A Strange Girl in a Stranger Town

Past the California sunshine and the Oregon people is a little town in Washington called Ilwaco. Ilwaco only captures tourists’ attention because of Lewis and Clark. You’d think nothing really exciting ever happens here.
You’d be correct.
But a lonely girl with a big imagination always gets more excitement then she bargained for.
Enter a small school, with only a few hundred students. Focus on a math class, where a girl stares dreamily out the window.
Unfortunately for this girl, her life is not The Twilight Zone.
I sighed to myself before frowning. My life is not a show. I need to focus. I tried to remember what class I was in.
Algebra 2. Oh, joy.
I glanced at the small, red digital clock at the side of the room. Only half of class was over. I sighed again.
I stared at the boy in front of me. He had black, curly hair. I believe his name is Jake Sure. He’s funny, if I remember.
“Focus,” I murmured to myself.
Binomial equations? I’d rather Google it myself then listen to Mrs. Pere drone on about it.
“Emma? Emma, answer the question.”
My head snapped up. “What?”
“As I thought,” Mrs. Pere snorted, “Next time, pay attention.”
My cheeks flushed as I pretended to take notes. I stared out the window. I could see all the way to the Columbia River since the school was on a hill. I concentrated on a bright yellow house that seemed to stick out from the rest. An old man with startling white hair sat on the front porch, smoking. He seemed to look up at the exact moment I looked at him. I shuddered, focusing back on Mrs. Pere.
“I’m watching you,” She was saying, “I’ll be back in a second.” She mumbled to herself all the way out of the class.
“Where’s she going?” I whispered to Jake.
“To make copies. Knowing her, she’ll take a total of two seconds. You’d think we were spawns of the devil the way she watches us.” He turned around, so I was looking right at him. He had velvet brown eyes that reminded me of chocolate. I glanced down. My own eyes were bright green, and yet they seemed to lack the sparkle his had.
Jake turned back around. I exhaled in relief. I was the only freshman in the junior class, and I always felt out of place.
The wind outside picked up. The trees shook and leaves flew every direction. It was an unusually bitter cold spring day. I frowned at the wind, willing it to go away.
“Emma! What did I tell you about paying attention!? One more warning and it’s the principal’s office for you!” I jumped out of my seat and looked around. Mrs. Pere had snuck back into the classroom as quietly as humanly possible. I looked from the door to her. It wasn’t that long of a way, but she was a heavyset woman. She was glaring at me from behind tiny glasses that hid beady, black eyes. A frame of straggly graying hair covered her angered face.
I pushed my own glasses up from the bridge of my nose. “Yes, ma’am.”
“Ma’am? You may think you’re better than everyone else, but you’re not getting away with it in my classroom! Now work!” She sat down briskly in her chair and began to type a letter at a tremendous rate. I was utterly shocked. A small part of me wondered what her problem was, but mainly I was furious at her. That’s teenage angst for you. Out with the logic, focus on the dread.
I looked down at my homework. I was almost done, but I needed a calculator. I looked out the window. The old man was gone and the weather was silent.

“Emma!” Penelope shouted from across the hall. I almost forehead slapped myself. My crazy, weird-but-amazingly-wonderfully-funny best friend Penelope.
I waved to her and stopped by my locker, getting out of the way of traffic.
“Emma!” Penelope grabbed my arm in emphasis.
“What happened, Penny?” I used the kid nickname from first grade.
“Oh, nothing, I’m just happy to see you.” She flashed a smile, and I giggled.
“Mrs. Pere was being such a-” I was interrupted by the she-devil herself.
“Emma Potts! Are you talking about me?” She hissed from her classroom door. My locker was far enough away that I pretended not to hear, but my eyes still widened in disbelief.
“I got to go, Penny. See you at lunch.” I waved.
“I’ll miss you!” Penelope put her hand on her heart and the other reaching out dramatically. She always was one for epic exits.

I yawned as soon as I got into science class. Mr. Ger eyed me suspiciously. Was I being paranoid or were all the teachers acting strangely today?
We had new seating charts, and I was put next to none other than Jake Sure.
“You best not be talking, Miss Pots. We're watching,” Mr. Ger said. Actually, he kind of hissed it. He was acting most unusual. Normally a chipper man who wears bright colors, today he wore a dull gray outfit and was in total disarray.
“What did you do to all the teachers?” Jake whispered as soon as Mr. Ger had his back turned.
“That's a good question,” I murmured under my breath.
“It must be a conspiracy,” He concluded, turning back to his work. I barely managed to stifle a laugh before Mr. Ger was pointing me out of the classroom.
“How can people concentrate with you in here!? Out! Principal’s office, now!” Mr. Ger shouted, a vein popping out on the side of his head.
Great, the principal’s office.
I stood up slowly. “Mr. Ger, I didn't-”
“Out!” He pointed.
Jake was right. It must be a conspiracy. Before I got to the door, I turned around. Mr. Ger was glaring at me. Jake was frowning.
“Sorry,” He mouthed. I smiled glumly.
I walked slowly down the hall, stalling. What did I do?
“Emma Potts,” The principal (spelled like he’s your pal!) stated before I’d even entered his office.
“Yes?” I asked as I walked in.
“Many teachers have been complaining about you today,” He looked at me skeptically.
“So I’ve noticed. I think this is a huge misunderstanding.” I rambled, looking around. He had an unnecessarily large desk in an unnecessarily large office that was light green. Psychology 101: Light green supposedly calms people down.
“Oh?” He asked in a friendly tone.
I tried to remember his name. “Yes, sir. I’ve had no previous records of misbehaving, I participate in school activities, and I’m getting good grades.”
“All of which are appreciated, but that doesn’t change what the teachers are saying.” He shrugged daintily. He was an older guy with a balding head. He had a friendly smile on his face. There was something in his eyes though that sent shivers up and down my spine.
“What exactly are they saying?” I fidgeted in my seat. I squinted, but couldn’t figure out what color his eyes were.
“That you need to stay after school for a while due to your disrespect. Mrs. Pere wanted to send you to boarding school, which is quite extreme I think, but that’s Mrs. Pere for you.” He began writing something on a slip of paper.
“Sir, I don’t even know what I did wrong.” I whispered.
“Speaking out of term, talking back, leaving class in a very disruptive manner.” He coughed quietly. “Detention should suffice.”
“When? Tomorrow?”
“No!” He yelled suddenly. “Sorry. Day after would be much better. It will be for an hour. That should satisfy everyone’s thirst for blood.” He laughed quietly to himself. It was then I got the sinking feeling something was majorly out of place. I didn’t like the principal in all his faux kindness.
“Er…Mr. Principal?” Jake Sure mumbled from the doorway.
“Oh, yes, Jake Sure. Mr. Ger sent you for disrupting class. Come in, come in.”
I stared at Jake as I stood up. I smiled at him tentatively. He grinned sheepishly back.
Only halfway down the hall did I begin wondering how the principal knew exactly why Jake was there. And only when I got back to science class did I begin wondering what happened to our old principal, Mr. Marsh.