The school looks like something straight out of a Hollywood movie.
I stare at it with distaste, not liking it already. I glance down at my attire, a frown evident on my face. The school uniform is hideous. My last school had a casual navy bottoms of your choosing with a plain white polo shirt.
Here, I have to wear stockings, leather shoes, a skirt that had to be longer than my fingertips when my arms were pressed to my side, a long-sleeved top, a tie and a jacket, which is more like a coat. I feel absolutely ridiculous. This is the most clothing I've worn in my whole life, considering I'm in swimmers most of the time.
We aren't allowed to wear any make up or meant to wear our hair down. I always wore my hair down. I'm too lazy to do anything with it as it was so long. I had to settle with a messy bun. It felt restricting having to actually do something with it, other than shove it underneath my swim cap.
Byron is a nice place. It's a popular, coastal town, filled with beaches and takeaway shops. The further you drive in, the nicer it got, except for the mansions right near the beach. Going into town, you then hit the new hospital, the old one, the elite school, the law firm; it goes on from there.
The best of the best are here and they make sure you know it.
With a sigh, I skulked towards the gates, my shoulders feeling heavy. I can't believe I am here. I had to leave all my friends and my home, for this.
The new house is huge, and it is beautiful – but it isn't home. Not yet, anyway. I liked our cozy house that was too-cluttered and had sand littering the floor. This new house is too well kept and clean for my liking. It is unnecessarily big considering I'm the only one who will be living in it, mostly.
I stared skeptically at the lines of clean lockers. They shined. I wouldn't be surprised if it was someone's job to go clean them with a toothbrush. The floors looked like they've never even been walked on.
The ceilings were high and shaped in an arch, making me feel like I was in a museum, not a school.
I never thought I’d say this – but I miss my old school. I miss the rusty gates, the dented lockers, the dirty marks and chewing gum that has been squished by years of footsteps.
There are clumps of students milling in the corridors. I had taken about five steps inside the hallway, before heads and eyes swiveled my way.
Am I that obvious?
Their lips began moving furiously as I walked by. I am going to be the talk of the school, no doubt. With my dark skin, my striking dark hair and my deep, brown eyes, I usually did tend to draw the eye, but I didn't expect to this much.
Finally making it to the office, I slip inside, feeling like I was able to breathe again. The office looks more advanced than our electronics room back at my old school.
A lady with auburn hair piled on top of her head and spectacles perched on her nose, glanced up at me. Her lips are pursed and from the wrinkles gathered around the corners of her mouth, I'd say that it was a permanent look for her.
"Yes?" she questioned, before I'd taken another step.
"I'm Grace. I just transferred, it's my first day."
She stared at me for a few moments, her face unchanging.
"Here's your schedule," she spoke, her voice clipped, not even looking at me as she flicked the paper towards me. "I have someone coming now to escort you. Here's your information package."
"Information package?" I repeated, glancing down at the folder.
"Yes," she replied, snippily.
After letting myself roll my eyes, I step outside, feeling even worse about being here. If the staff aren't welcoming, I doubt the students will be.
I run straight into the chest of a boy. I stumble back, the folder and piece of paper slipping from my hold. The guy quickly swooped to get it, hastily picking them up from the floor. Unfortunately, I had the same idea. Just as I was bending to get it, he stood, causing our heads to collide painfully.
A cry left my lips as I fell back, nursing my nose.
"I am so sorry!" he exclaimed, flustered. "Are you okay?"
Squeezing my eyes shut, I waited for the throbbing to ease. "That hurt like a bitch."
I opened my eyes and the guy was gaping at me. I then realised I'd sworn inside the walls of the most prestigious schools in the state. I cleared my throat, removing my hands from my face.
Recovering from his shock, he offered me a warm smile. "I'm Harvey. Harvey Polinski."
He bustled forward, offering me his hand. I glanced down at it briefly, before shaking it.
A wave of relief washed over me.
"Thank God," I blurted, grinning at him. "Someone nice! Hallelujah."
His grin widened, if possible. "I can tell already you're not like the others. This is good."
I laughed. "Good to know. I'm Grace."
"Nice to meet you, Grace."
"Is my life going to be hell because I'm the new kid?" I questioned, as we fell into step with each other.
My nose is aching, but I try my best to ignore it. I let my eyes roam over my pristine surroundings. It is all too perfect for my liking.
"Pretty much," he admitted. "I'm still referred to as the new kid and I transferred seven months ago, at the end of last year."
I shuddered. "This is going to be worse than I thought."
"Probably."
"So that's why you're nice," I said, sending him a glance. "You're a transfer, like me."
"Yep," he replied, offering me a lope-sided smile. "What's with the gym bag?"
"I swim," I replied, brushing a loose tendril of my hair that had escaped my awkward bun, back from my face.
Harvey cast me a worried look.
"What?"
"You're trying out for the swim team?" he asked.
"Yeah," I shrugged. "What gives?"
I didn't like the look of the weird, uncomfortable face he was pulling.
"They're all crazy competitive here. Best just to stay away from sports."
"I swim every day. I have to try out for this so called 'Elite' team."
"There's nothing 'so called' about it," he told me, his eyes boring into mine. "You have no idea what you're getting yourself into."
