A STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION

5

This is my idea of hell, well, one of them at least

It's not as full as the sound originally made it out to be, though the noise-culprits make up more than enough people to immediately send a wave of self-consciousness through my body.

I step in, slapping myself mentally as the ruckus quietens down, the eyes of the curious boring into the back of my head.

I try not to return those gazes, hunting for a lonely chair at an equally lonely table to sit down in and remove myself from the social equation.

It's harder to find what you're looking for when your eyes are glued to the floor, but I stumble upon a table near the front, the four chairs accompanying it vacant.

Bingo

I dock this as a safe house mentally, remembering to take the seat closest to the wall for next time, as long as the table remains unattended by everyone else.

A couple whispers are uttered, their creators confusion carrying through the air as more people pick up on the newcomer who's just made themselves comfortable in their little corner of the world.

Well, I say comfortable.

More and more mill into the room, filling up the rows of plastic seats behind wooden desks.

My head remains down, not against the table, but down enough to cover my facial features from most. Though, despite m best efforts, it does nothing when it comes to stopping people from giving me weird looks, like I just shat all over their fucking carpet or something.

Despite the looks, and much to my joy, noone sits by me. The entire row left completely empty. Don't get me wrong, I don't want to isolate myself, but I just want to give myself a few days to settle in first. Priorities and all that shit.

But not all good things last, which hits hard when you hear approaching footsteps and a plomp as someone sits down next to you. Or me, for that matter.

Right next to me. Nope, not the other two chairs, but the one next to mine.

I take a glance, taking an eye full of shoulder length hair and the pungence of a strong perfume.

So a girl as sat next to me
Fucking A

Out comes a pencil case l from her bag, which I watch her slam on the table from the corner of my eye, and eventually she stops fussing with whatever malarkey is in her bag.

Without making any attempts at conversation, I move myself a little more into the wall, subtlety making more space between the two of us.

"Oh hey there!" A bright, cheery, unrivalled voice erupts to my left.

I need to learn some stealth tips from Daryll, this is getting ridiculous

Gingerly turning my head to face the voice, the instantaneous greeting of a beaming smile hits me just as hard as this lady's perfume.

Oh dear god

"Hi..." I reply with little enthusiasm, dragging out my response with a weak smile.

I don't think she noticed my lack of enthusiasm.

"You're new, aren't you. If you weren't I would've seen you around before, although I have!" The cherry voice drones on, not a high-pitched cheery voice, but pitchy enough to sound like like fingernails against a chalk board.

"Yup, green as grass." A little friendliness won't hurt, I can't fully bring myself to be an antisocial arsehole all of the time.

"Well, then" the leopard begins again, readying another onslaught of word vomit, "I'm Katherine, though most people call me Kath!" She beams, holding out a paw for me to shake.