“Smile sweetheart, this is your school picture, don’t you want it to look good?” the photographer said to me. I grimaced showing my teeth, and the camera flashed.
“Well... it looks… nice,” she tried to say nicely.
“Thanks,” I said gruffly. I’m not a big picture person; obviously she just figured that out. I hopped off the seat and walked out the door. Stupid woman, I thought to myself as I strolled down the hallway.
New schools sucked. After my parents got a divorce my mom took me out of my old high school and transferred me to Orville High. I was a total outcast. No one was willing to accept me because I liked dark colors and I didn’t look like everyone else. They were all like a bunch of clones with all their name brand clothes and accessories. I already hated school and we were only a month in. I was only a sophomore. I still had two more long years to go. What a drag that was going to be.
I was just turning the corner when I crashed into heavy body. We toppled to the floor with grunts.
“Ugh,” I said getting to my feet, “Sorry. I wasn’t watching where I was going.”
“No problem, it’s cool,” the person said getting up. He flashed me a smile of forgiveness.
“I’m Nick Bradley.”
“I’m Morgan, Morgan Hoffman.” Where did this kid come from? I could have sworn I never saw him here, ever.
“Are you new here?” I asked curiously.
“No, just checking the school out. It seems pretty nice if you ask me.”
“Are you planning on coming here?”
He gave me a smile, “You’re pretty curious aren’t you?”
What an annoying kid! I frowned, and shrugged around him, making my way down the hallway. I heard his footsteps jogging after me, footsteps that had fallen in rhythm with mine.
“Sorry, I didn’t mean to insult you.” He gave me an apologetic look. His green eyes soft, and half covered by is long, brown hair; with a smile still on his face.
“Anyways, yeah I was planning on coming here. After this I will probably just apply to see you again.”
I stopped walking abruptly. “What the heck is that suppose to mean?”
“Ah, I don’t know, just thought you would be an interesting friend.” He flexed his arms behind his head.
“Ugh, you are so annoying! Goodbye!” I began walking faster than I had before, my boots clanking loudly against the hallway floor, trying to escape from the annoying jerk behind me. His laugh echoed through the hall.
“Nice meeting you, Morgan!” he chuckled behind me.
“Moron,” I grumbled.
The rest of the day I couldn’t concentrate in my classes. Why was that Nick kid so fascinated with me? Nobody ever wanted to even be near me, none the less have a conversation with me. It pissed me off even more. Maybe he was just trying to annoy me. The bell made me jump out of my little dilemma in my head. Some of the other kids saw me and started snickering.
“Daydreaming about the dead, Morgan?” one of the football guys commented. I scowled in his direction, but didn’t say anything. I slowly rose from my seat and walked out the door followed by the whispers of my classmates behind me. I was so ready for the day to be over.
I saw Nick at the end of the day. His tour around the school, by some of the same kids who had laughed at me, was over. My locker was close to where they had huddled and I couldn’t help but watch them. He gave me a friendly smile and waved; I gave him a shy smile and a small wave. The guides looked at him like he was mental because he was waving at me, of all people.
“Why are you waving at her?” one said, followed by another nasty comment, “Morgan has no friends, I wouldn’t want you to be the first.” Nick glared at them with a hostile expression.
It seemed every time I saw Nick I got butterflies in the pit of my stomach. What was that suppose to mean? Did I like this strange guy that seemed oblivious to my anti-socialness? It’s not like he could possibly like me. I dressed in dark colors and put on too much makeup, while he wore bright colors and was a total hunk. He seemed sporty and likeable, while I was far from that. I sighed, threw my homework and books in my backpack, and closed my locker. Depressed by myself, I shuffled away from my locker and the group huddled around there.
“Thanks for the tour guys. Hopefully I can see you guys soon. Maybe I can beg my parents to pay extra to get me here sooner than later.” I heard his jogging behind me getting closer, until he was next to me. I didn’t look up at him; I just kept shuffling, staring at nothing.
“Hey stranger,” he said to me with humor. I refused to look at him. “So how was your day, Miss I’m Not Talking to Anyone?”
I stopped and faced him, “It was just lovely. Nothing like nasty remarks about everything I do. Yep, my day was super!” I huffed and began to shuffle on again.
“Yeah I noticed that the people here aren’t very nice to you. I’m not like that though. You can trust me on that.” He gave me a huge grin and threw him arm around my shoulders. I cringed.
“Maybe its best if you don’t hang around me. I would hate for people to make fun of you. It’s not fun, I promise you that Nick,” I said with a hint of sadness. He looked down on me with an expression I couldn’t read. Remorse maybe?
“That doesn’t matter to me. They can do their worse, but I’ll still be friends with you. I’m not the guy that will turn his back on a friend because he’s being made fun of for being friends with someone. Those kinds of people are jerks.” I looked in his eyes and saw that he meant it. I gave him a wide smile. That was the first time I smiled in forever, it felt good.
“You’re a good guy Nick. Thanks for sticking by my side, while no one else will. Means a lot to me.” I hoped he didn’t catch that in the wrong way. It would be so perfect for me to scare him off because he thought it meant I liked him.
“Yep, no problem Morgan. Well I should probably get going; my parents are probably waiting in the office. Hey, what’s your cell? Just in case I want to hang out sometime.”
I told him the number and started getting giddy inside. I tried to keep the smile off my face by biting down on my lower lip, chewing away nervously.
“Ok thanks,” he said while programming my number. “I’ll see if I can get into this school by Friday. I might have to pay some extra money but my parents aren’t worried about money these days. I’ll talk to you later. Bye Morgan.” He waved and walked down the hallway. I was so happy I could have screamed, but to avoid embarrassment all I did was grin as wide as my mouth would allow. My first friend, yes!