Secret Red

Chapter 1

Chapter 1

She walked through the crowded hallway trying to part through the sea of students who were chattering loudly as the new school year begins here at Fairview City High School. Clasping one hand onto the few papers of schedule, map and letter of admission to the school while placing the other inside the pocket of her navy-blue sweatshirt. Paired with black jeans and white Adidas sneakers, a new wardrobe outfit which felt foreign to her yet she tried to get comfortable with it after deciding to leave her past self behind and start a new beginning, getting a new start. She scanned through each of the classroom numbers trying to find the room 211.

Damn! She said third room from the right! Where the hell is it?!

Muttering to herself, trying to find the class while the sea of students started to disperse, leaving only a few students loitering in the hallway. Searched through the next aisle and lucky enough, there it was, room 211. She pushed the door open into the chitter-chatter of students, some gave her a confused look, some still busy talking while the rest does not even noticed or bothered by her presence. There were a few empty seats by the second row from the back, by the window and a few more in the front of the class. Clearly, she made her way to the back, placed her bag on the chair and sat quietly just in time as the teacher walked inside the classroom.

"Morning kids! Welcome back and I hope you are ready for this new school year! As you should know by now, I am Mr. Arnold Potterman your English teacher. Ah, and we do have a new student, Miss uh... Alison Brooke. She just moved into town so it would be great to give her a warm welcome. Hello there! Right, now as..."

She fixed her thick rimmed glasses on the bridge of her nose and slumped deeper onto the chair as soon as the teacher introduced her to the class. Wanting to avoid the unnecessary attention, or any attention at all. Feeling insecure from the complete attention from everyone in the class, not that she was not used to it, rather simply preferred not to. Pushing those thoughts aside. she tried to listen to Mr. Potterman explaining on the requirement to pass his class. She wanted to focus on her studies, quickly graduate high school so she can get into medical school. Her grades were not poor but not entirely great either. Subsequently, demanding much more effort to achieve the requirement. The class ended before the bell rang, she collected her bag ready to make her way to the next class since she needed to locate it first.

"Hey you dropped this, Alison, right?" Said the cordial girl with a long wavy black hair holding onto a black notebook, her cheeky grin lighting up the room.

"Yeah, thanks." She replied taking the notebook placing it inside her bag.

"I'm Zoe, what's your next class? Maybe we have a few classes together. I can help show you around if you want. New kids tend to get lost, even I get lost a few times when I haven't eaten my breakfast." She said cheerfully looking adorable in her striped navy, white and red long-sleeved shirt and a white skirt. The first impression that radiates from this small petite girl was how bubbly and gleeful she was.

"It says history class. Sure, I'd appreciate that. Thanks." She offered a small smile, looking at her timetable and passing it to her.

"Well, we have physical science, calculus and English together. Yay! I'll see you again before break at calculus. So, history class is in room 301 which will be on the third floor. You can take the stairs up from the left then turn right, the class is at the end on your left. I'll see you later!" She directed to the next class as her dark brown eyes glowed.

"Thanks. See you." She felt warm as Zoe's bright personality welcomed her to the new school, maybe this school was the much-needed change from her previous ones. Making her way to history class, she paused when she saw a tall lean boy being cornered by another tall bulky dark-haired boy with, whom she assumed were his two equally sturdy friends, stood watching from behind him. Trouble radiating from them. She stood there studying them as the dark-haired boy yelled and slammed the wall beside this poor boy's face warning him of something.

"What are you looking at?" He snapped looking straight with his brown eyes noticing an unfamiliar girl standing there, watching them.

"Nothing, is there a problem here?" She replied backfiring him with question, looking straight at him, her voice calm and steady.

"Nothing that concerns you, Ariel, so beat it." He affirmed calmly as he shifted his body facing towards her instead of the lean boy beside him.

"Don't call me names. I get to be where I want to be, I am in school property, not yours. I will leave when I'm sure you're not here bothering anyone. Is he bothering you?" She ignored the sturdy guy to ask the quiet boy beside him who was equally amused by her boldness while his two other friends tried their best to hide their delight by covering their mouth with their fisted hands.

"Mind your own business and stay away from trouble will you, Ariel."

"Is this rude guy bothering you?" She ignored again, affirming her initial question making him scoffed in disbelief at the fearless auburn red-haired nerd. Never judge a book by its cover and he just learnt what it meant.

"No, no. we're just talking. You just go ahead. Thanks anyway." The lean boy replied assuring her to not interfere with the current situation. She gave him a slight nod and stared back at the brown eyes as she made her way inside the class. Not liking him, at all. He reminded her of the mean kids who were capable of doing anything that was in their way and she hated it. Glancing around the class, she pulled out a chair on the empty seat at the second last row of the class and placed her bag on the chair just in time as the teacher came inside the class before the bell rang, together with the group of brawny boys who were just outside the class. He sauntered passed her to take a seat at the back row giving her the stare while the other two boys passed her jokingly and even one of them gave her a thumbs up and a wink. The class ended shortly considering this was just the first day and she packed her bag making her way out of the class.

"You're totally too cool for a new girl. Welcome to our humble school, Newbie. See you around!" One of the chubbier two boys who stood by him said to her. The rest of the day continued until it was lunch time.

"Come on Ally, can I call you Ally? Short for Alison, you know since Alison seemed a bit too long and Ally just sounded great. This way to the canteen. Do you bring lunch or are you getting it from school? There're not many choices available here but it'll suffice. They have chicken sandwich today. Though, I do remember getting a stomach flu the last time I ate it, or was it something else, I can't really remember. But it's delicious, or maybe not. Oh, let's sit there." Zoe pointed to the table with two kids already seated near the window with their backs facing her.

"Hi guys, this is Alison, she's a new student. This is Layla and Rob." She pointed to the blonde pensive-looking petite girl who turned into an attractive beauty as soon as she smiled and the dark haired tall lean boy from outside of the history class just earlier.

"Hey it's you again. Wow! Did you know what did the new girl do just now? She actually stood up for me in front of Jason. That's really something for a new kid." He patted her back proudly and gave her his biggest smile. So that's what the jerk's name is, Jason.

"She did not! Did you? Gila! Sorry, my inner Asian self tend to jump out at odd times. You were so quiet the whole day. I thought you're the quiet one. What happen again anyway, Rob?" She asked taking a seat across them.

"Nah, it's nothing. Just the usual thing. Anyway, so you just moved here? How do you like it here? We should take her around you guys!" Rob said taking a huge bite at his packed ham sandwich.

"Yeah, my dad got a new job and we just moved here a few weeks ago." She answered, it's not that she was lying or anything, her dad did get a new job but she just did not explain the whole truth, they do not need to know the whole truth anyway, right?