Beep-beep! Beep-beep! Beep-beep!
The alarm on the bedside table went off causing Isa to grumble incoherently. Removing the hair from her face she sat up in bed and glanced at it to check the time.
7:18AM.
God she overslept and on her first day! She quickly got off the bed and went over to her closet for her outfit. She didn’t own a lot of clothes in the orphanage so she stuck with her regular jeans, tank top and hoodie.
After her shower, she began packing up for school when she heard the doorbell ring.
Downstairs, Aaron opened the door for where an inpatient looking Campbell stood. She was about to say something when her words got stuck in her throat at the sight of Aaron. He was in black baggy pants and a loose red T-shirt. His blond hair was scattered across his forehead.
Campbell couldn’t do anything other than state this tempting view. She had never seen a guy that looked this handsome in the morning. The sight was killing her!
Aaron on the other hand looked at the girl who had been staring at him for a minute. He’d gotten those looks many times. “Are you looking for someone?”
“I… uh… yes, I” she stuttered. Her face was burning and probably pink by now. She’d most likely faint any moment.
“It’s me. She’s looking for me. That’s Campbell, Mrs Huerta’s grand daughter” Isa said, coming down the stairs. She came to the hallway and sighed at the sight of the two. If she doesn’t intervene Campbell would probably faint and Aaron was secretly enjoying it.
“Campbell and I were going to walk to school today. C’mon let’s go” she took her hand and pulled her away from him. “Hold up, it’s your first day at school here. Lemme drive you and your friend to school. I’d be a bad big bro if I let you guys walk, don’t you think?’ he said smiling.
Ugh! She could only hope he won’t torture Campbell. “Are you okay with him giving us a ride?” Isa asked. She didn’t want Campbell to be uncomfortable. Campbell answered in a dreamy voice “yeah… why not?’
Aaron’s truck drove into the Redwood Cove High school compound. For a small town like Redwood Cove, its school was exceptionally large with big buildings. There were lots of students in the compounds doing normal high school stuff. Many pairs of eyes turned to the truck that parked in the parking lot. They had never seen this car in town and some suspected it might be the new girl. Yes! The news went round that new people were in town, afterall, it’s not everyday you find someone new in Redwood Cove.
Campbell happily got down from the truck while a nervous Isa clutched her bag tightly. She wasn’t used to being the centre of attention. Aaron wished his little sister good luck and drove off giving the whole school a clearer view of the two.
“Calm down ok. Don’t be so nervous or you’ll give out the wrong impression that you can be intimidated and believe me, you do not want that” Campbell warned. She took several silent breaths while walking beside Campbell. She can do this. “C’mon, I want you to meet my friends. They are the nicest people you’ll find in this school” Campbell whispered encouragingly and pulled Isa through the entrance but that only made Isa more nervous. She couldn’t say she enjoyed meeting new people…
In the school hallway, Campbell turned to Isa and said “first you’ll meet the secretary for your schedule. I hope we get the same classes” They knocked on the door and a pleasant female voice answered “come in”
After a few punches on the keyboard, Miss Leila handed Campbell her schedule with a “welcome to Redwood Cove”
Jesus! She didn’t want to hear that phrase anymore because she was dying from nerves. Well this was one of those scary moments in her life.
“No need to be nervous sweetie although I’d have to advise you, steer clear of trouble, unless you’re a troublemaker?’ she asked as she adjusted her glasses
“No ma’am,” Isa replied.
Miss Leila took off her glasses and cleaning it she stated “I’m only asking though, nothing personal… yet. It’s just that if you find yourself in one, it’s almost impossible to get yourself out and troublemakers are pretty much hated here. Do you understand what I’m saying?’
“Uh… yeah” she answered uncertainly.
But Miss Leila stopped cleaning her glasses and stared down at her clearly unsatisfied with her answer.
“Yeah, yeah I understand,” she quickly said.
Sighing Miss Leila put on her glasses and smiled “no hard feelings hun, just looking out for you on your first day” she looked at the door and continued “your friend’s waiting for you”
At the door, Campbell pasted herself to the door to watch what was happening and waved when the two of them turned to her.
