ANGELINA

Angelina gulped at the gigantic school towering before her. She felt butterflies in her stomach. It was her first day of middle school and she was nervous! Angelina only was close with two girls, but they weren't in any of her classes this year. She was alone again... Just like she was in elementary after her two best friends left her for the populars. She hoped she would make friends today.

Angelina walked up to the steps and dashed up them. She reached the door and it swung open. She didn't see it coming and it smacked her in the face. Immediately, her nose started bleeding like it was the only thing it knew how to do. Angelina clutched her nose and whimpered, looking to see who had opened the door and smacked her with it. A medium-height boy stood in front of her, his face blurry.

"I am so sorry! I didn't mean to hit you with the door! Oh my gosh, you're bleeding! I will go get the school nurse," then he rushed back into the school. She couldn't help but think the voice was familiar.

The girl sat on the concrete steps, clutching her nose, whimpering. She looked at her clothes, no bloodstains, good. The door swung open, this time Angelina was far from its lash. The boy stood next to her but this time with a short slender woman. Angelina looked up at the boy. Her heart flipped and she sat in shock, still holding her bleeding nose. Who stood before she was Sabastian Tailor, her crush and ex-best friend.

"Come on. We need to tend to your nose and make sure it isn't broken." The nurse ordered, holding a box of tissues, her chocolate hair in a tight low bun. Sabastian extended his hand, offering his help. She grabbed his hand with her non-bloody hand, feeling more butterflies as he pulled her up. The nurse gave her some tissues and guided her into the school then through the office to hers. The room smelled vaguely of lavender and lemons mixed, sending her nose hairs dancing. Sabastian began following them into the room but was quickly told to go to class.

"Are you a sixth-grader?" The nurse asked as she felt around Angelina's nose.

"Yes, ma'am."

"Okay... I'm Mrs. Keepsake, the school nurse."

"I'm Angelina. Angelina Barrings."

"The good news is your nose is not broken. The bad news is it's still bleeding, obviously."

Angelina laughed joyfully. The first bell that warned them to get to class rang. She had five minutes until class would begin. Her heart pounded in her chest as her anxiety increased. "So, Angelina, are you nervous for your first day?" Mrs. Keepsake asked, taking off her bloody disposable gloves.

"Yeah, but hey it started great." She answered sarcastically. They laughed.

"Is the blood slowing down?" She wondered, throwing away her gloves.

Angelina slowly moved the gruesome-looking tissue from her nose. No blood.

"It's gone!" She cried with joy, knowing she could finally go to first period even though she would be fashionably late.

"Okay good. Throw away the tissue and wash your hands and face in that sink." She pointed to a bulky sink in the counter.

Angelina hopped off the stool she had been sitting on and crossed the room to throw away the tissue in the garbage can by the door. The girl washed her hands, chin, nose, and cheeks, getting rid of her nose blood. "Thank you, Mrs. Keepsake."She thanked as she dried herself off with a paper towel.

"Anytime, Angelina. Now get to intro to computers."

Angelina turned the doorknob, opening the door. Angelina walked out of the nurse's office and went through the office where the secretary was. The secretary waved at her and smiled with big, white teeth. Angelina gave a little wave back and grinned. She went out of the room and tried to find her locker, locker 303. A few minutes later, she found her orange locker. It took Angelina five tries to open her locker correctly. She grabbed the things for her first class. She wandered the empty, quiet halls until she found her computer teacher's room. She walked in and looked awkwardly around the room. Suddenly, everyone was staring at her, she shifted her weight onto her right foot. She looked around the room and saw a few familiar faces from 5th grade. Her gut twisted when she met eyes with Sabastian. The teacher looked up from her laptop on her desk, she then noticed Angelina in the doorway of the room.

"Oh, hello, can I help you, dear?" the teacher asked Angelina.

"Um, this is my computer class. I was in the nurse's office. The nurse wouldn't let me go to class until my bloody nose I got went away," Angelina answered the teacher.

"You must be Angelina Barrings. Sit down, dear."

"Sorry again I was late."

"Welcome to middle school, Angelina. I am Mrs. Kendall."

Angelina looked around the room for an empty seat. Luckily, there was an empty seat in the back of the room, but it was right next to Sabastian. She went over to it and sat down slowly. She didn't know what to do so she looked around the room to see what the others were doing. She noticed a girl drawing and then a boy reading, and the others playing on the new Chromebooks everyone got this year. She realized she didn't have a Chromebook like the others. Suddenly, someone tapped her on the shoulder from the left of her. She looked over to the source of the tap, realizing it was Sabastian.

"Hey, did your bloody nose stop?" Sabastian asked, his dreamy, worried eyes looking at her.

"Nah, it's still here. The blood is invisible," Angelina said sarcastically, rubbing her nose and then looking at her desk, dazed that her crush would talk to her.

