Cry Me A River

Chapter One - Nothing Will Be The Same

{Dakota}

It's so big compared to my school, I thought. I sucked in a breath as I looked up at the new school in front of me. I need to walk up those stairs into the main hall and get my schedule. The problem? I can't get my feet to move. I'm frozen in place. I don't want this move to be real. I want my parents to call me and tell me this was all some sick joke, some nightmare. I want them to tell me that we're turning around and going home.

California is nice and all, but I miss Florida. I lived in a small, suburban town, and I had a lot of great friends. Now I'm here, at a new school, for my senior year of high school, which is supposed to be the best one.

I took a deep breath and walked up the stairs, trying to avoid the swarming crowds, but failed. I was shoved, bumping into a firm shoulder in the process.

"Hey, watch it," a rough voice snapped. I threw a glance over my shoulder, catching a glimpse of fluffy black hair and a leather jacket. Crap. I continued to the office anyway, the smell of sweat and too much testosterone making its way to me through the hall. I managed to find the office pretty quickly after that, it being the first door on my right.

"Hi... um, I'm new here and I need my schedule?" I said to the woman at the front desk, ending it in more of a question.

"Oh sure sweetie. Let me tell your counselor that you're here," she replied in a high pitched voice that you'd imagine a typical old lady has. Anyway, I nodded to her and then sat down in one of the three seats across from her desk.

I looked around the office, observing the different people. I saw the Old Lady at the front desk, whom I'd already met. Then there was a young girl with glasses, maybe a year or two younger than me, sitting in a chair by a filing cabinet. She had a stack of papers in her lap and kept having to push her glasses up her nose every thirty seconds.

"Dakota Miller?" a male voice called. I glanced over to see a man about my height with a bald head and mustache.

"That's me," I replied, standing up and slipping my backpack onto my shoulder.

"Good. Right this way." He led me down a short hall to another office. He pushed the door closed behind us and offered me a seat in front of his half bare desk. I sat.

"So, we have your general classes scheduled, but you need an elective. Anything you have in mind?" he wondered, looking up at me.

"Photography? Or yearbook maybe?" I questioned.

"Our photography classes were actually lost to budget cuts, but yearbook is open, and could use another photographer," he replied. I nodded and he typed something down on his computer. "Alright, you're all set. Your first class is just down the hall." I thanked him and left the office, schedule in hand.

It took me roughly ten minutes to find the classroom. I pushed it open, all eyes turning to me. I glued my eyes to the teacher, refusing to look at any of these unfamiliar faces, and handed her the schedule. She nodded.

"You can take a seat right back there," she said, pointing toward the back of the classroom. I let out a sigh. The back. I can manage that. I took the thin piece of paper back from her and quickly made my way down the last row, sliding into a cold seat. The people around payed me no attention, for which I was thankful.

"I'm Elle," a quiet voice said from next to me. Scratch that. Almost everyone.

"Hi. I'm Dakota," I replied. She nodded, giving me a warm smile as she leaned back in her seat. She seemed nice. Maybe this wouldn't be so bad after all.

**************

I managed to get through my first four classes without any malfunctions, but now it's lunch. I don't know anyone. Sighing, I shoved open the heavy cafeteria door, stopping as it clicked closed behind me. The people at the tables nearest to me quieted down and looked over. What the hell? I get I'm new, but it's like they've never seen another human before.