Some Day

1: The First Day

Chapter One

I lean back in the drivers seat, my eyes wandering over the school parking lot.

It's the first day after winter break, and the start of second semester. For me, however, it's my first day of school here at Rankin High School.

Dozens of teenagers are driving into the lot and then entering the building, but I simply sit in my car and watch.

Today, and for the rest of my life, I am Liliana Jones.

There's a lot of things on my mind as I finally get out of the car, and I fidget nervously with my backpack straps as I make my way up to the main entrance.

My schedule was mailed to me, so I don't have to worry about going to the office first, I just have to find all my classes.

Woodacre is a small city in Virginia, with not a ton of people, but is still too big to be considered a town. Rankin High School is one of two high schools here, and I don't even know what the other school is called.

I think about my hometown in Arizona, and find myself missing the heat I once hated. It's about forty degrees here, which I know isn't that cold, but I still can't help but shiver as I walk.

I walk a little faster and pull my jacket tighter around me, before finally entering through one of the doors.

Suddenly, I'm in a crowded hall, with dozens of students walking around and chatting, and their voices drown out my thoughts.

Everyone seems preoccupied with themselves and their friends, so I walk in undetected.

I've never been the new girl before. To be truthful, I was expecting everyone to turn and stare as I walked in, and wonder who I am. But Rankin High School has over a thousand students, so it's not that small.

Someone bumps past me, and I remember that I'm standing in front of the door.

I quickly force my feet to move, and I start wandering around, looking for my first classroom—A102.

It doesn't take me too long to find it, and I take a deep breath before walking inside.

The room is about half full, and hardly anyone even looks at me. A couple of girls are talking in the back, while everyone else seems to be on their phones or staring off into space.

"There's a seating chart on the front desk," a deep voice suddenly says.

I look toward the source of the voice and find an old Asian man sitting at a big desk, doing something on his computer. He must be the teacher, Mr. Zhao.

I walk up to the first desk, which has a clipboard sitting on it and a stack of papers.

My eyes wander over the seating chart, taking in unfamiliar pictures and names.

"Are you the new girl from..." Mr. Zhao thinks for a moment, and I turn to look at him as he squints his eyes, focusing. "New Mexico?"

"Arizona," I tell him, nodding.

"Ah, yes, Arizona," he replies. He swivels around in his chair. "We're going to start Hamlet today," he explains. "Have you read it?"

"No," I reply, feeling awkward just standing here.

"Good, so it'll be new for you, too," he says, standing up. "The seating charts up at the front," he tells more people as they walk in.

The room has started to fill up with students, and I quickly return to looking at the seating chart to find my spot.