by L. A. Jones
At least it gave him a graceful exit, Aradia thought as she smiled. He’d probably have been at my heels the rest of the period otherwise.
Aradia giggled and thought as she started bounding up and down the bleachers with a few other girls. Maybe moving here wasn’t such a bad decision after all
Chapter Six
Day Two began much as Day One had. Aradia’s dad dropped her off, she wandered the campus, and she wondered why so many people were staring at her.
She was sure of it now. At first she’d held open the possibility that she was imagining it, but she’d outright caught a few students looking at her. It wasn’t the way one might stare at a celebrity.
She flattered herself to think maybe they all found her really attractive, but it didn’t feel like the right kind of staring for that explanation. Besides, it was about equally guys and girls looking, and she didn’t think that answer quite fit the facts.
It was more like they were confused and were trying to figure her out. They stared the way one might stare at one of those Seeing Eye puzzles, searching what appeared to be chaos in order to find a 3D bunny.
When she heard the first bell ring, she was practically on the opposite side of campus from her first period. Poor planning, Rai, she chided herself.
She hustled.
Aradia’s forehead was slightly shining with perspiration, but she made it to English Lit with time to spare, and she wasn’t even the last one to arrive. She arranged her notebook and her copy of Anne of Green Gables, their reading assignment from the night before, in a convenient manner on her desk.
Aradia was much more comfortable than she had been on Day One. She was feeling especially empowered in her friend-making abilities after her successful interaction with Roy at the track, even though he hadn’t made it to their proposed lunch date.
She had sat in the corner of the lunchroom with a clear view of the entrances. She’d made sure to get there early so she wouldn’t have to search awkwardly for him. It wouldn’t have been hard to find him with her summoning power, of course, but she preferred to be able to wave him over.
She thought waving him to her would be cuter.
She’d never gotten the chance to try, though.
At first she’d sulked through her cheeseburger and baked fries. They should call them french bakes, she had moped to herself.
By the time she’d made it to her dessert fruit cup, though, she had felt much better. Roy hadn’t necessarily stood her up. She imagined he probably didn’t want to miss lunch. Maybe something unavoidable had come up, or maybe he’d already had other plans which he had forgotten.
She smiled at the thought. She didn’t know him well, obviously, but she prided herself on her ability to judge one’s character. She could easily imagine Roy getting excited and double-booking himself.
At any rate, she decided that as part of her new leaf she was turning, she would give him the benefit of the doubt.
Aradia smiled as she reminisced about the prior day’s gym class while she absentmindedly rubbed her hand over the cover of Anne of Green Gables.
The girl sitting next to her sneezed. It was a polite, quiet sneeze, but it brought Aradia out of her reverie nonetheless. “Bless you,” she said.
The girl turned in surprise. “Oh, thanks!”
She was wearing blue denim overalls with a red shirt, paint splattered sneakers, and chunky thick-framed glasses. Her ears were small and hidden by her pig tails, which lay floppily on her shoulders. Her hair was dirty brown and, like Aradia, she had a lot of it. Her face was blocky, yet petite, and was dotted with plentiful freckles.
With another positive interaction under her belt, albeit a small one, Aradia wondered if she should perhaps try making friends with this girl.
“Alright, let’s begin,” Ms. O’Dell lazily proposed. She sounded almost as unhappy at the idea as Aradia felt. “Who here did not do last night’s reading?”
What an odd question, Aradia noted. Not surprisingly, nobody raised their hand.
"Rhonda," the teacher said from the front of the class. She appeared to be looking at Aradia, which probably meant she was addressing Sneezy to Aradia’s right.
Sneezy’s eyes went wide, confirming Aradia’s supposition. Aradia was glad to know the girl’s real name. Rhonda is a much more pleasant name than Sneezy.
"What chapter in Anne of Green Gables is entitled Rachel Lynde is Surprised?"
Mrs. Rachel Lynde is Surprised, Aradia corrected her teacher mentally.
Everyone in class turned to look at Rhonda. Observing the girl freezing up, Aradia winced. Rhonda obviously had no idea of the trap into which she’d been enticed.
