I sit first in line at the entrance to the front office waiting for the papers that will either change my life for the better or worse.  My class schedule - just beyond those doors will determine the rest of my high school career.  Who will be in my classes, what home room I will be in, who I can sit with at lunch, and who my friends will inevitably be will all be determined by a single slip of paper that tells me who I will and will not meet within the walls of my new school.

Oh how I couldn't wait.

Scanning the hallway before me, I notice the mix of different kids roaming around.  Trust me when I say there is a clear distinction.  The students dressed like me in business casual clothing are all part of the school's Accelerated Program.   The rest of the students dressed mostly to their liking are the members of the schools CommonPlace Program. An unfortunate name, I'll admit.

I look down at what I'm wearing and smooth out my khaki slacks and stop tapping my feet to the music making its way through my earbuds, as to not scoff my freshly shined dress shoes.  Anyone could guess what program I was in from a mile away.

The AProgram takes place on the third floor of the school and the CPProgram is held on the first.  That leaves the second floor to be occupied by the offices, lunch room, and all elective classes. 

Even though the Programs are allowed to mix and mingle here, no one does.  They keep to their own groups of people occasionally realizing the other's existence to sneer an insult or whisper a comment, but no one makes eye contact and no one wants to. The only groups who seem to mingle successfully are those part of the Academy's several sports teams.

The warning bell rings signaling 4 minutes until class and everyone disperses, allowing me to sit with my thoughts waiting for someone to open the doors to my left and hand me my destiny.

After most of the students have gone to class the front office door finally opens and a kind-looking middle aged women calls out my name.  I stand, sling my back-pack on my shoulder and pick up my gym bag before following her to the guidance office.  She waves her hand towards one of the two seats in front of her desk as she takes her own behind it.  Setting my things down bedside me, I take the seat farthest from the door. The glittery poster taped to her desk says her name is Mrs. Hender.

"How's your day been so far?" She asks searching through some drawers for what I assume is my file containing my schedule.

"Pretty good," I respond sitting up straight, "It's only just the morning, so that could change though," I only partly joke.  She chuckles before turning to another drawer.

"I know your file's here somewhere." She whispers more to herself than me.  "Sorry for the delay."

"That's fine." I respond when out of nowhere her office door flys open.  It slams into the wall where I notice one of those "That was easy" buttons has been taped to it in order to stop the door handle from creating a crater in its surface.

Tha-tha-tha-that was easy the poor button exclaims as the door handle bounces into it several times.

Surprised at the sudden outburst, Mrs. Hender and I both snap our heads to the door where a girl about my age stands with her arms crossed. Her toned stomach is exposed by her white crochet crop top.  Her belly button piercing lays off a little sparkle from the sunrays shining through the window as she turns towards me.

She looks me up and down taking in my attire and rolls her eyes, before turning to Mrs. Hender who stares at the girl with an incredulous look. Without missing a beat Mrs. Hender holds her hand out in an instinctive manner as if this moment is a reoccurring incident, before returning to search for my school files again.

Crop Top sits down in the chair next to me, handing what I assume is a detention slip to our guidance councilor.

"Really, Evelina," Mrs. Hender sighs. "School hasn't been in session for even 10 minutes and you've already managed to wind up in my office."

Mrs. Hender pops her head back up from her search to give Evelina a quizzical look. "So what'd you do?"

"Well," Evelina begins with a honeyed voice, "I guess, gosh darn it, I picked out the wrong back to school outfit." She says with a slight pout.

"Ah, here it is," Mrs. Hender exclaims holding up a file and placing it in front of me on her desk. She smiles at me and mouths one moment before turning back to the girl and giving her slip a once over. "This says the reason for your visitation is, blatant disrespect and disruption of class, I hardly see how that applies to your outfit. Although it is against school policy."

Evelina shifts in her seat and pulls her blue flannel around her tanned abdomen.  "Well to tell you the truth," she confesses, "I arrived to Mrs. Reign's class only a minute or two late."

Mrs. Hender doesn't look upset about this news. "That's an improvement," she snorts.

