User blog:PrettyRaveGirl/Living Half Lives: Chapter 5 PART 1

Chapter 5: The Haunt Begins PART 1
I returned to my regular school uniform, with my hair tied up in a pink ribbon and saddle shoes. I was wearing black eyeliner at the top lashes, and Retro Red lipstick. I snatched up my binder and set off to class. I walked outside and met the "Bullies". I learned about the clique from listening to conversations around me. I was also able to learn a few of the members's names, which is good, because now I know who's balls to kick if they ever try to grab me again. I approached Trent, Wade, and Ethan in between the paths of the two dorms. "Hey, look! It's the anorexic girl!" Wade pointed out. I sighed and continued on to the main school building. "Hey! Mikaela!" They called after me. I ignored them and thought about the apparition that appeared in the picture of "Lola". I heard about Lola, Johnny's slutty girlfriend.

I heard one of the Preppies saying to themself, "I'm really starting to like that Lola girl. It's too bad daddy will never approve!" Johnny Vincent was even rambling in the cafeteria yesterday about some Nerd trying to "put the moves" on her. Boy romance shit! Quite disgusting if I say so! "Mikaela!" One of the Bullies yelled behind me. I pushed the doors open and entered inside the main school building. I sped up my walking and walked ahead of the idiots from behind me. I got to my locker and began to open it up. Russell came down the hallway, as always and began to come towards me. "Ha ha! Atomic wedgie made him bleed!" He said to himself. A little kid happened to be in his way. "Hey you!" Russell called out to him. "NO! PLEASE DON'T HURT ME! PLEASE! NO!" The kid cried. I watched as Russell put his hands down that kid's pants and pulled out his underwear. I watched as it stretched out about a foot, the boy was in mid air with his arms flailing about, screaming. "Ha ha ha! Beg for mommy dork wad!" Russell demanded. "Do it!" The kid sniffled and said, "MO-OMMY!!!"

Russell dropped him to the floor, laughing with Troy and Tom. "Such a loser!" Tom pointed at the kid. To their luck, they just happened to notice me watching the harsh treatment given to the little boy. "Hey lookie lookie!" Russell called out to me. "GIRLY!" I just stared, daring not to move. "What are you looking at?!" Russell was speaking to me. I stayed still, still staring in the same spot. "HEY!" He shouted at me. Still no sound or movement from me. Russell squinted. "Why is she not moving?" Wade asked, standing next to Troy. Tom, Troy, and Wade were standing with expressions of wonder on their faces. Russell's eyebrows narrowed, "Russell want you to answer! Speak to Russell." I tilted my head to the left. Wades eyes grew big and he began to freak out, "OK! YOU'RE REALLY CREEPING ME OUT!!! STOP DOING THAT!" I tilted my head to the right. Wade began to back away along with Troy. "Y-YOU'RE A F-FREAK! L-LET'S GET OUT OF H-HERE!" Troy's voice trembled. Troy and Wade ran away, with Tom following behind them. "Wait! Guys! Don't leave me behind!"

Russell had his fists clenched, and the little boy on the ground was watching me. The kid managed to sneak away without Russell ever noticing. I actually wanted that to happen, because it was unfair to pick on someone so young. "Vocal Chords, out!!!" Russell was making hand gestures, as if he was trying to say, "Come to me" in sign language. I finally snapped out of trance and was looking at Russell. "Can we talk later? I need to get to class!" I said walking past him. He grabbed my arm, and I broke away from him. He seemed a little angry that I did that. I stopped looking at him and turned the corner. "GRRRAAAAH!" He yelled from behind me. He grabbed me and began to get rough with. I got mad and kicked him in the crotch. Russell fell to the ground moaning, "OHHHH, RUSSELL'S SECRET PLACE!!!"

I huffed, hurried up the stairs and down the hall to my next class, "Art". Russell was behind me yelling, "RUSSELL, SMASH!!!" I stopped at the end of the hall in front of the door and sign entitled "Art." I pulled the handle and rushed inside. I let out a sigh of relief, until a big "BANG" came from the door. "GRRRAAAAH!" All of the students laughed. "Hi!" A woman's voice said. "You must be the new student." I smiled slightly. "Everyone, I'd like you to meet our newest student, Mikaela." She announced to the class. The pupils stopped their giggling and stared. My art teacher was tall, wearing a cream turtleneck, a leather jacket and miniskirt, dark nylons, and black high heels. She had brown hair cut neck length, and was wearing makeup. Her body was similar to mine. Thin, but with curves.

