Chapter 2 || Please please PLEASE be better than middle school

Jenna POV

High school is a place where dreams are crushed and you have to pick what you want to do for the rest of your life at fourteen.

And for most people it seems to be okay.All the future nurses,doctors, pilots, veterinarians, lawyers or whatever,all know that's where there going to be.

And then theres people like me who have no idea what there even interested in because the school system wrecked all hope for my future in the sixth grade.

Okay maybe I'm being a little dramatic.

But a small part was true,the school system is all about grades and GPA's rather than a kid's mental health.Its more about getting a good grade on the SAT or ACT to get into a good college.Like your life depends on it.

But nothing had ever interested me enough to have a career in it. Like Noah with law,or Jackson with football or mom with nursing.Nothing has ever really screamed "Jenna's future career".

I'll probably end up at a fast food restaurant the rest of my life.

I peek my head into the hallway.Jackson is talking to himself in the mirror,it was something he did every morning without fail since we were six years old.I always told him he wood be an excellent actor.Looking wide awake when I knew he only woke up ten minutes ago.

I walked up beside him,he was standing on his tip toes so his entire face would show in the mirror.

I didn't even try to look into it.He looks over at me before slinging an arm around my shoulders forcing me to walk with him. He'd always been taller than me. He uses it against me like I use being older against him.

(Five minutes but its more than he can ever say)

I walked into the kitchen,not being able to help how wrong it felt.Since we'd always rented houses,the walls were bland,either beige or white. Right after we moved here,mom decided they she hated the color,letting us all pick colors for our rooms to paint,and then painting the kitchen a pale blue.

It was nice though,seeing her get so excited about painting a wall.

Jackson sat down at the small table sitting in the middle of the room,shoving his backpack on his chair.

"Morning."

He mumbled a morning back to dad and pulled his phone out of his pocket.

I wondered if he had just rolled out of bed since his shirt looked so wrinkled.And then a second after I stop thinking about it because that's exactly something mom would say.

Dad was drinking coffee and watching the morning news.I wish he'd turn it off,its way to early for politics.

I look over at Jackson but he's still scrolling through his phone.He has a way of always being able to calm my nerves with his rationality.

I tapped my fingers on my knees as my dad tried to tell us about some story he found interesting on Facebook.

I looked at the clock,as if it would make it go faster,and just started at it until it finally hit the right time.

I looked over at dad and he looked down at his watch.

"Well I guess we should go,wouldn't want you three to be late,"He sets the paper down and grabs his keys.

Jackson stood up,and Charlie immediately ran over and knocked the cap off his head.

Something I may or may not have taught him.Whoops.

On instinct I reached out and grabbed it before it fell,plopping it back on his head.Jackson turned and pulled Charlie into a headlock making him giggle.Jackson ruffled his hair,letting him go when Charlie's nails started to dig into his arm.

We all pile into the car and dad drove to the elementary school so we can drop off Charlie.

I watched the tree fly by,watching the sky as it started to get lighter and lighter until the sun was fully up and the sky was bright.

"Have a good day,"Dad hugged him and he ran off straight through the doors.

He turned around and waved and I waved back,a big smile on my face,even though the nerves were making my hands sweat.

He drove up to the school and my stomach did flips.The school looked tiny,but it was already packed with kids.

And here we were,Jackson and I,the odd ones out.Mom had told me one of the reason we moved back here was because it was a small town,everyone knew everyone.So she still had good friends here.

I squeezed my eyes shut and took a deep breath,shaking out my hands.

"Everything is fine your gone be fine,"I told myself

I opened my eyes and Jackson was looking back at me.

"Ready?"His hand was on the door.

I nodded.

He waved to dad and pushed the door open.

Kids were walking in in groups.Girls in cheer uniforms, guys in Letterman jackets, and others wearing caps with ther school crest on it. I wondered if they acted like the cliché high school kids in a YA novel.

I look beside me and Jackson is grinning from ear to ear,I can tell he was excited.Jackson had made the football team,and Friday was his first game.He liked it here.

He grabbed my wrist,snapping me out of my thoughts and pulling me along with him.

"Your going to be fine Jen,"He said letting go quickly and adjusting his backpack strap before it fell off his shoulder.

I nodded. He smiled at me again,tilting his head as if deciding if I was lying or not.Apparently he decided I was telling the truth.

