Headfirst Into the Deep

When Jacky Caster transfers into Valor High School from her former all girls school she meets the unlikely Ryan Malone, a moody and brooding boy who is on every girls’ mind, who immediately catches her eyes. Jacky’s overprotective cousin Will has a lot to say about her new fondness. When finding out Ryan is a Malone, who her father had a bad business deal with, she knows she shouldn’t like him. But she just cannot help it. Does Ryan even know she feels that way?

“Jacqueline Caster, the principal will see you now,” The secretary said.

I walked into her office looking down at my feet. I still wasn’t used to not seeing my loafers from my old school uniform. This was a public school. I formerly went to a catholic school. Correction: an ALL GIRLS catholic school. So this was a major step for me. My parents were not satisfied with my education and my aunt and uncle rave about Valor High School so here I am in the middle of my Junior Year transferring.
“Ah, Jacqueline!” The principal stood up as I opened the door to her office. “I’m Principal Taylor.” She extended her hand and directed me to a seat. She went over to the plants behind her desk. Principal Taylor was in her fifties with brain hair blown out, she wore a pantsuit. “You’re records are impeccable, Jacqueline! We normally do not take transfer students mid-year but with your grades you could really do great things at Valor,” She started.
“Please call me Jacky. Jacqueline sounds so French.” I laughed nervously.
“Well, Jacky, at Valor we pride ourselves in our academic record! Also our sports teams are some of the best in good ol’ Virginia we focus ourselves mainly on academics first.” She said as she fingered a leaf inspecting it carefully. “Do you garden?”
“No maam. But I did help my grandfather with his vegetable garden when I was a little kid,” I offered.
“Oh, that’s lovely. More children should garden she said as she sat at her desk and put her glasses on. She started to fiddle with some papers. I sat there anxiously staring at the gray walls that had pictures of quotes like “No matter how many times you fall, get back up and try harder!”
“Here we go!” She said snapping me out of my brief daze. She handed me a paper. “This is your roster.”
First period was AP English.
“First period has started so let me show you the way to your locker and then to your first period class.” Oh, great now I got to have a baby sitter.
We walked in silence down the hall. The school was a bit more modern than my older school. The lockers against the wall were blue in some areas and in others they were red. When I asked why she told me they were the schools colors.
When rounding near where my locker should be there was a boy strolling down the hallway.
“Mr. Malone where should you be?” Principal Taylor asked the boy who lazily turned his head back. His face strikes you as handsome the moment you see him. He had tousled brown hair and sharp features; he looked like he belonged in GQ instead of a public school.
“Bathroom,” He said in one word. He was staring at me. Principal Taylor’s cell phone started to ring one of those programmed ring tones. That is when I realized I was gawking. She excused herself and answered the phone. We stood there awkwardly for a few moments and I now felt self conscious of myself in jeans and a plain white shirt.
“I’m Ryan,” He finally said.

“Jacky,” I mumbled looking at the floor.

“Where are you transferring from?” He asked me.

“Our Lady of Angels,” I told him. His eyebrows raised and a smirk spread across his lips.

“The all girls school,” He said in amusement.

“I’m not a lesbian,” I blurted.

“I wouldn’t think so,” He shook his head laughing at the ground. He reached his hand back and touched his neck.

The Principal pulled the phone away from her ear and said, “Ryan can you show Jacky her locker and class there’s and emergency in the science building.”
“Of course,’ He smiled as she turned and practically ran down the hall. He took my roster out of my hand. “We have lunch together, AP history, and Chemistry.” He read out loud as he led the way toward the opposite wall that held my new locker.
“Do you like it here?” I asked.

“It’s alright,” He shrugged as he started to open my locker. “It has its dramatic moments. The people can be annoying. But that’s everywhere.”

He walked me to my first class and we stopped outside of the door. He looked in and a blonde girl in the first row was peering out at him. He didn’t look too hopeful to see her. His expression went grim.
“I’ll see you around, Jacky. Nice meeting you,” He said to me and with this he just left me there dumfounded outside of the door.