walking, heading down the long, wood paneled hall. "We still have some time before class starts. Do you have any questions?"

"Yeah. What's on the main floor?" I ask, readjusting my bag and fixing my hair quickly, feeling a bit of nerves again as I realize my day is about to begin.

"The cafe, the library, some science rooms, the gym and some more lockers."

"Okay, thanks." I flash Moira a small sheepish smile, grateful for having met such a patient person.

"No problem!" She smiles back reassuringly and gives me back my timetable before she stops and points to a locker. "This is yours. Good luck today! My locker is right across the hall in case you need anything. I'm also in your History class."

"Thanks Moira," I murmur, smiling before turning to my locker and working on unlocking it.

I load my things into it and spin around to find my class just as the bell rings. There is a girl behind me, waiting for class to start. She is wearing a black hoodie and her back is to me. Only the tips of her dark brown hair can be seen under her hood. As if she senses being watched, she turns slowly to me.