by Chloe Smith
This procedure happened every time I got out of each period. Lunchtime came around and Martin was there once again to lead me to the cafeteria.
"How do you know what my classes are?" I asked him out of curiosity.
"Didn't I tell you? I made it my business to know."
"Well, aren't I making you late to your own classes?"
"No. Now stop fussing. Let's go eat." We entered the cafeteria and I piled my plate with random things. The one thing I did make sure to do was to stay far away from the main table. It seemed all the tables surrounding it were filled, and that would make sense, especially since everyone would want to be near the closest thing to a celebrity.
I was different, I guess. I'd rather have better manners than popularity any time.
I glanced at the 'head' of the table. Clinton had leaned over and whispered something in the girl's ear next to him. The girl blushed and giggled like an idiot.
Look at him! Shamelessly doing that with so many people watching on! And what was with that expressionless face? Was all he knew how to be was cold?
"Don't worry about Clinton. He's like that to everyone." Cal's voice next to me made me realize I hadn't taken a quick glance at Clinton, but I had actually been staring over there.
"Ah, no…I'm not…"
"Nah, no worrying. He's been like that ever since I could remember. Even though he's in his second year of high school, he's already taken the place of king in this school."
"Is there always a king in all the schools you went to?"
Martin raised an eyebrow. "Are our schools really that different? Yes, there has always been a king of the school. Usually it goes to the richest, but believe it or not, he isn't. There's just an air around him that oozes authority. I don't even remember when he actually became the king," He smiled. "but I guess the title suits him."
"Monica!" Gaya came up behind me and smiled. "Ah, I'm glad you made it. I was worried." She had her plate in her hand and almost took me by my free and to drag me off until she saw Martin. "Oh. You made a new friend?"
I smiled. "Yeah. He just wouldn't leave me alone. He showed me to all my classes today, so I wouldn't get lost."
"Hello." Martin flashed Gaya one of his brightest smiles. "Martin Lawrence, at the service of Monica."
Gaya raised an eyebrow first at the boy bowing before me, then at me. Then she smiled. I blushed.
"Um." I said, looking around at the odd glances I got from people. "Martin, could you stand straight. This is embarrassing.
He did, smiling, as he took my hand. "Anything for my lady." Gaya laughed.
Chapter 13
Clinton sat at the main table, surrounded by many people, although he'd learned to tune them out a long time ago. So why did one voice from so far away reach him like a church bell? He spotted her quickly enough and scowled at the smile he saw. It caught him off guard. Her golden-haired, green-eyed friend laughed, and only then did he see that her smile had been forced as she looked at the guy in front of her. All Clinton could see from this point was a bleach-blonde spiked head, bowed down to her.
Bowing? To her? That Commoner? That beggar? What was he thinking? Kings deserved to be bowed to, and yet, no one had ever bowed to him.
The boy finally did stand straight, and he saw his face. His smile was the most brightest he'd ever seen, and his eyes flashed like imperial topaz stones. In short, he was handsome. And he was holding her hand.
How someone as handsome as he was could like her even a bit made Clinton puzzled. He twirled his spoon as he watched the trio. Blonde Boy led Monica and her friend to a booth next to a window close to the cafeteria door that led to the garden.
"She does seem to have made some friends. Considering how you treated her and your reputation." His roommate snapped him out of his observation. "I wonder if I should be glad for her, or be jealous that I'm not her first guy friend. That boy is awfully good looking."
Clinton scowled and glared at him. "If he's so good looking, why don't you go out with him?"
His roommate backed away in surprise. "Why are you so worked up? You seem so concerned about that fella. I wonder…if it's because of that girl that you refuse to tell me her name."
It was Clinton's turn to back away. Had he really just gotten jealous? Why was he so concerned about who hung out with her? He recovered and glared at his roommate once more. "You shouldn't even mingle with those kind of people."
"Those kind of people? They look just the same as me. They even seem more friendlier and more companionable that you seem to be. I have no idea why you bite my head off every time I even mention her. I even still have the bruise you gave me with that-"
Clinton stood.
"Where are you off to?" His roommate asked.
"The gardens. I'm finished eating." He descended the step leading away from the main table. And passed her table. He glanced toward her table to see her laughing at something Blonde Boy said, oblivious to St Ferdinand’s king passing by her table.
How rude! How was she going to ignore the King? He made sure he slammed the door behind him.
Chapter 14
I jumped when the door slammed. Sounded like someone was mad.
"So Monica, I showed you your Biology class yesterday. It's real close to our dorm room." Gaya distracted me.
"Really?" I picked at my food. "Ummm…I forgot which way our dorm room was…" I admitted, blushing.
