Under The Radar

Chapter 2

The Admin office had a considerable line as newly-minted Juniors waited for their new locker assignments. Juniors and Seniors are located at a different wing, which meant locker changes. Things were sometimes a bit backward in their area and Margot took a chance checking the Admin a week earlier if she can get her locker assignment. Thankfully, she was able to avoid that hurdle. She didn't like long lines especially in school, which would've meant she had to socialize when she'd rather not be seen.

There were only a few students who already found their lockers and were too preoccupied to notice her. Observing the bright paint, it seemed like the school had the budget to upgrade their lockers. That was fine with Margot since that meant a relatively clean locker. She groaned quietly when she finally found hers. It was near-center of the hall and not ideal for a loner like her, her mind immediately planning how she would deal with the crowd every single day.

She was just able to crack the painted blue metal open when her body slammed against it, her hand slamming the locker close again. That was the best she could do to keep her face from smashing against the metal. Something heavy had pushed to her side and she couldn't maintain her balance. Her mind temporarily panicked when it realized that her body was going to hit the floor not so gracefully.

Her arm took most of her weight and her curse came out as a grunt as soon as the pain registered. However, the 'Oh shit!' she heard was low and unfamiliar. It was followed by heavy, scrambling footsteps. My god, it sounded like a herd of bisons migrating.

There were consecutive apologies, which was weird. Too many sorries by too many different voices. It wasn't like an entire group trampled her. By the time she looked up there was a small crowd of jocks towering over her body. They were all trying to reach for her, most likely trying to help her up. She wasn't used to the attention that she shrank back a little, putting up as much space as she could between them. She pulled herself up immediately, refusing their help politely. It was really no big deal. She didn't hit her head or anything.

"Are you okay?" one of them asked. He was offering up her glasses which also bounced off when she fell. She tried to remember his name but she was too flustered and too determined to keep downplaying what happened, she barely looked at his face. At any of them.

She cringed. All of these people all up in her face at once was making things bigger than it was. She grabbed her glasses, quickly inspecting if there was any damage. There wasn't, thank god.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Don't worry about it." She mustered up a small smile, directing it to no one in particular, to show she was good. Margot weaved through them to get to her locker and ignored the stares that were now coming from everyone. She started moving some stuff into her locker, hopeful that the hallway will go back to its normal chaos.

She could still feel the stares from the group but she ignored them. They finally walked past her, whatever game they were playing forgotten.

"Just wish that it won't reach Big J," someone said, which was followed by a slap.

"Oh shit, you're right," some other guy snickered.

She couldn't hear anything else as the rest of the student body drowned out their conversation.

'Big J?,' Margot thought, confused. She huffed and then went the opposite direction to her first class.

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Classes were boring as expected, especially on the first day of school. The same roll call and outlining of topics for the semester were repeated every single class. It all blurred together and the subjects barely registered to Margot. Her mind was going off in different, mundane directions today. It was only the first day. She's sure she can focus enough for the rest of the semester. That's what she's been doing for the past couple of years since she moved. Paying attention to school, avoiding drama, keeping to herself. Be the wallflower that she never thought she could be.