We Could Make It Right

Some people think of school to be one of the worst places you could spend your adolescent life. I on the other hand beg to differ. Although I don’t quite know how things are gonna be different here in Arizona; I’m up for a challenge.

When it came to getting to school, Vee was really sovereign. Her parent’s didn’t take her to school – apparently they never did ever since she was in 4th grade. It was either she took a bus or she went with John.

Then there’s today.

“I seriously can’t believe you lost your mom’s keys” Vee sighed as we got all got onto the bus.

Slowly and one by one , everyone moved off to what seemed like a usual seating plan.

“I didn’t lose them I just.. happened to put them down and now I can’t remember where I put
it” he finished as we sat down.

“You lost them you idiot” Vee continued and at that second the bus began moving. She then took a seat by the window followed by me then in the seat behind us there sat John.

“Think what you want Violetta, my mother will never find out. Capiche?”

“John it’s times like these I wonder where your brain is”

“God you guy’s are like little kids” the person I learned as Halvo interrupted from a seat to my left.

“Don’t worry Katie, you’ll get used to their squabbling,”

I just laughed. If I didn’t notice it already I’d say they were people who loved to hate each other. It wouldn’t surprise me if they went out with other people and the other would get jealous. It honestly wouldn’t.

“Hopefully” I giggled.

“So Katie, tell us about yourself” Halvo began.

“What do you wanna know?”

And it dragged on from this for basically the next 20 minutes. Sure I didn’t exactly mind answering questions and stuff like that, it was how I was going to answer the personal questions at school – that’s what I was worried about.

Tempe High School, home of the bulls and apparently home to the many cliques I thought only movies and TV-shows had. Everyone was grouped – from likely to succeed to likely to become a con-artist. Honestly quite like nothing I’ve seen before. The school was colourful; and this time it wasn’t just the clothing. There were profanities being spit out like there was no tomorrow.

I stood there helplessly surrounded by John, Halvo & Vee until I saw a sign that read ‘student office’ . If that wasn’t a sign on where to go, I don’t know what is. We walked up to the office and there I was left because the bell rang for homeroom and they still didn’t go to their lockers so basically they were all in a mad rush not to get into trouble with their teachers.

**

“Maths General ; Ancient ; Standard English ; Chemistry General …” Vee said skimming through my timetable during their first break.

We all sat around what must’ve been their usual table. It was an old table – a wooden table that was probably green in a past life. Behind the table however was a brick wall which held all the books from everyone’s lesson.

“Dude! You’ve got Ms Bennett for Ancient?!” John squealed as he took a peak over Vee’s shoulder .

“Is that good or bad?,”

“She’s perfect ..if you like psychopathic teachers”

“John don’t scare her” Jared spoke up from the background. It looked like he didn’t particularly care for the fuss over a timetable. He just sat there; he moved some books aside and just started strumming to Why Georgia. Jared has a knack for playing just about anything , or so I’ve been told.

“..Spanish Intermediate”

“I knew you’d pick Spanish” she laughed slightly.

“An ode to my mother” I said trying to look as angelic as possible.

Just as I finished saying that, in the distance we could clearly see Garrett and Pat. A part of me was happy to see them. More than anything I had a feeling that I’d be seeing a lot of them since according to Vee, I’m in some of their classes.

“KATIE!” Pat jumped and gave me a bear hug.

“Dude you only knew her a day and you’re already hugging her like she’s Lauren” I overheard Garrett distastefully snicker.

“I like meeting new people…” the poor boy tried to defend himself.

"Aww, don't be jealous Garrett.." I said as Pat finally let go. "It's not a pretty trait"

"You think I'm jealous?"

"..How can I get jealous, I don't get jealous"

I raised an eyebrow at him.

He paused for a second. He looked like he was pausing for thought, however.

"I Garrett Daniel Nickelsen, do not get jealous. I mean at least I'm here..I could easily be trying to win back my ex-girlfriend" he said pointing to a girl with an olive complexion who from the corner of my eye I could see was just chilling with some of her friends. Y'know, having a good time.

