Chapter 118 New school

Chapter 118 New school
         ALICIA'S POINT OF VIEW

For a few seconds, neither of us said anything.Seth just sat there staring at me.

His eyes were wide, and the expression on his face made it obvious that he was trying to convince himself that I wasn't actually standing in front of him.

I almost smiled.....He looked completely stunned.I couldn't blame him......If someone had told me a few days ago that the stranger who had found me at the bridge would somehow become my classmate, I probably would have laughed in their face.

His eyes remained fixed on mine.I gave him a small smile and noticed his expression softened slightly.

"Okay," the teacher said, breaking the silence.

"Alicia, you can take the empty seat over there."He pointed toward the middle row.

I followed his finger and noticed an empty seat a few desks away from Seth.

Perfect.....I nodded.

"Thank you, sir."I adjusted my bag and started walking toward the seat.

As I passed a few students, I could hear whispers.

"Her hair is so pretty."

"Is that natural?"

"It's so long."

"She looks like Ariana Grande."A few girls giggled.

Were they seriously discussing my hair like it was some kind of national emergency?

I continued walking.....Another girl whispered loudly enough for me to hear.

"I've never seen hair that long in real life."I smiled politely.

Well......At least they weren't insulting me.

I reached Seth's row and he immediately noticed me coming toward him.

Without saying anything, he picked up the bag he'd placed beside the empty seat and moved it out of the way.

I stopped beside the desk..... passing to the empty seat not too far from him.

"Thanks."He nodded.

"You're welcome."

I sat down.For a moment, we simply looked at each other then he smiled and he smiled back.

There was something strangely comforting about seeing a familiar face in a room full of strangers.

Even if that familiar face belonged to the boy who had nearly given me a heart attack a few nights ago.

The teacher returned to the front of the classroom and picked up his attendance sheet.

"Okay, everyone. Before we begin today's lesson, let me take attendance."The class quieted down.

I leaned back in my chair as the teacher began calling names.

"Bianca Anderson?"Silence.....He checked the sheet.

"Bianca Anderson?"

A few students exchanged glances.

"She was expelled" someone muttered

"Oh I'm so sorry...i forgot"The teacher marked something on the sheet and continued.

"Mary Williams?"

"Present."

"Lillian Thompson?"

"Present."

"Zoe Daniels?"

"Present."My eyes instinctively moved toward the girl who had answered.

She was sitting toward the front....Pretty and quiet.

She didn't look like someone who enjoyed being the center of attention.

The teacher continued.

"Diego Martinez?"

"Present."

"Carlos Rivera?"

"Here."

"Vanessa Miller?"

"Present."He continued down the list.

I didn't really pay attention to the names anymore.Then......

"Axel Charles?"The classroom went strangely quiet.

I looked side ways.......A boy sitting a few rows ahead shifted in his seat.

"Present."I frowned slightly.

Charles???Is he the Governor son?....I heard mom said that the Governor son would be my classmate.

I glanced toward Seth....He was staring at him with an expression that was difficult to read.

A few students immediately began whispering.

"Wait..."

"Did he just say Charles?"

"Axel Charles?"

"Isn't it Andy Charles?"

"Since when does the new boy have the same surname as Andy?"

"I thought it was something else that was called the last time?....."

"Maybe it's a coincidence."

The whispers grew louder and immediately the teacher looked up from his attendance sheet.

"That's enough."The classroom immediately became quiet.

He placed the sheet on his desk.

"He shares the same surname as another student in this school. That is not something you need to concern yourselves with."Someone at the back whispered,

"It definitely sounds like something we should concern ourselves with."A few people laughed.

The teacher shook his head.

"Do you want to teach the class?"The student immediately shook his head.

"No, sir."

"Good."The teacher picked up a marker.

"Now, since your final examinations are approaching, we're going to spend some time reviewing."He walked toward the board.

"Today, we're going to revise literary devices and how they are used in poetry."He wrote the topic across the board.