"I have to find my locker,"I mumble,I start walking in the opposite direction.

I don't have to look behind me to know that he had already run to the field to meet with his friends.I sigh and keep walking.

I walk around for a while,taking everything in.The blue walls,that dented water fountain,groups of of friends,and a door that was cracked right down the middle.

My locker was right next to the third dented water fountain that I saw.

I look around again,making sure I don't hit anybody before opening it and shoving my books in it.

I shut it slowly,carefully so no one hears it because there are like three groups around me and the guys by the lockers look like jocks from a cheesy eighties movie.

I sigh,kind of wishing Jackson had walked with me,as I walked to my first period.Which he wasn't in so I was alone.I looked around the room,a few kids had already wandered in.

"Good morning class," a cheery voice rang through the room.

I looked up as our teacher walked inside,an iced coffee in her hands.

"Its nice to see all of your beautiful faces again.And for the new ones that I see,"She locks eyes with me and I look down at my lap,"I'm so happy you could join us this year!"

And with that,my first day of high school began.

________

The day seemed to drag on, and at some point I just started automatically answering questions without thinking.

I'm pretty sure several of my teachers think my name is Jackson now but I don't really have enough energy to care.

I let my mind wander as I trail behind Jackson who was talking to his friends.God I wish I had friends.It would make life so much easier.

I didn't want to interrupt so I said nothing,even though I knew Jackson would want to know if anything interesting happened.

But nothing really,the only interesting thing that happened was a teacher walking out of a class to get a new marker.

I sighed,catching up to them.They had started talking about the game on Friday and a kid named Walker.

"One of the seniors were supposed to get it but the coach gave it to Walker he was pissed man,"He says

I think his name was Lee.

They walked into the locker room and I followed the path outside to the bleachers.A bunch of others were there,mostly girls.They all seemed to be friends already.

I dropped my bag next to me and pulled my ear buds out of my backpack,trying to get as far as I possibly could from them.Maybe if they couldn't see me I wouldn't have to talk to them. It would be terrible if I did,awkward,and well more awkward.

I shove my phone in my pocket and lean back onto the seat behind me.It was cold and hard and I debated just walking the several miles it took to get home when I felt a tap on my shoulder.

I pulled out my headphones and looked up.A guy smiled down at me.His brown hair fell in his face but he didn't seem to mind.

"Your Jenna right?I'm Miles,"He stuck out his hand and I shook it.

He sat down next to me and looked out at the rest of the players on the field.

"Aren't you supposed to be practicing?"I ask him

He looked like the type that would play football.or some type of sports at least.

He grinned like he knew something I didn't,which he probably did.

"I mostly stay on the sidelines,cheer while there getting yelled at.I'm the coach's kid so he makes me come to his practices,"He tells me,"even though I'm not actually on the team"

"Your the team's cheerleader?"I ask and he laughs in response. Bad joke.

"Something like that.My dad got mad so he sent me off the field.I heard Jackson talking about you and you looked nice so,"He shrugged,pushing the hair off his forehead only for it to fall back a few seconds later.

I looked at the field,finding Jackson almost immediately.He looked about ready to pass out,his hands on his knees and breathing hard.

"Do you know anyone else?"He asks

I shake my head,thinking about all the old friends mom had been talking about,wishing I had that right about now.

"It seems like everyone has already chosen their groups,"I motion to the people around us who were talking and laughing.

"Its a small town.Everyone's known each other since we were kids but that doesn't mean there isn't room for new people,"He says,"Like my friends for instance.If you want you could sit with us tomorrow at lunch,"

I nod,hoping I wasn't acting as awkward as I felt.

He grins and I feel a small weight lift off my shoulders.

I look back at Jackson who was still in the same position.He pushed himself up and started to run.

"They have their first game tomorrow.A group of people,mostly friends of the guys and such makes these huge posters in the library.You should come help,"

I can't help the smile that comes to my face.but when I start to say something Miles hops up.I look over and see one of the guys waving both his arms.

"I'm being summoned.But hopefully I'll see you after school tomorrow?"He jumps over the seats,going two at a time and jumping off the last one

He runs back to the field and stands on the bench and starts yelling something.I start to imagine him with pom poms and I laugh to myself.

He seemed nice,maybe this school wasn't gonna be that bad.