"Mikaela, just so you know, I am Ms.Philips and I will be your Art teacher." She said to me. "Your seat will be at Johnny Vincent's table." I saw Johnny Vincent sitting at a table, far back in the room. His eyebrows were pressed together, eyes glaring, and lips narrowed. I looked back at Ms.Philips and asked her in my most quiet of all voice, "Uh, could I sit at a different table?" She shook her head, "No hun, you're just going to have to stay put at the seat I assign to you." I nodded and made my way to the table. Johnny's eyes followed me as I sat at the left edge of the table. "Today's assignment is to draw yourself in an environment." She announced. My chin was resting in the palm of my hand, and my back was slumped in my spot. I observed the room, getting glances and glowers. Heads were turning this and that way, trying to get a peek of the "New Kid".

I heard one girl whisper to the other, "She's so skinny and tall looking!" "Grossly Thin!" Muttered a Prep. A Greaser sitting at my table said to me, "TWIG!" Ms.Philips was handing out each of us a piece of fine white paper and a box of oil pastels. She also put down a box of colored pencils, but I already had some in my binder. Putting the pencil to the paper, my imagination began to flow. I started off drawing myself in my school uniform, but I made myself look ill. My skirt was tattered, showing my legs. The sleeves of my shirt were ripped, saddle shoes scuffed, hair matted and ratty, my body scrawny, and my face... Around my eyes were darkened, and my lips were black. Blood slithered from my eyes and lips. I wasn't sad in the picture, I was happy. My lips parted to show a slight smile. I drew thick, twisted and unruly vines of black, coiling around my arms, waist, and legs. I colored the background a pale shade of dark blue, and everything else I colored the same exact way as my outfit. My skin was left white in order to make the gloominess of the picture stand out.

I titled it, "In My Cold World." "Now class!" Ms.Philips interrupted. "Do not worry if you don't finish your assignment today, because it isn't do until Monday, next week. So those who aren't done at the end can take it home and finish." Some of the kids in the class groaned. "Damn it! I barely started drawing myself!" Said one of the kids at my table, silently. One of the Greasers spotted my drawing and pointed at me saying, "Look at her! She's already done!" Vance, the Greaser with red hair grimmaced and said a snobby tone, "Yeah right! She couldn't have gotten it done that fast!" "How come she's done, and we aren't?" Peanut joined in. I was sitting far down at the end, not included in their conversation. I sighed and put my head down on the table, covering the outside with my arms.

"THUNK". Something small, but hard hit my head. I saw a pebble fall to the floor right by my foot. I felt the spot that I was hit, and began to rub it. My face met all of those at the other end. They all giggled as I looked at them. "Emaciated Twig!" One of them said. I blinked my eyes slowly, with an expression of boredom on my face. "Hey!" Johnny whispered to me. "Can I ask you somethin'?" "Sure." I said back. Johnny Vincent with a less angry expression asked something, but I wasn't able to hear it. That's when the bell rang. Everyone as usual, rushed out of their seats to leave. I was the only one still at my seat. I stood up and went to Ms.Philips's desk. "I'm all done with my assignment. I colored it and everything." I said, handing the picture to her.

"Mikaela, hun. They aren't due til' Monday." She was examining my picture. "I really want to turn it in now." I said eargerly. "I mean, It's done, so it might as well be graded." Ms.Philips handed me back the drawing, saying, "I want you to add diferent shades of colors to make your picture really stand out!" "Ok..." I said to her with an awkward smile. I went back to the table to get my binder when she broke the silence saying, "Don't get me wrong Mikaela, your artwork is really unique." I looked up at her and said, "Thanks." She then ended, "It's...Dark." I smiled and walked out of the classroom. Everyone was already at lunch, but that would have to wait for me, because I was going get some white paper from my locker.

