"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.Majority of the seats were occupied, leaving me to settle into the nearest empty one. Almost immediately, I sensed eyes on me, accompanied by hushed whispers circulating throughout the room. "Is she crazy? Why is she sitting in his seat?" a girl muttered. "Someone hurry, get the new girl before she pisses him off," another person whispered. It seemed everyone was doing a poor job at keeping their voices down. I couldn't help but wonder about the mysterious "he" they were referring to. Unaware of any assigned seats, I decided to relocate to the unoccupied seat next to me, especially since everyone appeared strangely concerned. In a scene reminiscent of a teen drama, the atmosphere shifted as I rose from my seat. The door swung open, revealing a face both familiar and unfamiliar—the same guy from the picture in Principal Greene's office. Dressed in a snug grey T-shirt and dark denim jeans, he moved with a confidence that demanded attention. His arrival echoed like a silent p
"I've literally been here for like five minutes, so no, I haven't heard about how popular you are, Mr. Dante," I replied, trying to be irritated by his cockiness, but really, it was doing strange, wonderful things to my body. The coy smile remains on his face. "Damn, what a pity. I usually don't have to talk myself up." "Yeah, I'm sure I probably would've heard about how girls just start tearing their clothes off when you walk into a room, huh?" I teased, raising an eyebrow. I wonder if I'd be one of those girls. No. Stop. I'm not thirsty like that! He chuckled lightly. "You know, that really doesn't happen as often as you think it would." I feign a pout. "Aww, I'm sorry to hear that." By now, I'd completely ditched the classwork and my full attention was on him. It was a first for me, actually having a guy pay attention. I'm usually the quiet, nerdy girl who sits at the front of the class and doesn't make friends. So, his genuine interest piqued my curiosity. I coul
We walked all the way across campus to get to my study hall. I insisted that Jasmine head to her own class to avoid being late, yet deep down, I genuinely appreciated her walking alongside me. She marked the beginning of genuine friendship in this new environment, where it felt like everyone else kept their distance as if I had a contagious disease or something.After thanking her, I entered the classroom and chose a seat towards the back. With no homework to occupy my time, I found myself overthinking about various aspects of my life. I planned to interrogate my father when he picked me up from school; evidently, we had a lot to discuss. I was also terrified that I couldn't shake Dante from my thoughts. The emotions that lingered after he walked away left me with a sense of cold emptiness, a feeling that seemed irrational considering he was just a stranger I had one conversation with. I couldn't stop thinking about how soft his lips would be against mine. How it would feel to run my
Suddenly, I felt this strange pull. My gaze shifted towards the entrance of the cafeteria to see Dante and a group of tall, muscular guys walking in. His eyes once again immediately locked with mine, as if he, too, sensed the peculiar connection. Butterflies danced wildly in my stomach as I blushed and quickly looked away. Crossing my fingers underneath the table, I hoped they weren't headed in our direction.My breath caught in my throat as I watch all of them strolling across the room and settling down at our table. Dante positioned himself directly across from me. I subtly shifted in an unnatural position, intentionally avoiding eye contact with him, even though, if given the chance, I could have stared into his beautiful eyes all day. They reminded me of spring—a blend of fresh earth and leaves on a tree. "Hey Dante," Peach purred, her voice carrying a hint of seduction. Uncertain if it was my imagination, I observed the exchange.He doesn't even look in her direction. "Peach," he
Dante stared at me with intensity as he settled back into his seat. I averted my gaze, desperately hoping that Jasmine would dismiss the incident. The last thing I wanted was for her to assume I was hitting on her brother, especially not in front of her.Maybe it would help if he would stop staring at me like that! I exclaimed in my head.After a prolonged and awkward silence, Jasmine suddenly burst into giggles. "Bestie, be careful next time. You could've caught an STD or something.""Jasmine," he warned in a low voice, his tone stern.She put her hands up innocently, and Peach and Mya silently returned to their seats beside her. "Sorry, bro, I was just kidding," Jasmine apologized with a playful smile.I frowned. I recognized her jest, yet there was an underlying truth to it; she was hinting at the long list of girls he had been with. The idea of him desiring someone else and being in past relationships unexpectedly tugged at my heartstrings for some inexplicable reason.I shook my
Once we got to class, we sat at the same large, wooden table. My eyes remained glued to the clock as the bell rang, signaling the beginning of the class. Ms. James, the first teacher to ever make me introduce myself, called me to my feet. I awkwardly announced my name, giving a hesitant wave, desperately wishing to disappear off the face of the planet as everyone stared at me. Returning to my seat, I listened as she went over the details of the paper we were required to complete on our laptops.It was a pretty simple assignment, identifying lobes of the brain and their functions. I could easily finish it before I left for my special trip to the bathroom. Exactly twenty minutes later, I submitted my work, and with excitement coursing through me, I informed Ms. Jones that I needed to use the bathroom. Her peculiar look made me want to die of embarrassment again, especially when she advised me that next time, I could just go. Thankfully, no one seemed to hear or care about the awkward co
For the remainder of the school day, I remained silent. Jasmine asked me once if I was okay, but other than that, she spent the entire class gossiping with Peach and Mya. It didn't bother me at all, as I was busy pondering what happened with Dante. When the last bell of the day rang, I walked outside with the girls and waved goodbye to them before waiting by the curb for my dad to come pick me up. After fifteen minutes of feeling like an idiot, standing around as the school cleared out, I sent a text: Dad, did you forget what time I get out of school? I'm waiting on you... He replied after ten agonizing minutes: Oh shit. Sorry honey, I can't pick you up today. Super busy. Hope you can find another ride. I stared at my phone in disbelief. Was he fucking serious? After he guilted me into letting him drive me to school this morning? I texted back a simple "K" and put my phone back in my pocket. Anything else I said to him wouldn't come out nice. I sighed deeply, glancing arou
I continued to gnaw on my lip, the metallic tang of blood hitting my taste buds. I had never been in a guy's car, and certainly didn't expect it to be Dante's. A pang of anxiety struck me, imagining how livid Jasmine would be about this. Although I was lowkey freaking out, a comfortable silence filled the car as he maneuvered through traffic. I hadn't even shared my address, so I was uncertain where Dante was driving. Breaking the quiet, he asked, "Were you really going to walk home?" His voice carried a subtle edge, as if he were trying to contain his anger. "Yeah... my dad was supposed to pick me up, but he bailed." I sighed, the weight of frustration evident in my voice. Tensing his jaw, he asks sternly, "You have my number, why didn't you text me?" My eyes widened at his question. "We just met, there's no way I would've done that. I'd rather walk than become someone's else's burden-" "Burden? You'd never be a burden to me, Princess," he grits out. "You said we could