From Grouphome to Penthouse: Story of a Mob Princess

For homeroom I had Mr. Small. That was a giant oxymoron because this guy was by no means small. He reminded me of the jolly green giant that was on the green bean can. As I walked into the class room all eyes were on me. At that moment I began to feel like I was some sort of space alien that magically fell from the clouds. The jolly green giant directed me to a desk in the middle of the class. The desk was broken and had so many names engraved into it, that it was impossible to write anything on such a surface. Mr. Small stood at the front of the class clearing his throat. “We have a new student today, welcome Jaylyn Madison.” he boomed. Chatter fills the class and the same person who tripped me on the bus took it upon himself to entertain the class. “Hey, I know her! She’s the girl I tripped on the bus this morning!”
The whole class burst into laughter. “Quiet down everyone, Jaylyn, how about you tell us a little about you.” He suggests. Tell them a little about me? What was this kindergarten? “Sure! I’m 5’6, ugly, and a dyke!” laughs the same guy from this morning. I glare at him. Every nerve in my body tells me to jump across the desks and gut him like a fish, but I don’t think Mr. Jolly Green Giant would want intestines strewn across his floor. “You haven’t been in school ten minutes and already you’re trying for a detention, West?” remarks Mr. Small. “Just have a seat, Ms. Madison and ignore Mr. Danvers.” I slump down into my chair hoping I could avoid the rest of West’s arsenal of jokes for the rest of the class. The bell rings for lunch and people file out of classes like ants. I jump and I feel a hand on my shoulder. My reaction: turn around and swing. As I do West ducks my punch. “Chill Jay! It’s just me!” All the more reason for me to swing on you as hard as I can, I think. “What do you want?” I ask crossly. “To apologize: I was a jerk to you, but you’ve got to understand, I have a duty to fulfill as class clown.” he remarks. He actually genuinely sounded apologetic. Who does this guy think he is? “Oh, I definitely under stand.” I say dryly. “Don’t be like that! Here, lets start over. I’m West Danvers.” I look at him blankly. Was this guy Grant’s brother? “Now that’s the part when you say, ‘I’m Jaylyn Madison.’” he says slowly. “You’re Grant’s brother?” I ask cocking my head to the side. “Yes......I assume you have already met Grant, then?” he says dryly. “Yeah, he sat with me on the bus.” I say. “Well to answer your question, Grant is my brother.....actually we’re fraternal twins.....” he says as we walk into the cafeteria. “So where are you from?” he asks. “Brooklyn.........I’m from a group home there.” I say. He raises his eyebrows. “Wow......what-what happened to you parents?” he asks. “Car accident......a month after I was born.” I say.
“Sad. Listen, since you’re new, clueless and completely vulnerable you should hang with me for the day. I think we have most of the same classes today, and next is lunch so come with me.” He doesn’t even wait for my response because before I could protest he was dragging me down the hall to the cafeteria.

“So this is the new girl?”
“She’s hot”
“What’s her name?”
“Is she from around here?”
“I wanna meet her!”
The second I sat down at the lunch table a swarm of students hawked around me. It was
like they’d never seen a new student before. And of course West was in the middle of it
all egging the students on. “I heard she was from Queens and that her parents were killed
in a train wreck.” He misinforms. The crowd of students’ ohhhed and ahhhed at me like I
was some sort of class pet. “Leave her alone guys.”
I look up to see Grant pushing through the crowd of kids. He gives me an awkward half smile. “How’s your first day going?” he sits down beside me and across from West. “....Interesting enough.” I mumble sarcastically. “I see you met my brother.” Grant muses nudging West. “Yeah, yeah, hey Jaylyn, what are you doing this afternoon?” West asks, propping his head on his hands. “Well Carrie, my so called foster mother, is taking me shopping for clothes at the mall this afternoon.” I say, poking at my peanut butter and jelly sandwich. “Cool, we’ll meet you there.”
I look up as West says that. Who was this guy? “That’s if you don’t mind.” Grant cuts in, he gives West a look of warning. “Yeah, whatever I don’t care.” I say. “Then we’ll see you this afternoon then.” Grant gets up dumping his tray. “Lets’ go West.” Grant calls. “But I was gonna help out Jaylyn!” he protests. “Like she wants your help.” Grant scoffs, dragging West off.