brothers.

11.2~ Sophomore

Upon entering, I went to the office, as Susan had told me last night. According to her, she'd asked the school to give me a tour guide for my first day. I was a bit worried that this would call attention to me, but it was better than wandering around this giant school and getting lost.

After asking the staff for the tour, I sat and waited for a few minutes until two feet entered my vision, my eyes turned down.

"Hi. Are you Diana Watson?"

I looked up at the owner of the friendly voice. A girl with sienna skin and chestnut brown hair stood in front of me, wearing a badge that read 'Summit High Welcoming Committee'. Her smile froze in place when I looked at her.

"Uh, yeah. That's me."

"Um... r-right. Uh- hi. I'm Alma Santiago. I'm a junior and a member of the Summit High Welcoming Committee." She fingered her badge. "Usually, we help out the freshmen students, but they told me you were... you needed some orientation."

"I guess so."

"Okay. So follow me and I'll lead you to your locker."

I stood, slinging my bag over my shoulder, and followed Alma down the hall. I kept my eyes on my shoes. If people around me were giving me that look, I couldn't allow myself to see it.

Alma herself seemed quite tense around me. Whatever it was, it had to do with the boys and the school. It felt like some kind of urban legend.

We finally stopped at my locker; 223. I took out my combination and tried to enter it, but failed. After another try, Alma stepped in. "You need any help?"

"Yeah."

Step by step, she guided me through the process without asking for my code. 2... 3... 4... 9... I finally opened it after the fifth try. Alma smiled, as if congratulating me, but impatience reflected in her brown irises.

"What's your first class?" she asked me.

"Um..." I looked at my phone. "Biology. Room 102."

"That's close by. I'll show you." We started down the hall. After a few awkward beats, she finally spoke again. "Diana- it is Diana, right?"

"Right."

"The office told me the Fields requested a tour for you."

"Yeah."

"Why them?"

"I'm, uh... staying with them." No use lying now.

She stopped. "What do you mean, 'staying with them'?"

"I... uh... I'm a foster kid."

Alma stared at me, nodding blankly, and continued down the hall. I hurriedly followed, noticing a faster rhythm in her legs. "Why?" I asked.

"Just curious."

As we speed-walked through the halls, they got less and less crowded. Soon there were only a few clusters of students standing around talking.

I noticed a few groups staring at me and whispering. When I met their gazes, they looked away or walked in the opposite direction. I was hoping it was just my imagination, but I had a feeling it was very much real.

Inside the Biology classroom, students sat in desks, two seated in each. There was only one empty desk left, which was at the back.

"I'm not gonna be here after this period, so what's your next class?" Alma asked me.

I checked my phone. "Spanish 1, Room 154."

"That's easy. Go down this hall, make a left, then turn at the stairs- the opposite way. It'll be the third door on your right. Got it?"