"Exactly," Evelina continues, "and as I walk through the door, fully prepared to 'keep calm and learn on' as her new poster encouraged me to, Mrs. Reign stops me in my tracks and in front of the whole class announces I look like and I quote, 'a late night escort, who just got back from a night on the town, and she would not teach such a person in her classroom.'"

Which I find to be an incredibly inaccurate description of my outfit by the way," EveLina adds, before continuing again, "so I looked her up and down and said, 'well that makes two of us' before making a motion that could or could not have insinuated that she was well endowed and she wasn't trying to hide it."

That's when I hear a sound I thought would have been totally inappropriate from a guidance councilor at this time... a laugh.

Well, more like a suppressed chuckle.

I tear my eyes away from the crass girl and make eye contact with Mrs. Hender, who clears her throat and attempts to cover up her smile with the detention slip.

She turns back to Evelina, who stares back at Mrs. Hender with the look of a person familiar with the disciplinary process of the education system.

"Just because Mrs. Reign has big boobs, does not give you the right to announce that fact to the class, especially after showing up late, and while wearing an outfit not within the CPProgram dress code," Mrs. Hender takes out a pink slip and starts filling it out, "but since it's the first day of school and the beginning of your senior year, I'm not going to give you a detention."

Evelina cocks her eyebrow at the councilor and leans towards the desk in an attempt to read the fresh ink.

"Instead," Mrs. Hender sings, "your punishment will be showing our new student around school for the week."

The girl scoffs as Mrs. Hender turns to me mouthing a quick no offense, before turning back to Evelina.

"Starting immediately you will show Renan around for the rest of 1st period. I want you take him to each class in his schedule, the cafeteria, the gym, his locker, anywhere he wants go; and I want you to personally see that he makes it to each class everyday for the remainder of the week."

Evelina reluctantly takes the pink slip and finally turns her gaze towards me.

"How am I supposed to show him to his classes?" Evelina implores. "He's part of the AProgram, I'm not allowed on that floor." She leans back and crosses her arms.

"Well how about this, I now bestow upon you unlimited access to each floor of the school," the councilor clasps her hands together, "that's how."

Evelina rolls her eyes again, a habit of hers I'm beginning to recognize.

I take my file from the desk and flip through it, "I don't want to put anyone in an awkward situation, if it's to much trouble with the programs, I'm sure I can find my way around. She doesn't have to be my escort."

I look to the girl sitting next to me and receive a disbelieving look.

"Really, escort is the word you chose to use, after what I just said?" Evelina started to get up from her seat slowly, "I don't know Mrs. H maybe I won't need special clearance after all, are you sure he's in the right program?"

It was meant as a slight, I could tell, but honestly I was thinking the same thing. I hated this uniform and I wanted nothing to do with the work load and social hierarchy that came with AProgram.  But with parents like mine you're either the best or you're nothing.

Mrs. Hender shoots EveLina a pointed look before focusing her attention on me as the smile from earlier returns to her face.  "I hope you find our Academy to be an exceptional place to expand your academic career and excel  in your extra curricular endeavors.  If you need anything at all or have any questions, my door is always open.  I'm so glad you're a part of our school." Mrs. Hender starts to rummage through her drawers again.  "Now if you'll excuse me I have a few more students to meet and the minutes are ticking by of first period so I suggest you both get started on your tour as soon as possible."

EveLina and I both get up and start gathering our things to leave, but before we're about to step through her door, Mrs. Hender pops her head up from behind her desk, "Also Eve, check the lost and found on your way out of the front office, would you."  Mrs. Henders winks before turning back to her frantic searching.

Confused I look towards Eve but she's turned her head away from me so I can't see the expression on her face.  After a few seconds she turns toward the door, griping its handle and opens the door before motioning me to follow her through. 

"Come on khakis," she quips, "we've got places to be and people to see, unfortunately."

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AN:

Hey y'all! Just wanted to say thanks again for taking a chance on my story! I appreciate every read, vote, and comment! I can't wait to develop this story further!

Love Life & Live Well,
Anne_Hedonia <3