New School

I quickly went back to where mom was. She was taking the last suitcase into the house.

"Did you hear that? I asked, feeling a knot in my stomach.

Mom frowned.

"Hear what? She asked, walking to the front door.

I followed mom into the house and quickly closed the door.

"A howl ..." I said in fear. My mom turned to me with a frown. Apparently, she didn't hear it.

"Howl? I didn't hear anything," she answered. 

"Something howled, mom," I said seriously,  "There are wolves here."

"Please, Carolina, I've talked to the former house owner. There are no wolves here, maybe what you heard was a ... Dog." Mom went up the stairs, "Get ready for tomorrow, you have to go to school."

Dammit. My intuition told me that there was something wrong with this town, but mom didn't believe me because I've always been a sensitive person. 

Thinking too much was not good. Tomorrow would be a very long day. I stopped thinking and started to unpack my stuff.

The interior decoration of this house is not bad at all. There was a large beige sofa and two small ones. In the center of the living room, there was a small table with nothing on top. There was a large television and, when I saw it, I noticed that I could see the lake through the window that was right next to the TV.

***

The next morning.

I didn't want to get up but I forced myself.  After I finished breakfast, I put my plate in the sink and went up to my room to brush my teeth, grabbed my backpack, and went downstairs. 

Mom called a mechanic very early to check the car that we had left in the middle of nowhere. Luckily he found it and fixed it. Now, mom was waiting for me in the car. Today was her first day at work.

I went outside and smelled the forest. It smelled fresh. It's very quiet around there now. The only thing that could be heard was little birds. It is there that I remember the howl I heard, and yes it was real.

"Carolina, you'll be late!" Mom urged me.

I came out of my thoughts and got into the co-pilot seat. My new school awaited me.

When we were going halfway, I saw the same cars from yesterday. Mom slowed down a bit to let them go forward.

"Looks like we are going in the same direction," Mom whispered, speeding up.

After a while, we reached the center of town, and people began to open their stores.

Mom stopped in front of the school. I saw the cars that came in front of us parked in the parking lot. But the people inside still haven't come out.

"See you later ..." I said goodbye to mom, getting out of the car and closing the door.

"Make lots of friends!" Mom exclaimed from behind me.

Gosh, I'm not in elementary school. I gave mom a warning look. She just smiled and left.

Before entering through the front door, I observed the boy who I met yesterday getting out of the car. He was wearing black jeans, and a white T-shirt, and his hair was disheveled.

Is there a modeling agency or something? That boy was perfect. Then, his gaze met mine. It was deep, captivating. I couldn't take my eyes off him. And The boy took a black jacket out of his car and without taking his eyes off me he started to put it on.

I felt a strange sensation, it was like something inside me making me want to get close to him.

I could feel my heart beating very fast.

When the boy was closing the door I averted my gaze. I don't want him to think that I'm obsessed with him on my first day. I hardly got my attention back to my schedule. I need to find the direction to the principal's office. I need to leave now.

I entered the school. While walking I was wondering who that boy was. He is so handsome. I bet he must be the typical popular guy here.

I turned into a hallway and there it was the principal's office. I knocked on the door.

"Come in," I heard someone yelling inside. I opened the door and saw a lady sitting behind the desk. She was in her forties, wearing glasses and her hair in a tight bun.

"Good morning, ma'am, I'm Carolina, the transfer student. I'm here for my schedule."

The lady raised her eyes. "Yeah, they said you'd come today." She searched a folder for the papers and handed them to me.

"Good luck on your first day." The lady smiled and then went back to her business.

"Well, thanks," I replied. I guess she is the principal.

I left the office while reading my schedule. I had Spanish first and then history. Boring classes.

Soon the hallways were full of students, all chatting animatedly with their friends or crumbs. I looked around for the boy in the car but couldn't find him.

I climbed the stairs to the second floor and looked for my classroom. 5B. 5B. 5B. And there it is. There were no students in the classroom right now, and partly I appreciate that.

I sat in a chair in a corner where there was a huge window overlooking the parking lot. Then I saw the boy there. There he was with his friends leaning on his car. There were girls around them, and one of the girls was standing close to him.  

That was exactly what I thought he would be,  the most popular ones in this school. Or worse, a playboy, I imagine.

"Hi ..." someone said behind my back. I turned and saw a girl standing right next to me.

"Hey." I quickly greeted.

"You're new, right?" The girl asked while sitting down.

"No, I have studied here all my life but apparently I am invisible because no one, until today, had seen me," I replied sarcastically.

The girl laughed.

"I like your sarcasm. By the way, I'm Anne."

Anne was slim, with brown hair, and very pretty. I thought she and I were going to get along really well. I knew this because I had the gift of knowing who are good people and who are not. And Anne was sincere. I could tell she is a good person.

"Carolina." I smiled, telling her my name.

The bell rang. The students began to arrive. The Spanish teacher introduced me to the class. Some of the people frowned at me. Some smiled at me. Others didn't even turn to look at me. But I don't care. What I want is just successfully finish the rest of my school.

***

It was time to go to the cafeteria. Anne and I were on the road when a girl pushed Anne making her stagger.

"Hey, watch where you are going!" I snapped.

Then the girl who pished Anne turned to me. I supposed she was one of those damned plastic that believed themselves superior to the others. Oh, I hate them.

The girl was wearing a short made of light pastel pink fabric and a shirt that had white inside. Her jacket was also the same color as the shorts. Her blond hair was loose, long, and straight. The necklace between her collarbones was shining, and very eye-catching. This girl's air was obviously of greatness and she had that typical mean-girl smile.

"Excuse me?" She crossed her arms.

I smiled.

"We apologize. Just don't do it again. Goodbye."

As we turned around, we found three more girls blocking our way. One was a tall brunette, one was black hair and was a little shorter than the others, and the last girl was higher and was redheaded and my height.

"Carolina, you don't say anything to them. These girls are dangerous." Anne whispered under her breath. The poor thing was afraid. But not me. I am not afraid of them.

Now, the hallways were empty because everyone was in the cafeteria. I turned to the major plastic.

"Can't you be alone with me that you have to call your bodyguards?" I asked. She opened her mouth in surprise. Apparently, she didn't expect that reaction.

"I haven't seen you around here. I suppose you're new." She leaned a little closer.

I raised an eyebrow and clapped my hands.

"How smart you are ..." I scoffed. Then the girl became enraged.

"I see they haven't told you... Here I am the boss ... And my boyfriend, of course, we are the most respected and you ... You are going to learn to respect us."

The girl raised her hand and stamped it on my cheek, making my face turn red.

I looked at her with boiling blood. This one would pay me. I raised my hand and also stamped it on her cheek.

Shit, this hurt.

The girl couldn't stand it and leaned over me. Both of us fell to the ground.