Like Romeo and Juliet | completed

New beginings

I glanced out my window of my new bedroom as I sat and thought about all the ways this day could go wrong. A lot of things came to mind.

After all I was moving from the south side to the north. Those sort of things never went well in Riverdale.

Today is my first day at Riverdale High School, and I am beyond terrified. Which is ironic since I'm part of the serpents (the southside gang). But in all honesty I'm nothing like them, I was born into this. It isn't the life I would have chose for myself. They live a life of danger and me I would rather sit at home and read. Far away from all danger.

I walk over and pull on my leather serpents jacket  over my light pink sweater. I throw my hair up into a ponytail and walk downstairs into the kitchen where I see my mom fixing her self a cup of coffee.  She isn't a morning person but I guess she's trying for me, which I appreciate. My mom did chose this life. She was born a north sider and became a serpent in high school when she fell in love with a boy from the southside. Things ended between them but she stayed because they all became her family.

"Good morning Betty, excited about today?" Not the word I would use at all.

"Of course I am mom". She smiles and returns to her coffee. I walk over to the counter and grab an apple and walk out the front door.

I don't know what to expect from today. Will they all totally hate me? Or fear me? God I hope not. I wish I didn't have to wear this jacket, at least not on my first day. I wish I could leave all this behind, but as they say "once a serpent, always a serpent".

❧

My walk to school was cold and lonely, it is the middle of September and the leaves are just beginning to fall. I tried to avoid thinking about what would happen once I got to school and focused more on why I was here. A better education. The school on the southside holds many memories for me, and of course I love my friends there but the school it's self is probably one of the worst. The building is falling apart literally and the teachers didnt get a very good education themselves. So it didn't leave us with much.

I suddenly come to a stop when I realize that I am in front of Riverdale High School, the place I had been dreaming of for so long and now that I have it I'm scared to even think about it. I take a deep breathe, and tell myself I can do this.

I walk in the door of my new school and even though my head is down I can feel every set of eyes on me. And then the whispers began. I felt like a fish out of water. I know they won't think I belong here, and they will all want me to leave but I have to stay strong. This isn't about them, this is about me and what is best for me.

I look up only to try and find the office to get my schedule. Luckily it was just a little farther down the hall. I picked up my speed and avoided eye contact at all costs.

Once I reached the door I finally felt like I could breathe again. I walked up to the desk and waited for the woman sitting behind it to look up at me. After about a minute I realized she had no idea I had even entered the room.

I cleared my throat in an attempt to gain her attention. After a few more seconds her head slowly lifted from her computer and she began to speak.

"Can I help yo-" she looks up at me and sees who I am. "Elizabeth Cooper, I assume"? I cringe at that name, I always go my middle name, Betty. But I don't feel like arguing with her.

"Yes ma'am". She spins around in her chair and grabs a navy blue folder. She hands it to me and I open it.

"Here is your schedule, a school map, your locker info, and a list of all the extra curricular activities you can join at this time in the semester".