Quick as a flash Aradia flipped to the desired chapter and tapped lightly on the page to get Rhonda's attention.
At first, Rhonda hesitated, apparently reluctant to trust someone she barely knew. With little to lose, though, she accepted Aradia’s help and said, “Chapter One."
The teacher smiled and said, "Good," then turned to the chalk board. In large letters she slowly wrote and underlined “Themes.” “Imagination vs. Social Expectations,” she wrote and said aloud. “Images of Nature.” “Social Concerns.” She went on for a while in that manner.
Rhonda breathed a deep sigh of relief and whispered, "Thank you."
"No problem," Aradia replied with a shrug and a smile.
"Reading books like this one has never been my strong suit. I’m more of a Star Wars Expanded Universe fan," Rhonda explained, then blushed after realizing what she had just so casually admitted.
"Well, may the force be with you," replied Aradia, earning herself a smile from Rhonda, whose cheeks came down a notch on the blush scale. "I usually prefer classics, but ‘to each his own,’ I like to say. Besides, a hundred years ago the only book around was the bible. Nowadays, I’m just thankful to have options."
Rhonda laughed, drawing the attention of a couple nearby students, and she blushed again. Aradia chuckled.
Ms. O’Dell seemed about to start discussing the items she’d listed on the board, many of which were not technically themes, Aradia noted. She was interrupted, though, by a straggler sauntering into the room. It was the blonde boy from her Algebra class, the one who had evaded her the day before. Today he wore a dark green polo, khaki chinos, and brown loafers. Aradia decided he’d be The-Most-Handsome-Boy-I’ve-Ever-Seen until she learned his name. Probably afterward, too.
He was tall, though not as tall as Roy, Aradia estimated. That could be good, she thought. Easier to reach his lips. His wavy blonde hair bounced with every step he took. In Aradia's mind he moved in slow motion. Even in the fluorescent lighting, his skin glowed like the first winter snow.
Aradia gazed at him adoringly.
Strolling to an empty seat at the front of the class, he said, "I apologize for my tardiness, Ms. O'Dell. I was...sick this morning."
Ms. O'Dell grunted an acknowledgement of the weak excuse and asked, “You were sick yesterday for class as well then, I take it?”
Again he was at a pleasant angle for Aradia, and she saw him smile as he answered, “Fortunately I am feeling much better now. Thank you for your concern, ma’am.” His smile was more charming than Tristan’s and seemed as natural as Roy’s. He’s smooth, Aradia swooned.
"Well, at least you're here now. Should I take it you did not get last night’s assignment?"
“I asked a friend for it so I would not get behind,” he replied, and Ms. O’Dell actually seemed disappointed that she could not bust his chops in front of the class. “I found the reading to be quite engrossing, really. It has the reputation of being adolescent material, but was obviously intended originally for readers of all ages. I see you have already begun discussion on the primary themes…”
Ms. O’Dell seemed to get over her annoyance when she realized she had at least one student in her English Literature class interested in discussing English literature.
Practically mid-sentence, Aradia noticed The-Most-Handsome-Boy-I’ve
-Ever-Seen get distracted, as if by a sudden thought or realization. She wouldn’t have noticed if she hadn’t been entranced and staring. His nostrils flared and he sniffed twice, sharply.
He turned and looked directly at Aradia. Her heart stopped.
For a brief moment, their eyes locked. She just froze and stared right back. The boy gave her a little wave, but when Aradia did not respond, he turned away.
"Who is that?" Aradia asked Rhonda in a whisper, more concerned the boy would hear her than the teacher.
"Who’s who?"
"The boy that just walked in.”
"Oh. That’s Dax. Dax Dayton. His dad is the head of the zoning board, or something like that. I think he's a sophomore."
"He's..."Aradia stammered, "magnificent."
Rhonda grinned.
Chapter Seven
"So where are you from?” Rhonda asked. She and Aradia shuffled to the end of the cafeteria line.
"Arizona," Aradia replied as she placed $2.75 in the cashier's outstretched hand.