I came from the corner and stopped, feeling a freezing breeze, as if it were the middle of December. It was so cold that you could see my breath. My heart froze it's beat, and my eyes were concentrated on a dark figure down the hall. It appeared to be a girl with long black tangled hair. She looked to be 6ft tall and had a thin body like mine. The girl wore a black dress, but was shabby, and had holes all over. She was facing the boy's bathroom, but she turned her face towards me. Half of her face was hiding behind her hair, only showing an empty eye socket to the other half, with a faint smile. I didn't dare move. I didn't want to scare her away, but after 5 seconds of standing, the transparent figure disappeared. The air was still cold. I went to my locker to get paper, and then hurried off to the lunchroom.

Lucky for me, I was the last to be in line. Today's special, "Split Pea and Liver Stew Surprise." I sat down at the second table, my original spot before I hung out with the Preps. I gazed down into my bowl of this thick green mush with bits of liver floating at the surface. "People don't really like eating liver, but I sure do." I dipped my spoon in the bowl and ate away. I finished under 2 minutes. I don't really know why, but I felt really hungry. It was all delicious!!! I walked down the aisle, and the Nerds that were playing their game, stopped and looked up. I ignored them and set my tray at the opening. I went back to my spot and took out a fine sheet of white paper. Putting the pencil to the paper, my imagination began to come to me again. The imagery of murder, death, darkness, and gloom began to swirl in my head.

I had second thoughts and decided to finish my assignment for art. I grabbed a black colored pencil and added thick cracks to my neck, arm, and legs to make it look like almost as if I were porcelian. In my dark blue background, I added a haze of voilet. I did this all pretty quick, and switched back to my blank piece of paper. Back to my morbid thoughts. What was I to draw? I thought for a minute, and then it came to my head. "I'm going to draw me and another student. Though, who am I going to draw? In a second, it came to my head. I'm gonna draw Johnny Vincent. I don't know why, but I figured it would be pretty interesting. I looked over to Johnny, who was loitering at the salad bar, just a couple tables away. He had his arm around that one girl I saw yesterday. I'm guessing that was Lola. Johnny Vincent smiled to her and stroked her hair. A feeling of disgust came over me quickly, because I knew what he was about to do.

Lola got close to him and put her leg around him, both embraced in kissing. My eyes widened and my lips twitched. I whimpered and covered my face with my hands. Just sickening! You don't know if the other person has some disease like Herpes or SARS! What if they had a parasite, and it was transmitted to the other? I decided that I wouldn't be looking at Johnny Vincent for a while. I'd have to draw him from my memory. I closed my eyes, and my skin began to prickle. I remembered the look on his face when he pinned me to the floor in the girl's bathroom. His eyes were brown, almost black, having light olive skin (close to my color), his lips were long and soft looking. Why am I fascinated all of the sudden?

My eyes grew big and my skin tensed. No, I can't have a crush on Johnny Vincent!!! No, no, no! I dug both hands with my nails into my head, beginning to freak out. "There's nothing to be all worked up about. I mean, it's just a drawing!" I sighed and began to draw Johnny's face shape. I looked at Johnny again, who was talking to Peanut. Lola was out of sight, but then I heard her voice right beside me, "Johnny is going get you!!!" She was looking at me with suspision. Lola looked at my drawing, which was nothing more than the face shape. She sniffed and walked off. Staring at Johnny Vincent again, I smiled and then drew his hair. It was cut, going down to the left side of his face, very thick looking. Next came his ears, with a silver stud to the left. I drew his eyes, dark looking.

I looked up from my drawing to Johnny Vincent once more. Johnny stopped talking, and faced me. "Shit!," the word came to my mind. He looked pretty glum, squinting at me. I blinked my eyes and went back to drawing. I looked back at him again, and he was back to Peanut. I saw Johnny nudge his head, pointing in my direction. They were looking at me now. Johnny raised his right eyebrow. My face turned cold. I've been spotted, but i'm not sure If he saw me and what I was doing. Nah, I don't care! I got back to drawing and was working on his nose. It was wide, but broad. His lips, were long and robust. Johnny's eyebrows were thick, but not bushy. I smiled as I colored in his eyes and hair with my pencil. After that was the neck, which was long. Finally came his collar, shirt, and leather jacket. I drew the details into the jacket, adding some wrinkles here and there. I colored the leather jacket and shirt with my pencil.

