Welcome to High School.

I woke up groggily out of bed the next morning, no longer having any bit of that bubbling excitement in the pit of my stomach. How had things turned so sour so fast? I mean what did I expect I would come out of nowhere, grace Ashley with my presence and be best friends with her? Yeah right. Like that would ever happen… if only I was more popular, if only I had better friends, if only…

“ANNA! You’re going to be late for school!” I was momentarily taken away from my self loathing by my mom yelling at me to get dressed for school. Guess I better get ready, yippee!

Today, I decided to go a different direction with my clothing. I squeezed into a black pair of very tight short shorts; underneath I wore lace tights, and a red corset top finished off the look.

My mom nearly had a heart attack when she saw what I was wearing. Her hazel eyes popped out of their sockets and she started on - what I could only dread - would be a long and boring speech. “Hey mom,” I quickly interrupted her before she could start “I’m going to be late for school.” With that I quickly rushed out of the house.

When I arrived at school, girls were giving me dirty looks and boys were eyeing me up and down like I was a piece of meat! Maybe this wasn’t such a good idea… “

Anna! What in the WORLD are you wearing?!” My friend, Sara exclaimed.

“I could ask you the same question.” My friend recoiled as if I had slapped her. Today, Sarah was dressed in a plaid shirt, and yet another one of those lovely long skirts. Apparently, plaid seemed to come into her life when everyone else was so over it. She didn’t say anything to retort back to me, and I wasn’t surprised, she just wasn’t the kind of person to be a bitch…or to defend herself.

When I arrived at my first period class, everyone was already seated and the bell had already rang!

“Anna…may I ask why you’re late?”

“Oh, I’m sorry Mr. Giovanni; I couldn’t find my way to class.” I blushed. “Alright, just don’t let it happen again.” I nodded.

“So class, today we’re going to study about World War I, I have a fun simulation game planned, but first were going to start by taking notes!” He said it with such enthusiasm, the class groaned in unison. Mr. Giovanni didn’t care, and seemed to be getting some sick sort of pleasure from our pain.

“Take notes on pages 13-17, you can work with a partner if you’d like.”

I quickly took out my binder from my backpack, and started taking notes. I absolutely did not want homework. Around me, I could hear everyone else chattering and laughing with each other, I ignored that. I had no one in my class that was friends with me, it wouldn’t matter if I did, they would go straight to work anyways. I sighed.

World War One: The Ongoing Struggle

Causes of the war
- Austria-Hungary’s reaction to the death of their heir

This is all I had completed when a voice interrupted my focus “Hey, you wanna work with me or something?”

I looked up ready to tell whoever it was that I was fine working on my own. I looked up startled that it was Ashley! She was dressed in a purple dress, that had sparkles encrusted at the top, black tights underneath, and Chanel boots. Her hair was in curls yet again, her ears were weighed down with purple hoops, and she looked amazing.

“Um, yea sure.” She sat down beside me and I put the textbook between us. I was so nervous and happy at the same time! I could not believe Ashley was sitting beside me! This had to be the biggest moment of my life!

“So, what happened with your sudden style change” She demanded, her ocean blue eyes questioning but still maintaining her cool composure. “huh, oh…nothing, um yeah I always dress in whatever I feel like…I really don’t have a set style, ha-ha.” I giggled and to my horror, almost snorted. Gosh, I am so embarrassing, and i must admit i dont have the most...effervescent personality.

“Well anyways,” she said, her mood changing suddenly “I am really trying to impress these punk boys and I want you to teach me how to dress more gothic or whatever.”

Somehow that didn’t feel like a question but nonetheless I was never going to say no to that! “I would love to!” I sound too enthusiastic… “

Ok, also could you do this homework for me? I so don’t feel like working on the second day of school, are these teachers trying to kill us.” She smiled. She handed me her blank paper, and i reached for it, hey I’ll take whatever I can get. If Ashley only wanted to talk to me so that she could get me to finish her homework, then so be it.

At lunch it was the same old routine, sitting in the cafeteria, day dreaming, hearing my friends intensely debate about something. I gazed longingly outside the window, I noticed Ashley, Alexia, and two other punk boys were chatting, the flirting was obvious. Alexia was Ashley’s best friend, she had dark brown hair and piercing green eyes, and her dazzling smile could kill. I silently screamed at Ashley to take me with her.

“Anna!” Emma snapped her fingers at me, trying to get my attention.

“What are you staring at?” she questioned. “Oh nothing…” I muttered hopelessly. How did I ever think that things would change? How was I so delusional to think that I would ever become popular?