Hallelujah

**This is a flack back Chapter**
It’s fall 2004. I am starting my first day of school as a senior in high school. Normally this would be no big deal, but this is my first day of school EVER. I have been homeschooled up until now. I finally convinced my over bearing, control and religious nut of a father that this would be good for me. My argument was that I needed some kind of social skills if I was going to be an active member in the church community. He seemed to agree, but not after telling me that all of the other kids at school were more than likely going to try to get me to pray to some other “false God”…whatever that means.
I get off of the school bus and look at the massive building in front of me. My stomach starts to do summer saults and I can’t tell if I am more scared or excited. I adjust my back pack and start to walk to the doors. I keep my head low, not wanting to make any sort of eye contact with anyone. I was doing well until a skateboard comes out in front of me makes me trip. I hear a bunch of gasping and laughing. I feel my cheeks burn red. I look up but can’t see, my long blonde hair is in my face, as I try to get up I feel someone’s arm grip my arm and help me.

“Oh my god I am so sorry!” a voice says. I move my hair out of my eyes and adjust my skirt and floral top. I look off to my left and see a fairly attractive boy standing next to me. He has medium brown hair that goes just past his ears, chocolate brown eyes, and puffy lips. He is wearing a pair of DC skate shoes, baggy pants and some T-shirt brand I don’t recognize, he also smells weird, like a skunk but not.
“Are you ok?!” He asks frantically. I stop my gaze and shake my head yes.
“Yeah I’m fine” I say shyly.
“I’m so sorry I was trying this new trick and obviously failed” He says laughing “I don’t think I’ve seen you before? Are you new to St.George?”
“No, I was born and raised here, just home schooled.” I nervously stutter. He tilts his head to the side and looks confused/shocked.
“Well it’s nice to meet you, I’m Brendon” he gives me his hand and I hesitantly take it.
“My name’s Abigail Brendon smiles and looks at me in a way a boy have never looked at me before which makes my insides melt a little.
“Would you like to me to show you to your first class? I assume you don’t your way around here” he offers. I nod.
“That would be great”
“What’s your first class?” I fumble in my back pack and pull out a crumpled piece of paper.
“Art 202” I say pointing to my sheet .Brendon again tilts his head to the side and looks confused.
“Hmmm….alrightly then right this way Abbi!” He says walking in front of my.
“It’s Abigail…” I shyly tell him again. He turns around and gives me that smile again.
“I’m gunna call you Abbi” He says again. I Go to argue again but decide not to.
We arrive at the door to my first class. I’m glad he showed me, it was quite a maze getting here.
“Well here ya go!” Brendon says pointing to the door.
“Thanks again for showing me to my class, I would’ve gotten lost with out you” I almost whisper.
“No problem, glad to help, sorry I tripped you with my skateboard. Good luck and see you around Abi!” He waves and then enters the river of a hallway. I barely wave back and enter my first class with a stomach filled with butterflies.

The first half of the day speeds by. I feel like I am on an alien planet. There are so many different kids on people. Jocks, preps, stoners, choir kids, JROTC kids, Drama nerds and many more. I don’t know where or if I will fit in. I walk into the cafeteria and it’s like walking into a shark tank. Everyone gives me weird uninviting looks. I gulp and see an empty table where I decide to sit, I don’t get any food because my stomach is still too upset from the first half of the day. So I get out my sketch book and decided to draw.

I love drawing, anything and everything. It helps me escape from everything, specially my not so awesome home life. I begin drawing a portrait, of who? I don’t know. I don’t know how long I have been drawing for, but I feel someone sit across from me and smell that skunk like smell again. I look up and see him again, Brendon, my stomach fills with butterflies again.
“You know you kinda look like a weirdo…” He bluntly states. I gasp and feel offended, and try to think of a come back
“Yeah well….so do you” The moment it comes off my lips I think ‘Really Abigail? 2 Brothers and 1 sister and that’s the best come back you have?! ‘ Brendon lets out a good laugh.
“Nice come back. Any way why are you sitting by yourself?” He asks.
“I don’t know anyone obviously. I am not going to intrude on someone else’s table” Brendon laughs again.
“You’re polite, I get it, what’s this?” He grabs my sketch book from me and begins looking through it.
“Hey!” I say reaching for it but he pushes my hand away. I being to feel nervous and he continues to flip through the pages.
“Wow, these are really good, like REALLY good” He says continuing to stare at the pages. “A lot of religious stuff in here, you Mormon?” he asks. I nod and say
“Yeah”
“Me too, well used to be” He plainly states. He hands me back my sketch book.
“You have a real talent you know, those are, I can’t even put into words how good” he says nervously. Why is he nervous?
“Well I get a lot of practice, my dad doesn’t let me go out much so I spend a bunch of time in my room drawing” I confess. He nods again.
“Understandable. Hey do you need a ride home?” he questions. I feel my heart speed up. What do I say?
“I….uh….No. I take the bus”
“Come one let me give you a ride home. The bus is well….the bus” he says with a disgusted tone.
“No really I can’t, if my father sees me get out a car with a boy he’ll…” I stop myself from saying “beat me with a belt” and instead say “be really mad”. Brendon gives me look like her doesn’t believe me, but doesn’t say anything.
“Come on, I’ll drop you off at the bus stop so he wont even see you” he pushes. The bell rings signaling lunch is over. I grab my sketch book from him and stand up, his eyes follow me.
“I’m sorry Brendon I really can’t.” I nervously say walking away. I take a couple of steps away from the table when I feel a hand on my arm.
“Abbi, can I at least walk you to the bus? I’ll meet you outside of the Art Room after school” Brendon politely asks.
What’s his deal? Why is he so interested in me?
“I…I guess that would be fine” I hesitantly reply.
“Good. I’ll see you then” he winks at me and takes off into the crowd. My stomach again is doing summer saults and filling with butterflies, little did I know that this would be the first of MANY times I would feel like this.