"Good, I am so sorry again, Angie." Angelina hadn't heard him speak that nickname since the third and second grades. It brought back good and bad memories.

"No, it's fine. I know you didn't mean it." Angelina said, looking up at Sabastian.

"Okay, good, you were in my 5th-grade class right?" Sabastian asked Angelina.

Angelina answered with a nod, "We were also best friends in second and third grade too."

"Oh yeah! I remember that." Did he really, because today was the first time they had talked since he defriended her.

Sabastian returned to his Chromebook, so Angelina took out a notebook and started doodling a landscape. After a while, she felt another tap on her shoulder. It was Sabastian again. Sabastian had an awed face.

"That drawing is amazing! How do you do that? It's so good," Sabastian complimented her.

"Oh, it's just a hobby that I like to do. I guess I'm okay at drawing," Angelina said looking at the half-finished drawing.

Sabastian raised one eyebrow and looked at Angelina, "It's not okay, Angie, It's amazing!"

"I think you're getting a little excited about it. It really isn't that good of a drawing," Angie said, looking at the floor with an unreadable face.

"Ok whatever you say, Angie. You're the boss of your drawing," Sabastian said turning back to his Chromebook and continuing his computer game.

Angie felt bad as her gut twisted. Had she been mean? Did she do something wrong? Angelina felt she had most likely made him hate her. Of course she did. It was her superpower.

Suddenly, the bell rang for the students to go to breakfast. Angelina picked up her supplies and got up to go to the door. Then, three girls approached her with big, gleaming smiles. They all waved at her and then sashayed to the door to go outside into the hall for breakfast. Angelina furrowed her brow and looked toward the girls who had left for breakfast. What was that about? Angelina finally walked out the door of her classroom and was suddenly greeted by two familiar girls.

"Hey, Jazelle, Oakley! How are you guys," Angelina squealed at her 'best friends.'

"Hey, Angie! We missed you so much," Oakley cried, hugging her.

Sure you did, Angelina thought to herself

"Angie! Oh my gosh, it's so great to see you after summer," Jazelle cried along with Oakley.

"Wait, do you guys have the same first period class?" Angelina asked her best friends, her heart dropping as she realized they had both come out of the same class.

"Uh, yeah, we do. It's too bad you aren't in our class too. But at least you're in you-know-who's class," Oakley answered, looking around with a devilish smile.

She laughed nervously, "I should probably get to breakfast. See you guys later."

Oakley and Jazelle waved goodbye and stayed behind to talk to Mrs. Kendall and Mrs. Dorten, the language arts teacher. Angelina walked to the lunchroom, which was outside. She looked around at the swarm of kids that were headed to breakfast as well. There were so many kids! When Angelina reached the lunchroom, she had a bagel with cream cheese on it. Angelina finished and hurried back outside to walk back into the school so she wouldn't be late for second period.

A few minutes later, Angelina walked into science, her second class of the day. She had gotten there early. She looked around the room and took a seat in the back. She sat down and put her things on the floor. She looked around again and noticed Sabastian sitting in the front of the room. She sighed. Of course he was in her worst and most disliked class. The one she was probably going to get bad grades in. She had the worst luck in the world.

Suddenly, the bell rang and the teacher and students filed into the classroom. The teacher sat at her desk and started stacking papers. The whole class was silent. Everyone was staring at her, waiting for instructions. Finally, the teacher looked around the class and nodded.

"Hello, children! Welcome to your first day of middle school. My name is Mrs. Adams. I will be your science teacher." She rolled her neck a few times, popping it. "Jeez, this is a big class... Well, um, I have pushed the lessons until tomorrow so today is free time so you can all get to know each other," Mrs. Adams said, giving off a big smile.

Angelina looked around the room knowing she didn't know anyone. Someone tapped on her shoulder so she turned around. It was one of her friends from second grade who had as well left her for the populars. In fifth grade the populars ditched her, leaving her friendless. Angelina smiled at her old friend.

"Hey, Angelina. What's up," her friend asked.

"Hey, Jazmine," Angelina answered. "I'm currently doing nothing as you can see."

"So, how was your summer, Angelina?" Jazmine asked, waving at someone in the front row.

"Oh, it was great! But, how have you been doing? We haven't talked since, what was it, oh, yeah, second grade. Wow, that was so long ago."Angelina said, nodding her head, trying to remember why they stopped talking.

"Well, I'm doing great as well. I guess it was so long ago."

"So...," Angelina said looking around.

"So...," Jazmine said looking around too.

"So...."

"So...."

"What now?" Angelina asked.

"I don't know..." Jazmine said, looking around again. "Um, so, what's your next class?"

"Choir," Angelina answered.

Suddenly, the intercom announced her to go to the office. Angelina stood stiffly. Why had she, of all people, got called to the office? Angelina had always been a good kid and never did anything wrong. Hopefully, she wasn't in trouble. But, she knew she was just overreacting. It was probably her mother or something.

