-Ella's POV-

"Calm down, Ella. They aren't staring at you. They're not talking about you. No one's looking at you. You're invisible," I tried to convince myself as I slowly made my way down the hallway of my new school. I have to start my senior year at a completely different school. It's not like I really fit in at my old school either. I'm originally from New Hampshire. My parents died in a car accident when I was nine. I was shipped down to Mississippi to live with my incredibly conservative grandparents in the incredibly conservative town of Tutwiller. It's the kind of town where if you blink, you miss it. School was hell. The kids beat on me for liking alternative music and called me a dyke for cutting my hair short freshman year. Even the teachers were convinced that I worshiped Satan. They never stopped the bullies. They told me I was asking for it by being different. I hated everything about that place.

I was happy, but nervous when my grandfather announced that he had accepted a job offer in San Diego. My grandparents had very little money, so he was never able to retire. I just make matters worse. We moved into a small house a week ago and now I was starting school. I barely had time to get used to the place. I have no friends. I'm completely alone, but it's nice to have a fresh start. Besides, no where can be as bad as Tutwiller.

I hid my face in my schedule and map as I tried to draw as little attention to myself as possible. I just have to get through this year without anybody noticing me. My first period class was American Literature. I found it hard to navigate the large high school. My old school only had about 300 students. Here there were well over a thousand. It was quite overwhelming. I found my classroom just as the bell rang. I was the last one in.

"Ah, I see we've got a few stragglers," the teacher hissed, "I'm Mrs.Faecher. What is your name, miss?"

"Ella-um," I stammered. My face felt hot and my palms were sweating.

"Yes, Eleanor Ross?"

"Yes m'am," I answered nervously.

"Take a seat, dear." I hurried to the back of the room where there was an empty desk. Several students turned around to look at me. I bowed my head in embarrassment. I look down at what I was wearing. My hair had grown out since I cut it. It was a little past shoulder-length and almost black. I fiddled with the hem of my black tank top. I observed my fingers. They were short and fat. My hands were pudgy and so was everything else about me. I stared at my pasty white legs. I was never able to tan. Instead, my skin was cursed with a million nasty freckles. My teacher interrupted my trance of self-hatred.

"Miss. Ross?" the teacher looked at me irritably.

"Yes?" I squeaked.

"Would you please care to tell us what you think the message John Steinback was trying to convey to the readers of Of Mice and Men?"

"Oh...um," I looked around desperately. I didn't know I was supposed to read it over the summer. Now I would look even more stupid in front of my classmates. I guess there was no way around this one. "I-I didn't know I was supposed to read it," I said quietly, "I just moved here." I looked down.

"I see..." she gave me a disapproving look. I'm off to a great start.

--

First period finally ended. I managed to find my locker with time to spare before my next class started. I was putting my books in when someone interrupted me.

"S'cuse me," the boy grunted and he began to open the locker next to mine. This boy was quite tall and very lankly. A beanie covered his dark brown hair that hit his tanned skin at the bottom of his neck. On his left arm he had a tattoo of a heart in a circle with an "X" through it. He was wearing a NOFX shirt. I love that band. I tried my best to avoid eye contact with him I as retrieved my items. I breathed a sigh of relief as he slammed his locker door and walked away. No awkward conversation.

"Stay away from that guy," this girl a few lockers down sneered. She was quite the stereotypical prep. She wore a ballerina pink polo shirt tucked into a khaki mini skirt. Her long bottle-blonde hair curled delicately at the middle of her back. She looked like one of the girls back in Mississippi. "Apparently he's a huge druggie and is into like goth-music." I almost laughed at the term "goth-music". She leaned in closer to me, "I heard one time, he tried to steal beer from the grocery store and he got caught. His psycho brother had to bail him out of jail."

"Oh." I didn't know what to say to her. Honestly, nothing that she had said put me off to him at all. I liked that he was somewhat rebellious, even though I don't know that what she said was true. He seemed interesting. She shrugged and walked away from me. Her heels made quite a bit of noise as she walked down the hall. I laughed to myself.

Next period was Spanish. I thankfully arrived before the bell and I took a seat in the back. I turned to see that same guy sitting in the desk next to me. He slumped in his chair and his arms were folded. He noticed me staring at him. I looked away quickly, hoping he wouldn't say anything.

"You like NOFX?" He asked quietly.

"Yeah, they're one of my favorite bands," I replied, keeping my voice at the same volume as his.

"Cool."

"Mhm."

We were silent for moment. I watched the other kids pile into the room. The teacher wasn't even in the room yet.

"I'm Mike," he spoke again.

"Ella," I responded.

"Wanna get outta here?" he smiled slightly.

"It's the first day," I replied awkwardly. I didn't want to seem lame in front of a potential friend, but I also didn't want to fuck up my academics early on.

"Come on, no one will notice." He stood up and I followed him. We snuck out of the classroom and made our way out into the parking lot. "There's a park down the street. That's where my brother and I used to go when we cut class."

"Where's your brother now?" I asked trying to make conversation.

"He's not dead or something. If that's what you're thinking," Mike laughed, "He graduated last year."

"Oh...good," I smiled. This guy seemed pretty cool. Hopefully I don't fuck this up. We got to the park and sat down on some swings. Mike took a pack of cigarettes out of his pocket.

"Want a smoke?" He asked as he pulled one out and lit it for himself. I had never smoked before, but what could I say? I took one out of the box and held it between my teeth. He lit it for me. I breathed in, but began to cough violently. "You don't do this often, do you?" Mike chuckled.

"No," I shook my head in embarassment.

"You get used to it, try again." I took another drag. This time I didn't have a coughing fit. I guess in anyone elses eyes, Mike would be considered bad news, but I didn't care. There was something I liked about him, and smoking never bothered me anyway. "So why have I never seen you around here before?"

"I just moved here from Mississippi," I answered.

"Ah, southern gal," Mike joked.

"Not really...I grew up in New Hampshire. I moved to Mississippi to live with my grandparents, then we moved here."

"What about your parents? If you don't mind me asking..." Mike looked at me thoughtfully.

"Dead. Car Accident."

"Oh, I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have asked," Mike said sadly.

"Nah, It's fine. It was a long time ago," I smiled slightly to assure him that I was okay. "So what about you? What's your story?"

"Well...I've lived here my entire life. I love playing the drums. I started a band with my brother, his name is Vic by the way, and two other guys who are our age. They go to different schools though. I'll introduce you to them sometime," he smiled. We continued to talk for a while. I learned that he loved skateboarding (like me!) and he's been to Warped Tour four times. I've always wanted to go, but I was never allowed to. He said that he would take me this summer. He barely knows me, unless we become very good friends (fingers crossed) I doubt he'll keep his promise, but whatever.

"We should head back. Second is almost over," I said getting up. Mike stood up and stomped out his cigarette with his foot. We got back to school just as people began to pour out of the classrooms.

"Give me your schedule and phone," Mike insisted. I gave him a funny look. "Come on, I'm not gonna rob you," he laughed. I handed him both. He eyed my schedule and then I'm assuming he put his number into my phone. "We have blocks 2, 4, and 7 together. That's Spanish, Physics, and Health. I guess I'll be seeing you then."

"Indeed," I smiled as he handed me back my things. As he walked away, I check my contact list that had before only included my home number. It was now accompanied by a "Mike :)". The smiley face was a nice touch. I laughed to myself. Today wasn't going too bad so far. Maybe I would end up liking this new school. Maybe, just maybe Mike would become my best friend...or boyfriend? I shook the thought away. No...I don't think so.

Notes

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Ella's outfit http://www.polyvore.com/ella_first_day_school/set?id=84397785