Higher Than Hope
Chapter 21
"I can't believe we have to go to school, I want to see Texas", said Irina with a pout.
Larissa nodded in agreement as the bus approached their high school. "But it's the law, lucky we got some classes together", she said reassuringly.
Irina smiled gratefully at the other girl as the bus came to a stop in front of the school. The building looked quite different from the school back home, as it was a modern building with a green and blue glass and steel facade and a wide green lawn. She stood near Larissa and followed her inside, the clusters of students outside the doors and near their lockers speaking loudly in a cacophony of English that was like the buzz of a million bees.
Irina found her homeroom and went inside, quickly finding her seat as the teacher barely looked up. She set down her backpack and saw the other students trickle in, just as the bell rang. After the teacher took attendance, the bell rang again to announce the start of actual classes. Irina glanced down at the schedule and saw that she had Canadian history, frowning. She slung her backpack over her shoulder and headed out the door, relieved that at least it wasn't too far away.
"Hey Russian girl, where's your pimp?", sneered a mocking voice.
"He is a very big guy and he will hurt you, my brother is also very big", she replied sweetly as Keeley Price scowled while the other students giggled.
Irina found her set and took out her homework, knowing full well the other girl glared daggers at her. Keeley was the head cheerleader and one of the most popular girls in school, tall and model-gorgeous with her long straight blond hair and blue eyes, dressed in designer jeans and a glittery purple t-shirt and her long nails done with a fancy French manicure that was clearly not suited for school.
"Don't mind her", whispered a boy next to her. He was tall, skinny and very pale with dyed black hair with purple streaks that fell to his shoulders, dressed in black bondage pants adorned with chains and a black t-shirt showing a neon pink and purple sparkly slogan which read Disco Rocks.
"Spasibo", she replied.
"You're Russian, huh? I'm Brayden Johnson", he said as they shook hands.
"And I am Irina Yakupova", she replied.
Everyone became quiet as the teacher entered the room. "Good morning, please take out your homework and pass it forward", he said.
The teacher collected the homework and wrote something on the board. "For this chapter, we are going to be studying about the First Nations tribes that lived in the Edmonton area before the city was founded", he said.
"Why do we have to study about those people? They're just drunks who take our money", said Keeley dismissively.
"Keeley, the First Nations tribes are an important part of our province and city and they are still a lot of tribes in the area. And please beware that we are not supposed to be prejudiced in school", he chided.
"That's what my dad says, all they do is drink and live off of our taxes. Why would you want to learn about those stupid people?", Keeley said with disgust.
Brayden and Irina shared a look as the teacher began to lecture, writing the notes down. The bell rang forty minutes later as the students put their books away and headed out the door. "I got music now", said Brayden with a smile.
"And I have gym, I like it but not the clothes", said Irina.
"I gotcha, but I love my music class. I play the drums and some friends and I got a band, we just need a singer", he chuckled.
"Da, wonderful. See you around, Brayden", she said.
Later on during lunch, Irina had just gotten hers and was looking around the cafeteria when she saw Brayden waving to her. "Hey Irina, have a seat", he said cheerfully.
"Spasibo, Brayden", she replied.
"And these are my bandmates, Carson Donnelly and Jason Reynolds", he said as they all shook hands.
"Ocheyn priyatna. What sort of band are you?", she asked, unwrapping her sandwich.
"We actually do 70's disco but on rock instruments, we're called Hot Stuff. My dad was actually Donna Summer's drummer back in the 70's and he taught me how to play", said Brayden proudly.
"Interyesny, ya maxerpta. I like Boney M, that is sort of disco, nyet?", she asked.
"Yeah, they were pretty good. Can you sing?", asked Jason, tucking a loose strand of dyed black hair away from his face with a pale hand with the back covered in a spiderweb tattoo.
"Neymnoga, sone. I like to sing", she said.
"We're having band rehearsal this afternoon, you wanna come along?", asked Carson.
"Da, but I have to text to my friend, Larissa, to let her know and she is dating my brother", she replied as they all laughed.
"That's fine, believe me I'm not going to do anything", laughed Brayden.
"Why is that?", she asked, confused.
Brayden quickly glanced around motioned for her to lower her face. "We're all gay, Jason and Carson are a couple", he whispered as she nodded in understanding.