"Ooo, Angelina is being sent to the office! You've heard what happens to kids who get sent to the office, haven't you? They never come back," a boy, who was in her class last year, teased in a dark voice.

"My sister went there and she was scarred for life. She's never been the same," another boy said, with a smirk on his face. They could see that she was terrified.

"Quit it out, Zeke and Dexter! Those stories aren't true, and you know that," Sabastian growled, standing behind Angelina.

"Angelina Barrings come to the office please. Angelina Barrings," went the intercom.

"Goodbye, Angelina, have a nice time in the office," Dexter said, with his arms stretched toward the door.

Angelina looked at Sabastian and then walked out of the room. She ran down the stairs, her heart pounding against her chest. When she reached the bottom she could see the office door slightly. She stood there looking at the office and then gulped. She then squeezed her eyes shut then opened them. She knew her, the good kid would never get in trouble for anything. She finally got brave enough to walk on, into the office. When she walked in, she noticed the principal. She smiled and then walked further into the room.

"Sorry I didn't get here very quickly. May I ask you why I am here?" Angelina apologized, fiddling with her bracelet, something she does when she's nervous.

"Oh, that is perfectly fine, Angelina. I need a favor. I've been told very recently from your fifth-grade teacher, that you are a great student, and that you are incredibly kind. You see, we have a new student and I want you to show him around. Can you do that, Miss Barrings?" The principal, Mr. Viberant, asked Angelina.

"Um, yeah, I can show him around, but when?"

"How about right now, Angelina? He is very excited to attend our school, I know you'll be nice." He said, winking at Angelina.

"Yes, sir! Where is he?" She agreed.

"He is waiting in our counselor's office right now. You should go to meet him and show him around." Mr. Viberant said, turning around to go into his office. "Thanks, Angelina! You're a lifesaver." Angelina turned around and went out of the office door. She walked down the hall toward the counselor's office. She had known where the school's counselor, Jamal Acorn's, office was because it was by her first and sixth period classes. She walked in and saw Jamal and then she saw a boy in a leather jacket, a rock t-shirt, denim jeans with holes in them, beaten up sneakers, and light brown, messy, curly hair. When he looked at her she realized his light blue eyes and chiseled cheeks. Her heart did a three-sixty. Angelina shifted her weight onto her right foot. She wasn't gonna lie, he was really cute.

"Hi, I'm Angelina. I'll be showing you around the school." She croaked. "So, what is your name?"

"Um, I'm Victor. " Victor said in an accent. "Shall we go take the tour?"

"Oh, wow, your accent is cool. Is it French? Sorry, I'm getting sidetracked," Angelina said, surprised to be meeting a french person. "Sorry, let's take the tour."

"Yes, I am french," Victor answered, seeming annoyed, and heading out the door past Angelina.

"Oh, cool. Bye, Mrs. Acorn. See you later," Angelina said, waving goodbye to the counselor.

Angelina walked out the door and caught up to Victor. She jumped up in front of Victor. She sighed, annoyed.

"Where are you going, Victor? I'm trying to give you the tour and you're just running away. Please listen to me," Angelina asked.

"Um, I'm showing myself around, sweetie" Victor stated, scratching his cheek.

"Uh, no you aren't, dude. Sorry to be rude but I was told to show you around."

"Sweetie, you're obviously mad because you're not getting any attention," Victor said, stepping around Angelina.

"Please, don't call me sweetie. I'm done with you already. I'm not trying to get attention. Let's go to the office now. It'll be your fault you don't know where anything is," Angelina said in frustration, heading towards the office.

"Ok, have it your way, Angela," sighed Victor, following Angelina to the office.

Angelina stopped in her tracks and turned around, "It's Angelina."

Angelina walked on. Victor continued, following her to the office. Angelina entered and smiled at the secretary. The secretary gave her a little wave back.

"Hey, Angelina, how's it going?" Miss Caramel greeted, smiling warmly. "How was the tour, Victor? I hope you will love our school."

"It went well," Angelina said leaning on the secretary's desk.

"Oh, um, I like this school so far, I think I will fit in." Victor said, smiling a mocking smile at Angelina.

"Well, that's good, very good. You guys better get to your classes. You don't want to miss much." Miss Caramel said, getting back to her documents and files.

"Bye, Miss Caramel! See you later," Angelina said cheerfully, waving goodbye.

Angelina walked out the door and started walking to her class up the stairs. Victor followed after her. He looked around and then coughed as if trying to say something. Angelina stopped and turned around to see what he needed. She raised an eyebrow at him. Then she turned back around and started going back to class.

Victor stared off to where she had gone. He looked around once more and then walked to the stairs, following her, because his second period class was up there. He dashed up the stairs and reported to his classroom. After he introduced himself to the class, and then sat down, he started thinking.

This is going to be a good year, He thought, feeling eyes on him. A very good year indeed.