LITERARY DEVICES IN POETRY

I sighed quietly.Great......Poetry.

I had barely started at a new school and already they wanted me to analyze metaphors.

The teacher began explaining the difference between metaphor, simile, personification, imagery, and symbolism.

I tried to focus,I really did but my mind kept wandering......Maybe because everything still felt unreal.

New school,New uniform,New classmates,New teachers and somehow......Seth.

I glanced sideways.....He was paying attention to the teacher.

At least, he looked like he was then he suddenly turned his head and our eyes met.He smiled and I quickly looked back at the board.

I couldn't help the small smile that formed on my lips.

"Ms. Martha?"I heard the teacher call another student.

"Please help Alicia with the notes after class."A girl sitting two desks ahead turned around.

"Sure, sir."She smiled at me.

"I'm Martha."

"Alicia."

"I know."She giggled.

"Welcome to West Bridge."

"Thanks."She turned back around.

I looked toward the board again.For the first time that morning, I felt slightly less like an outsider.

The teacher continued talking.I copied a few notes into my notebook while occasionally glancing around the room.

Some students were paying attention,Others were whispering.A few were already bored.

Normal....It felt almost......Normal and maybe that was what I needed.A normal day,A normal classroom,A normal life.Even if I knew better than anyone that my life was anything but normal.

I pushed the thought away,Not today.I wasn't going to think about home,Not now.....I wanted to enjoy these few hours.



The bell finally rang.The moment it did, the entire classroom came alive.

Chairs scraped against the floor,Students stood up,Some rushed toward the door while others gathered around their friends.

I remained seated for a moment, organizing my books then I heard a familiar voice.

"Hi."I looked up.Seth was standing beside my desk.A smile spread across his face.

"Hi."He laughed softly.

"I honestly wasn't expecting to see you here."

"Neither was I."He pulled out the empty chair beside my desk and sat down.

"How are you?"

"I'm okay."He looked at me carefully.

"You look better than the last time I saw you."I couldn't help laughing.

"Please don't remind me."He smiled.

"I'm serious."

"I know."

"You scared me that night."My smile disappeared slightly.

"I'm sorry."

"You don't have to apologize."

"I do."He shook his head.

"Just promise me something."I looked at him.

"What?"

"If you're ever going through something again..."He paused.

"Talk to someone."I looked down at my hands.

"I don't really have anyone to talk to."

"You have me."I looked up.He said it so simply....Like it was obvious,Like it wasn't a big deal.

I stared at him for a moment then I smiled faintly.

"Okay."

"Okay?"

"Okay."He smiled.

"Good."We continued talking....He asked me how I liked the school so far.I told him I hadn't seen enough of it to decide and he laughed then he started telling me about some of the teachers.....I laughed at some of his stories.

For a few minutes, I forgot everything else....I was just Alicia.A new student talking to a boy she happened to meet under the strangest circumstances imaginable but then I noticed something.

A few students were staring at us strangely.Two girls near the other side of the classroom were whispering while occasionally looking in our direction.

Another student glanced at Seth, then at me, before whispering something to his friend.I frowned.

Apparently, everyone was interested in knowing why Seth knew me.I looked back at him but he didn't seem to notice or maybe he simply didn't care.

I smiled then I glanced around the classroom once more.I really hoped there weren't bullies here,I'd already had enough of them at my previous school....I wasn't going through that again,not this time.

I wasn't going to sit quietly while someone made my life miserable,I had already survived enough.Anyone who tried me this time......I scoffed under my breath.

They were going to get ten times the trouble they thought they were bringing.

I turned back toward Seth and he was still talking....I smiled.

"Wait, what were you saying?"He laughed.

"I knew you weren't listening."

"I was."

"No, you weren't."

"Okay, maybe I wasn't."He shook his head, laughing and somehow, despite everything.......I was beginning to think maybe this new school wouldn't be so bad after all.