Larissa nodded in agreement as the bus approached their high school. "But it's the law, lucky we got some classes together", she said reassuringly.
Irina smiled gratefully at the other girl as the bus came to a stop in front of the school. The building looked quite different from the school back home, as it was a modern building with a green and blue glass and steel facade and a wide green lawn. She stood near Larissa and followed her inside, the clusters of students outside the doors and near their lockers speaking loudly in a cacophony of English that was like the buzz of a million bees.
Irina found her homeroom and went inside, quickly finding her seat as the teacher barely looked up. She set down her backpack and saw the other students trickle in, just as the bell rang. After the teacher took attendance, the bell rang again to announce the start of actual classes. Irina glanced down at the schedule and saw that she had Canadian history, frowning. She slung her backpack over her shoulder and headed out the door, relieved that at least it wasn't too far away.
"Hey Russian girl, where's your pimp?", sneered a mocking voice.
"He is a very big guy and he will hurt you, my brother is also very big", she replied sweetly as Keeley Price scowled while the other students giggled.
Irina found her set and took out her homework, knowing full well the other girl glared daggers at her. Keeley was the head cheerleader and one of the most popular girls in school, tall and model-gorgeous with her long straight blond hair and blue eyes, dressed in designer jeans and a glittery purple t-shirt and her long nails done with a fancy French manicure that was clearly not suited for school.
"Don't mind her", whispered a boy next to her. He was tall, skinny and very pale with dyed black hair with purple streaks that fell to his shoulders, dressed in black bondage pants adorned with chains and a black t-shirt showing a neon pink and purple sparkly slogan which read Disco Rocks.
"Spasibo", she replied.
"You're Russian, huh? I'm Brayden Johnson", he said as they shook hands.
"And I am Irina Yakupova", she replied.
Everyone became quiet as the teacher entered the room. "Good morning, please take out your homework and pass it forward", he said.
The teacher collected the homework and wrote something on the board. "For this chapter, we are going to be studying about the First Nations tribes that lived in the Edmonton area before the city was founded", he said.
"Why do we have to study about those people? They're just drunks who take our money", said Keeley dismissively.
"Keeley, the First Nations tribes are an important part of our province and city and they are still a lot of tribes in the area. And please beware that we are not supposed to be prejudiced in school", he chided.
"That's what my dad says, all they do is drink and live off of our taxes. Why would you want to learn about those stupid people?", Keeley said with disgust.
Brayden and Irina shared a look as the teacher began to lecture, writing the notes down. The bell rang forty minutes later as the students put their books away and headed out the door. "I got music now", said Brayden with a smile.
"And I have gym, I like it but not the clothes", said Irina.
"I gotcha, but I love my music class. I play the drums and some friends and I got a band, we just need a singer", he chuckled.
"Da, wonderful. See you around, Brayden", she said.
Later on during lunch, Irina had just gotten hers and was looking around the cafeteria when she saw Brayden waving to her. "Hey Irina, have a seat", he said cheerfully.
"Spasibo, Brayden", she replied.
"And these are my bandmates, Carson Donnelly and Jason Reynolds", he said as they all shook hands.
"Ocheyn priyatna. What sort of band are you?", she asked, unwrapping her sandwich.
"We actually do 70's disco but on rock instruments, we're called Hot Stuff. My dad was actually Donna Summer's drummer back in the 70's and he taught me how to play", said Brayden proudly.
"Interyesny, ya maxerpta. I like Boney M, that is sort of disco, nyet?", she asked.
"Yeah, they were pretty good. Can you sing?", asked Jason, tucking a loose strand of dyed black hair away from his face with a pale hand with the back covered in a spiderweb tattoo.
"Neymnoga, sone. I like to sing", she said.
"We're having band rehearsal this afternoon, you wanna come along?", asked Carson.
"Da, but I have to text to my friend, Larissa, to let her know and she is dating my brother", she replied as they all laughed.
"That's fine, believe me I'm not going to do anything", laughed Brayden.
"Why is that?", she asked, confused.
Brayden quickly glanced around motioned for her to lower her face. "We're all gay, Jason and Carson are a couple", he whispered as she nodded in understanding.