“Oh…”
Isa left the secretary’s office and met Campbell right at the door. “Let me have a look,” she said and took the pink paper. A moment later Campbell squealed ” yay, we have almost the same schedule. C’mon, let me show you to your locker and we’ll definitely meet a friend of mine there”
In the hallway, Campbell walked ahead while humming a song to herself but Isa trudged behind sullenly. The stares she got from everyone in there; some looked away while some just straight out gawked. She bent her head low and pulled her hood further to cover her face but some people still shamelessly bent to have a look! She was so immersed in her situation that she barely noticed Campbell approaching a girl by the lockers.
“Hey Ciara, I want to introduce you to someone” Campbell pulled Isa to her side and continued “Isa meet Ciara, Ciara this is Isa. She’s the new girl”
Ciara shut the textbook she was reading and looked up.
She wore a red shirt and blue jeans with a pair of converse. She had full curly hair and brown eyes to go with her brown skin.
“Hi” greeted Ciara.
“Hi,” replied Isa.
Then there was silence as Ciara said nothing more.
“Hi? That’s it? Oh Christ! Ciara you can be so boring at times. Give her a warm welcome to brighten her up” but Ciara only rolled her eyes and resumed her reading.
“Ugh! You are such a bore sometimes you know that?’ she smiled apologetically at Isa then turned to ask “where are the boys? Shouldn’t they be here?’
Ciara looked up from her book and answered “they’re in the cafeteria”
Face palming herself she asked “don’t tell me they were serious?”
Turning to Isa she said “I’ll be right back” and she ran off.
Isa mentally sighed as she watched Campbell disappear at the corner; she didn’t want to be left standing in front of someone who had no interest in talking to her. Now, she just felt awkward…
Moments later, Ciara looked up from her book and asked “what’s your full name?’
“Isabella White” she answered. “I’m Ciara Vince” she said and went back to her book.
‘Some girl you are…’ Isa thought.
After a while Ciara spoke up “you’re not going to keep standing there are you?’ and without taking her eyes off her book, she patted the space next to her “sit down”
Uncertainly, Isa sat beside her.
“You know, it’s not everyday you find someone new in Redwood Cove so it’s only normal to get looks.”
Not knowing what to say Isa only nodded.
Closing her book Ciara asked, “Do you like it here?’
“Well… it’s ok so far I guess. It’s better than my other home.” replied Isa. “You lived in the city?’ Ciara asked.
“Yeah, I did,” Isa answered.
Sighing, Ciara shut her eyes, leaned back and asked “and you didn’t like it there?’
“No”
She looked at Isa and closed her eyes “I wonder…”
Campbell came back frowning and muttering. “Those boys just won’t listen to anybody till they get themselves in trouble” she lamented when she got to Ciara and Isa. Just then, the bell went off for classes to start so the three girls entered the classroom and sat beside each other for classes.
After class the girls were at the lockers. Ciara took some books and Campbell was complaining about the lesson and Isa was listening to her endless lamentations. Suddenly she felt someone standing behind her and when she turned her heart skipped.
Not from surprise alone but…
1. He was standing really close to her and
2. He was handsome
“Hey beautiful,” he grinned at her. He was tall with black hair and brown eyes. He looked around sixteen years old.
“Uh… hi” Isa replied after accessing him. “Like what you see?’ he asked as he noticed her scanning him.
She scoffed “I’ve seen better”
“Ouch,” Campbell muttered and Ciara smiled.
His grin fell as he stepped back and looked her over. He smiled again and commented “I like her”
“I’m Cole” he continued “Cole Vince”
“Wait… is Ciara your sister?’ asked Bella.
Cole walked towards Ciara and put his arm around her neck “twin sister and she loves me very much don’t my sweet si… ouch!’ He held his side. Ciara had elbowed him pretty brutally.
“Yep” he grunted” she loves me very much you see”
Campbell and Isa chuckled.