Flames

Chapter 1: Just my luck

"Dad!!!! I don't want to go to school," I whine childishly. "First, it's almost October, so everyone in this new school already knows each other; I'll just be the new, weird kid. Second, I'm not good at making new friends, you know that. And third... I probably won't get a chance to see my old friends in a school that big." My dad is forcing me to go to this new public school, and I'm terrified because I've never been to a public school before. My whole life I'd been in a small private school in which everyone knew each other, the classes were somewhat easy, the teachers and the administration were absolutely wonderful, and everything was just peaches and cream. But last month it burned down and the insurance money was not enough to afford rebuilding it.

"If you don't want to live on the street, feeling cold all the time and eating food out of a dumpster, you have to go," my dad tells me, exaggerating the situation a bit.

"I can be homeschooled," I respond, smiling widely and batting my eyelashes as to see if I can get my dad to give in.

"No way!" My dad retorts. "Now go get your stuff. It'll be worse if you're late on your first day."

"Ugh! Fine," I grumble, defeated. I make my way back to my room to get my stuff. I put on a t-shirt with shorts and a pair of sneakers. I'm not the kind of girl who dresses up too much. I like simple, and besides, maybe this way I can get by unnoticed in the new school. I hate socializing; I'm shy and I don't like to talk much. I wonder how I have friends at all; I guess it's because they approached me first. Thankfully, my two best friends and some other friends are going to this new school too.

"Honey, we're here," my dad informs, startling me from my thoughts.

"Do I seriously have to go?" I ask with a painful expression on my face. The school looks absolutely dead; there is nobody outside. I guess classes already started... and I'm late. Just my luck!

"Yes Amanda," my dad answers firmly. He notices my seriously distressed face, so he adds sweetly, "everything will be alright. You're going to love it, you'll see... Now go, you're late." He kisses my forehead before I finally get off the car.

---------------FLAMES---------------

"Here! Your first class is Precalculus with Mr. Berry," the secretary says handing me my schedule.

"Could you tell me where exactly the classroom is?" I ask shyly.

"The end of the hallway go right, then follow that hallway all up to the end, go left, third door left," the secretary responds roughly without even looking at me.

"Ok, thanks," I thank her sweetly and leave. She wasn't nice or friendly at all. Another reason to hate this school.

I find the classroom; taking a deep breath, I step inside. The teacher is already explaining a lesson; a lot of equations and letters are written on the white board. He stops when he spots me and diverts his attention towards me; everyone turns around and I become the center of attention. Earth, swallow me now!

"Umm... hi. I'm Amanda," I say shyly to the teacher and hand him my schedule so he can confirm that I'm in his class.

"Welcome, Amanda," Mr. Berry welcomes me friendly with a big smile plastered on his face. "I was just explaining some basic concepts, you go ahead and find a seat." He hands me back my schedule.

I go and find a seat, as he instructed me. I sit next to a girl with like honey beige skin, delicate features, and shoulder-length, brown hair. She kind of looks like a model. Her features roughen when I sit next to her.

"Hey!! Who told you that you can sit there?" The girl questions, glaring at me.

"Umm... I don't see anyone sitting here, so I assume the seat isn't taken; anybody can sit here," I snap. "I'm not moving, but feel free to move." What a way to not get noticed as I hoped. I'm shy, but I don't stay quiet when someone talks to me like they own me.