“At least..” I thought of speaking up for myself. I mean, he didn’t exactly leave me with a good impression yesterday. “Well at least he was happy to see me unlike someone who looks like someone shot his dog”

“..Oh you did not just go there” he stammered. “My girlfriend broke up with me, I was having a shit day”

The other’s looked at me in absolute shock. Now that I think of it, I’m not exactly a saint in that department right now.

Just after, the bell rang for the next lesson. According to my timetable, I had Spanish Int. with Ms Ramos . I walked into the classroom and she was in there. I waited until she was free so I could tell her that I was the new kid. Ms Ramos was young, but not young enough to be teenage boy lust material.

Ms Ramos’ class had seating arrangements. I was seated in between a slim girl with an olive complexion.She had naturally dark hair and had such a radiantly angelic smile.

That same girl I'm sure Garrett was pointing to earlier.

Whereas the person who sat on the other side was nowhere to be found. Not caring over the whereabouts of that other person, I got out my notebook and started to take down notes.

“Psst” I heard a voice from my left say to me.

From hearing that, I did what any other person would do and I turned around .

“Yeah?,”

“Are you the new girl ?” she asked with the most angelic tone ever.

“Yeah..”

At that moment, the door slammed open, and there standing at the door was the last person I’d expect to be here.

“—Miss , sorry I’m late, I..”

“Save it, Mr Nickelsen. Don’t let it happen again”

‘I’m not here, I’m not here’ I said to myself.

With my eyes still conveniently facing the girl next me, I slowly turned around to face the front. I’m guessing by just saying ‘yeah’ I didn’t exactly get really far with making a friend in this class. But it didn’t bother me.

“Great..” I heard him murmur. To my convenience, none other than Garrett is the owner of that seat and table next to me.

“Nice to see you too” I whispered soft enough hoping for him not to hear it.. but he did.

“Gonna make more fun of my dog?,”

“Garrett I’m—”

“Miss Reeves, Mr Nickelsen ¿Hay algo que te gustaría compartir con la clase?”
(Miss Reeves , Mr Nickelsen is there anything you'd like to share with the class?)

“No, señorita Ramos” Garrett spoke for the both of us.

The rest of the lesson was tension filled. Luckily for me, there wasn’t actually much longer in the lesson so I wouldn’t have to worry about being next to him for much longer.

Fortunately, the rest of the lessons for the day went on pretty well. But I couldn’t help but drag on the fact that both Garrett or I aren't getting along. Not exactly how I’d like to spend my time here in Arizona.

He was standing by his locker with the others. Vee & Pat saw me and used hand signals to call me over. So I wouldn’t jeopardise the only friendship I have here, I went over to his locker to stand with them. Garrett didn’t notice me at first, he was busy talking to another boy who I learned to be Jake. Once Jake left the little conversation, Garrett gave me one small look.

“Look what the cat dragged in,”

“Garrett can we talk for a second?”

“We are now aren’t we?”

“I mean without the crowd”

And so the others moved off somewhere, but not that far. They were still visible from the distance they were at.

“Garrett I’m sorry..” I said sucking up my pride.

“Look, Katie was it?”

“Yea—” I nodded.

“It was a dismal remark to make about a dog, I was having a shit day. But for the sake of the band and my friendship with Vee and John..”

The band .. what band?

He looked me right in the eyes and zipped up his backpack. His eyes suddenly became bloodshot as he began to speak to me again.

“For the sake of everything.. let’s just pretend to get along”

And there he walked off to join the others but instead of stopping he stormed off. Slowly trailing behind him I walked up to Vee and Pat. They looked at me sympathetically, but I was in no mood for sympathy.

“Is.. Is he normally like this?” I asked John.

“Only if something’s bothering him..”

“Katie he’s generally a good kid” he paused “You just have him at a bad time that’s all”

I hope so.