Elle Jeanette [ EDITING ]

Chapter 1

I enter the library with suprisingly smooth grace, and immediately the deafening silence engulfs me. My blue sapphire orbs search for an empty spot, and I saw one at the far end of all the students chattering and all the couples hiding behind bookshelves, probably shoving their tongues against each other's throats.

I walk with my head down and gulp. The weight of a thousand eyes settled on my back until I pulled out a chair and sat upright. I let out a strangled sigh.

It was always like this. This is the 10th school I've attended for the whole year. While other students have met since the start of school, I've been meeting new students almost every semester. I'm always "unfit" to attend a school because of my ADHD, as my father kindly puts it.

But there was one time when I wasn't desperate to just drop out of school, and it was because of him—Percy Jackson. He was just so kind to me. He was a new student at that time, and I just got there in their 2nd semester. He treated me like a princess and I wanted him to be my prince. Then, when we went on a school field trip to the museum, he just disappeared. I left school for a few months and then got kicked out. That's when I got here. To a miserable, useless school called St. Andrews.

My hands find the sharp edge of the paper in the book I'm reading and I rub it against my thumb. Then I heard whispers behind my back—the annoying, chattering voice of Mariana George. Of course, in every school I've attended, there's those foolish sterotypes and cliques. And Mariana George is like the one in of those Mean Girl movies, Regina George.

"Have you seen the new girl?" Mariana said, and I imagine her twirling her glossy blonde hair in her thin pink-nailed finger. Her cronies mutter a "no."

"Well, she's the living definition of 'ugly'. And I mean it, she's even dorkier and uglier than that Elle girl." As she says this, my hands ball into a fist and I've got to concentrate to not shake and explode.

"I heard her name's Alexis," one of her cronies' with a high pitched voice says and snorts. "Sounds like a boy's name." All of them laugh—giggle, actually—rather annoyingly.

"Anyway, I heard from a 'source' that little Elle Jeanette is a slut. They say she does it for a living. To save up money for college because her father can't do it because of his pity job as a janitor in schools little Elle goes to." Mariana says, giggling once again. Her cronies laugh with her, admiring her cruel joke.

I stand up almost frighteningly quick and push the chair back to the table forcefully. I grip my book in my hand tightly and grit my teeth at the selfish and judgemental girls behind my back. I turn around and slam the book on their table. They are all shocked and all the attention in the library is on me.

"I am not a slut! I'm not like you—I'm not like you people who sleep around because it's fun! I'm not like you because if I were you, I wouldn't be abusing the fact that my parents are rich. I'm not like you because I'm not a fucking bitch." I shout at them. "And for your information, my dad is the best dad in the world because even though we are broken and even though life isn't at its best right now, he still carries on with a smile."

With that final line, I grab my book and leave the library, leaving them with their jaws on the ground. I surprised myself as well, because I was never one to fight back. And now with my new found strength, I will not cower in fear over these people. I will be the beautiful and proud difference standing in between all these stereotypes.

Just then, the bell rings, signaling lunch. I'm so glad I have an earlier lunch than Mariana. I enter the cafeteria and I'm shocked to see a few students are only in line at the serving counter. I drag a tray from the rusty metal cabinet, and make my way to the serving counter.

The lunch lady serves me broccoli and steak with carrots and corn on top. The rice was served in a heart shape and I couldn't help but roll my eyes. She offered a bowl of soup but I politely declined. Carrying my lunch tray in one hand, I fumble to get a bottle from the fridge. I almost drop my tray in the process, but someone's hand catches it in the last second. I look up to meet a girl no older than seventeen holding two trays on either hand.

"Get me one too?" She says and I nod my head. I reach for two bottles and she leads the both us to a seat in the middle. I hesitantly sit across the seat she sits on.

"So, hi, I'm Alexis. Alexis Ozean." She says, and it takes all of my will power not to gasp out loud. She's the girl Mariana was talking about. By her the words Mariana had described her, I was sure she looked like a nerd, glasses and all, but she didn't. She had beautiful brown hair that cascaded down her bare shoulders. Her eyes were blue with electricity coursing in it. My eyes narrow as I look at her more.

"I'm Elle Jeanette. Elle's fine." I tell her, still in disbelief that Mariana could judge such a beautiful person like Alexis. She smiles, showing perfectly white pearly teeth. "So, it's your second day?"

"Yeah," she says and takes a bite. "It isn't so bad, but I can sure hear that Mariana girl's dirty mouth."

She's heard what Mariana has been saying about her.

"So you've heard." I say, taking a bite as well. "I should be sorry but I'm glad I'm not the only one being talked about." I know I shouldn't have snapped like that but it's in my nature. And besides, I've been keeping myself from bursting everyday and now I guess I've reached that point where I just need to explode.

"O-okay, then," she says. After that, the deafening silence settles in between us. Well, until I just had to break it.

"Um, so, why did you move again?" I said, as I took my last bite. I avert my gaze from my food to her eyes and see her expression that she's contemplating about doing something that is definitely out of the picture from what her motive is. 

"Because I'm different." She says, and this time she doesn't plaster a toothy smile, but looks solemn for once. I furrow my brows and bite my lip, she isn't telling me the truth. Or she is but not all of it.

"Everyone's different, Alexis. Tell me the real reason," I tell her, trying to let her trust me. "You can trust me."

"No—No, it's not that," she said, looking around. "I just don't trust the eyes and ears listening to us right now. I just can't say it out loud or write it, nevermind whisper it."

I frown at her in confusion.

Alexis Ozean, I will uncover you secrets even if it's the last thing I do.