They Know Me

FIRST DAY

The next morning, I started out the front door to meet with Rhys, but he was already there, on my porch, waiting. "Ready? I'll drive."

I wasn't, but all I could do was to brace myself against the new school experience and do my best to survive it.

We walked over to his car and got in. As we pulled away from the curb, he said, "Before you lie and tell me you didn't do anything last night, I saw you coming home. See anything new or exciting?"

I debated whether I should tell him the truth or not. He wouldn't appreciate hearing how I'd hallucinated about the ghostly appearance of Mr. Kennerly and, because of how impossible a concept it was, I was beginning to question whether it really happened. Deciding not to say anything about it, I answered, "I met two girls and a guy. You can say we bumped into each other."

"Anyone from school?"

"How would I know? I'm basically new here."

Too soon we arrived at the school. As Rhys turned left into the parking lot, I glanced at the hospital, and had to bite my tongue against telling him that I was overwhelmed at starting over at a new school, and to take me there instead. Rhys parked and got out, but when I didn't move, he leaned down and said, "Ashe, by now you should know how this works. You get out of the car and go to class. The classrooms don't come to you."

"I know. I'm just trying to prolong the suspense."

"Don't let it drag too long. If you're late, you'll be locked out of class and will have to face the principal's wrath. I don't recommend it."

I got out and closed the door. "Have much experience with that?"

He smiled. "The marks have scarred but I won't tell you where. I'll take you to the office to get your schedule and if you're nice, I'll even escort you to your classes."

"Big word."

"Sarcasm. Not the way to start your first day."

We crossed the school's parking lot and entered through a set of double doors and into a sea of unfamiliar faces ... until I saw one I recognized next to some lockers – the obnoxious girl from the night before. She stopped talking the instant she saw me, but I kept my eyes straight ahead as Rhys and I walked past.

"Wow. Ice queen," Rhys mumbled.

"What?"

"Amber. She's shooting you killer looks."

"She's one of the people I ran into."

"Watch yourself. She's popular and if she doesn't like you, she can make school life miserable."

"She can only do what I let her – and I won't."

"Don't say I didn't warn you."

Rhys opened the door to the Administration Office and we walked to the counter. From behind a desk, a middle-aged woman looked up and smiled. "You must be Ashley Desten, and are here for your schedule."

Surprised she knew my name without being told, I murmured, "Yeah."

She chuckled. "We always get the names of new students before they arrive. With your face being the only unfamiliar one, it wasn't hard to guess that it was you. Besides, your aunt called ahead."

Of course, I thought.

Rhys and I waited as she plunked away at her computer. Seconds later, the printer on the counter started to chug and slowly spit out a piece of paper. "That's your schedule. Have a good first day, Ashley."

"Actually, I go by Ashe."

Rhys removed the schedule. "Let's go. We'll be late."

She looked at him. "Today only, Rhys, you have a free pass. Since you're showing Ashe around," she looked at me and smiled before addressing him again, "I emailed your teachers and let them know."

Walking out, he said, "I wish I could call you my lucky charm, but I know better than that."

Out in the corridor, seeming not to notice the whirlpool of people as other students and faculty hurried all around us, Rhys glossed over my schedule. "What's the first class? Oh." He looked at me with mock apology. "Algebra. You're lucky. Mrs. Collins is a great teacher. But," he said, stopping in front of a door, "she likes to focus on the new student, and ..." he paused dramatically before adding, "Mr. Nelson is a monster." He handed me my schedule, opened the door and stepped back. "Have fun."

"What does he teach?"

"The next class, English Comp. Warning – he plays favorites, and if you're not one of them, your grade won't be higher than a 'C'." Rhys gently pushed me inside the classroom and, with an exaggerated smile and a small wave, closed the door.

I turned. All eyes were on me.

I hated my life even more at that moment.

"You must be the new student." An older woman with a friendly face shuffled over. "May I see your schedule?"

I handed it to her and she put on her glasses. "Ashley?"

"Ashe."

Smiling sweetly, Mrs. Collins handed me back my schedule before showing me to a front seat at the far left, where a girl at the desk behind it made me uncomfortable by staring like I was a specimen on a Petri dish while she tapped her pencil on her desk repeatedly.

"Ashe, why don't you share a book with Jenson?"

Before I could ask who that was, the guy at the desk to my right moved closer and put the book between us. Awkwardly, I mumbled, "Thanks."

"Don't mention it," he replied matter-of-factly.

An hour later the bell rang. Class was over. Taking back his book, Jenson asked, "Is anyone showing you around?" I pointed to Rhys, who'd just peeked around the classroom door. Jenson looked at him and then back at me. "Nice guy. Smart, too."

"I'll tell him you said that."

He collected the rest of his books and, nodding a greeting to Rhys, filed out of the classroom with the others.

"How was it?"

Mrs. Collins looked up from her desk. "Hello, Rhys. She did great." She looked at me. "I'm glad to have you in my class, Ashe." She went back to tending to the papers before her.

Rhys looked surprised. "In math? Wow. You've changed."

"Just – let's go." I followed him out. "How did you get here so fast? Did you leave class early, or run?"

He stepped over to the door directly to the right. "Neither. This was my class, and now it's yours."

"I need books."

"We'll get them later."

I peered in and my eyes locked with those of an angry-looking man. "Is that ...?"

"Yep, the monster-teacher. Oh, just to let you know ... he's in one of his 'moods'. Good luck." Rhys walked away, leaving me to face Mr. Nelson's wrath.