"If you say so," I shrugged. "Can you help me find my locker? This bag is heavy."
"Oh, yeah, sure." He snatched the now crinkled paper from my hand and examined it. "Oh cool, you're close-ish to mine. It's back this way."
We did a U-turn and began walking back the way we came. He came to a stop at locker 401.
"This is the basic code," he said, fiddling it. "Okay, now put in a pin you'll remember."
I did as I was told, hiding a smile. It wasn't like I'd never not used a locker before.
With a click, it swung open. It didn't squeak like my older locker used to. Nodding, half-impressed at the cleanliness, I chucked my bag in there. They are really spacious, which is good. I often had a lot of stuff with me.
As Harvey is looking through my schedule, I take a moment to check him out.
He is tall, but in a dorky kind of way. He is only a little taller than me, really. He has smooth, faintly tanned skinned and a pointy nose which was slightly wonky, almost as though he's broken it before and it hasn't quite healed properly. He is thin, with muscle potential, with floppy brunet locks.
"We have a few classes together," he smiled, dragging his eyes from the sheet. "Why are you taking advanced English?"
"Because I like English?"
"You're nuts."
"Let me guess, you do advanced maths?"
"How'd you guess?" he laughed.
Slamming my locker door shut, I grinned at him. "Just a hunch."
We turned and I almost ran into another person. That wouldn't have done my still sore nose any favours.
It was two boys. They towered over me. The first one had Caucasian skin, freckles lightly specked across his cheeks, dark sideburns and overgrown stubble on his chin. It looks slightly odd, having so much hair on his face, when he also has a receding hairline.
The other boy, however, damn. He is hot. He is tanned with vivid green eyes. He has light pink lips with broad shoulders and biceps bigger than my gym bag. This made me perk up a little. He has the build of a swimmer.
"Aw," the first guy sneered, running his eyes over my body not-so-subtly. "Dork has found another dork to play with."
I stood there, my eyebrows raised. Really? How old are we? I must have missed the part where we went back to primary school.
I glance at Harvey, waiting for him to say something and am shocked to see his cheeks burning red. He stepped back, rubbing his neck and began spluttering incoherent sentences.
The guy laughed, elbowing the boy next to him. The other guy just stared at me coolly, not saying a word.
"Did you just call me a dork?" I asked, quirking an eyebrow at him.
"Yeah," he agreed, with a shrug. "Gotta' be if you're hanging out with Stinky Polinski."
"Wow," I raised my eyebrows at him, rolling my eyes. "I didn't realise I was speaking to a three-year-old."
An awkward squeak sound emits from Harvey.
"Just because we're transfers, doesn't make us dorks or losers," I snapped, stepping toward him. "If you have a problem with my friend, then you have a problem with me. So why don't you back the hell off before I make you?"
He arches an eyebrow. The surprise in his eyes made me want to do a quick victory lap of the corridor.
"The girl has tongue," he replied, grinning at his friend. "Might not be so bad after all."
I glanced at the other guy, who still hasn't said a word. He stared at me, a blank expression on his face. He looked like he recognised me and is trying to figure out where he'd seen me. I blinked. I had a feeling I knew him, too.
I snorted. "I wouldn't waste my time. Your personality is pretty poor and with a face like that, you can't really afford to be a dick."
Shooting him a sweet smile, I grab Harvey's lower arm, who is standing there in shock. I tug him along.
"You're going to regret that," Harvey groaned. "Mike is horrible."
"If he does anything to you, let me know."
He cast a nervous look to me. "I don't need you to protect me."
I bit my tongue, thinking otherwise.
"Anyway, who was the other guy with him?"
"Of course you'd ask about him," Harvey muttered. "Every girl wants him."
I understand why. He's hot as hell.
"So who is he?" I probed, his bright eyes still on my mind.
"That's Hayden," he sighed, looking sulky. "He's the captain of the swim team."
My eyes light up. So I had been right. He did have a swimmer's body. This just made me want to join the swim team so much more.
"Don't get too excited. He's a complete asshole."
I pouted slightly. Not that I was looking to date anyone right now, but he is definitely cute. And a swimmer? That's just a win-win.
"Hmm, okay." I shrugged. "So, who are your other friends? I'd love to meet them."
I glanced down at my watch, realising that school was going to start any minute now.
"Harvey?"
"I-I," he stammered, rubbing his neck. "I don't really... have any friends."
"What? You said you've been here seven months?" I questioned, my eyebrows drawing together.
"They don't take well to strangers," he muttered. "There's a reason why they chose a transfer to show another transfer around. I wish they'd considered to do the same for me."
"That's terrible! You've been a loner all this time?"
"Thanks for making me feel better."
I wince, realising what I said. I pat his shoulder. "Sorry. I didn't mean it like that."
He sighed again. "I know."
"Well, at least you have me now." I grinned. The bell buzzed loudly and I glanced down at my sheet, seeing that I had History first. "Please tell me you have History?"
"Unfortunately."
"Great! Lead the way!"
He stopped and smiled at me. "I'm really glad I met you, Grace."
He looked so sincere that I felt sorry for him. School must be really hard having no friends.
"I'm glad I met you, too, Harvey."
He smiled at me, before inclining his head. "Let's go."
I trailed behind him silently.
I was going to make sure no one picked on him again.