Normal | Scott McCall

1

"Advice one, don't skip classes. Advice two, don't be afraid to sit with me at lunch or whatever, you know I don't care. Advice three, don't get distracted by the good looking kids, most times their assholes." Jude told his twin sister before they got out his car. It would be his sister's first day at a public coed high school.

"I got it, I got it." Rita said, tired of listening to Jude be the father figure he felt entitled to be. They got out the car, finally and Rita couldn't help but feel out of place. It was weird for her to be at school without a hideous uniform and it was even weirder to be at school with boys. She had gotten easily accustomed to being in a girls only environment and now that she was out of it she felt extremely foreign. Rita followed her brother to the office and stayed near him.

"What's your name, dear?" The secretary asked, looking at the smaller of the two. Jude nudged her, urging her to communicate with the middle-aged woman.

"Rita Singh." Rita said, quietly. The middle-aged woman nodded and printed out Rita's schedule and wrote down her locker number in the top corner.

"Thank you." Rita said, giving the secretary a small smiled before being led out by her brother. Jude took Rita's schedule from her hand and looked at her locker number. They walked quietly with the occasional comment made by Jude or Rita about the school.

"This is your locker. Your first class on down the hall to the right. I have to get to my locker now. Good luck, sis." Jude said, waving as he walked away. Rita waved and giggled as he bumped into some kids. She pulled out her phone and used it as a mirror to check her makeup. She had spent a good amount of time on it and wanted to make sure it was perfect.

"I like your makeup." A strawberry-blond haired girl smiled, opening the locker next to hers. She looked at her and glanced at her friend before turning back to her locker.

"Your Jude's sister, right? I've seen you at all his games." The girl asked. Rita nodded and closed her locker.

"I'm Lydia Martin, by the way. This is Allison, she's close friends with your brother." Lydia said. Allison tapped her shoulder and pointed at the girl who had already walked away.

"Guess she's not as friendly as her brother." Allison mumbled as Lydia shut her locker.

"Or, she was really busy." Lydia shrugged. Allison patted her friend's back as they started walking to class. Rita entered her classroom after checking the room number repeatedly. She was early so she greeted the teacher quietly and sat in the second row. The teacher handed her a text book that read Physics.

"Thanks." Rita said. The teacher gave her a nod and went back to his desk. Students started piling into the room and the Singh siblings quickly spotted each other. Rita patted the seat next to her and put her bag on the chair to save the seat for him. Jude shook his head and sat next to his lacrosse friend. Rita took her bag off her seat and looked at Jude sadly. Jude brushed her off and turned to his friend.

"Can I sit here?" A blonde girl asked. Rita nodded and turned to face the front.

"Your Jude's sister, right? I've seen you at the lacrosse games." The blonde girl said. Rita gave her a nod and opened her notebook, hoping the girl would stop talking to her.

"I'm Heather."

"Rita." Rita mumbled, not looking at her.

"Hey, Jude. Bring Rita to my birthday, yeah?" Heather said, finally noticing that Rita wasn't in the mood to talk. Rita's head shot up and she looked at her brother, shaking her head.

"Alright." Jude smiled and turned to the front of the room. Class started and Rita gave her undivided attention. Jude on the other hand whispered to his lacrosse friends about why a tattoo didn't show up.