Beautiful Trouble

o n e

The first day of school is always a panic. Rummaging around in your closet trying to find the perfect outfit even though you know you should've prepared it the night before. Running around your room and cramming stuff into your backpack that you don't even need. Pacing around your room a few minutes before leaving cause you're nervous.

None of that for me. Unlike other girls, I'm pretty chill. I could care less about school and if it weren't for my mom, I would've dropped out ages ago.

Like I said, the first day of school. I'm sitting on my bed, scrolling through my phone, already dressed in black jeans and a black hoodie over a black tank top. Yup, I'm all about black. It's my favorite color.

"Aquila!" Mom calls from the kitchen. We, meaning my mom and I, live in an apartment, so we didn't have to go up and down stairs when we needed something.

I sighed and tucked my phone in my pocket. "Coming," I called half-heartedly. I picked up my backpack, slung it over my shoulders, and walked out the door. Mom comes out of the kitchen, wiping her hands on her apron. She walks over and hugs me, holding me tightly against her.

"Have a good first day, honey," she says, kissing the top of my head.

"Thanks, Mom," I mumbled. "Can I go now? I'm catching a ride with Jamesia and you know how she is." Jamesia, my best friend, hates it when people are late and if I don't get down in time, she'll drive off without me, friend or not.

Mom chuckled softly and let me go. "Alright. Go on ahead. Be safe. And tell Jamesia I said hi."

I was already out the door and the door was half-way closed. "I will, Mom!" I called before closing the door firmly.

I hurried down the stairs and out the lobby door, seeing Jamesia's white Mustang. Relief that she hadn't yet driven away had me walking faster, in case she decided to any second.

"About time you showed up," Jamesia said, a scowl on her pretty doll-like face.

I opened the door to the passenger seat and got in before closing it again. "You waited though," I told her.

Jamesia muttered something grudgingly and started the engine before driving off.

We drove to school in silence, which was usually how the ride was. But it didn't really matter because Jamesia and I could be in one setting for ages with each other and not have to talk.

Jamesia pulled up to Rochester High, the high school we go to. I unbuckled my seat belt, grabbed my backpack and opened the door on my side once Jamesia had parked and unlocked the doors.

"You think we'd have any classes together this year?" Jamesia asked, walking up to my side with her dark blue backpack.

"Yeah. I mean, we had classes together for freshmen, sophomore, and junior. So definitely senior too," I said.

The courtyard was crowded as it always is on the first day. A few other seniors were sitting on benches and looking at the waves of freshmen pouring in from the gates on the East side of the school. A few dollars exchanged hands; every year, it was tradition for seniors to make bets on incoming freshmen on how long they would be all perky-eyed and before going all dull. They didn't make bets on all freshmen though.

Jamesia and I went to join the seniors who were making bets. Lillian, who I had a few classes with freshmen and junior year, scooted over on the bench and gestured for us to sit.

"See that guy over there? With the dorky glasses and plaid shirt tucked into rolled-up pants?" Lillian said, pointing.

I followed her finger and nodded when I saw the guy she was talking about. "Yeah. What about him? You bet on him?"