Success! I finally finished his portrait. I titled it "Johnny Vincent", in cursive and wrote my signature on the back. I turned it over and looked at my complete drawing. I looked to the salad bar to find that Johnny Vincent wasn't there anymore. I blinked and realized that he was gone! I put my hands on the table and peered over to see where he was. Nope, no sight of him! I sat back down with my drawing. There were kids still chattering and eating their lunch. I stared down at the table, and I felt something poking my back. My face grew cold with my whole body. I reached my hand over the spot and felt nothing. Anxiety began to build up. I turned around and saw no one behind me. My heart began to rattle against my ribcage. Maybe I'm just imagining things. I stared down at the table again. 5 seconds later, something was pinching my side very hard. "OW!!!" I yelled very loudly in the cafeteria. Three people were staring at me. I whined and began to rub it.

I sat still for a couple minutes. All of the sudden, my ponytail was yanked and my head jerked backward. I lipped the word, "OUCH!!!" I looked behind me, and there was no one. There was something wrong, but I didn't know what. I rested my chin upon my arms on the table and looked off to the side, still anxious. I felt something to the right side of me, but I decided to ignore it. "Whatcha' doing?!" I turned to see it was Johnny Vincent. My eyes grew big and I flung my arms over the drawing, trying to cover it up. My heart was beating rapidly. "Nothing!" I said to him, nearly having a heart attack. Johnny Vincent smirked at me. Heat was flushing into my cheeks. Johnny's eyebrows pressed together and his smirk turned into a mischievous smile. "Really?! I'm sure I saw somethin'!" I stared at him with my fast beating heart.

"No! It was nothing!" I answered, still holding onto the drawing. Johnny's smile faded a little. "I'm not a fool. I saw something." I remained silent. "Mind if I see it?" He was reaching for the drawing. I slid the paper close to me, so that way he couldn't get it. "No." I said to him very quietly. He gazed into my eyes and he asked softly, "Please?" I shook my head and said to Johnny, "No!" Johnny Vincent's smile began to lessen. "Please?!" He said a little loud. "No!" I said, shaking. Johnny's smile disappeared. He stood up and shoved his hands into his pockets and walked off, crossed. I took out he paper and gave a sigh of relief. I looked at the paper and smiled, but Johnny came back as quick as lightning, and snatched it up. I gasped and dove at him yelling, "No! You can't! Give it back!" I tried to grab it from him, but he kept on holding it high away from me to where I couldn't reach. "Buzz off!" Johnny Vincent pushed me to the ground with one hand.

I landed with a "THUD" onto the hard floor. My head felt sore from him pulling my hair before. He whistled to his friends. Signaling them to come over. Johnny looked at the paper for a minute and with a clueless look said, "Wait a minute! This ain't it!" Instead he had my Art assignment. I grabbed the portrait off the table before Johnny could get it. He dropped the paper he had in his hand and pushed it away with foot. The Greasers began to come over, all standing by Johnny Vincent. "Whatcha' got behind yer back?" Asked the smaller one in the jean jacket. I stood back. "Nothing!" I said, shaking. "You must have somethin'." Another one called out. "Alright. We'll make this easy for you." Said one of the bigger Greasers. "You give us whatever you're hiding, and you won't get hurt!" I couldn't hand it over to them.

I backed up some more and said,"NO." I then ran over to my binder as quick as I could, and gathered up everything in my arms. I took off only 5 feet, but something was holding me back. Johnny grabbed hold of my skirt and was pulling me back. "You're making me frosted!" I said very irritantly. I tried to pull away from him by backing up, but it didn't help. My shoes were sliding across the floor, slowly towards Johnny Vincent. It wasn't long before he had me. I was locked into place with the drawing snatched out of my hands. My heart was beating so hard that you could hear it. I shut my eyes and whined. I didn't want him to be mad.

"You were drawing a picture of me?!" His voice was raised. The Greasers came over to look at the drawing. "It looks really good!" One of them were saying. They all began to giggle. Johnny asked in a serious tone of voice,"Why were you drawing a picture of me?!" Being dumbstruck from him touching me, I answered,"I really don't know!" Johnny Vincent tightened his grip, squeezing my breasts. I couldn't help but cringe and grind my teeth, because that really hurt! "Heh-heh." He began to laugh. Johnny crumpled up the drawing and crushed it with his foot. I lurched forward, but there didn't seem to have any effect on his grip. "You ain't goin' any where!" He said. All of the Greasers began to gather around me. All having a serious look on their faces.

