Oddball

Chapter One

Optimism.

A quality I severely lack, but constantly need. No matter how hard I try, I can never be optimistic. Other than being ridiculously shy, being a pessimist is one of my biggest flaws. And while we're on the topic of optimism, let me start off by saying that in this moment, I really need some. Starting at a new school is a terrifying experience. I've only been in one school my whole life, so this is an entirely different game. Especially since this school is a public school. My old school was an all girls academy, so to say I'm terrified is probably an understatement.

I just recently moved to Steamboat Springs, Colorado. My father passed away about a month ago. We couldn't afford our house in Florida, so Mom decided a change of scenery would be a good 'character building experience'. And now, here I am. Sitting in my car, in the middle of my senior year, at a totally different school, dreading to go inside.

"It's going to be terrible." I say quietly, in hopes that maybe a hint of optimism will pipe up in the back of my head.

But I get nothing.

I suck in a deep breath and open the car door. As I walk towards the front office doors, I receive multiple looks from different students. Some older, some younger. I walk into the office, chewing the insides of my mouth like an anxious mess. A woman with short blonde hair looks up at me and smiles. She adjusts her glasses and takes her hands off the keyboard in front of her.

"Hello, dear. What can I do for you?"

"U-uh, hi... I'm Payton Fisher." My voice comes out shaky and uncertain, "I'm new. I transferred from Tallahassee."

"Ah, yes! I was told about your arrival. Alright, well... Here we have a relatively small school, so everybody knows everyone. That means you'll have no trouble making friends." She tells me in a cheery voice.

I force a pathetic smile as she digs through files and finally hands me three slips of paper. I look over them and find my schedule in the middle, a campus map, and a welcome letter from the school. I smile and thank her, then turn and walk through the office and into the little hallway leading to the main hall. I open the door and I'm instantly overwhelmed by the amount of students in the hallway.

Two tall, athletic boys toss around a football and crack jokes while a large group of girls across from them look at their phones and talk about Prom. The whole hallway is buzzing with voices and laughter. The bell rings and everything turns twice as chaotic. Everyone makes their way down the hall and I slowly ease myself into the crowd. A few minutes pass and I'm still lost as the bell rings again. I look at my schedule and the campus map as I try to find my first period. I walk with my head down until I reach the end of the hall. I take a right and walk upstairs until I reach my first classroom.

I walk in and instantly turn red when I notice everybody has already taken their seats. The teacher smiles and greets me warmly, giving me his name and a handshake. Everyone is starting at us... He points to a seat in the middle of the room and I walk over and sit down. I awkwardly place my bag on the floor and look up. But when I do, I can barely see the board. A girl with a big, fluffy hat sits in front of me. It's white and has little round ears on the top, like a bear.

The boy to the left of me starts snickering as he looks at me. I look down at the desk and my cheeks turn red. I stare at the desk for the entire class, then the bell rings. I stand up and the girl practically jumps out of her seat. I notice she is extremely thin and pale as she puts on her backpack and joyfully strolls out of the classroom. I knit my eyebrows in confusion as I watch her go.

What a weirdo.

I feel a tap on my shoulder and I whirl around, coming face to face with the boy. He smiles and laughs.

"That's Oddball." He tells me.

I lift my eyebrows slowly, "Oddball?" I ask in a near-silent voice.

"Yeah. Well, at least, that's what everybody calls her. She wears weird hats every day and she's always happy and stuff. I guess the name just started up and took off from there. I don't know her real name." He chuckles as he puts on his backpack.

"I'm Milo. Milo Carstairs." Milo says as he looks at me.

My eyes flick over his tall stature and take note of his other features. He has dark, dark hair with light blue eyes. His jaw is chiseled and strong, topped off with a sweet smile. He has a small scar across his chin, but his face is free of any flaws.

I realize I haven't said anything, so I nod and smile weakly. He stands there and waits for a response, but I'm too nervous to say anything.

"You know... Here in Colorado, when somebody introduces themselves, you usually do the same." He flashes me a cheeky grin and laughs at his own joke.

My face ignites red as I squeak out, "I'm Payton. Fisher."

"There you go. Where's your next class, Payton?" He asks.

"Uh... Downstairs, I think." I mumble.

"I can walk you down, if you want." He suggests as we walk out of the classroom.

"Um... Sure. Why not?" I laugh nervously.

"You're really shy, huh? Where are you from?" He asks.

"Tallahassee, Florida... My mom and I moved here and so I have to finish up senior year in this school."

"Cool! Why did you move?"

"I'd rather not talk about it. I have to get to class." My voice is low as I speed up and walk through the classroom door of my second period.

That was terrifying.

I need optimism...