They're Playing Our Song

I stalked through the empty hallways, nervousness creeping up slowly through my whole body. Apparently, I was late for class, because the only sounds I could hear were my own footsteps tapping and echoing through the blinding white hallways and bouncing off the dirty blue linoleum floors. The lockers were of the same color, and I was glad that they weren't puke colored like the lobby. I mean really, what were they thinking? I glanced down at the crisp sheet of paper in my hand. It said:

Student Number: 967
Name: Parker, Louise Marie
Locker Number: 269
Homeroom: Room 179, Mr. Werner.

Werner? I thought. Not a name I'd ever heard before. Oh well. Not like it mattered. I sighed. I had just passed room number 265, and I realized that very soon, this day could turn into utter hell. I hummed American Idiot softly to try and calm my nerves, but it didn't really work out. I pumped my legs slowly, left right left right, as room numbers passed me slowly, 266....267.....268.....269. I scowled, took a big breath, and pushed down on the silver handle of the big wooden door.

“Can I help you?” said a middle aged man warily as I entered. I almost laughed as I scanned the room. I thought high schools like this only existed in movies. The walls were a solid white, there was an old fashioned chalk board at the front of the room, behind the teachers wooden desk, and the student, oh god the students! There were big muscled guys wearing football jerseys, blond and brunette Babies popping gum, video game groupies with big glasses, girls who just seamed to scream “rich bitch slut”, and a couple normal looking kids who seemed almost friendly. I crossed the room and handed the chubby, balding, sweater vest wearing man the note I was given in the office.

“Oh, okay then. Okay class, we got a new student here. Her name is Louise Parker.” I rolled my eyes at the man's thick southern accent. In New Jersey. Needless to say, it was a little out of place. Someone in the back of the room laughed.

“Louise?” he snickered. I looked to the back of the room, to see a blue eyed boy with brown hair and a lip ring who looked like he could use a good kick in the ass. He was grinning widely. “What are you, my grandma?” I shot him a look. Daggers, if you want specifics.

“Call me Louie. And thats not a suggestion by the way.” I sneered. I didn't like him. I didn't care that I just met him. I didn't care that he might be different, unlike every other slime ball at this school. I decided I hated him. Right then and there.

“Yeah, okay thats enough Gavin! Louie, please take a seat next to Mary over there.” He pointed to an empty seat in the back row next to a girl with pin straight sandy blond hair and black rimmed glasses that frankly didn't look bad on her. I sighed and sat where I was told, ignoring the other people who were ignoring me. The girl named Mary smiled at me politely. I did the same. I was sincerely hoping that she wouldn't turn out to be my only friend, but I was willing to take what I was given. In that sense anyway. I wasn't really sure what homeroom was for, but so far, all anybody was doing was texting, flirting, doing homework, and other small activities, so I guessed it wasn't a big class. I rummaged through my bag until I found a pencil, and then proceeded to drum it on the table lightly, just for something to do. Mary looked at me, pushed her glasses further up her nose, and cleared her throat. I turned to her.

“Hey.” she said. “I'm Mary Sanders.” she held out a slender white hand, and I shook it.

“Louie Parker.” I smiled. “Well, that makes one person in this school who I know.” I laughed. She smiled.

“Cool. Hey, just want to say if you need any help like getting around the school or whatever, I'm always around.” I gave a smile, but inside it felt like a grimace. It reminded me of in those preteen movies where the new girl and the nerdy girl become best friends because the nerdy girl is always ready to help out. Well, I wouldn't be surprised. So far my whole day has seemed like some kind of cliché catastrophe. Well, I guess thats just how life goes sometimes.

“Sounds good Mary.” I said genuinely. She smiled, and turned back to her desk. Spread out on top of the old wooden desk was an X-men comic book. I wasn't really one for comic books, and if I ever did read one, it was most likely Aime. But still, I had a whole bunch of respect for comic book artists, cause them fuckers are really hard to draw. I know, I've tried once or twice. She looked up self consciously and I realized I had been spacing out and staring at her. I shook my head and cleared my throat. “You like comic books?” I said interestedly.

“Yeah...” she said shyly. “I'm kind of a nerd...” she giggled.

“Thats cool. Nerds are awesome.” I laughed. She beamed at me, and pushed her glasses up her nose again. I smiled back. Then the bell rang, and I looked around unsurely. People began getting up from their seats and heading out the door, the hallways crowding up and growing louder and louder. I pulled out the piece of paper with the rest of my schedule on it and looked down. It said:

Period 1- Gym: Ms. Gonzalez- Gymnasium
Period 2- History: Mrs. McKennon-Room 222
Period 3- Science: Mr. Harrison- Room 354
Period 4- Lunch
Period 5- English: Ms. Nelson- Room 342
Period 6- Study Hall: Ms. Loyd- Room B12
Period 7- Mathematics: Mrs. Buckley- Room 111
Period 8- Art Enrichment: Mr. Way- Room 233