R O S E
“Everybody, let’s welcome a new student! Name is Amanda Rose. Amanda, can you introduce yourself?” the teacher says as he turns to me. I thought that this time I would get away with things like introductions. I can feel my face burning. I bet in one minute all of these kids will be laughing at me. It wouldn’t be the first time.
“As you heard, my name’s Amanda Rose. I love animals,” God, when that came out I already knew that was a pathetic thing to say, “and I came here from Canada.” I stood there and turned to the teacher who then introduces himself as Mr Davis and pointed to a seat where I could go. I sat down behind a girl who sat beside a boy whom I guessed was her boyfriend. I made the assumption based on the way she looked at him. Googly eyes with her mouth hung open slightly and her teeth biting on the pen she had. Not one note was on the pages of her notebook. Finally, the girl took the pen out of her mouth and put it on her desk only so that she could make a “come closer” gesture to the boy. He scooted closer and gave the girl a glance over. The girl “randomly” hung her hand at the side of her desk while Mr Davis was writing on the chalkboard not looking at the class. The boy got the idea and started stroking his fingers up and down her arm. The boy pulled away when Mr Davis spun around to check on the students.
Most of the class was zoned out except for one boy who had big, round glasses on the bridge of his nose and he was wearing geeky clothing. I thought about the pro’s and con’s about being him. In some ways I felt bad for him, but in some ways, I was jealous of him.
“Hi, I’m Sophie,” I remember this girl as I play through images in my mind. It’s the girl I saw in class with the boy stroking her arm. Ewww, “and this is my boyfriend, Noah. We are the the types of people you want to hang out with. Join me for lunch? Okay, it’s a done deal. See you at lunch. Toodles!” Sophie walks away and Noah follows embarrassingly. I feel bad that he has to hang out with girls like that.
This whole situation takes place at my locker while I’m trying to find my class list. Finally, I found it. I have Language class next. I bet everyone chose French as their language, but I didn’t. I’m traveling to Italy next year and I want to be prepared.
“Hey, you the new kid I been hearing about?” A boy said when he walked up to me as I was walking out of my teacher’s classroom.
“Yes.” I replied.
“Well, well, well. So apperently you don’t know about the school rituals.” I stop and look at him confused. “Here, let me explain. A couple years ago at this party that the whole school was at, including me, got a bit drunk. We decided to vote on who was the handomest man at this school. Most everyone voted for me, including me. Then we decided to come up with a ritual where every new kid has to spend one night with me. Also, my parents are producers and so far I’ve gotten every new kid on one of my parent’s movies.” I start thinking about how this is never going to happen.
“What if the new kid is a guy?”
“Then he has to get drunk on a school night and has to deal with a major hangover the whole day. So what, am I, a genius?”
“No you’re a sicko. I’m never going to spend one night with you. I’m never going to hangout with you!” I say and walk away.
I stare out the school bus window with my ear buds pluggin in listening to Billie Eilish’s “Wish You Were Gay”. The bus driver starts yelling something that I don’t bother to listen to. Next thing I know there’s a girl in a blouse and hippie skirt standing above me. I take the earbuds from my ears to my hands and ask the girl, “What did you say?”
“May I sit?”
“Go ahead.” and put my ear buds back. She taps on my shoulder mouthing something. I take them out again kind of annoyed which I can tell she notices.
“What’s your name? I’ve never seen you around here before.”
“Amanda. Yours?”
“Ruby. What are you listening to?”
“Billie Eilish.”
“Oh my God, really? I love her!”
“Here.” I say handing her my right earbud which I’m betting I’ll later regret. She put it in her ear while nodding to show greatfulness. I nodd back. Her fingers tap on her lap to the beat of the music. The bus starts moving and I hold my breath as I would always do in Canada when on a bus as if I would never see tomorrow. A feel a light tap on my shoulder and I take the earbud out. I turn to Ruby and I try to drown out her voice as her lips open. I can’t.
“So are you sleeping with Diego?” Ruby says and my ears perk up. Who is Diego? I make a face of confusion which is apperently noticeable, and Ruby starts explaining. Then I remember how a boy stopped me from walking to my locker and told me to spend a night with him. Yeah, like that’s gonna happen.
“That’s never going to happen.” I reply.
“That’s what they all say. You’ll see. When I was the new kid, I thought there was no chance in hell I was even going out with him, one week later, I was waking up to a warm body next to me. Fortunately, I was starring on one of his parent’s movies and it was amazing. Trust me, you’ll be the laughing stock of school if you don’t go with Diego.” Ruby said and plugged her side of the earbuds in. I shake my head and look out the window as Billie Eilish’s “Bellyache” rolls in.
