Welcome To My Life

After I got my schedule at the administration, I was trying to figure out where I had to go for my first class. I stared at the map the nice lady at the administration had given me, but I had never been a very good map reader and couldn’t figure it out.

“Need help?” I heard a voice say, causing me to look up.
The brown haired boy I had locked eyes with earlier was standing in front of me. I was about to answer yes to his question, when I remembered I told Jack I wouldn’t interfere with his friends.

“Uh, no, I’ll be fine” I replied quietly.
“You sure? I don’t think you’ll get very far holding that map upside down” he joked.
When I realized he was right, I felt my cheeks turn red. When the boy saw me blushing, he started laughing. “Happens to the best of us” he said.

“I’m Alex, by the way.” He held out his hand for me to shake it.
“Liz” I replied, shaking his hand.
“Nice to meet you, Liz. Now, do you want me to guide you to your class room?” Alex asked me.
I nodded. “Yes please”
“Let’s go then” he said, walking past me in the opposite direction of where I had been going.

I didn’t know if I was supposed to tell Alex I was Jack’s cousin. I didn’t think Jack would appreciate it very much, but I couldn’t keep it a secret either, now could I? Actually, I could as I didn’t expect to speak to Alex ever again after this morning. I followed him to the other side of the building.
“Jeez I really was far off, wasn’t I?” I asked him.
“Yeah, that’s what happens when you hold your map upside down” he nodded.

“Don’t you have class to get to?” I asked him.
“Nah” he replied, causing me to raise my eyebrows quizzically.
“I mean, I do, I just prefer to be showing the new girl around.” He explained.
“Oh yeah? And why’s that?” I asked.
“Because no one at this school ever seems to be very welcoming to newcomers and I know what it’s like to be new at a school and not know anyone. I was lucky enough to have my friend Jack show me around and introduce me to some people and now I’m doing the same for you” Alex explained.
I still didn’t exactly understand why he was being so nice to me when even my own cousin couldn’t be bothered to do so, but I decided not to question it.
“Here it is” Alex said, pointing at an already closed door to a classroom. Damn it, late on my first day. One hell of a way to make a good impression. I braced myself for all the looks I knew I’d be getting as soon as I walked through that door. I was, after all, the new girl.

“Are you just gonna wait here or what?” Alex asked me.
I shrugged. “I don’t like being in the center of the attention” I replied.
“How about I go with you?” he suggested.
“Why would you do that?” I asked him.
“Well, I may or may not be in this class as well” Alex shrugged, stepping past me and opening the classroom door. I shook my head but followed him inside.

“Alexander, why are you late?” the teacher asked him.
“I had to help out Liz here, who couldn’t find the classroom” Alex explained pointing at me, before he went to sit down.
“Oh, you must be the new girl, Liz Barakat!” the teacher said turning to me. I nodded quietly in reply. I noticed Alex looking at Jack, and at me, probably figuring out we were family from our last name. It wasn't exactly a name you heard a lot. “Well, welcome to Dulaney High, please, take a seat” the teacher said, pointing at an empty chair next to a girl with green-blondish hair.

As I headed for the empty chair, I locked eyes with Jack, who narrowed his eyes at me, probably wanting to ask why the hell I was hanging out with Alex. I sat down on the chair the teacher assigned to me. The girl next to me turned to me, smiling.
“Hi, I’m Jenna!” she said excitedly.
“Liz” I replied, taken aback by her enthusiasm.
People weren’t usually this enthusiastic to meet me. I noticed Jack and Alex bicker at each other and wondered if it was me they were talking about.

“So where are you from?” Jenna asked me, making me take my eyes off of Alex and Jack who were still bickering. Our teacher was handing out graded papers my classmates had apparently written earlier.
“Illinois” I replied.
“What made you move up here?” Jenna asked curiously.
“Uhm…” I muttered. “That’s kind of a long story.”
“You don’t want to tell me, I get it” Jenna stated. “It’s okay”

“Look, I’m sure you’re a nice person but I hardly know you and the reason why I moved here is kind of personal so…” I started to excuse myself.
“It’s okay” Jenna said, smiling nicely. “I tend to be too enthusiastic and ask too many questions. Sorry”
“It’s okay” I said now, smiling lightly.

The teacher asked us to be quiet, as she wanted to start her lesson. Jenna and I stopped talking and so did Jack and Alex. Both of them would occasionally glance at me, making me feel sort of uncomfortable. This class was English, which is something I was pretty good at. I didn’t have any trouble understanding the subject.

Notes

Title credit: A Day To Remember - All Signs Point To Lauderdale