Martin laughed, and Gaya had this twinkle in her eye that told me she wanted to join Martin. I looked out the window to escape their laughing faces, and my eyes widened in first fear, then just surprise. Clinton sat outside, his arms crossed, and he looked straight at me. His eyebrows were drawn down over his angry copper orbs. He unsettled me.
But who was I to let him get the better of me.
I glared back at him. His eyebrows rose into his hair. His expression was priceless! I laughed.
He glared at me harder and I laughed harder.
My laughter had him scowling and standing up. He stomped out of sight. I wondered why he seemed so angry. I had thought he could show no expression on his face, but that heated face proved me wrong.
I shook my head and turned back to my table to see Martin and Gaya giving me "where-are-you?" looks.
"What?"
"what do you mean what? You were staring out the window laughing." Gaya said.
Martin looked out the window, leaning over me to do it. "What were you laughing at? There's nothing in the garden that funny."
I smiled to myself. " A wayward thorn caught my attention."
He raised an eyebrow. "My dearest Monica, I shant call you crazy, but are you feeling well? Shall I take you to the nurse?" His face teasingly got close to mine, and he smiled.
I pushed him away. "Don't be ridiculous." The heat in my face rose.
His hand appeared at my forehead. "Oh, but it seems you have a fever. I suggest some remedy!"
Gaya laughed when Martin pulled me into his arms. "A kiss perhaps?"
I pushed at his face and it made him fall from his seat. "In your dreams."
He stood. "When you kiss me, all my dreams shall come true, my loveliest lovelies!" He bowed to me for the second time that day. I rolled my eyes and looked at Gaya. She was smiling.
"I bet you say these lines to a lot of girls." I said, getting up.
"You're the only, babe." He took me in his arms. "I only say this to you."
"As if." I pulled myself out of his arms. "I think I will find my Biology class now-on my own!" I added when Martin opened his mouth.
Martin only smiled. "Anything you say, honey. I'll see you later." He walked through the double doors that led to the garden.
Gaya looked at the closing doors, then at me. Her eyebrow rose, and the corner of her mouth hiked up a few notches.
"Don't. Even go there." I said before she could even open her mouth. She laughed.
The bell rang, reminding me I had ten minutes to find my Bio class. "Shoot. Gotta run, Gaya. See you soon."
"Of course." We parted at the main door of the cafeteria.
Chapter 15
Did Martin really mean all he said? Did he really like me that much after he just met me?
I sighed and pushed it aside. "I can't really be thinking about that right now. I gotta find this class." I looked at the school map and tried to find where I was.
I threw my hands up and stopped walking. This map was so confusing! I had a hall behind me and ahead of me and a hall to my left and right. Which was I supposed to go down?
And still, people were still avoiding me! How can I find a normal life in this hellhole. With two friends I met within the span of thirty six hours, neither sharing any of my classes, and my sense of bad direction, I would die within the week!
From all the murmuring around me, a laugh-no, chuckle-rose above it all. And it wasn't an "Oh-That's-funny" kinda laugh, but one of those smug laughs. "I see you're lost." It came from the corridor on my left. I held back the urge to roll my eyes.
Not him, not now! I thought before turning to face him. "Gee, genius, You're barely realizing that?"
Gasps followed my remark, and Clinton's eyebrows came down over eyes that clearly said, "You better watch it."
He crossed his arms and smirked. I wanted to slap it off. "Can't get used to the place, huh?"
"No, I can't because this school was made for idiots who like a lot of spare room."
More gasps, eyebrows went lower over the copper orbs that said, "Warning!"
"Maybe it's simply not made for low level commoners who use other people's money to get here. Go back to where you came from."
Chuckles followed, and a few "ooh"s and "ahh"s. Gosh! This guy just got under my skin!
"Why don't you go back to whatever hole you crawled out of!" And like any dramatic situation, I had the urge to stomp away. I chose the way he just came from, so I didn't have to bump into him again.
The nerve of the guy!
The murmurs behind my stomping feet grew louder.
"Did you hear how she talked to him?"
"Who does she think she is?"
"How did someone like her get into a school like this?" Huh? I'll tell you why! Because the mother of that brat paid for me to be here without even telling me!
Ha! Just think about it. Any girl besides me would love to go to a school like this, so why of all people, was I picked? The irony was funny!
I was so busy fuming and wonder what ill fate hade befallen me that I hadn't bothered to look around and find my classroom. Two students rushing past me snapped me out of it.
"Hurry! Or we'll be late!" One of them said, tugging on their fellow student's arm.
"I'm going as fast as I can! These shoes are killing me!" The second whined, out of breath.
"I told you not to wear them!" The other said before the went out of hearing range for me.
I sighed and looked at the confusing map, then back at the hallway in front of me. Oh dear.
