Under The Surface [Editing]

Chapter Six School Days

Monday morning was a dreary day so far. I don’t know if it was the overcast weather or the fact that everyone was starring as the new guy got out of the same car as me. I wasn’t the most popular, but I was known because my father was always helping the delinquents. I looked around helplessly for Lily and Debra but they were nowhere in sight.

“I’ll be here to pick you both up after school, since it is Nathan’s first day,” my dad called over the front seat. Damn it, I wanted the peace and quiet of the bus.

“Fine,” I mumbled, turning to Nathan. “Come on.” I said and tried to walk steady paced up into the school. Nathan followed and was looking around at all the students. He had that look on his face that said ‘I’m a bad boy don’t approach me’ which made every girl want to do just that. The fact that it made me…feel possessive angered me.

Figures that the way he dressed made it worse. He looked good in his black cargo shorts and button down white collared shirt. His sleeves rolled up a quarter of the way showing off toned forearms and the first two buttons of his shirt undone. His hair made to look like he just rolled out of bed. I sighed as he followed me into the office once we were inside the school.

“Here speak to Mrs. Grath she should have your schedule.” I pointed at a short, stout looking lady behind the counter. She reminded me of a crazy cat lady that always seemed to live next door with a bunch of felines running around sipping from bowls of milk. She had short copper colored hair and those old fifties style glasses that hung from a chain around her neck.

“Mrs. Grath this is Nathan Braddox, my father said his schedule would be here?” I spoke up when Nathan didn’t make a move to go speak to her.

I leaned against the counter and tugged at my sweater a bit more it was cold and the skinny jeans I was wearing weren’t keeping me warm enough. I was sure it would warm up later; the weather was always erratic here.

“Yes, of course Dawn, I spoke to him yesterday,” she rifled through one of the file cabinets in her desk. “Here it is and the teacher’s will give him his books as he goes to class,” she said in a sweet voice.

“Thank you Mrs. Grath,” I smiled politely though I felt anything but polite. I walked back over to Nathan looking at his schedule. Crap, he had math with me in Mr. Lancaster’s class that was all I needed. He also had history with me and Lily and P.E. with just me. This world was so cruel. He snatched the schedule out of my hands making me jump, I glared at him.

“Why are you looking so hard at my schedule?” He said giving it a once over.

“We have second, third, and fourth period together so I was contemplating home school.” I snapped sarcastically and huffed out of the office. I heard him chuckling as he followed behind me.

I showed him to his first class and where his locker is explaining where to go from there to history. I tried to ignore the stares and whispers I caught in the corner of my eye. I still had not found Lily or Debra but I only had a few more minutes to get to English class. I turned on my heel and could feel Nathan’s eyes on me as I walked off to class. I had the feeling the rest of my senior year was going to be miserable.

*

*

My stomach was in knots as I made my way to history class. Finally, I saw Lily and sat down next to her.

“Where have you been?” I hissed at her.

“I got here late why?” Before I could answer her, all heads turned to the front of the class which drew Lily’s attention also. Ms. Vox was speaking to Nathan. Lily smiled at me mischievously. I rolled my eyes and sunk down in my chair.