first day of school
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     "Allanah!" I heard my little sister, Amber, scream.

     Oh my god. Its the first day of school, and I'm not even close to being ready. I spent all of last night going over the list like a gazillion thousand times that I barely got any sleep. I looked to see my face in the mirror, and oh god, my dark circles against my pale skin made me look like Voldemort. You know what, I never cared about my appearance, and I'm definitely not going to start now. I pick up my list, and carefully put it inside the secret pocket on the inside of my backpack. I throw on a pair of my favorite mom jeans and a plain tee. Hurriedly, I grab my converse and run downstairs.

     "God! Are you stupid? Its my first day of high school, and because of you, I'm going to be late. Do you do this on purpose, is it because you love to torture me?!" Amber violently shook her head, and I was scared she was going to throw me a punch.

     "Amber, we still have half an hour. I ensure you, we will not be late." I grabbed an apple from the fridge, and took a big bite out of it. Amber dramatically sighed as she took a seat at the small bench near the door.

     "Its a fifteen minute long car ride, and I need at least twenty minutes to talk to my counselor about some of my classes, and to visit my locker. So yes, I will be late." I rolled my eyes, and picked up my car keys to my 2011 Nissan Altima, probably the coolest car around, or well the only one I can afford.

     "Come on, lets go."

     "Hold on, Allanah. Amber, go sit in the car. I need to talk to your sister." I turned around to see my father dressed up for work with a coffee mug in his head.

     I didn't know what to find more unusual; the fact that my father hasn't left for work yet or the fact that he wants to talk to me. To me, I repeat. My father and I don't really talk unless you count the few times he asked me to quiet down or to pass the salt. When I need his permission on something or money for school-related things, I'll usually leave him a note. So was I a bit shocked when he said he wanted to talk to me? No. I was horrified.

     "So as you know its Amber's first day of high school, I really want you to help her. The kid is extremely smart, but lacks the street smartness stuff. Give her a pep talk, answer her questions, etc." He put his mug down, and started cleaning his glasses with his shirt. I waited for him to say something else, but he didn't. I guess the conversation is over then.

     Before I turned around to leave, I swear I heard him say, "Andrea would've done the same for you." He left, leaving me no time to say anything.

     I didn't know how to exactly feel about this. All my girl talks and pep talks came from my best friend's Mom. She's kinda been my Mom ever since my real one left me, and my Dad basically abandoned me as well.

     "Soooo-" I got into my car, thankfully Amber had already started it, and started to drive away. "Do you have any questions about high school?"

     Amber didn't even bother to give me a glance as she kept staring out the window.

     "Hey! I asked you something?"

     "I know Dad wanted you to give me this whole pep talk thing, but guess what? I don't need it." Amber took out a book, and started flipping through it. That is definitely not how you read a book.

     "Because you are oh so smart, and already know everything you need to know?" I took a turn into our school's parking lot, and tried to find a spot away from everybody.

     "No, because I'm pretty sure you're as clueless as me. Or maybe even worse. So thanks, but no thanks." She got out of the car, and ran all the way to the school, her backpack swinging behind her back.

     I sat stunned. Clueless? Me? About high school? Well, she's absolutely right. But thats about to change.

     I heard a knock on my window, and I jolted in my seat. Who the he-

     "Hira!" I yelled as I quickly opened my car door.

     Hira's my best friend, and has been for almost three years now. Thank god, she found me crying in the bathroom the first day of high school. I mean I know I'm clueless about social stuff, but without her, I'd be a total fool.

     "I didn't think I'd be able to survive two months without you, and yet I'm still in one piece." She said as she gave me a long hug.

     "So, how was Turkey?" I asked as we started walking towards the front of the school.

     "I go there every summer, what do you think."

     "What? You told me you were coming back with a hot Turkish man. And I don't see him anywhere."

     "Ugh. Don't even talk to me about guys. I'm so done with them." She flipped her long, dark hair out of her eyes as she opened up her locker.

     "What happened? Did some guy do something crappy?" 

     "No. No guy did anything crappy. And that's the problem! Not one guy came up to talk to me, excluding cousins. A whole summer with no drama, can you believe that?"

     "Yes, I can because that is my life." I shook my head when I realized something. "Hey, I'll meet you at the assembly, okay? I really need to go to the library."

     "Oh Ala, school has barely begun, what could you possibly need from the library?" I heard her laugh as I fast walked to the library.

     I looked around the library to find an interesting book to read. It's the first day of school, and we weren't going to be doing anything in class besides giving out the basic rules and instructions of the class. So I need a good book to keep me alive today.

     I picked a few books from the romance section, and sat in the corner of a deserted section. I was choosing between The Kingdom of Dreams and Sense and Sensibility. What was I in the mood for?

     I heard my phone buzz from my backpack and went to get it out, but I couldn't find it. My backpack wasn't that big. Where the shittles did it go? Geez. I dumped out all my belongings to find it stuck between one of my notebooks. My phone buzzed again.

     Four text messages from hira

hira
Bitch, the assembly's about to begin!!
where the hell are you??
do not leave me alone out here!!!
if you don't come in five minutes, i'm ditching this shit

     Oh geez.

Ala
I'm sorry!! I got lost with these books,
but absolutely no ditching or else your
Dad's gonna be very pissed!! Save me a seat?

hira
obviously, i'm not gonna seat next to pothead cole

     I quickly threw everything in my backpack, and placed the books back in their spot. Saying a quick goodbye to Mrs. Rothschild, the librarian, I made a run for the auditorium.

     "Hey! Where do you think you're going?" I heard a booming voice behind me. I turned around to see Ms. Davids.

"Um, inside?"

"You're a little late for that, young lady. This assembly started ten minutes ago! Where were you?" She stood in front of me now, giving a stern look. Even though she was probably a good foot shorter than me, she still made me feel uncomfortable.

"I was at the li-"

"Nope, I don't want to hear it. Come on, lets go." She grabbed me by my arm, and opened the door, which was apparently locked.

The door shut right behind us, making a loud thud noise. Everyone's head turned around to face Ms. Davids and I. The principal paused in his speech. And Ms. Davids pulled my arm all the way to the front, away from Hira. This is basically physical abuse and if she doesn't let go, I will sue.

     "I apologize Mr. Ritalli. Some students apparently cannot hear announcements and like to create such scenes. Please excuse us." Ms. Davids sat me down in the second row and sat next to me, but leaving a seat in between us. Like that helps.

     I turned my head around to see who was sitting on the other side of me, and oh god, I really wish I hadn't.

     Nicholas Denault glared at me with his stupid, blue eyes. Next to him was Ryan Garfield smiling at me and congratulating me on my "sick ass entrance." He was trying to give me a high five, but Nicholas wasn't having it and smacked Ryan's hand down. Poor boy. Actually, no, poor me. This two hour assembly is definitely going to be a delight.

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