The New Girl

Chapter Four

Brooklyn and I just had the longest conversation we ever had, and that too ended on unfriendly note. Not only that. He turned out to be as worst as Garrett and Travis. I had never thought he would treat me like that. Throw his undergarment at my face. As though I was a person with no feelings.

I heard the shower running and the water pattering on the marble floor in the bathroom. Everything inside me screamed urging me to invade the washroom and smack his butt hard. But I knew I couldn't do that. I lacked the courage and strength. Perhaps this was why people had called me dork.

Instead I put a hand on my chest and prayed to god, "Please give me strength to fight. Please give me strength to fight..."

After repeating the same lines four times, I carried my Reebok bag and threaded my way toward Block A where my first class would take place. But in the middle of the way I changed my mind and decided to see the principal first.

Under the clear sky, the ground was crowded like that of a primary school's playground during recess. A handful of followers of neontoppers.com pitched hateful remarks at me: I hung down my head refusing to look at anyone: the walk from Block D to Block A seemed to take ages:

"Hey sissy!"

"How number two position suiting you?"

"Congrats dork!"

I was really, really glad when I finally emerged inside Block A and shut out all the haters. I didn't waste any time lingering in the corridor and directly strode off to meet the principal.

"What's the matter, dear?" The principal's personnel assistant, the middle-aged bespectacled woman, asked me from behind her working desk outside his office.

"I need to talk with the headmaster," I told her.

"He is currently busy, dear," she said. "Take a seat and wait patiently for your turn." She returned to her typing task, her head bowing over the keyboard. 

I slumped on the sofa next to two girls. They turned out to be my class mates recognized by the name of Mimi and Caybe who were friends with Avalanna. I didn't have good relationships with them so I stayed quiet. Seeing them there, I could correctly guess who was inside the principal's office. If I just concentrated, I would catch fragments of what the headmaster was lecturing.

"... Don't want to hear complaints about your outfits ever again Miss Gilbert..." Headmaster Wallis' faint voice was saying. "... Maintain the college's dress code.... Now get out."

The sound of the door swinging open, and the blonde in pink mini dress that ended six inches above her knees marched out on her high heels, nose up in the air. Mimi and Caybe stood up to follow her friend. Avalanna Gilbert passed by me looking as though she was going to do everything opposite of what Headmaster Wallis just instructed her.

"You may go in now, dear," Miss Swan told me.

I got to my feet, and in another second was inside the circular office of Headmaster Jeremy Wallis. The old man with hooked nose and graying hair.

"What's the problem, laddie?" he asked, gesturing me to one of the chairs before his wooden desk.

I took the seat he had gestured and said slowly fiddling with my fingers, "Headmaster, I'd like to change my dorm. I don't want to share it anymore with Brooklyn."

"Your reason?"

"I think he's not good room partner for me, and he... bullies me."

Headmaster Wallis leaned back on his chair crossing his leg on top of another and, over the joined tip of his fingers, said, "I'm sorry to hear this Mr... er..."