"Wow," said Rhonda. "That’s a way’s away. What's it like there?"
"Boring, hence why we left," Aradia said.
"Mmm," Rhonda replied. After a pause, she raised an inquisitive eyebrow and asked, “We?”
"My parents and I," Aradia explained. “No siblings.”
Rhonda nodded.
The pair slowly made their way through the mass of tables crowded into the lunchroom. Even with that many tables, there was still hardly an empty seat, and Aradia wondered how the area stacked up against Salem fire codes.
“Geez,” she muttered, “it’s packed.”
“It’ll be less jammed when the weather is nicer out. You should have seen it before they split it up into two lunches,” Rhonda replied.
“With all the talking and shoving, it feels less like a school and more like a Nine Inch Nails concert,” Aradia quipped.
“Nine Inch Nails? Is that an Arizona band?”
“And I thought I was sheltered,” Aradia replied.
Soon, Rhonda had led them to a table a bit more isolated from the rest. Aradia had a feeling she was at what would be known in school TV dramas as "the loser table."
She glanced at Rhonda who was already joining the others seated at the table. She struggled with herself over whether this was the direction she wanted to take her social standing. Rhonda looked over and, braces sparkling, asked, "So you sitting down or what?"
Realizing that just one day prior she had been encouraging her dad not to worry what others thought, Aradia decided to practice what she preached. With a mental shrug, she took a seat next to Rhonda. Besides, Rhonda seems like a good, honest person. Her friends are probably real friends to her.
“Everyone, this is Aradia. She’s new. Aradia, meet everyone. This is Everett,” she introduced, and gestured to a large, friendly-looking boy who seemed a bit bashful. When Rhonda gestured toward him, he gave an awkward grunt and fidgeted with his glasses.
“This is Felix,” Rhonda went on. Felix had wispy, blonde hair, which looked a bit like he’d given himself a good static charge with a balloon just moments earlier. Aradia suspected it always looked that way. He was short, but not too short. She could tell his height because when Rhonda introduced him, he stood and shook her hand. Aradia later learned that his pointy nose and eyes were pretty much permanently glued to a comic book, so she took it as quite a compliment that he greeted her so politely.
“And last but not least, meet Calvin,” Rhonda finished up. Calvin wore his jet black hair in spikes and had a white, rodent-like face. Aradia thought his hair looked amazing, but that he wasn’t doing himself any favors with his sneering attitude.
Everybody was reading. Everett had a gaming magazine with a picture of a Mechwarrior in combat on the front cover. Felix was engrossed in a Green Lantern comic. Calvin had a large pile of books on the table, and was currently reading a particularly huge one.
“Calvin’s family is one of the richest in Salem,” Everett leaned over the table and loudly whispered to Aradia.
“Can it,” Calvin replied. “I can hear you.”
“That’s really neat,” Aradia said to Calvin, as if she hadn’t heard his protest. “I hope if my family were that rich I’d still wear normal clothes, not pretentious silk shirts like… some people might.”
Without looking up, Felix said, “I think the name you were looking for was Tristan.”
Aradia blushed. She realized there had been a lot of blushing, lately.
“So what does your family do?” Aradia asked.
“Er…” Calvin grumbled, mood seeming to turn even more foul at the question. “We uh, they… sell plumbing equipment.”
Without missing a beat, Aradia replied, “Well, there’s always a market for it.”
Aradia was thrilled by how accepting this motley crew was of her, an outsider. As they were all discussing their experiences on their first day and a half of school, Aradia heard a warm, familiar voice from behind her. "Hey speedy, 'sup?"
Aradia grinned wide as she turned to look at Roy and replied, "Hey there yourself."
“I’m sorry I missed you for lunch yesterday,” he apologized. “My family had a thing.”
She waved it off. “You’re here now.”
With a glance around the table, Roy asked, "Do you want to sit with me and my crew?”
Aradia didn’t quite like the implication in Roy’s voice, and her enthusiasm at seeing him again suddenly vanished, as did her big smile. Benefit of the doubt, Rai, she reminded herself.
In an edged tone, she asked, "What’s that supposed to mean?"
