Chapter 1 (New girl in class)

Sally tossed and turned in her bed while the choir in the church hall sang the last hymn. She couldn't wait for the service to be over so she'd have peace and quiet. It was her first day in a new school and the choir singing joyful hymns wasn't exactly what she was hoping for. Maybe something dark and gloomy. Because that was what she thought was about to happen once she got to the school. When the church bell struck seven there was an instant cease in the singing. Carefully, she stepped out of bed and sat by the edge thinking about what to begin with that morning. Her dreams the previous night was another factor that lead her being in a mood. Finally, she stood up from the bed having decided what to do but stepped on a piece of broken glass on the floor.

"God damn it"

She cursed silently knowing it was a sign of bad luck. Didn't she get her fair share of it already? The girls in her class were probably going to be bullies or the boys down to earth jerks. In the bathroom, she did the needful and stepped out in her complete uniform. "I look like trash"

She took off the neck tie and dumped it in her bag.

"I'm off to school, Father"

"The peace of the Lord be with you" the Priest leading the mass that morning said. An Amen was supposed to follow that prayer but the anxiety on what her life in North Valley would be like didn't allow it. She got into the taxi in front of the church and sat at the back staring out the window. A worshipper had volunteered to take the Priest's adopted daughter to school on her first day. At least, she wasn't going to look shabby coming into the school from a bus. Taxi fares were always expensive so when the kids see her stepping out from one they'd give her accolade. But what if they had personal drivers their rich Daddies got them or maybe their own car. Then she would look extremely shabby. All those thoughts ran through her mind until she got to the school

"Here goes nothing" she muttered and stepped out of the taxi. She was extremely shocked by the sight she met. The kids were walking to school. No car. Okay, only a few show offs. But more than half the school were on foot and they looked like the popular kids. There was hope for the living. She knew her class since she was in the school on Sunday for the registration so locating it was no big deal. She made the decision to be the first to do the introduction and have a big, bright and bubbly personality. She pushed the door to her classroom open

"Hi, I'm a transfer student here. My name is Sally Hall!"

The students smiled at her probably amused by her loud voice. A miracle! It worked. But kids smiling at a transfer student? That was something that didn't usually happen. She thought it strange and sat in an empty desk. She liked the spot it had in the classroom and was automatically drawn to it.

While Sally was sitting in the chair, the homeroom Teacher walked in

"How are you doing today?"

The students kept mute staring at her. Sally wondered if they didn't know the woman. More, she wondered if she was in the school or class for the mute. Was that why they smiled at her earlier? Because they didn't understand what she was saying? After a moment of being ignored, the Teacher was about to walk out of the class room when a student stood up. Maybe, jumped up.

"Ma'am, there is a transfer student!" Frankie screamed

Hallelujah! They weren't mute. Sally heaved a sigh of relief and prepared to be beckoned on but the Teacher wasn't making an attempt to ask who. Sally wondered if she thought the students were pranking her.

"I ma'am! I'm the transfer student" Sally said getting up

"And your name?" The Teacher asked

"Sally. Sally Hall" she replied

"Have you submitted your files to the Admissions Office?" She asked

"Yes ma'am"

"Okay, feel free around them. They are all nice" she said

The homeroom Teacher walked out and a group of girls began walking up to Sally. She wasn't assuming things. They had this smirk on their faces and they were walking towards her like typical bullies.

"Hi" they said

"Oh, hello" Sally said waving with her hands. It was a habit. She had to slap the hand down to stop it from moving on its own accord.

"I'm the class president, Legend" one of the girls said

"Oh, I see. You're a legend in the class. Or is it the whole school?" Sally asked

"No dummy, my name is Legend"

She might have just started humiliating herself. Keeping shut and saying yes and no was the way to go but they were going to think her boring if she did that and from the looks of it the girls were the Queens of the class, if not the entire school.

"Oh, sorry. Your name's quite unique" she threw in a compliment. Now, how's that?

"And I'm Emma, the basketball team cheer leader" another said

"Wow, you guys have a cheer team?"

"Yep, I'm Cassandra, but you can call me Sandra" the last girl standing said

"Okay" Sally said. She wanted the conversation to end immediately. These girls oozed glory.

"See you around then" Legend said. Sally thought it went well when they began to walk away. Seeing them around meant she could say Hi and Hello, right? To think she thought they were bullies.

"I thought I was going to get bullied"

"Relax, our school doesn't take the act of bullying lightly. Once you are reported for bullying you'll be rusticated"

Shoot. She just said she thought those girls were bullies. What if the dude behind her was a friend of theirs. How was she to know there was a living thing behind her when he didn't make a single noise.

"I see. Thanks for the correction"

"I'm Raymond, call me Ray" he said giving his hand for a shake. A gentleman.

"I'm Sally"

"By the way, that desk belongs to someone else" he said

"Really? I should get up then" That was what the formalities was all about. Asking her to get lost.

"No don't bother. When the person comes he can either tell you to get up or remain" he said

"Okay, thanks" she said and turned to the board. More students walked into the class. Some noticing her and asking who she was while some not giving a damn if they were not the only ones in the class. A boy who looked like he walked out of a Harlequin romance novel stood in front of the classroom looking around. Sally thought he was lost or something but he was fine as hell.

