A maid and two brats

17

My eyes scanned the courtyard before me, dread and nervousness filled me all over again. I never really fit in back in my old school and I did not doubt that it would be much worse in here.

Around me, girls and boys my age flocked to and fro, most of the girls looked like they had been ripped right out of a fashion magazine cover and the boys were a less intimidating version of Damien and Zac.

Hair that looked like it took hours to bring to perfection, perfectly done manicures and makeup, glowing skins, and each carrying the latest version of some famous designer bag. And Georgia was not wrong: my skirt was terribly long, and only a few students actually had knee-high socks on.

I already looked out of place in my regular backpack, pale skin, bare face, and this skirt that looked like it would be blown away if the wind picked up.

A few glances were thrown my way as I maneuvered through the halls, trying to look like I knew my way. Not like they bothered though, each person that walked past me looked like a snob in their own world. My dark blue hair was usually the only thing that stood out in me, and thankfully I had seen at least six people wearing that color. That was good news for me though, at least I would not stand out. Not standing out would mean no one would notice me and if no one noticed me, I was one step closer to having a peaceful life.

My mind drifted back and forth about what happened with Damien back in his car. I knew he was not going to kiss me, so why was I so fixed on him back there? I should have given him a tight punch in the guts to keep him straight. The asshole.

Thankfully, we were not in the same class. I was a junior and he was in his senior year I did not have to come in contact with him until it was time to meet him back at home.

Finally, I found a blonde plump woman walking down the hallways. The frown on her face suggested she was either in a bad mood or she was just one of those teachers you never wanted to cross, and I was pretty sure I was at least an inch taller than her. My day had already started off bad with my ride with Damien and the last thing I needed was to arrive late in class or worse not get to class at all. I needed some help knowing my way around.

"Please excuse me, Ma'am," I said carefully, catching my way up to her.

"Whatever the problem is, speak to the school's counselor about it, I am in no mood for any of your problems this morning," the woman said without stopping or even throwing a glance my way.

I cleared my throat softly and tried again, "I'm kinda new here so I don't know the counselor's office..."

She hated in her tracks the moment the words were out of my mouth. "You're what?!"

"New?!" I said slowly, wondering if I had said something wrong.

"We do not accept new students when it's almost mid-semester," she said coldly as if I had just woken up this morning and gone here with no plans and for no reason. "What is your name?"

"Debrah Keech." I tried not to stutter on my name. All I wanted was some direction and now a few more looks had started to be thrown my way.

"Well Debrah or whatever you are, please see yourself out, your name does not ring a bell and I know all the kids admitted into the school. Rock High Academy does not take students Mid-semester, I don't know what you're trying to pull off, but leave or I'll call security."

I stared at her in shock. Casey as her name badge implied stared at me like I was no less than some criminal who had scaled the fence to make it here. I did not know what to make of her words, I did not even know what to expect from this school but bitchy teachers were not one on the list.

"Did you actually check the records or did all of that just come from your brain?" A familiar voice spoke a few steps away from us. It was familiar because I had heard it only minutes ago, telling me to have a great day.

All around us, girls scampered and giggled and murmurs picked up through the hallway as Damien made his way to us. It reminded me of the disgust I felt when Georgia and the others drooled over Damien because that was just what was happening here again. One minute they looked like top fashion child models with brains, the next they were drooling, blushing, and fawning over someone who did not even do so much as bat an eye at them.

I felt irritated at both Damien and his drooling followers.

"Mr. Mcarthy," the blonde-haired bitchy woman said, now with glee a sparkle in her eye. They always had that when they saw him. "It's so good to see you, I trust you had a great weekend,"

"My teacher asking me if I had a great weekend," he rolled his eyes, "Well since you asked it was awful, thanks to some people," he glared at me, "did you check the records for her?"

"No, but I'm sure she's not meant to be here, it's mid-semester, so we do not admit students at this time," she explained, returning back the sneer she was throwing me.

"Do you want to have a problem with my mother?" Damien raised a brow.

"What? No! Of course not, I would never dream of offending your mom," she said nervously.

"Then check your records before you toss her away, for your own sake." without another word, he walked past us and sauntered down the hallways until he was out of sight and then boom everyone was back to normal again like he had taken along with him whatever spell he bound them with.

As much as I disliked him though, I was thankful for once for his arrogance because the moment he left, Casey turned to me and said, "Come along, I'll check the records."

It took about 10 minutes, most of which I spent waiting outside the office and watching the time tick by to quell my nerves, but a more apologetic Miss Casey as a few students called her on our way to her office came through the doors with a stack of files.

"I apologize for my actions earlier. The records show that you are here under Mrs. Dalia Mcarthy. Are you her daughter?"

I gave a tight smile, "No." I said simply, and pointed to her handful of papers, "are those mine?"

"Ah yes..." she dropped the papers in my hands one by one. "your schedule, a map of the school, your course arrangement, and class outline." I tried to memorize everything as they landed in my hands. "Pick up your books from the bookshop and I assume you already have our school brochure, a more detailed map of the school is drawn there. Your locker is on isle 4, 33a"

"Thank you," I forced a smile, but only ended up with a grimace. It was all so much information at once but I was sure I would manage.

