Suffocating

204

Sophie.

"I'll be here when school is over to pick you up." Mom said.

I glanced at the school and sighed. "Do I really have to go back today? We just got here a few days ago."

"You can't keep putting it off. You only have a few more weeks and then you'll be done."

"Why couldn't I have finished back home?"

Mom sighed and put her hand on my arm. "Your father got promoted, Sophie. It's only fair that we respect him and move with him."

"You couldn't have let me stay with a friend back home and graduate?"

"Sophie," Mom said strictly. "We're a family. We stay together."

I opened the door and got out. "Is that why my college is thousands of miles away?"

"Sophie, please."

I rolled my eyes.

"This is good for us, honey. You'll like it here."

"See you later." I said, closing the door. I walked up to the front doors and chose the door that lead to the office.

"Can I help you?"

I looked at the girl behind the desk and wanted to turn and run. This girl looked nothing like my friend Gwen that worked in the office. This girl had long blonde hair and glasses covering her eyes.

I walked up to the desk and put my hands in my pockets. "I'm new here and I need to pick up my schedule."

"Name?"

"Sophie Chase."

"One minute." She started typing on her computer. After a few seconds, she printed a paper out and handed it to me. "There you go."

"Thanks." I mumbled.

The girl stood up and looked at something behind me. "Calvin, would you mind taking Sophie to class?"

I followed her gaze to see a boy sitting in the corner, his head down. His dark hair hung over his forehead, putting a shadow over his eyes.

"Cal." She yelled, smacking the desk to wake him.

He jumped and lifted his head to look at her. He glared at her. "I thought I was supposed to wait here for Mrs. Jackson."

"Well she's not here yet so you can show Sophie where her first class is."

The boy, Calvin, sighed and got to his feet.

"Calvin will take you to your class." The girl said, sitting back down.

I followed Calvin out of the office and into the hallway. The walls were a light tan color with posters about restraining from sex and being safe about partying and whatnot. It was stupid and immature but maybe this was the type of school I went to now.

"Where do you have to go?" He asked, his voice low and quiet.

"Um... 204. History."

"Follow me."

"So who is Mrs. Jackson?" I asked, putting the class schedule in my pocket.

Calvin was silent for a few steps before he spoke. "The guidance counselor."

"Is that for college prep or something?"

He got quiet again and I got the impression he didn't want to talk.

"Sorry if that's too personal for you."

"I'm only a junior."

I followed him up the steps and down another hallway. We stopped outside of the classroom and he ran a hand through his hair.

"Here you go."

"I'm sorry if I said something I shouldn't have." I said.

"I know you're new here and you want to make friends but you don't want to be friends with me."

"I'm just trying to get through the rest of the school year so I can graduate and go to college. I didn't plan on making friends."

"That's smart."

"What about you?"

"What about me?"

"Do you have some plan to not have friends?"

He shrugged. "Not really. I just don't like the people here."

I nodded. "Well... thanks for walking me to my class. I better get in there. Get started on introducing myself to the whole class."

His lips twitched like he might smile but he didn't. He turned around and left without another word.