Macy

Chapter 4

"Thanks for breakfast momma" I said, shovelling down my last pancake already behind schedule for my first day back "it was delicious"

I kissed her cheeks and put my plate in the sink before grabbing my things to leave.

"Drive safe and learn something new!" she called out.

"You know I do!"

A new school year and hopefully Billie is in one of my classes. It'd be nice to have a familiar face that I can talk to.

First days are always so weird to me. I don't really see anyone in my grade over the summer, except for those who attend church.

So after I parked Matty's truck in an empty spot and walked towards the huge building swarmed with lost freshman sending their parents away, I made my way to get my locker and schedule.

Most faces I recognised and some even smiled. But everyone I recognised looked so much older than before the summer.

Girls had gotten tanned from hours in the sun either in another state or long days in the lake.

And guys had gotten taller and weirdly hairier.

"Watch where your going!" one of the senior boys yelled at a group of freshmen in the middle of the halls then proceeded to walk right through the now scared group.

"Fucking armatures" the same senior laughed with his friends who were raising their hands and fists.

I just don't understand boys.

I kept walking and found my way to my first class.

English.

A handful of students had already arrived, all talking to each other about their summer.

Quietly I took a seat at the desk in the far-left corner.

The lesson had started as soon as our teacher walked in, a stack of novels threatening to spill from his hands.

"Good morning all!" he greeted us, a wide grin on his face "I'm Mr Vella" he wrote it on the board too "and you've been graced with me as you senior English teacher. First order of business is to—"

The opening of the door he shut on his way had in cut him off.

Billie stood at the door. Nothing in her hands either. No bag, no book or even a pen.

She obviously doesn't want to be here. And if that wasn't enough proof the look of boredom in her glare was.

"Mrs O'Connell? I presume" he looked at his roll "take a seat, I'll let you off this once. But let's hope for both our sakes this isn't a habit"

She stared at him blankly before scanning the room, when her eyes fell on me, I looked back at my desk.

"Right so as I was saying, first order of business is to pick the title of a novel out of this hat" he held up what I assume to be his cap, now filled with folded pieces of paper "and that is the novel you will be reading this semester. And I expect an essay by the end of semester about the novel and the main characters moral compass and moral journey"

The whole room erupted in groans at the news.

I stayed silent, not caring.

I like reading anyway, when I have the time I love curling up in bed or on the couch to read and rewind.

Soon enough it was my turn to choose a novel out of the hat.

Harry Potter

"Ah, a classic" Mr Vella said as he peered at the paper I picked out "have you ever read one?"