Lockers

Chapter 1

First day of school, Cass. Don't mess it up, I thought to myself as I walked through the gates.

This was my third school in three years, and hopefully the last one for the next few. Even though I'd had lots of practice being the new kid, it was still kind of nerve racking.

I looked down at the map I had recieved from the office and sighed. Yet another one of these stupid things to memorize.
I looked up just in time to watch myself crash into someone. I managed to catch myself just as I was about to fall, but they weren't so lucky, what with their enormous guitar bag and an armful of books. I looked down in horror as the girl in front of me tumbled to the floor.

Oh shit I've already made an enemy, I thought, bending down to help her. I hope this one doesn't try to shove me in a locker or something.

And then something weird happened...

She started laughing...

Not at me, but at herself.

Well that was different.

I let out a small giggle and helped her to her feet. I then kneeled and started picking up her books. After a couple of seconds, she stopped me and said, still laughing, "No, please I should've watched where I was going, you don't have to do that."

I just smiled and said nothing, while continuing to pick up her books. She smiled and crouched next to me to pick up the rest of the books. Luckily her guitar was unharmed.

We both stood up and I handed her books to her with a small smile. She returned the smile, and said, "Hi, I'm Lacy I don't think I've seen you here before."
I shook my head. "No, I'm new. I just moved here from Cape Town."

(Cape Town is a place in South Africa. I live in good old SA and I didn't want to get little details wrong about other countries, so if there are things about the schooling systems, the slang or the languages used, it's probably because South Africa is it's own special little freak.)

She nodded appreciatively said, "What class do you have now?"
"Geography."
"No way, me too! Which class are you in?"
"Umm..." I squinted at my map, which was almost indecipherable and replied, "Grade 10... BT?"
She gasped and clapped her hands happily. "That's my class! I can show you around! I mean... If you want me to?"
I smiled widely. I had only met this girl now, but the way that she went from overexciteable to shy was funny and she seemed like someone I could get along with. So I didn't regret it at all when I gave an enthusiastic nod.

As we walked out of the Geography classroom and to our next lesson, I learnt that Lacy and I would be great friends. We had a lot in common and even had a lot of the same opinions on random things, like macaroni and cheese (which is the most delicious thing in the world) and tomatoes (which we both agreed are vile things never to be consumed).

She was showing me random things on our way to the next class (Maths), such as the art rooms, the hall and the lockers. The lockers were the most memorable, not because of the actual lockers, which were a dull grey, but because of the people. Or, to put it in Lacy's words, the boys. She was just pointing out which boys were useless, which boys were pigs and which guys were worth shooting for, when I noticed a tall, red-headed guy walking in from the other end of the corridor.

I didn't really notice him because of his hair (even though that was pretty visible), or even his height (he was at least 3 inches taller than the tallest guy in the room), but rather because of the way his eyes seemed to immediately find mine.

And also how the sea of students seemed to part before him. I was puzzled as to why this was happening, and was going to ask Lacy about it, when I spotted something. He was wearing a small golden badge that read "Head Boy". That explained it.

As he got closer, I was aware of Lacy tugging on my sleeve, but I didn't fully register it. I was too busy pressing my back against the locker behind me in order to get out of the Head Boy's way.

And then he stopped right in front of me.

I was staring up at him in a mixture of fear and awe, and he was staring right back.

"Excuse me," he said softly.
"Sorry?" I said, somehow even quieter than usual.
"You're standing in front of my locker," he said with a slight smirk, but it was more amused than unkind.
"Oh, sorry," I said with a slight blush. I couldn't help but stare at his eyes. They were the most beautiful shade of emerald green.
I quickly darted away from his locker, or at least I tried to, before he grabbed my arm and pulled me toward him.
"You might not want to make it so obvious that you're a shiny," he breathed into my ear. "It might open you up to... Unwanted attention."

He let go of my arm. Blushing heavily now, I turned to Lacy and we hurried off to the Maths classrooms in silence.