Beautiful Secret

First Day

Ella was sitting at the breakfast table, watching the little pale 'O' shaped fruit loops cling to each other and form strange patterns in the milk. She was pushing them to the bottom of the bowl with her spoon, watching them absorb the milk and become soggy.

"You sure you don't want some bacon and eggs sweety?" Her dad spoke up over the loud searing noises of the cooking food, "The townies don't really eat cold cereal around here".

She looked her dad in the eyes.

"I'm not a townie and I hate bacon and eggs."

Her dad gave her a sad look.

Ella knew that was a lie. In fact, she could feel her stomach reacting to the lovely smells of the sizzling bacon and eggs. But she made a promise to herself that she would not let this cold dreary place change her. It may have taken away almost her whole life, but definitely not who she was. All she had to do was survive in this Hell-hole for at least 18 months and then she would find a job back in California and move away. Her dad would be just fine living with that stupid estate agent. He would probably start a new family and forget all about her.

She took one last sad monotonous bite from her cereal, stood up and took her bowl to the sink. She didn't want to be late for her first day at this new school. Teens her age were fairly harsh these days. It was bad enough that she was new. Ella grabbed the thick grey coat that her dad had bought her at a small store nearby and tugged it over her body. Swinging the light bag filled with nothing but three books over her shoulder, she started out the door and muttered a goodbye to her dad.

"Love you Ell, have a great day and call me if you need anything okay?"

"Thanks dad I will" she muttered, before heading towards her red Dodge Dart.

***

She parked beside a rusty yellow truck that had peeling stickers of girls in bikinis.

Not caring that she may intercept the driver of this filthy vehicle after school, she rushed towards the front doors of Ketchikan High. The large white letters stood above the dark wooden doors with lumps of snow building up in the crevices of the letters. Everything was damp and the school almost emanated a gothic type of vibe. It was probably the snow and the dead twisting trees that teased the sides of her vision.

She opened the doors, pushing with all her strength. They gave way slowly and once she was inside the hallway, she jogged towards the class that she assumed was her administration class. Peering through the small window in the door, she could see a class filled with figures dressed in dull clothes. Ella did not want to walk into this classroom, but she knew it had to be done.

She took a long deep breath and pulled the door handle.

24 pairs of eyes stared at her.

The teacher sitting at her desk turned her head towards Ella and slowly got up.

"How can I help you?" She asked sternly, looking a little bit annoyed.

"I... I... I'm new." Ella stuttered.

The teacher contemplated for a few seconds before speaking up, "No I'm afraid I am not expecting any new students. I'm sorry dear I think you're at the wrong class" this time she spoke more sympathetically. "Let me find my old school guide for you, it will help you find your right class" she walked over to her desk and rummaged through some drawers.

Ella took a chance and glanced over at the figures in front of her.

Two blonde girls were whispering to each other, most were giving her stares, some with fascination and others with disgust.

She didn't pay much attention to any of them until her eyes fell on a boy with black hair and the most blue eyes she'd ever seen in her life. He was sitting in the back of the class and the way he stared at her, was almost as if he could see through her very soul. He broke the profound moment by quickly looking away and resuming with whatever he was drawing on his desk.

Ella was about to walk out of the classroom from all the uncomfortable stares she was receiving when the teacher slammed her drawers closed and gave the entire class a fright.

"Those damned janitors!" she yelled, "I should have them put in jail for stealing!"

The lady calmed down and spoke with her stern voice, "who will escort our dear guest to her classroom?".

Half the class put their hands up. Ella guessed it must have been with the intention of getting out of class.

"Oh please, none of you are worthy to be trusted!", "Ryan I thought you were suspended for two weeks, what are you even doing here?"

A bulky boy with a football jacket shrugged and put his hand down.

The teacher scanned the classroom and her eyes fell on the boy at the back, who's hand was definitely not up.

"Ander, please take miss...", she paused and looked at Ella questioningly waiting for an answer.

"Glades", she replied.

"Miss Glades, to her classroom. She's at class 102 with Mr Brickhold", she continued.

The boy named Ander stood up enthusiastically, and realizing that he was compromising his façade, smeared away the enthusiasm with an expression of annoyance and regret on his face. He slowly walked over to Ella, and looked to the teacher, as if she was going to give him more instructions.

"Go along now, she's already late as it is. Oh and no sex in the bathrooms along the way!" The woman spoke with a serious tone in her voice, as if it had happened before.

Ella's cheeks heated up like molten lava. She looked away so no one could see her now, cherry red face. Luckily Ander started walking out of the classroom, so she could leave quickly.

They paced through the quiet sterile hallways, not speaking a word to one another. Ella took a quick glance at him. He had a hard and focused expression on his face and seemed to not acknowledge her presence in any way. She was rather frustrated. They'd had their eyes locked like lovers did not even five minutes ago, and now he was just being bleak. Maybe he had changed his mind about her when he'd seen her face up close or something. She did have bags under her eyes from all the sleep she'd lost these couple weeks...

Eventually they stopped at a light wooden door that had the number '102' engraved and painted on it. She looked at his face, focusing her eyes on his slender blackhead-free nose so it wouldn't be so awkward and attempted to say 'thanks' in a sexy husky voice. But what came out was a squeaky raspy chirp.

She could now feel his eyes on her.

"Be safe" he spoke with such intensity, that the air around them filled with an uncomfortable silence.

Before Ella could look up into his deep blue eyes, he turned around and walked away, disappearing around the corner like a shadow that was never there.

What on earth was that about, she wondered.

*Author's note: Hey guys, thanks for reading the first few chapters. Sorry about any grammatical errors and the lack of authors notes. Please feel free to comment on how the book is for you. Votes would be much appreciated. If you want me to check out your book, make a comment on any of my chapters :)