Pricked

2. A New Beginning

Chapter 2: A New Beginning

---two months later---

"Kathrine? Kathrine, come on darling it's almost time to leave for school," Mary called to me from the bottom of the stairs.

I grabbed my bag off the desk chair and headed out of the room and down to the kitchen where Mary was serving up some breakfast to Paul who had just gotten up and was still wearing his pajamas. I smiled at the two old couple who had taken care of me for the past few months, they were very kind and I hoped to remain with them for as long as possible.

"Oh, there you are darling," Mary started, "Let me just get this apron off and then I'll drive you down, alright?"

"Okay," I watched as she put her white apron on the oven ring and washed her hands.

"I'll be right back," she informed me as she left the room.

"Looking forward to your first day at Wilden?" Paul asked referring to the high school I would now start attending. I shrugged. "Don't worry, with what Morgana and I have taught you I'm positive you'll be able to take very good care of yourself."

"I hope I won't have to," I reply.

"Alright darling, here are the keys," Mary said as she came back in the room., the keys jangling in her hands. "Come along dear you don't want to be late for school," Mary said as she ushered me out the door and into the car.

After she shut her door behind her she looked over at me, "Now you're sure you have everything? your binders? Your pencils? Some money? Everything?" I nodded. "Alright," she sighed again.

"Ohhh," she squealed out of nowhere, "This is so exciting! It's just like when I dropped Lily off for her first day of school! But, then again, I suppose that wasn't the best thing that ever  happened to us." She sighed once more.

I looked sideways at her. 'Who's Lily?' I thought to myself, for I'd certainly had never heard her mentioned before. How curious.

-----break-----

We pulled up to a stop in front of the school's many one floored buildings that were scattered around the campus. Some of the walkways between the structures had 'roofs' overhead, however, others were simply left to the will of the elements. I had been here once before on orientation day, but of course, that hardly counted, seeing as so few people actually go to that...especially when you've been dubbed as a sophomore.

"Katherine!" Mary called to me as I began shutting the car door, "Do you need me to walk you to the office? To help you find your first class?"

I shook my head, "No, I'll be fine. Thank you." That was my nervousness talking there I seemed like such a chatterbox, I chided myself.

"Alright then darling, then I'll b back to pick you up at 3:30 to pick you up. If you need anything, anything at all, don't hesitate to give us a ring before then, alright?" I nodded once more. "Have a great day dear!"

I smiled back at her reassuringly as I shut the car door, but as soon as I heard her pull away I let it slide from my face. When I turned around many people were staring at me. When a town has very few people traveling in and out of it, I assume that everyone must have an idea of who most people are; however as I am one of those few new people this year I suppose it would be much too hard for people to simply pretending that I don't actually here.

I had made special time to memorize all of the maps of the school as well as my school so that I would have one more thing standing me out from everyone else, such as holding all of my informing papers. I kept looking down at my feet as I blindly traversed through the halls until I came across a niche that I had found a few days before at orientation. There I stayed in refuge with my drawing pad and pen.

I didn't hear them come down the hallway, I don't know how I missed it. "Hey," a deep voice called out to me.

I looked up and felt my heart beating faster in my chest. "Your in our spot," A ginger haired boy said disapprovingly. There were four others with him, but I was too frightened to look at him. i Jumped down from the ridge and started to scurry away down the other direction of the hall. "Hey where do you think you're going?"

I stopped in my tracks, "Aren't you going to apologise?"

I half turned, "S-s-s-sorry."

"Awwwe, isn't that so cute! She's got a little li-li-li-lisp!,"a blond girl behind him sneered. Everyone laughed at I hurried off to my first class. I may have been a few minutes before the second bell, but I didn't care.

I pushed the door open to the chemistry classroom and the teacher-Mr. Ross I think it was- looked up from a pile of papers on his desk.  His eyebrows raised at me, "Why you're early," he remarked. Getting up he put his hand out to me expecting me to shake it Smiling pleasantly he said, "I'm Mr. Ross I'm the chemistry teach. It's lovely to meet you." When he realized I wasn't going to shake his hand he put is awkwardly back down at his side. "Well," he cleared his throat, "feel free to sit anywhere you'd like."

I nodded as I found a seat in the farthest back corner of the room and started my drawings again. This time I sketched of embarrassment and hiding.

-----break------

When the second bell rang people started streaming into the classroom in groups of two or three until all but two seats remained filled. We didn't learn anything this first day. Insead all Mr Ross, and any teacher for that matter, spoke of was organisation and  how they were going to grade us in the following months to come. I also noticed that there weren't a great many people there today. In fact, there was anywhere from two to six people missing from all of my classes.

Throughout the day I wondered at where they all might be, but the teachers didn't seem to be shocked by any of the absences. How strange....

School, I discovered, was not quite as terrifying as I thought it might be. Nobody bothered me, even though I was joining in the middle of the year, and I stayed out of everyone's way. Every once in awhile, a teacher made me stand up in front of the class,   making me quake and stutter all the more. Other than that though, nothing too awful happened.

In fact, I found I rather enjoyed the prospect of being taught by people  in a group of other kids my age. It was much better than sitting alone at my house near the computer trying to understand the cryptic language of math by myself. When I saw other people struggle with new concepts it reassured me of the fact that I was not the only one that did not understand certain things.

When Mary came to pick me up and asked about my day, I smiled at her.

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 Hey all, so here's another chapter. Please let me know what you think!