Three.
Alanna Reed
My head counselor smiled at me. I've seen so many people, and I was convinced I hadn't even glimpsed at a small portion of the student body. From the moment Rachel and I walked in, I knew that it was nothing like home. The school's entrance was a huge room, with four hallways branching off from it, and two staircases leading up in different directions and two staircases leading down. A single image of a fierce tiger was printed in the middle of the foyer. The school was huge, and the amount of students was multiplied by three, it seemed, from the amount of students back home.
I forced a smile back at her. Once we made it to the office, Rachel had told the main office lady about Kels, and they called her down from first period. Kels was able to help Rachel to her head counselor for their grade, and is going to help her find her classes. Then, there was me. Struggling to listen to what my head counselor, Cindy Thompson, who wanted me to call her Cindy, had to say even though the butterflies seemed to swirl around in my stomach even faster.
Cindy's hands flew across her computer board, and her pink rounded glasses sat at the tip of her nose. "Okay, I sent your schedule to the main desk. It should be printing soon." She turned, and folded her hands together before placing them on her mahogany desk. "Are you excited, dear?"
"More so nervous," I answered, trying, but failing once again, to smile. That was the truth. Her brown eyes seemed to twinkle. Looking around her office, she had a bunch of witty motivational posters. She seemed as if she was one of those counselors who wanted to know everything, and loved helping teens with their problems. "It's definitely more different than home."
"Oh, I bet. You came from a small town in Nebraska, right?"
I nodded. "A small town right outside of Omaha."
She smiled, and got up from her chair. I watched as she smoothed out her black skirt before walking around her desk, and stopping at the door. She turned, "Why don't you just come with me? We can grab your schedule in the main office, and I can walk you to your first period."
Grabbing my bag, I quickly got up and joined her at the door. She led me down a white carpeted hallway, and into a side door that opened up to the main office. We went around the desk until we stood in front, behind a boy who wore black sunglasses. The office lady seemed furious with him.
"Cameron Dallas, this is your twelfth tardy this semester!" she chided, looking up at him. "Why are you always late?"
He shrugged, and added in a low voice, "Carol, just be happy that I showed up today."
"That's Mrs. Smith to you." She glared at him. "One more tardy before the break, and I'll have to schedule another meeting with your parents. From there, we'll decide the best way to handle your irrational behavior."
He turned, and looked at Cindy. I took the opportunity to size him up. His chest poked through a tight blue shirt, paired with black pants, and a pair of dark blue vans that matched his shirt. He grinned, showing off his perfect teeth. Cindy smiled at him, though hers seemed as if she grew tired within the last ten seconds.
"Cindy, how's it been? Having fun dealing with the new wave of juniors?" He asked her.
"Yeah, though none of them are quite like you, Mr. Dallas."
"Still trying to explain that to my new head counselor, Cindy." He answered her.
He walked away from us to the door. Cindy and I reached the desk, but she turned around.
"Mr. Dallas," she called out. I turned my head as Cameron froze at the door. He turned, and looked at Cindy. "Please remove your sunglasses, and make sure you're doing good this year. We've got new students, and we want you seniors to provide good examples."
