Southern Belle

“A friend” I said without looking into her eyes. “Just drop it. We have to get to class.” I pulled my arm away from Ariel and walked into our first period classroom.

“Ah, the Cole siblings” Students were packed into the classroom like sardines and it took me a moment to realize that the woman in the corner that barely stood taller than her desk, was the teacher that had spoken.

“I received a phone call this morning telling me I’d have five new students.” I smiled half heartedly, the glares that I knew my family was giving me behind my back made it impossible to truly smile.

“Yes, that’s us, Ms. Hillman.” Ariel’s voice sounded strained, as if the last thing she wanted to do was talk to her. She most likely wanted to interrogate me until I told her what she wanted to know.

“Okay, just find some seats in the back.” She continued to talk about something that I wasn’t paying attention to and we slowly made our way through the lines of desks.

“How did you know that guy?” whispered Ariel the moment the five of us sat down in the back row.

“I just do” I turned my attention to the front of the room where the small blonde woman was walking back and forth, motioning to certain things written on the board behind her.

“Not good enough” said Lester. “You apparently know him from somewhere and the fact his friends can’t seem to keep their hands to themselves, means it’s a pretty good idea to tell us what’s going on.” Even though I wasn’t looking at them I could feel four pairs of eyes watching me as I stared at the fake wood of my desk.

“I don’t know what’s up with his friends” I said truthfully. “It properly has something to do with that human they were shielding from us.” I didn’t look at them and I didn’t plan to do so.

“That doesn’t answer our first question” said Ricky. “Who’s that guy…Jasper” I wanted to scream at them to leave me alone, the memories of Jasper were painful and it had been far too long since I’d told anyone about them.

“He’s the one who turned me” I whispered. I wouldn’t elaborate more than that until after I talked to Jasper. “I’ll tell you more later” That must have been what they wanted to hear because they didn’t ask anything more for the rest of the period.

If you asked me what happened in that first class, I wouldn’t be able to give you an answer. If you asked me what happened in second period I would have looked at you like you were crazy for saying we even had a second period. But if you were to inquire as to what happened in my third period English class, I’d actually tell you.

“Alright what torturous class are we forced to attend next?” asked Ricky as we stepped out of whatever classroom we had just been in. Everyone took out their schedules at the same time and anyone who saw it would have thought we choreographed the move.

“English” I sighed. “Something I might be good at” I have been speaking it since like, forever.

“Well the rest of us have Trig.” Said Ariel as she tried to fight back a smile and failed. “So we’ll see you later.”

“Just remain calm” I said. “I know how you get with numbers.” It’s not good and humans normally pay the price for her enthusiasm.

“I think I’ll manage” she said and flicked me once on the forehead before walking away. Everyone followed her like a mother duck and her hatchlings, but when they were about halfway down the hallway Lester turned to look at me.

“Until we meet again my love.” He turned down another hallway with a dramatic spin and to say that everyone was looking at me like I was an alien from mars would be an understatement.

“Idiot” I whispered to myself as I walked into an already packed English room.

“You must be Lydia” said an overly enthusiastic woman in her mid-thirties. She practically attacked me with a hug and I had the overwhelming urge to scream.

“Yes” I answered after she finally released me. “You must be Mrs. Calvin” I may not have the best memory in the world but I did remember the name of my teacher.

“Yep, the bell’s about to ring so why don’t you sit next to Bella” She whirled me around and pointed to the same girl that was with Jasper earlier.

“Sure” I said even though I had a weird feeling that this was a very bad idea.
I slowly walked over and took the seat next to Bella. She was staring at me like she thought I was about to smack her or something and I figured I’d be nice and start the conversation.

“Hi, I’m Liddie. You’re John’s girlfriend right?” She gave me a confused look and I remembered that she had no idea what I was talking about.

“John?” she asked confused.

“You know the guy with the weird hair, that doesn’t know if it’s blonde or brown.” I supplied. “He also likes to get in people’s faces and yell at them for no reason.”

“Oh, Edward” she said. So that’s his name. It doesn’t fit, I like John more. “Yeah, I’m his girlfriend, Bella.” She held out her hand and I took it.

“Nice to meet you Bella, and next time you see John can you please tell him to eat a couple tic-tacs? I think that’ll be a plus for the both of us.” She released my hand and nodded her head before turning to the front of the room where the crazy teacher person was talking about Shakespeare.

“Mrs. Calvin” I look over at the doorway where the voice had come from. The last person I expected to see there was Jasper. “Lydia’s needed in the principal’s office, something about some paper work that needs to be done” Mrs. Calvin looked from Jasper to me to the book in her hands and back again.

“Be quick about it.” She continued to read the passage and I quickly gathered my things before following Jasper out of the room.

“Oh my god I missed you” I was brought into a bone crushing hug the moment we closed the door of the classroom behind us. “I thought you were dead.” He didn’t put me down and kept me in the painful embrace.

“I missed you too, Jasper. But put me down” His eyes widened as if he just realized that I was hanging several inches above the ground.

“Sorry” My feet barely touched the ground before he pulled back. “I can’t put you down yet.” I understood completely but that didn’t make the hug any less painful.

“Just lighten up a little bit” his grip immediately lessened. “Thanks, now are we going to stay here in the hallway or are you going to take me back to your place so you can tell me what the hell you’ve been doing for the last century and a half.” I looked down at him and when I saw the smile on his face I knew what he was thinking.

“Just don’t drop me” I sighed and he quickly ran out of the school.