"There he is. The owner of this desk" Ray whispered to her. He may have looked like a character in a Harlequin romance but she wasn't ready to be the poor blind girl who would sit on his desk and become his escape from the eyes of the world. She had to evacuate.

"No, stay put" Ray said pulling her back to the seat

"Hey, hope you aren't trying to get me into trouble?" She asked

"Nah, I'm not, relax" Ray said patting her shoulders. He wanted to witness some drama that morning. The macho looking boy walked up to her with a frown on his face. She swallowed hard. In her old school someone slapped someone over something similar to what was about happening to her.

"Hey!" he said. His voice commanded authority. She sat up like a rookie solider and looked him in the eyes. Were soliders allowed to do that?

"I think this desk is mine" he said. Ray leaned in and whispered to Sally's hearing.

"Oh really? I wasn't aware"

She got the message. Report the speech.

"Oh really? I wasn't aware" Sally said

"Are you new?" he asked

"Yes, I started today. Sorry about your desk, I'll get lost now"

"Pretend to get up and say those words" Ray whispered to her

She wondered if she was always a fool to take Ray's words into consideration.

"Yes, I started today. Sorry about your desk, I'll get lost now" she said and tried to get up

"No! You can have it. I'll pair with Ray" he said and walked to the back

"Thanks" she said surprised at his response. Long live Ray! Or did he know this macho so well he knew he wouldn't have the guts to ask her to leave? North Valley boys were dreamy.

A Teacher walked into the class and hung a chart on the white board. She was the Biology Teacher.

"Okay students, we have to finish our subject outline so let's begin class"

"Put away every thing distracting and bring out your Biology textbooks"

"Hey, let me warn you" Ray said drawing Sally's attention. She leaned back beginning to enjoy her stay in the school. She may have made friends with those Legendary girls, Ray and was given a desk, free of charge.

"You see the Teacher in front of you? She derives joy in making life miserable for new students, so get ready" he said

"Okay" That was a warning. She was ready to fight the battle.

"Now, our last discussion was on the classification of living things and we ended that class on the sub topic, Binomial Nomenclature..." The Teacher's eyes met Sally's. She stopped in her tracks and stared at her for long then walked towards her without taking her eyes off her for a second.

"And in that class I also stated that I hate it when new students join the class when we are close to the exams. Why? Because they pull us back. Isn't that right, Miss Hall?" The teacher asked looking at Sally's name tag.

What? Was she being discriminatory? What sin did new students commit to be treated in such manner?

"No, I don't think so" Sally said Maybe that was a mistake on her part. The students gasped in surprise. She probably started a fight with a Teacher on her first day!

"You don't think so? Why is that?"

"Well, there could be brilliant students among the new ones. They might not pull the class back in learning"

Mrs. Peters smiled at her. She was asking for it.

"This morning, we'll be dealing on the sub topic, The Kingdom Monera" she said

"Miss Hall, you said there could be brilliant students among the transfer students right?" Sally nodded in affirmation "Well, I'm hoping you're one yourself" she said

"Here we go" Ray groaned. It was about to get down.

"The Kingdom Monera is divided into two branches. Do you perhaps know what they are, Miss Hall?"

"Yes ma'am. Phylum-schizophyla which is the bacteria and Phylum-Cyansphyla which is the blue green algae" Sally answered

The students began searching their textbooks wondering if she got the right answer to the question. If she did it would be their liberation. Their Independence. And she did.

"She got it right!" Ray shouted for joy. The students began to cheer happily. They were finally free. A wave of the hand from Mrs. Peters killed the joy. The classroom became as quiet as a graveyard. After a long period of silence and a staring competition between Sally and the Teacher, she turned around and walked to the blackboard

"Moving on to the characteristics of Monera"

Sally smiled and Ray rubbed her shoulders. The students gave her the thumbs up when Mrs. Peters wasn't looking. She felt proud of herself. But that wasn't the end of their victory. Mrs. Peters ended the class without giving the students any take home assignments.

"Wow, bro you were so cool!" Ray gave Sally the knuckle

"Thanks. I was so frightened when she began to walk up to me. Thank you for the heads up"

"I got you" he smiled. Legend watched from her desk admiring Sally. She had the potential to join her group.

"I think Mrs. Peters was embarrassed that you got her question right seeing she didn't give us any take homes" she said

"Really? Does she give lots of assignments?" Sally asked

"Yes" Emma answered. Sandra seemed to be looking at something else.

"Hey, Nikolay. You couldn't even say hi" Sandra said

Sally turned to see who she was talking to. For all we know the girl could be mad and talking to herself. It was the Macho and he didn't look too pleased she was talking to him.

"What are you doing? Just because you and Legend broke up doesn't mean you wouldn't still be friends with us" she said

"Can you be quiet? I'm trying to study" he said

"We weren't dating" Legend said No one seemed to be giving her a listening ear since all eyes were on the new girl. Sally Hall.

"Ian isn't coming or what?" Emma asked

"Why? You miss him?" Ray asked

"Yes, can't I?"

"Who's Ian?" Sally asked

"Our school's president and my future boyfriend. Ian West"