Chapter 9

Instead of tossing and turning as I did he previous night, I spent the entire night making sketchs of objects, places, faceless people and the London Eye.

I look at my new alarm clock on my desk from the hammock chair that I was currently occupying, it read 4:03 am. I stretch and remove my glasses, massaging my eyes to get them to adjust.

Walking to my bed, I throw myself on it, missing the headboard narrowly. Closing my eyes, I eventually fall asleep.

* * *

The kind of alarm clock I purchased online on yesterday had a shooting target, and its bullets possessed a suction cup.

The blaring of the clock that now read 6:00 am forced me awake as I groped my night stand for the gun, aimed and fired, successfully stopping the annoying noise from giving me a migraine.

School begins at 8am, same as the one in Oxford only we leave our dorms at 7 so as to eat breakfast before classes begun.

I drag myself to the bathroom for a cold shower, still not accustomed to the heat in this city made me want to fly to the north pole and marry a Polar bear.

My outfits had always been picked spontaneously and were mostly thick, heavy or both to protect myself from the cold in Oxford but I have a feeling I'd die of a heat stroke if I wore those here.

I didn't have any school supplies but I found a small sized store nearby that sold some. It was 7:15 when I got back and the view that greeted me was one I wouldn't mind if I woke up to everyday.

Foster was washing his truck shirt less and had two other guys with the same dress code, only they weren't helping but were rolling around on the ground, laughing hysterically and pouring water on each other.

Holy Mary, mother of God.

They were ripped, just at the perfect amount and damn, the water on their tanned skin made them look-

"Georgia? Thank goodness, you gave me such a fright. I've been calling"

I find my mother standing on the porch wearing slippers and a bathrobe.

I ignore her and look back at my neighbor's house and see the three boys looking at me and one gaping.

Turning back to my mother-

"It's George, I can take care of myself and good morning to you too" I reply then walk up the few steps, a few inchs now separating us. I waited for her to move but she didn't get the hint.

"You are in my way"

She quickly steps away and I walk into the kitchen. I find a plate of omelet, French toast, a cup of coffee and a sticky note with my name written on it. I couldn't control the smile that graced my face.

Hurrying out of the house, I find Foster and the two guys fully dressed and hanging around the truck.

"Hey!"

I raise my eyebrow, giving Foster my attention.

"We are heading the same direction"

My eyes narrowed.

"How would you know that?" He rolls his eyes.

"I can drop you off"

I didn't want to get in the same car with him but then remembered I was still new in this city and haven't gotten the hang of things yet.

I walk to his Toyota Tundra and climb into the driver's seat.

"Keys"

"Whoa. Lady, get down from my car" he replies.

"Fredinand, don't make me hot wire this car. We are late to school"

I hear a snicker from one of his friends.

"I like this one"

"Shut the fuck up, Elliot" Foster snarls.

"Hi, I'm Riely. Nice to meet you" the one with pitch black hair and almost matching eyes extends his hand for a handshake.

"Right back at ya, Redmond"

"Uh... It's Riely" he replies, looking confused.

"I'm Elliot, babe, and here are the keys"

"You are a fucking traitor, Cooper" Foster sulks and climbs into the back seat, Elliot laughs and joins him. Riely riding shotgun.

* * *

By the time we got to Emerson high, the parking lot, I almost didn't find a place to park.

Elliot offered to be my guide today. We got my schedule from a man that had a framed picture of a little girl on his desk but in place of his ring finger, there was a tan line.

Divorced.

"So it looks like you have AP Calculus and coincidentally I'm going the same way"

"Uh-huh"

"Ok..."

While hurrying down the hallway, people kept on staring at my direction, possibly because I was new.

But why did that girl show her friend her phone and point and me?

I shake my head. It was possibly the jitters that fill you anytime you are new to a place and want nothing more than to hightail the hell out of the building.

"Here we are" Elliot smiles

"Thanks, Elton"

"Elliot. And you're welcome"

I walk into the room and all conversations seize. Ignoring them, I walk to the vacant seat at the back and closest to the window. I hear the seat beside me make a squeaky noise and I find Elliot on it.

"I didn't know you had AP Calculus as well"

"That's the longest sentence you've said to me" he chuckles, I purse my lips in response and he let's out a cough when he see's my unimpressed expression.

"Good morning students! Settle down everybody" a woman breeze into the class, looking slightly flustered and trying to arrange her hair which looked like someone had fisted a few times.

"Oh, we have a new student"

Silence.

"Please walk up here and introduce yourself" she smiles and I suppress a groan.

"Hi, my name is Georgia Black" I say then walk back to my seat, ignoring the stares and a cleared throat.

"You are doing an exercise to welcome you back to school and you are doing it in pairs. Pick a partner"

Elliot moves his chair closer to mine with a smile and I smiled back.

"Are you sure you want to get partnered with her?"

I knew that remark was directed towards Elliot

"I mean, you saw that video where she abused Liz, right?"

Say what?

Elliot rolled his eyes.

"You weren't even there, Roxanna" he replies but she ignored him and sneered at me.

"What are you looking at, freak?"

"Watch it, Barbie" I return with equal hostility.

"Quiet down. Georgia, don't call your classmate names" The teacher speaks. I had even forgotten that she was there.

And is that favouritism I smell?

"Your mother is a bitch"

The 'ohs' came but I didn't miss a beat. If she thought I would listen to the teacher, she had another thing coming.

"Yours is even a bigger one. Taught mine all that is there to know"

The noise had now picked up.

"Principal's office" Everyone stares at the teacher then she raised her eyes to meet mine.

"Now"

"Hell no. I don't get to be punished and she stays here" I point at Roxanna. Elliot leans forward his eyes wide with panic and looking pale.

"The teacher is Roxanna's mother" he tells me and I shrug.

"Who gives a fuck? They can both kiss my big ass"

"A few people gasped and the teacher turned an unhealthy shade of red.

She stormed off and seconds later returned with a youngish, good looking man then pointed at me.

"Miss Black. A word please?"

Here we go.