The sky had a orange/yellow hue to it as the sun slipped under the horizon. The warm breeze tickled the hair on my arms. My heart pounding knowing that tomorrow I'd start a new school here in Los Angeles California the next day. I had a feeling that public school in California is going to be way different than private Christian school in Texas.
As soon as the stars began to appear in the light sky I headed down the hill. A group of kids, about my age. Fourteen and fifteen stood together at the bottom of the hill. They weren't there when I first got here
"Hey you," one of the girls in the group pointed towards me. She was the tallest one out of all of them. She had dark brown hair, as brown as eighty percent dark chocolate. I looked around and then pointed at myself, asking if she was talking to me. "Yeah, you! Come here." I looked around and then walked down the hill and stood a bit away from the group. "You new? I live in this neighborhood and I've never seen you here before."
"Yeah, I-uh-I just moved here from Texas." I responded gulping, a little intimidated.
"Yeah, I figured, I mean what are you wearing?" She chuckled, everyone else laughing after her. I furrowed my brows and looked down at my outfit. I wore ripped jeans, white t-shirt, and white flip-flops I got from target. Then I glanced at the other girl's outfits. They all wore booty shorts and crop tops, or booty shorts and a bra with a fish-net sort of top over it. I cringed at their outfits.
"You going to our school?" The girl asked.
"Palm high." Another girl added on.
"I'm-Yeah. I am." I sighed.
"Well you're gonna need to try and fit in or else school is going to be hard for you. First you gotta start with changing your outfit. Ripped jeans are good but maybe tie your shirt up higher and throw away those cheap shoes."
I rolled my eyes secretly.
"Also," she drew a cigarette to her mouth. My nose filled with cigarette smoke smell and I realized all of the girls in the group had a cigarette in hand. I became anxious to leave, I didn't like this feeling. "Try this?" She held her hand out to offer me the cigarette. I politely shook my head 'no'.
"You scared?" A girl with bleach blonde hair laughed.
"I-I've gotta go home, you know? School starts early tomorrow and I-uh don't wanna be tired on the first day." I stuttered ignoring her question.
"Whatever weirdo." The brown hair girl spat and turned her back to me. I sighed and started away.
"Why don't you wanna smoke?" A girl with short black hair and dark green eyes questioned, standing on her tip-toes looking over everyone. I slowly turned around and looked at my pink painted toe-nails and then up at her with a confident smile.
"Because I don't care about fitting in, especially if I have to do things that'll harm my body that God gave me. If I have to smoke and wear revealing clothing, I'd rather be an outcast." They all stopped talking and stopped smoking for a moment and looked at me, multiple different expressions appeared on their faces, multiple different thoughts grew in their minds. I nodded slowly and turned to walk away. None of them stopped me.
"Chloe! Come on hunny, you're going to be late to school!" My mom called in a sweet tone from downstairs. I placed my Bible into my backpack and fixed my hair in the mirror. The mascara and eyeliner I put on really brought out my emerald green eyes. The braids I put in after my shower the night before made my butterscotch brown shoulder length hair wavy. I smiled at myself in the mirror giving myself confidence for my first day of school. I adjusted my backpack and walked down stairs. My mom had made me a plate of pancakes with strawberry's and blue berries. I had about ten minutes to eat my breakfast and leave so I sat down, admiring the beautiful plate my mom had put together.
"Good morning baby, how'd you sleep?" She kissed the top of my head and lowered the volume to the news on tv.
"Good." I cut a bite sized piece from my pancakes.
"Alright, off to my first day at work." My dad walked into the kitchen adjusting his belt.
"Good luck, sweet stuff." My mom kissed my dad on the lips and hugged each other.
"Have a good day at school!" My dad waved as my mom adjusted his tie and he picked up his brief case. He headed out the door and I could hear his little grey volx wagon bug drive off.
"I've got to get to work now, don't be late to your bus sweetheart." My mom hugged me, giving me a tigr squeeze, she'd always do that and then tell me how much she loves me. She headed out the door with my baby sister Abigail and my ten year old brother Nathaniel as I finished my pancakes.
I walked down the sidewalk bringing in the sites of my neighborhood. I turned on my iPhone and plugged in my light pink earbuds, placing one in my right ear. I went into my music app and turned on, 'Start Over' by Flame and NF.
The bus door opened. I placed one foot on each of the three steps until I stood next to the bus driver and looked at all of the teenagers who filled up the bus, I heard cussing in the back, normal conversations and gossip in the middle, close to the front noisy people but mainly appropriate conversations and the very front, the quiet kids.
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I Got Jesus
SpiritualI am in this world, but I am not of this world. You, Lord, are all I have, and you give me all I need; my future is in your hands. -Psalm 16:5