Take a Sad Song and Make It Better

Jade's POV

My eyelids had never felt so inviting. I wanted nothing more than to continue lying in the soft confines of the guest bedroom mattress and not have to get out of the warm cocoon I had created in the blankets and sheets. But alas, to me this would never be allowed to exist, especially not with an annoying screeching sound emitting itself from the alarm clock next to me. Reluctantly, I slipped a hand out from underneath the blankets and shut off the dreaded piece of technology, pulling myself from the bed and over to the closet, where I picked out my outfit for the day. I tugged on my blink-182 shirt and blue tattered hoodie, and considering the cold weather Lutherville had been having for the past few days, a pair of jeans were added to the mix, my converse adorning my feet.

“Let's go Jay! We're gonna be late!” I rolled my eyes at my sister's insistent calls. She had always been the one to never miss a class, or be tardy for once. Her record was spotless, but that didn't mean mine was. I quickly grabbed my back pack, slinging the strap over my shoulder and bounding down the stairs, meeting aunt Clara and Bailey in the kitchen, a pop tart waiting for me on the counter.

“Okay well, Bailey has the directions to the school.” I nodded, trying my best to acknowledge my aunt's words but knowing in the end, Bailey would have everything covered for the both of us, “I have to be getting off to work. Have a good first day girls.” She called, walking towards the door and disappearing amidst our words of 'you too's. Aunt Clara was really never one to stick around. She found kids to be responsible past the age of 9, which is when you really learn to know right from wrong. I knew I could count on her to stay out of my business. Bailey, not so much.

“Ready to go?” The brown haired Bates asked, grabbing her bag from off the kitchen counter top. I nodded and followed her outside, watching as she locked the door while I plugged my iPod into my ears, switching it on to listen to the music of the Beatles. They always seemed to calm me when I most needed it. Today was one of those days.

Not only were Bailey and I to be the new girls at school, but we were also coming into school a month after it had started, meaning that groups would already be forming and it would be hard to squish ourselves into a little one. Of course, I wouldn't have a problem with working my way with social situations, I never had a problem with that. But I did, however, fear for my sister. She had never really been good with words and a new school would be difficult for her in general, I just hoped everything would come out alright for us in the end.

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“Have a nice day girls and welcome to Dulaney High!” The secretary's words were drowned out by the door shutting after Bailey and I stepped out of the office, schedules in hand. We had managed to come to school fifteen minutes earlier than usual, which was a surprise to me considering I had dragged my feet for the whole walk to this hell on earth. About halfway down the hall, the both of us stopped, silently exchanging schedules and looking over the others in scrutiny. After a collective sigh, I returned the schedule back into her hand while she handed back my own.

“We have English together. And lunch.” I nodded and gave her a quick hug, just as the bell rang. With one last over the shoulder glance, Bailey made her way through the sea of students, leaving me to fend for myself in this new and strange place. I quickly glanced over my schedule before inwardly sighing.

French
European History
English

Three classes till I could see my sister again. Joy. This was bound to be a long day. With my face buried in the schedule, I hadn't seen the body making its way towards me in the thousands of people surrounding my confused figure, that is, until I crashed into it. I fell to the floor amidst chuckles and shuffling feet, my schedule flying form my hand. Being the new kid, no one stopped to help, just merely looked on. Stuck up bitches. As I tried to salvage the dignity that still remained, I crawled around on all fours, trying to find my lost schedule.

“Looking for this?” The deep voice caused my face to go red in embarrassment. Of course. The person who would be holding my schedule would have to see me like this. Fucking awesome. I groaned lowly to myself and looked up into the smiling face of a shaggy haired boy. Though I would normally have conveyed his smile as taunting, his seemed genuine and friendly. Still red in the cheeks, I merely nodded, taking his outstretched hand and allowing him to help me to my feet. I graciously took the schedule form his hands and offered a feeble smile of my own.

“Uh, thanks.” I uttered, looking down at my dirty and well worn converse.

Smiley waved off the words with a “No problem.” We stood there awkwardly for a few seconds, me mainly because I had no where to go. As for his reason for sticking around, I had no clue. “You have no idea where you're going, do you?” He asked, his smile growing further, which I had thought to be an impossible task. I laughed softy and shook my head, letting him take the schedule once more in his hands. “Well you're in luck. We have this class together.” He looked back up at me, handing back the piece of paper. “We also have band and chemistry together so that should be fun.” I nodded and laughed softly, not being able to find words to thank him enough for his kindness as we began to walk towards what I assumed to be our french class.

“I'm Jade, by the way.” Well, I had to start somewhere. There seemed like a good place to start. “Sorry for making myself look like a fool back there. It was kinda not my proudest moment.” A deep chuckle escaped past his lips as he turned to face me while our feet kept moving.

“More like you made a best friend back there.” I grinned as he pointed at himself and laughed along with him. “I'm Rian. Welcome to Dulaney.”

As we entered the classroom and took our seats, Rian let out a sigh and a frustrated sounding laugh.