"Of course, do have a splendid first day."

Yeah, sure.

After picking up my book and going through the classes I had first for today, I dumped all my extra stuff in my locker. At least I found that pretty cool because it used my fingerprint as a lock so I would not have to worry about losing my locker ey as I always did in my old school. I was sure I lost that key nearly a thousand times.

Thankfully, I was starting the day off with one of my favorite subjects, which had to be good. I pulled the hem of my skirt, hoisted my books between my arms and body, and set out to find my first class. It was not hard to find the class and I was glad to be among the first to come in.

The other two students in the 12 person classroom were too engrossed in their phones to notice me slip in. I made a mental note to return Zac's phone today. I had not spoken to him in about a week, but I knew he would be here today, so I was prepared to give it back.

The school bell went off the moment I found a seat at the back of the class, and students flocked in like Rabbits, rushing for their seats. The class was very different from my old class, in arrangement and everything, but I was glad that no one did so much as throw a glance my way at my seat in the back. Good choice of seats then.

The teacher, a slim, chocolate skin woman with curly hair and an inviting smile walked in seconds later. Everyone said a greeting and I found myself returning her infectious smile.

"I have not seen you around before," she said to me, just as I thought my presence had gone unnoticed.

Twenty-two pairs of eyes swiveled in my direction, joining the two already boring into me. The other students looked like they were seeing me for the first time like I had been invisible for the first few minutes I sat here.

"Um," I cleared my throat. "It's my first day...so yeah..."

Murmurs picked up in the air and Miss Lily, the teacher raised her hands up, "Silence class," the murmurs and whispers stilled immediately, but I still had different looks thrown my way, not exactly scornful looks. They were more of "who is she and why is she at our school," looks.

She turned back to me, "Do you mind coming over to the front of the class?" she asked politely.

"Of course, I would not mind." A tight smile and next thing I was on my feet, trying to make it past all the pairs of eyes and the looks. I felt like an alien on a foreign planet.

"So do you mind a brief introduction dear, we always do that with new transfer students."

"But it's the middle of the year, the school does not accept transfers." one girl spoke from the middle of the class. Like the others, she had a lot of make-up on, but her high-pitched voice made me wish to never hear her speak again.

"Mindy, please be quiet and let her speak." Miss Lily chastised. "Go on," she urged me.

I stepped forward awkwardly, hoping no one would notice how nervous I was, but who was I fooling? "Um...hi everyone...I'm Debrah and I'm a new transfer student..." they watched me expectantly even after my brief introduction and I wondered if I had missed something out. "and...it's nice to meet you all...I guess," I mumbled the last part.

"Where did you transfer from?" another irrelevant question from my audience, followed by a gasp, "don't tell me you're a Chinese transfer student." the girl added.

"Why would you even say that? The girl does not even look Asian." this time a boy spoke amidst the other questions thrown at me.

"She has bangs and she looks weird," the first girl shrugged and someone took it upon themselves to highlight, "and her hair is blue."

"Okay, that's enough!' Miss Lily said sternly, "Is that any way to treat a new student?"

"We were just asking important questions," the girl shrugged with a smile that said otherwise. I could already see us being enemies in the future.

"Debrah dear, please do not pay them any heed," she turned to me, "it's nice to have you here with us and I hope you enjoy your time here at Rock High. Please take your seat back."

Without another word, I made my way over to my spot at the back f the class, wishing I had disappearing powers because this was going to be one hell of a class.

**************

I was out of the class the moment Miss Lily walked out. I dashed through the hallway trying to find my next class. I was already about five minutes late for my science class a fact I would owe to how many times I mistook my locker for someone else's before finally finding mine. They all looked alike, don't blame me.

Finally, I found the class. I knocked softly on the closed door, glancing at the map in my hand quickly to make sure I had the right class.

"Come in," a male's voice said.

I pushed the door open, resisting the urge to look around at the audience. At least if I could not see them the stares would have a lesser effect, because I knew damn well everyone was staring.

"Good morning miss...?" the man spoke in a slight accent, maybe northern Ireland.

"Debrah.." I completed, stepping forward, "I'm the new transfer student."

"Well Debrah, I do not care," I blinked a few times, shocked at his rudeness. Were all the teachers here asses? "You're more than five minutes late to my class, it would not be tolerated a second time. Now find yourself a spot somewhere or go back home."

There were a few snickers, and I closed my eyes, trying to recover from the rudeness of the teacher, before mumbling thanks to him and turning to the class.

I frowned as I realized too late that it was an all-boys class, save for one girl sitting at the front seat with a pair of large goggles tipped perfectly on her nose. Did no girls here attend science classes in this school? I was not too shocked though. In my old school, we were only a few girls too, but we were not two girls to a ratio of... I paused to scan exactly how many boys were in the room and that was when I saw him. Them actually.

Damien assessed me with one of his annoying smirks as he sat arrogantly in the second seat of the first row. Zac sat behind him, looking more shocked than the others, and the other two assholes Aaron and Josh occupied the seats behind them.

And as my god-forsaken luck would have it, the only empty seat was right in front of Damien's, putting me at the one place I really wished to avoid all day. I hate my life.