Roy shrugged, careful not to spill his tray in the process. "I’m just saying..." he began, but trailed off as if the rest of the thought were clear enough that it did not need to be spoken aloud.
Aradia scowled. Rhonda interjected, "You know, we'd understand if you want to sit with him, Aradia."
Aradia glanced around at the others with whom she had just been happily chatting.
Turning back to Roy, she said, "No thanks, Roy. I am perfectly happy sitting here."
"Are you sure?" he asked, obviously doubtful.
“You’re welcome to join us,” Aradia ignored his question.
He seemed taken aback by the suggestion. “Thanks, but I have people waiting for me.”
Aradia just nodded in response.
He seemed to search for the right words. Apparently not finding them, Roy walked off.
"That was pretty cool of you," said Everett.
Aradia smiled at him as a show of thanks.
"I think it's only fair to warn you," Rhonda pointed out, "that sitting with us on a regular basis will lower your Popularity Quotient at this school several points."
Aradia shrugged, and with a gentle smile replied, "Yeah, well, if I want to be popular, I can audition for American Idol or something."
“Oh, can you sing?” Rhonda asked.
Aradia replied, “Hell no, but I don’t think that’s actually a requirement to audition for American Idol.”
Everyone gave Aradia a polite laugh. Even Calvin allowed his dour mood to lighten a bit. It seemed that the tension created by Roy’s proposal had been successfully dissipated, and Aradia took the good humor to symbolize her acceptance into the group.
After some friendly chatting and hungry munching, Everett put down his magazine and turned his head to look to and fro curiously.
"What's up, Everett?" asked Felix, noticing his odd behavior.
Everett shook his head and very unconvincingly said, "Nothing."
"No seriously, Everett, spill," Rhonda instructed, now curious herself.
"It’s just that people are staring at us," said Everett.
"Dude," interjected Calvin, rolling his eyes and rubbing his lip stud, "they always stare at us."
Everett shook his head. "No, it's more than usual today. It's more intense. It’s weird."
Aradia glanced over her shoulder and got a feeling of déjà vu. It was just like
she’d noticed in the hallways. Mostly, people ignored her, but certain heads in the crowd would pause on her and her group for just a moment. And all those heads belonged to people who seemed too beautiful to be real.
Aradia shook off the feeling of uneasiness. Still, she knew that whatever the reason was, it was somehow about her, not her new friends.
Turning her back on the crowd, she said, "Forget 'em. It's no big deal."
"Still," Everett continued, "it’s just weird how they keep staring."
"Maybe they forgot to take their medication," Aradia grumbled.
Everett’s face and tone turned cold as he replied, "I take medication. Anti-depressants to be exact."
Embarrassed, Aradia tried to turn the conversation around. Deadpan, she said, "Oh, I didn’t mean depression medication."
Everett took stock of the situation, not sure where she was going yet, and still a little offended.
"Anti-depression meds are for the cool kids, like us," Aradia explained. "The weirdos are probably taking anti-psychotics and stimulants and stuff. Plus, those are just medications for the mind. I bet the starers are also taking other medications, the kind that improve, you know, other parts of the body." She added a wicked grin to drive the punchline home.
After a brief silence, everyone at the table burst out laughing. Aradia stretched her arms behind her head, completely satisfied.
Aradia lay in bed, cozy and happy. Her first week at Salem High proved long and tiring, but she felt good about her time there nonetheless. She had made four probable friends, which was three more than she’d ever really had before, and one whom she hoped would become a friend despite a rocky turn of events. She liked her classes and teachers, finding them generally stimulating. In spite of finding one enemy, Tristan, the student body seemed generally accepting and at worst neutral. This simple lack of animosity towards her was a huge and pleasant contrast to Arizona.
Then there were The Starers. They were inexplicable on several levels, and they bothered her greatly. Aradia had noticed early on that much of the student body of Salem High was ridiculously attractive. She was now certain that the people staring at her were all members of the Too Pretty to be Real Students crowd. Rather, they were members of the Too Pretty to be Real Students crowds, with an “s” on the end.