Surviving High School

Terrance led out the bus and waited for me at the door. He held his open palm up for me to take his hand. It was a bit forward for me, but not wanting to be rude, I placed my fingertips in the palm of his hand.

“We have a good thirty minutes or so,” Terrance said. “I want to show you some of my friends. Follow me!” He grabbed my list, kind of playfully, and led me under an arch of flowers to a green on the side of the school. He nearly stumbled upon arriving; I quickly noticed why.

Tara was across the green, at a table under a tree already working her charms on a guy, seducing him by sitting on his lap. Other guys, her friends and more also surrounded them.

Terrance kind of stood like a deer in the headlights, then turning toward the sidewalk, leading all the way around the edge of the green and somewhere into the school. He began to make a straight-shot to the sidewalk.

He was nowhere near as afraid of Tara as I was, but he was doing this for me.

As we got closer to a group on a picnic blanket, he gestured to them. “Those are my, hopefully soon-to-be your friends.” I got a little excited, linking my arm with Terrance’s and making a slow run to them.

“Mac!” I heard one in a male’s tracksuit call.

“And a lady friend!” One with dog tags added.

Terrance and I finally reached them. “Guys,” he slightly huffed. “This is Cara Parr, Richard Harson’s step-daughter…”

I could see their eyes shift up and down me, and then it seemed like something clicked in their mind. Then I saw him. He was farther back than the rest, but was dressed like me, none the less.

“Richard Harson?” He asked. “Wait, that’s who runs all the events at Jetstream Event Center!” He got up and immediately took my hand to his lips. I looked away and blushed. “Clive Kent,” he said, flipping a piece of his bright blue wig from his face. “Always at your service.”

“Kaito is more like it,” I added, slightly to myself.

“So, you know about Vocaloid?” Dog tags asked.

“Of course!” I exclaim. “Luka’s for tomorrow!”

Dog tags shook my unkissed hand. “I’m Logan Reeves.”

I smiled at him. “And your other friend?”

On cue, he stepped forward, putting his hand on my shoulder and taking my hand with his free hand. “Setsuko, but I go by Suko.” Suko let a little smile curl up the side of his face.

We sat on the blanket they had brought, but I still leaned towards Terrance, as he was who I knew most.

Logan leaned forward. “Tell us about yourself, Miss Parr.”

I smiled. “There’s not much to me, but I’ll give it a shot.” I began to think about interesting things I could say about myself. There wasn’t a lot, but I’m sure it was enough to keep them entertained.

“I’m from Brentwood, New Hampshire, I love R.P. video games, and I’m a cosplayer – obviously…” I paused, hoping that could be the end of it. “More?” I ask, and watch them all nod their heads.

“I draw a lot of manga, and I’m almost to the professional level…”

I’m running out of cool things to say about myself!

“I’ve been trained in just about all ways, shapes, and forms of dance, I dabble as a gymnast, I do lots of conventions, competing mainly in dance and performance, and I think that’s just about it.”

I thought of one more thing to say before they begin to speak again. “I also have a room in the house, the cosplay room, and I would love to have you all over to hang.”

It was the perfect conclusion. They all looked kind of awestruck. Logan was the first to speak, “I think that you are just about the coolest girl I have ever met.”

Terrance nodded toward him. “Agreed.”

Suko leaned forward. “Can you play Call of Duty?”

“No, but I do Skyrim…”

He pretended to faint, but quickly shot back up. “If you are smart, one of you will marry her. May the best man not be best man.”

I laughed. I felt so at home and more appreciated than ever.

James silenced our laughter. He seemed like the ringleader of it all. “You may be smart to marry her, but what would be even smarter is if she is the one.” They all stopped, staring at what James said. Almost contemplating.

James leaned forward to me. “Cara, we need you here at this school. If you’re just as talented as you say you are, do us a favor and throw the iron grip of Tara off of this school,”

I nodded and almost felt the sting of salt again. “James, that is a promise, I assure you.”

Terrance put his hand on my shoulder. “They met this morning on the bus.”

“Smack down?” Logan asked.

“No, showdown,” Terrance corrected. “Tara sort of just came at her, and it was probably one of the rougher ones she’s done.”

“‘One of the rougher ones’!?” I nearly choke. “I have gotten ridiculed before, but no one has ever told me to grab a robe and kill myself!”

Terrance raised his hand to his lips. “Not too loud, she’s right over there!” He paused. “Tell me the time; she has to be at the office soon.”

“Six fifteen,” Suko said. “If Mrs. Barbuck asks you if you want a call out, say yes, and then Terrance can give you a tour, if you pick him.”

I nod. “Okay, cool.” I felt hot inside. I really just wanted to give her a slap and say that this morning meant war, I was new, and I wasn’t in a clique yet. Better now than never though, I will fulfill my promise to James.

“James,” I say, in a tone trying to peak his interest. “Twenty bucks says I’ll go over to Tara and tell her that this morning means war.”

I could see his eyes light up as a devious smile spread across his face. “Ten bucks more says you break the lip gloss she’s holding, too.”

I held out my right hand, also the one he kissed. “I say you have a deal.”

We shook and I stood. Terrance stood with me. “Terrance, I have to do this alone,” I gently press on his shoulders. He sat and mouthed “Be careful,” to me.

I could see James reach into his wallet and pull out the money.

No turning back now, I didn’t even have one dollar.

I began to walk closer to Tara, and I could see that the boy she was sitting on was the blond boy sitting behind her on the bus. They were probably dating. Her snakelike gaze shot up to me as she saw me get closer.

“Well, if it isn’t Pink Eye!” She grabbed her lip gloss on the table and stood.

I could see her friends all watching closely, not totally sure of what I was going to do. She stepped toward me, and I was taller than her by at least an inch. Her wedges were evenly matched by my heels.

“T-Tara,” I began, the shake leaving my voice as I thought of her insults this morning when I met her icy blue stare.

She gave me pouty duck face. “What do you want?”

“This morning,” I leaned down and grabbed the lip gloss from her hand. “Means war.” I threw it on the ground and stepped on it, hearing the satisfying crack of the tube beneath my heel.

I could hear her gasp ever so quietly, and then meet my gaze with a clenched jaw. “You’re on, Pink Eye!”

I smiled with a little dip of my head and turned to walk away. She grabbed the back of my blazer. “Oh no, you’re not leaving without me breaking something of yours.

My iPod was in my blazer pocket. That was not going to be broken.

I grabbed her wrist, and dug into it like I had Cassidy’s, twisted her skin and threw it back by her side. “Just because I do something to you, doesn’t mean you have to do it back.”

She looked utterly amazed by my actions.

I walked confidently back to James and collected my money.

The War at Windover Academy for the Arts has begun.