“The day we get a new student in the class, he would be skipping.” I turned towards him, a curious look on my face as he sighed and pointed to the empty seat in front of him. “My friend. He always says that this class is boring as hell and nothing exciting happens. Having a new student in the school is definitely some sort of excitement.”

“Two new students.” Rian furrowed his eyebrows and tilted his head to the side in confusion. “I have a twin sister. She's just not in this class with me.”

Rian's smile broke out once more. “Even more reason to be excited

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The classes began passing without a hitch, meeting a new friend so far being the highlight of this first days events. History, not being my favorite subject, was a complete and utter bore. Nothing special was created and English was just as boring as that, even if my sister was sitting next to me, so by the time lunch came around, I was already wishing for the day to be over.

After getting our food from the lunch line, Bailey and I looked around the crowded cafeteria, another problem suddenly arising. Where to sit. A frantically waving hand caught our attention, the owner of said hand beckoning us over to their table where I saw a semi familiar face and a girl I recognized from our English class the period before.

“Hey Jade. Hey Bailey.” The darker brunette's welcome caused me to raise my eyebrow but give a quick 'hey' back to the girl none the less. The girl in question was our neighbor. Melanie I believe her name was. She lived in the house next door with her brother, who I had yet to meet, and her parents, though I had only met her mother. She was a sweet girl and someone I could probably get along with. She took notice of my t-shirt and gave me a thumbs up. “Blink-182. Good shit man.” I laughed and sat down across from her, glancing over at the girl awkwardly looking down at her tray. “Oh shit, my bad. Guys, this is Kaylie. Kaylie, this is Bailey,” She gestured to my sister who gave a shy wave and a half smile, “and Jade.” When her hand fell on me I smiled as wide as I could and produced a thumbs up. Kaylie cracked a smile and a laugh, making me feel better knowing that I could get along with her just fine. She seemed more Bailey's type however. Thus began a full fledged conversation amidst the table.

About half way through our meals however, a figure cast its shadow over our table, causing all our heads to turn in its direction. Standing at the end of the table nearest myself was a tall brunette girl, her eyes smiling along with her lips as she looked at my sister and I. I raised an eyebrow and looked over at Melanie who was smiling at the girl, along with Kaylie, both waving to the mystery brunette.

“Hey Melanie. Hey Kaylie.” Both girls smiled and turned back to their lunch as the girl turned to me. “Are you Jade?” I nodded, my eyebrow raising further up my forehead. How had this girl learned my name? I don't recall her being in any classes with me. “Then you must be Bailey.” Knowing my sister all too well, I could almost feel the breeze as she nodded her head to the girl in front of us. “I'm Kara.” A smile broke out on my lips as I looked at her happy face.

“Rian's Kara?” The girl's smile widened and she nodded her head furiously. “Well if what Rian says is true, we'll be the best of friends by the end of this lunch period.” Kara laughed and sat down beside Melanie, engaging herself in our conversation.

When I had finished my lunch, I got up to go throw away the Styrofoam tray it had been resting on, only to pass a group of three boys laughing and talking to each other at a table nearby.

“Hey Jade.” The words made me smile and I turned to see the group of boys looking at me, one with his piano teeth flashing.

“Hey Rian.” I waved and successfully threw away the tray in the garbage, turning around to see all their eyes still set on me. The boy next to Rian was waving animatedly at me, his dark brown and bleach streaked hair flying this way and that, his lanky body making him look like an anorexic skunk of some sort. The boy across the table and closest to myself was staring at me the most intently. His tan colored hair swept over his forehead and almost into his chocolate brown eyes. To say the boy wasn't good looking would be an understatement. But that all faded away when his eyes broke from mine and hit my chest, fixating upon that spot until I stomped away, crashing back into my seat.

As the school's ending was coming closer I took my seat in my least favorite class. Math. As I sat down, the boy, or so I assumed, sitting next to me had his head buried in his arms, obviously napping. I muttered a quiet 'hello', not expecting a reply and tried to focus on the lesson in front of me. Not once did the sleeping boy look up from his arms.

When the class ended (thank god) I quickly rushed out, not wanting to stay around to look at the sleeping boy's face. Eventually I would see it but I didn't really care all that much in the mean time. Math was a definite skipping class.

“You guys wanna lift home? I stole my brother's car today so might as well.” Bailey and I both nodded, getting into the car with Melanie who switched on the radio and an unknown band started playing in the car's stereo.

Think about it 'till anticipation makes you shake and we both lose control.
Put the pedal to the floor, lay the seat back, lock the doors,
we're gonna make this worth our while.
It's getting harder to breathe...

“Yo, Mel, who is this?” I asked, turning up the stereo system and nodding my head to the beat.

“You like?” I nodded and tapped my hands along to the drums in the background. “It's my friend's band. My brother manages them. They rock right?” I nodded once again, humming along to the chorus as it picked up. “They're called All Time Low. Maybe I'll take you to a show sometime.” I nodded quickly and Melanie laughed, singing along to the words that blasted through the car.