In An Instant

Chapter 5

"Welcome to Northland High School, 10b!" Ms. Michaels started cheerfully, bubbling like boiled water. "Over the next week, you will be participating in a variety of social activities. Here at NHS we value community, which you will come to understand throughout the course of the following days. Today you will take the time to meet your teachers and come to terms with your schedule, but tomorrow the real fun begins."

        She smiled with a gleam in her eye that I took for mischief as though she knew something that we didn't. "On Wednesday you will remain at the school and participate in the sports and extracurricular activites that we offer here. Every student is encouraged to try out for the teams. The next day you will be taken to Lawrence's Recreation Center to go swimming. Our prefects have organized a special sleepover here at the school for Friday night as well! Are there any questions?"

        I heard a few excited whispers and also groans, too. We weren't twelve any more, I guess, but this beat school work. Besides, none of us really knew each other. I, personally, thought that this week would be a great way to become oriented into the school and each other, but I didn't want to sound like that person so I zipped my mouth shut and observed the others, taking them in as though I were watching a movie.

        "Yeah, I have one. How do we control what goes on here?" The boy who spoke up has messy blond hair and a impish smirk that promised he had lots of tricks up his sleeve. His shirt was untucked and his tie seemed to have been swallowed into a black pit. I cringed at the thought of him having a say in what went on around here. No one trusted a monkey to run the circus.

        "I wouldn't go as far as to say 'control', Hunter, but you could help organize school events and let your grade's voice be heard if they elect you for student council. Those running will present their speeches in a months time."

        Ms. Michaels then stared at us each individually, as if she were daring us to ask her something and I could tell that she was itching to speak. Those few seconds of silence must have been painful for her. Finally, a willowy girl with an athletic body and long auburn tresses that fell down her back in soft waves raised her hand confidently, her posture perfect.

        "Will we be doing all of our classes with our homeroom?" she asked, her voice pleasant to listen to, somehow warm and comforting, like a blanket on a cold day.

        "Yes, Isla. As a homeroom, you will all be participating in all of your subjects as a group. Next year you will have some say in which classes you have. Now, I won't bore you any longer. Go socialize!" With that, our English teacher sat down and looked through some files on her computer, boredom written in bold print across her face. 

        We all just stared at each other, our faces blank slates. It was like someone dropped us on an island with fifteen other strangers and told us that our only means of survival would be to communicate with each other. The only problem was we didn't know where to start. Naturally, I searched out Ally and Sidney and sat beside them. Using a whisper that would barely be audible to an elephant, I said, "Did you meet any girls that you liked?"

        Ally just shrugged. "Not really, you?"

        I nodded. "Yeah, when I was getting my schedule there was another girl there. I didn't catch her name, but she seemed nice."

        Out of the corner of my eye, I spotted her again. She was looking in aggravation at a tall boy with wide set eyes and spiky brown hair. By the look on her face, it looked like it was taking all of her will not to snap his head off with her tiny arms. The evil glint in her eye suggested someone calculating and not to be messed with, but her angelic features made her someone that seemed trust able and caring. I wouldn't be surprised if she grew the soft feathered wings of a swan right there, but she just sat, as proper as a princess.