Reality's Edge

"I mean who the hell does she think she is? Always looking at people like they're shit and thinking she's so much better than them."
Jemmie was complaining about some girl that she didn't even know. Yet she still took it upon herself to list all of this girl's imperfections and flaws in regular conversation.
"Am I wrong?" she asked, not really wanting my answer but looking at me anyway for a slight shake of the head in agreement. Normally I would agree with her, but I wasn't going to give up the promise I'd made to myself that easily.
"I don't even fucking know this girl. I have no opinion about her." I stated evenly. I looked over at her to see that she was just staring at me dumbfounded, as if I had slapped her. I ignored her gaze as we pulled up the school's driveway and swung into the parking space closest to the front door.

I knew Jemmie hadn't let go of what I'd said yet, but I figured it would all pass as soon as she saw her friends again. I put my arm around her and gestured for her to let me carry her book. She looked at me lips pursed, calculating whether acting like she was angry with me would draw a lot of attention, since everyone thought we were the happiest couple on the planet. I rolled my eyes when she didn't let me take it and made my way toward the front doors without her, knowing that she would be after me in a few milliseconds.
I looked up at the trees that had begun changing color, and at the ground where a few leaves had already fallen. Jemmie had trotted up to me by then, not wanting to be caught walking alone. He lips were set in a tight, thin line which made me grateful that we were surrounded by people because she was ready to rip my head off.
Heads turned as we walked down the hall, all eyes focused on Jemmie. Her beautiful, shining mahogany hair seemed to blow behind her like she was a runway model. It also helped that she had poreless skin and bright blue eyes that pierced anyone who caught sight of them. I didn't have nearly the same effect on people, but I was still a looker. Girls did a double take when I walked by, which is why I knew that Jemmie had picked me. Together we were the perfect match.
Jemmie's friend Irene showed up then, giving both of us a hug.
"We're gonna head to chemistry," Jemmie said, linking arms with Irene. I nodded,
"See you after school then," I said, giving her a kiss and heading to english.

Halfway down the hall, someone yelled my name.
"Hey Breaker!" they said, and I turned around to see my friend Brian.
"Oh hey man," I said, clapping his hand. "Good summer?" I asked as we continued walking.
"Yeah it was awesome, spent most of it in New York with my dad. Just got back this week actually. You in english first bell too?" he asked as we were walking up to the door.
"Yup this is me," I said, walking ahead of him through the door. All of a sudden this girl came out of nowhere and before I could stop, I plowed right into her.
"Ow, fuck your shoulder's hard!" she exclaimed, flipping her brightly dyed red hair over her shoulder.
"Sorry," I mumbled quickly, but she was already out of the room.
"Who was that?" Brian asked, looking down the hall after her. I just shrugged and headed to the back of the room where I sat at an empty desk by the window. I tossed my backpack on the floor, when I looked up two girls were staring at me. They immediately looked away as soon as I caught their eyes though.
The girl I'd bumped into walked back into the classroom, her eyes sweeping the room at an unnaturally fast pace. They fell on me last as she was sitting down, but I wouldn't break her gaze. Her eyes were an intense green and after a while she looked away from me and turned around, quickly glancing at the window and the door before looking down at her pile of notebooks and folders on her desk. I noticed that she was pretty tall for a girl, she was also really skinny, but built at the same time. I'd never seen her in school before so she had to be a transfer. But who the hell would transfer junior year? That had to screw with all of her credits and stuff. I guessed that she must be the attention-obsessed type, with that bright red hair.
"Good morning class," the teacher said, silencing the quiet hum of voices and taking out her attendance clipboard. "Welcome to junior english, I'm Ms. Iceman."
She went through the class list and called out everyones name except for the redhead's. Her eyes skimmed it one more time,
"Oh sorry I missed one," she laughed to herself. "Kim, um.." she paused. The redhead raised her hand,
"Here," she said quietly, then looked back down at her desk. The teacher looked confused.
"They seem to have missed your last name when they typed up the sheet," she said, "here I'll write it down, what is it again?"
"Oh no, I don't have a last name," the redhead answered, "it's just Kim." The teacher just stared at her. Then said in an annoyed voice,
"I understand you're new here, when you registered you must have given them a last name."
"No, I told them I didn't have one," Kim said, in a harsh voice. Ms. Iceman was getting frustrated.
"You had parents what where they're last names?" she asked, her voice equally as harsh as Kim's had been.
"Look, I don't have parents and I don't have a last name. But if it will shut you up, why don't you just give me a last name!" Kim said, her voice rising. She went on, "You can give me a really stupid, common one like Smith or Johnson, I don't fucking care. But I never had a last name-"
"That's enough!" The teacher silenced her. She took out a yellow slip of paper and started scribbling on it. "Please take your attitude and your books to the principal," she said, holding the slip of paper out for Kim to take. The guys next to me were covering their mouths to keep from smirking. Kim sighed and gathered her things, taking the note from Ms. Iceman and heading out the door. Ms. Iceman awkwardly looked at the class, "Now does anyone want to tell me what they thought about Hamlet? I hope you all found time to read it over the summer."