Chapter 4

"Good morning, Mom. Do you need any help before class starts?" The interruption came in a high, bubbly voice, full of enthusiasm. I whipped around to see the girl I recognized from the family photo. In person, Jasmine was even more stunning!

Principal Greene put a comforting hand on my shoulder as she focused her attention on her daughter. "Jasmine, I have just the task for you this morning. This is the new student, Angelique. Can you show her around and help her find her classes?"

Jasmine's hazel eyes sparkled with enthusiasm. She grinned, revealing a set of perfectly aligned teeth. "Of course! Do you have her schedule?"

"Yes, it's right here!" Principal Greene handed Jasmine my schedule, a crisp paper that held the roadmap to my academic journey at WinterCrest High. Her eyes darted across the paper, her lips moving slightly as she memorized the details.

Jasmine's excitement bubbled over as she exclaimed, "Great! Let's get started!" Her infectious energy seemed to emanate from her as she grabbed my hand, pulling me towards the door.

I glanced back at Principal Greene. "Angelique, please come back anytime if you need to talk," she offered, her voice carrying a genuine concern that lingered in the air.

I nodded and followed the bubbly girl into the hallway. Her long, ash-brown twists bounced as she walked. She took another quick glance at the schedule in her hands, looking back up at me with glowing eyes. "Wow, you're a senior? We rarely ever get new students! Would it be extremely nosy of me to ask why you transferred here so late in the year?" she inquired, her curiosity shining through her vibrant expression.

"Uhm, no, it's okay. My dad lost his job, and he found a better one here," I replied, offering a simple answer because honestly, I wasn't even sure what the truth was anymore.

"That really sucks, but I'm so glad you're here, and you'll be graduating in my class," Jasmine expressed sympathetically.

As we strolled through the lively hallways, the chatter of our peers intensified, blending with the growing influx of students. Cream-colored walls adorned with bulletin boards showcased upcoming events, vibrant posters, and glimpses of student creativity. Jasmine, my newfound guide, spilled the tea about the school's social scene, pointing out a couple of mean girls to steer clear of and showing me where the secret hookup spots were.

"It looks like your first class is English, which is across campus. Your locker is right next to it. You have study hall after, and then we have lunch, Statistics, and Psychology together!" she exclaimed, way more excited about any of this than I was.

I suppose having one person to sit with beats being the lonely, weird new girl.

"It's not like I have anything else to look forward to here," I mumbled under my breath.

She giggled, though I wasn't sure how she heard me over the voices of other students echoing in the hall. "Don't worry, I know it's a small town, but there's more to it than meets the eye, I promise!"

The walk across campus was a lot longer than I thought it would be, I was lowkey out of breath by the time we reached my locker. It was a good thing I got to school super early today, so I could figure out how to get to each class on time. Unless I possessed some super-speed power or something, there was no way I could get from here at 7 and make it to this class by 7:10 am, especially with other students flowing through the hallways. Additionally, when my dad wasn't guilt-tripping me into letting him take me to school, I loved cruising in the car to my favorite jams. So, I either had to give that up or find a shortcut to this class.

Jasmine guided me through the process of opening my locker, and we practiced it a few times to ensure I wouldn't encounter any issues during the brief four-minute window between classes. I utilized the remaining time before the start of the first class to familiarize myself with the routes to my classes. I was grateful that I only had four classes to attend, although navigating the stairs between them would prove to be quite a task.

Jasmine told me a bit about herself as we walked. She was freshly nineteen and had a twin brother. She was also our class president, which was surprising to me because she seemed so cheerful and laid back. I was uncertain about the responsibilities of a class president, but I could only imagine the additional workload and stress it entailed.

As the first period drew closer, a flurry of students rushed to their classes. Despite the curious glances thrown my way, I tried my best to ignore the attention. We eventually returned to my English class with a few minutes to spare. "Thanks a lot for helping me, Jasmine. I'm feeling a bit less nervous about today now," I confessed, nervously chewing on my bottom lip.

She offered a reassuring smile and a hug. "Don't worry, girl. You're going to do just fine. I'll meet you right here after the bell rings, so I can walk you to your study hall, okay?" I nodded in gratitude as I watched her head to her class.

Turning to face the classroom door, I took a slow, deep breath. With that deliberate inhale, I stepped through the door, officially marking the start of the next chapter of my poor, pathetic life.