Wait. Didn't I see that same picture above that bench this morning, and yesterday? I smiled when I saw the classroom numbers. It
was a few numbers away from my Bio class. Yes!
I smiled and strode ever so coolly into room S19. Cool beans. I found the class on my very own. I smiled smugly.
Just as I was about to Amanda myself on the back, a cool and collected voice reached me.
" I knew we had a class together ."
Chapter 16
My eyes were filled with that beautiful dark color between blue and purple as soon as I turned my head even a little to the left. I admit, I thought I was a little mesmerized with him so close to me like this.
He smiled, and patted my shoulder. "Good. Because I was getting annoyed thinking too much on this mysterious name of yours. In return," He put a hand over has heart, looking deep into my hands. "I'll tell you mine."
"Ah…yeah." I looked away. Why was I getting flustered? He just smiled and said he said he wondered what my name was. He was probably wanting to know my name because he's used to not getting what he asks for. That had to be it.
The bell rang.
"Alright everyone." The teacher, a guy with short, messy brown hair and thick bifocals picked up a clipboard. "Please circle around the desks. I am going to put you in your assigned seats. Who you sit by will be your lab partner for the first lab."
He started naming off people, Mr. Stevenson was called first. “Percy Stevenson." His dark eyes met mine. "I'll be listening for yours." He smiled and went to his seat.
I was so happy that he turned around before he saw my cheeks flame red. How could he make me blush wit an ordinary sentence like that. I looked up at him to see he had his head rested on his fist, looking straight at me, a smile still there on his lips.
"Monica Suarez." The teacher's voice startled me, and I looked over at him to see him pointing to a desk nearly in the back of the class, but thankfully close to the window.
I made my way to my seat, too embarrassed to look towards Percy.
"So you're who Martin is always talking about." I turned to my table partner. Man, were all the Nikko guys here hot? This one had pitch black hair, and seemed to be the type that looked good with a hat on, and his skin was a pretty good tanned color. I bet if I had actually saw him standing he would be a good four or five inches taller that me...maybe even more. His arms bulged with biceps, triceps, whatever gave you big arm muscles, he had it. His light green eyes were nice, if they weren't regarding me as though I were a specimen. His sudden smile broke the tension. "No wonder."
"Just call me Monica." I kinda smiled, but wondered if it looked like a grimace.
He chuckled, putting me straight at ease. "I'm Denzel Robinson. Call me Denzel." He held out a hand.
I put my own small hand in his bear paw and shook it. "Nice to meet you."
"Nice to meet you too."
Chapter 17
Denzel was a nice guy, I realized while sitting by him long enough. And he was real smart. He knew everything the teacher was saying and even more. He explained everything I didn't know to the point where I could easily explain it back to him.
He was also a football payer...that would probably be a given, with that kind of body. His muscles were so big. I don't think I would be able to fit both my hands around his upper arms.
I was so disappointed when the bell rang. I sighed and looked up.
And met Percy's deep blue eyes. He looked kind of pissed. I wonder if he had a bad partner. The guy getting up from next to him did look kind of frightened as he sped out the door.
I put that aside as I shoved my stuff into my backpack. Denzel waved a goodbye and left. I took my time, letting out a long sigh as I made my way to the door. I really wished this long first day would end. Man, how much more could happen?
When I left the room, Gaya was there...and so was Martin.
Gaya looked a little annoyed, trying to stay far from Martin. He just smiled at me, his eyes as bright as his smile.
I sighed again. "Hi guys."
Martin slung an arm around my shoulder. "How was your class?"
I smiled. "It was alright. I met someone new."
"I'm glad." Gaya said, pointing her thumb behind her. "Well, class is this way for me."
"So is mine!" Martin said enthusiastically! Then he turned to me, his face disappointed, "But yours is the other way."
"Good." I said unconsciously. I didn't have to worry about him, because barely on the first day of school, I have a headache. I didn't even notice I had walked the other way until I wasn't looking at my friends, but kids giving me a wide berth. I turned to see my friends leaving the other way.
When I turned around, I bumped into a human wall. I looked up to see Denzel...except...
"Hey Denzel! How did you change your hair so fast?" He had it in a ponytail, but barely. You could tell that he had it gelled to keep it in place.
He looked at me with a raised eyebrow and unrecognizing eyes. "Do I know you?" He asked.
My sm
ile slowly dissipated. "Um. We just had Biology together. You're my new partner..."
He still had those hard eyes. "I'm sorry. I do not know you."
He started walking past me.
"Wait, Denzel-"
He stopped, but didn't turn around. "I'm not Denzel. My name is Jackson." And he left.
I started walking towards my next class, with what was sure a confused look on my face. What did he mean by saying he didn't know me? He was clearly Denzel. I couldn't have forgotten his face in less than five minutes. That for sure was true.