Never Fear

01

Starting new schools was never easy. Especially starting a school at the age of sixteen. Shifting uncomfortably and leaning against the reception desk, Willow peered over and towards the computer screen. The annoyed woman behind the desk shooed her away, much to Willow's annoyance.

"You're not meant to be starting until next week." The woman said dryly, her eyes not leaving the screen to look up at her.

Frowning Willow blew a stray piece of black hair out of her face and shook her head slowly. "No, I'm meant to be starting today."

"The system has you down for next week." The woman said while her fingers quickly skimmed over the keyboard. Willow crossed her arms, then leaned them against the reception desk, then took to drumming her fingers against the wood. Eventually the woman got annoyed by her presence and actions and looked up at her. "Go home and come back next week." Her eyes briefly looked at the computer. "Next week on Monday, nine am. Don't be late."

"Can I speak to the principle?"

"He's in a meeting right now."

"Can I wait?"

"Over there," a well manicured finger pointed in the direction of some seats. Smiling as politely as she could, Willow pushed away from the desk and slumped her way to the chairs.

Throwing her hole ridden bag on the floor she collapsed in a chair and looked up at the ceiling with a groan. She was tired, this school was technically her fourth one in the past three months. Hearing talking, Willow didn't know if she could class it as talking, it sounded a lot more like patronising lecturing, yet she opened an eye and looked towards the desk.

She watched a rather lanky teenager walk over to her and sit stiffly down. He barely looked at her, it wasn't that he registered her presence and quickly looked. It was more like he point blank ignored her. Not in a mean way Willow frowned and looked at him, "You all right?" She questioned abruptly. If she was going to have to sit and wait, she wasn't going to sit and wait in silence when someone else was nearby.

The teenage boy didn't look that much older than herself, although it could safely be said he appeared to be older due to his height. Nodding slowly he shifted in his chair and looked at her. "You sure?" Willow asked again, there was a rather shallow looking bruise forming on his cheek and a thin trail of blood leading down from his bottom lip.

"I've been through worse." Was the quiet response given to her.

"Well as true as that may be, and I don't know, you shouldn't lie. You're clearly not all right are you?" Willow said while sitting up more and crossing her arms.

The boy crossed his arms over his dark checked shirt and frowned at her. "You're new here?"

"Meant to be, but apparently I'm not meant to be here until next week. Next week? Why do I have a letter saying today?" Willow huffed annoyed, the boy just raised an eyebrow at her. "This school has serious communication problems. I can see that already and I've not even started here."

"You talk a lot."

"Hm," Willow hummed and looked thoughtfully up at the ceiling. "I guess I do." Nodding slowly she looked at him. "So, how many lessons are you missing to sit out here waiting to file a report to the principle?"

"One, but with the communication problems which you've so rightly bought up, I'll most likely miss two. Perhaps three." He shrugged noncommittally.

"What lessons?"

"English, history and drama."

"No love lost in those lessons." Willow nodded, "Except history."