One Hell Of A Week - Part One

I walked through the school gates and sniffed the air. It was full of car fumes. I looked up at all the boys and girls, trying not to trip over my feet. Speaking of my feet. I looked down. Yes the laces were tied, but knowing my clumsiness I’m sure to trip over them anyway. I walked on trying to feel confident, after all, it was a new start, a new term, a new bag! I looked at my timetable.

“Errgh, maths,” I whispered.

I went into a building labelled: 'reception'. This was where I was meant to go, this was where I belonged. I think!

“Ah, you're the new girl,” said the receptionist in a weird French accent.

“Charliegh … “ I began.

“Ah ha, welcome Charliegh, nobody tells me nothin' here not even a new girl's name, what's your last name, my dear?” She asked.

“Um … Black,” I said stumbling. I felt like I was under some sort of test.

“Okay, Charliegh Black, have you got your map and notebook?” she asked. There is a lot of questions, can I not just move on now?

“Yes I used the map to get here,” I said

The receptionist chuckled.

“Well, off you go now, and don't you worry about a thing,” Wait! No! Don't make me go out there!!

“I won't,” I whispered with hint of sarcasm in my voice.

I walked away feeling very green in the face.

I ran into maths … late. I burst through the door and suddenly went red; everyone was staring at me.

“Thank you for finally joining us, Miss Black,” the maths teacher exclaimed, with a couple of giggles from some of the children.

“Sorry,” I muttered.

I chose a seat in the middle of the class; I thought I wouldn't get much hassle there. Boy, was I wrong!

I was asked maths related questions by the teacher and non-maths related questions by the students.

'Do you like it here?'

'Where you from?'

'How old are you?'

'Have you made any friends?'

My answers were hushed and quick so I could listen to the teacher.

“Charliegh what is … 60 X 100?” The maths teacher asked.

“6000,” I answered quickly.

“Good,” She said, rather surprised I answered so quickly.

Class dragged on and finally after a double lesson of science, I had a break. I did not know where to go. I decided to follow some girls to where they were going. They went to the café

“Yes! Now I can sit down and eat my lunch,” I whispered to myself.

I sat down at a clear table which appeared to have no one sat at it.

So it appeared!

“Oi, new girl, get off our table!” Shouted a girl with a piece of panini in her hand. She ran over and glared. One look at her said that she was Miss It! And I had seriously annoyed Miss It. Sugar!

“Well, you must have taken your bags with you,” I said aloud! I was never any good at defending myself.

“Well obviously, what are you? Thick? I've got precious stuff in this and so have my girls, now get off our table,” Miss It said. Oh, those tarts are her mates? Well that figures!

Her mates giggled.

“You don't have any right to kick me off, you took your stuff with you, the table was clean and no one else was sat at it. If anyone is thick it's you! If you want to keep a table in reserve why don't you use one of your … mates to keep guard of it then? Is that such of problem that you can not do that? To anyone walking by a clean table with no one sat at it should mean that the table is free1 Don't you think?” I said. Wow did I just stand up for myself like that!?

“Come on girls lets get away from her!” Said Miss It. Sorry Miss It, but logic wins over make up and glares.

'Crikey, it's only been my first 3 hours here and I have made no friends but a whole bunch of enemies,' I thought. Just perfect!

The rest of the day flew by and to my surprise, I enjoyed it. I had Tech and Drama. I was not any good at Technology, but I enjoyed it anyway. The girls that I had had an argument with, were in my Technology class. I found out Miss It's name anyway. It was Linda. To Linda's disgust, and mine, we were paired.

“Oi, new girl, we do it my way, not sir's ok and defo not yours, Okay?” she kinda asked. I think it was more of a rhetorical question: one that does not need an answer.

I disagreed with her and told her so.

“Oh for crying out loud, I am not working with you!” Linda shouted and stormed out of the class.

So, I had to do the work on my own, I found it hard but enjoyed it. Linda got an N4 for abandoning her partner and for storming out of the class. I was secretly pleased with the way Technology turned out, even though we got homework.

Next we had Drama and again Linda was in my class. C'mon don't I get a break from her? She wasn't paired with me. Hooray! However, we still had to work in pairs. Sugar! This time we could choose who we wanted to act with and seeing as it was the first drama lesson of the term, we could act out anything we want to. Double Sugar! I didn't know who to go with. Everyone was pairing up with their mates. Linda came strolling over with a smirk on her face.

“Aw, what a shame, New girl doesn't have anyone to work with, AW!” Linda shouted getting the class' attention. I looked around for the teacher but she had gone off somewhere.

“Shut up, Linda,” I whispered.

“Eh, eh? Couldn't quite hear that,” She whispered. I clenched my fists!

“I said SHUT UP!!!!” I shouted. Feeling much better to get the anger out of my system.

“Ooh, look who's getting feisty,” Chuckled Linda.

I looked desperately to see where the teacher had gone. I couldn't see her! Terrific!

“No good looking for the teacher, New Girl, she won't help you,” Linda said.

“Yeah, she won't” shouted one of the girls behind Linda.

“Shut up Georgia, I got this squirt,” Linda shouted giving me a dirty look and making the rest of the class fall silent. It only meant one thing when Linda acted like this the whole class knew it. The only problem was … I didn't. Suddenly a small girl pushed the crowd out of the way.

“Want to work with me?” she said in a small voice but loud enough for the whole class to hear. I looked at her and she looked me straight in the eye. There must have been some mistake. I pointed at my chest as if to say what me? She saw that and nodded and pointed at me. I was stunned. No. I was bowled over that someone wanted to work with me.

“Yes, sure, if you want to,” I said back to the small girl who looked like she was shivering, even though it wasn't cold.

So we went away and planned and rehearsed what we were going to act, while the class, most of all Linda, stared.

By the end of the day I found out that the small girl's name was Angelica. I thought that was a lovely name and told her so.

“Aw, thank you, I thought it was a rubbish name till you praised it,” Angelica whispered.

“Hey no problem, you're my first friend in this school, oh and thanks for being my partner in drama you were very brave to go against Linda,” I praised.

I made my way to the gate and Angelica followed me.

“Do you live around here too?” I asked

“Sort of yeah, but I have to walk to get home most days, like today,” Angelica explained. Making me feel lazy about getting my Mum to pick me up.

“Oh, do you want my Mum to drop you back?” I asked.

“Really? Are you offering? Do you know where I live?” Angelica asked.

“Yes, yes, no, I don't know where you live but I'm sure if you give my Mum the address she will find it, she will probably get the satnav though, I'm sure my Mum won't mind, she will be ecstatic to find that I have a friend,” I replied.

“Thanks, so will mine,” Angelica whispered.

I turned round and looked at her in shock.

“You mean, you're not that popular then?” I exclaimed.

“No,” she said sadly.

“Hey you got me, whatever happens, we're in this together,” I said to Angelica.

“What would happen?” Angelica softly asked.

“Linda might …,” I began

“Oh wait! My Mum's here to pick me up, well …” Angelica said looking between me and her mum.

“Go with your Mum,” I said.

“You sure?” Angelica asked

“Go!” I commanded in a jokey manner, Angelica still got the fact that I was telling her to go with her Mum.

“Okay, meet me by reception tomorrow morning before school,” Angelica said from across the road.

“Sure thing!” I shouted.

I walked the rest of the way up to the car contemplating about Linda and Angelica. Two entirely different people. Two entirely different lives. I'm glad I have Angelica. I felt tingly inside and I was not sure whether the tingles were due to Angelica or Linda.