Corrupt Me

It was really hard to concentrate on anything when I knew I had that boy’s eyes burning through the back of my skull the entire lesson. I wriggled around in my seat during the entire lesson, not even listening to the mad-as-a-hatter teacher who was waving his arms around enthusiastically about ‘Romeo and Juliet’, which is apparently one of his favourite plays (although, I think nearly every play might be in that category for Mr Porter, he seems like a theatre nut). When the bell finally rang, I sent a quick, silent ‘thank you’ to God, before leaping out of my chair and following Isabelle out of the classroom. As we headed over to the math room, I could, once again, feel eyes on me, but I ignored them as Isabelle turned to me with a questioning look.

“What was that all about back there with Angel?”
“Back with…what? Who’s Angel?” I asked, furrowing my eyebrows.
“The boy sitting behind you in drama. The one you were staring at for like, 5 minutes.”
“His name is Angel?”
Isabelle laughed under her breath, “Yeah. Angel Jerome. Weird right? He acts like the total opposite to his name, too,” she lowered her voice, “People call him the Satan Reincarnate…”
“Why?” I asked, intrigued.

“Because,” a new voice joined in our conversation and I squirmed when an arm wrapped itself around my waist. The boy I now knew as Angel looked down at me with that ever-present smirk. He continued with humour in his voice, “I don’t believe in God, I don’t…” he air-quoted, “...‘abide by the Bible’. I swear, I drink, I sleep around and I’m gay. That’s why. Now, Micah…” he purred my name, making me shiver and try again in vain to get out of his grip, “I’m sorry, but I’m not feeling myself today. Can I feel you instead?”
My face burned and I stuttered out an unintelligible response.

Angel chuckled lightly and moved his hand up and under my shirt. I yelped when his cold fingers brushed the skin on my bony hip and I pushed him away as roughly as I could.
“What is your problem?” I asked, arranging my face into what I hoped was a ‘don’t mess with me’ expression. “Do you often go and molest people you’ve barely met or am I just special?”
“Oh, believe me, baby. You’re special. Actually, I just realised…you look just like my next boyfriend…”
“Leave him alone, Angel, he’s obviously not interested. Are you, Micah?” Isabelle said, coming to my rescue.
I shook my head from side to side, messing my hair up slightly, and quickly drawing my hand up to put the few strands back in their place.
“Aw, don’t be like that, gorge-”

“Enough, Angel,” Isabelle snapped, grabbing my arm and pulling me into the math room, with Angel following close behind. Izzy led me to the back of the classroom, where there were two spare seats side-by-side. The only other seat was right at the front of the room, and I was happy to see Angel slump down grumpily on the chair and proceed to glare out the window for the entire lesson, not paying one speck of attention to the teacher, whose name I forgot almost as soon as she said it.

I spent the rest of the day, bar lunch time, being stalked by Angel. He was in every one of my classes. Including biology, which is the only class I don’t share with Isabelle, and which meant that I had Angel sitting next to me saying disgusting things to try and get me to pay attention to him. Lunch was a more pleasant experience. I sat at a table with Isabelle, Lachlan, Lisa and Portia and listened intently as they told me about themselves, their families, and about some of the people at Hillcrest. Isabelle had noticed I was nervously glancing around the lunch room as she and her friends talked. She put her arm around my shoulders, before whispering to me that I shouldn’t be worried about Angel sneaking up and trying to rape me or anything, because he never ate lunch in the lunch room with everyone else and instead chose to eat lunch outside with his friends, smoking and drinking behind the toilet block. Apparently I visibly relaxed when Izzy told me that, which greatly amused her and her friends.

While I enjoyed my first day at Hillcrest (with some exceptions – gaining a stalker and having to introduce myself a dozen times to different people), I was relieved when the final bell rang. I threw the books I wouldn’t need for homework that night into my locker and went to meet Georgia and Sara at the school gates. Izzy and Portia walked me there; Lisa and Lachlan had a ‘study date’ in the school library, which I think was just code for wanting alone time, but anyway.

As soon as Georgia spotted me walking towards her, she pushed herself off the fence she was sitting on, and ran to me, pulling me into a hug.
“Hey, MJ!” she squealed when she pulled away.
“MJ?” Izzy questioned.
I blushed, “My middle name’s James. Micah James. MJ,” I explained. “And hey, Georgie. Guys, this is my sister. This is Isabelle and Portia,” I pointed to the girls in turn, introducing them to my sister.
“It’s really nice to meet you!” Georgia said with a bright smile, “But Micah, we’d better get going. Mom and dad are waiting in the car park; you know how much they hate waiting.”
I nodded, and turned to Izzy and Portia, “Bye, guys. I guess I’ll see you tomorrow?”
“Of course!” Portia exclaimed, pulling me into a hug, before quickly letting me go, a slight blush tinting her dark skin. “Sorry, I’m a really huggy person.”

I giggled, and told her it was fine. I’ve always liked hugs. Izzy smiled widely and hugged me goodbye as well before I turned to leave the school with Georgia by my side. I glanced back, and waved at the two girls I knew I would soon develop a strong friendship with if all went well.

As soon as I got in the car, my mother immediately attacked me with questions about my day. I answered them as best I could, barely able to take a breath before another question would be fired me. When it came to mom asking me about friends, I happily told her about Isabelle, Portia, Lisa and Lachlan, but conveniently left out my freaky-stalker-person, who I don’t think I could’ve classified as a friend anyway, seeing as I’m sure the sole reason he talks to me is to try and get in my pants.

The interrogation about school went all through the afternoon up until after dinner, when I was excused to go upstairs and do my homework. Seeing as there wasn’t a huge amount to do because it was the first day back, I finished fairly quickly, and decided to have an early night. After changing into my pyjamas and brushing my teeth, I padded downstairs to say goodnight to my parents. My mom was reading her bible, as usual, while my father was struggling to complete a Sudoku puzzle in the local paper.

After a brief exchange of “goodnight and God bless” between my parents and I, I trudged upstairs again, entered my bedroom and flopped down on my bed. I fell asleep with my first day of Hillcrest, my new friends and in particular; my own personal stalker, Angel Jerome, on my mind.