I shot up out of bed as my alarm clock blared through my room. It was my first day attending Pine Ridge. Somehow my parents had managed to scrape up enough money to send me to private school for my junior year. As I walked into my bathroom and began my morning routine, I couldn't help but feel completely and utterly terrified. I wasn't just going to a new school in my district or something - no. I was going to a completely new school in a completely different country for God's sake. My dad had gotten a promotion right before the end of school last year that would pay him twice as much. The catch? We had to move to Canada. So, my family decided to pack our lives into suitcases and haul our butts all the way from Georgia to Toronto. I gazed at myself in the mirror, unsure of where to start. I decided brushing my hair was a good idea - my teeth too. After I had finished my makeup and hair, I shut off the bathroom lights and closed the bathroom door behind me, heading over to my closet. I decided on light jeans and a yellow shirt. I changed out of my pajamas and donned my clothes, slipping on my white Vans. I picked up my bag and walked downstairs. I sighed, making myself a smoothie bowl for breakfast, and sat down to eat. I think it was gone in less than thirty seconds. I picked up my phone and checked the time: 7:40. I had about three minutes before I had to be out the door. I trudged back upstairs and kissed my mom who told me to make sure I had a good day for her before walking back down and gathering my stuff. My heart was pounding in my chest at the thought of walking to the bus stop. I attempted to calm myself down by turning on some music, but it didn't help much. I slung my backpack over my shoulder and walked out the front door. My eyes began to well up as my anxiety kicked in, but I willed them away.
How stupid is that?
I walked down the small hill to the bus stop where about five or six kids stood. At least I wasn't there too early. A boy - obviously a freshman - with a very sorry attempt at growing a mustache kept staring at me. Needles to say the few minutes spent at the street corner were awkward. Finally, after what seemed like ages, the bus pulled up to the sidewalk, collecting the very un-eager students. I scanned the bus for a seat, claiming one towards the back. The ride was pretty much silent. No one seemed to know each other except for two girls at the front. They seemed like bitches, not gonna lie. After about ten minutes, the bus pulled into the school bus port and we were let off. I could tell my first day was going to be just dandy when the final bell rang and I still couldn't find my homeroom. A teacher had to escort me to my first period, so I once again got the amazing opportunity to suffer more extreme embarrassment. I didn't talk much. The next period went by slowly, as to be expected, and finally the bell rang, signaling the end of second period. I walked across the hall to third block and sat down in a seat towards the back. Students rolled in after me, talking with their friends, laughing and smiling. I stayed silent. My thoughts were interrupted as a group of boys walked in. I caught the eye of one in particular, whose brown curly hair bounced when he walked. He looked at me for a moment, and I felt my cheeks burning. He half smiled by cocking his head to the side and parting his lips slightly before seating himself next to me. One of his friends sat behind him. Our teacher, Mrs. Frank, (her name was written on the white board), walked into the room, closing the door behind her.
"Good afternoon everyone!" She said cheerfully.
"Alright," Mrs. Frank began, lifting up a large binder full of papers.
"Alyssa Albert?" She asked.
I student in the front of the room raised her hand timidly as the teacher continued to take roll. Halfway down the list, she called,
"Shawn Mendes?"
The beautiful boy beside me raised his hand, smiling at the teacher. She smiled back and marked him present. After a few more names, Alana Summers echoed throughout the room and I raised my hand shyly, glancing over at Shawn. He seemed to be studying me, memorizing me. I suddenly felt self-conscious. Mrs. Frank began the lesson, but I didn't hear a word of it. I couldn't keep my eyes off of Shawn. I studied the way he squinted his eyes when he was thinking hard, the way his curls bounced when he shook his head, his sharp jawline, he piercing brown eyes, his sweet lips....
My thoughts were interrupted by the bell. Every student shot up from their seats and raced to the door, many holding wads of cash. Lunch. I stood as well, looking for Shawn, but he was no where in sight. I followed my peers out of class and down the stairs to the lunchroom. The lines were long, but the food was good: the opposite of my old school. I scanned the room nervously, trying to quickly decide where I was going to sit. I knew no one was looking, yet I felt the entire room's eyes on me. I quickly sat down at a small table with two benches in a corner. My heart was thumping in my chest and my anxiety was causing me to loose my appetite. I stared at my untouched food for a bit, lost in thought.
"Can I sit here?" A boy asked, standing in front of me.
I looked up to find the face behind the voice. My words became caught in my throat.
"I uh...yeah sure." I said, trying not to blush.
Shawn smiled brightly at me, as if he couldn't help smiling for some reason. I smiled too.
"So where are you from, Alana?" He asked sweetly, looking deep into my eyes.
He remembered my name. He must've been listening for it during class....just like I had for him.
"Oh, the U.S." I replied.
His eyes grew wide.
"Really?" He asked, awestruck.
I laughed nervously, "Yeah." I said sheepishly.
"Wow. That's so cool." He responded.
I didn't really understand how living in the United States was 'cool'. I guess it's just because I had never known anywhere else.
"What state?" Shawn asked, his eyes wide with curiosity.
His smile was contagious.
"Georgia." I said, beaming.
Shawn seemed amazed, which I found hilarious.
We continued our conversation throughout the entire lunch period. It was as if the world around me froze when he spoke. Time ceased to exist; everyone else seemed to disappear. It was only us. Then the bell rang. Lunch ended too soon. Shawn picked up his things and flashed me a smile from across our table.
"See you tomorrow." He said, walking around the table to stand with me.
We had never been so close. I held my breath,
"Yeah," I began. "See you tomorrow."
Shawn looked as if he was going to do something - I'm not sure what - but decided against it at the last moment, turning on his heels and walking away.
My stomach churned.
Butterflies.
YOU ARE READING
Help Me (S.M.)
FanfictionAlana Summers and Shawn Mendes are in the midst of the perfect high school relationship. They were always together - glued at the hip. It was as if the two were completely inseparable. That all changed in the blink of an eye. Shawn began to have epi...