There were only four of them, but it was still quite alot! Out of the midst of my struggle, one of the Preppies spoke up. "Well, if it isn't Johnny Vincent stirring up a more dramatic situation! And I thought he had more of a predicament ever since he and his coquette streetwalker lassie broke up!" It was the tall blonde Preppy who said that, which made all of his friends laugh. Johnny Vincent snapped his head towards him and yelled, "WHAT DID YOU JUST SAY?!!" My eyes grew big and my lips pursed together. Not knowing what that Preppy just said, I could pretty much tell that it was a bitter insult. Everyone in the cafeteria had their eyes on the Greasers and Preppies.

"Honestly Johnny!" The blonde stood up, walking down the aisle with his head held high in uptight manor with his hands crossed, saying, "I don't know what's worse! You, cavorting around with that gaunt, half-starved waif," He was directing his eyes to me, and then slowly to Johnny, "Or you, sqaundering your time with that hussy Lola!" There were other Preppies accompanying him. Johnny snorted and launched at the Preppy, releasing me. I watched as Johnny punched him three times in the face, before being lifted off. The Prep hopped on his feet, while Johnny aimed in his direction. The Greasers were in fighting stances as well as the Preppies, with taunts and insults, going back and fourth. "YOU'RE GOING DOWN! AND I MEAN DOWN!" "I'LL PUT YOU IN YOUR PLACE!" "SAY HI TO MISTA FISTY!" "I'M UNLEASHING PREP POWER ON YOUR TUCKUS!" "I JUST BROKE UP WITH MY CHICK! AND I'M GONNA TAKE IT OUT ALL ON YOUR FACE!" "I KNOW JUJITSU! PUNK!"

The blonde Prep threw a three hit boxing combo to Johnny Vincent's face, but was blocked. "I'M GONNA BREAK YOU'RE FACE!!!" Johnny Vincent yelled. Johnny Vincent grabbed the Prep and knocked him to the ground super hard. It made me go, "Ooooooh!" He then grinded his foot on the Preps head and hawked up spit on his hair. I watched only for a couple minutes, grabbing my art assignment and binder, I dashed out of the lunchroom. I was running so fast that I accidently fell on my butt and slid across the floor. I stopped in front of my locker. Damn, it was crazy in there! That was surely a waste of time drawing some one. That one handsome picture is now gone for good, but I don't have to draw Johnny Vincent. Fuck him! He won't be my problem for a while!

I unlocked my my combination and looked at my class schedule. Next class, "Biology". I shoved the stack of fine white paper back in the locker in frustration and slammed it. I got out my set of red headphones and turned it on to "Jerry Lee Louis -Great Balls Of Fire". I listened to more of his other songs for a little bit, but then turned the music and locked it up, because there were students coming. Big bad Russell came from behind the corner. "Hey!" He shouted. I folded my arms and faced him. "You didn't give Russell you're money!" Russell said. I smiled and said, "I don't have it. It's stored away in my bank account." Russell began to have an unhappy look to his face."I should crush you!" He said. "Come here!" I narrowed my eyes and said to him, "Why should I?!" I shuffled my feet and stood a couple feet away from him. "BECAUSE RUSSELL SAID SO!" "Oh Yeah?!!" I spoke up to him, "Well, guess what?!! I ain't gonna do a god damn thing that Russell tells me!!! YOU CAN KISS MY ASS, BITCH!!!" Russell shoved me into the lockers. Infuriated, he punched to the side of me, creating a deep dent in the door of a locker.

"NOW YOU'VE MADE RUSSELL MA-AD!!!" He yelled. I threw another hard punch, aiming to my face, but I slipped underneath him. Russell looked over his shoulder and threw another strike, but I caught it with the palm of my hand. His strength pushed me back a little bit. "LISTEN!" I said, trying to get his attention. "You're a cool guy and all..." Russell grabbed my wrist and held me high in the air. "GRRRRAAAH!!!" "I'm sorry if I cuss at you!" My face met Russell's. Russell tightened his hand on my wrist. "GRRRRR!!!" I moaned slightly and said, "Uhng! Russell, do you wanna be friends?" Russell squeezed my wrist even harder. "Uhng!" I moaned. "Russell will never be your friend! You are nothing but an ugly stick in mud!" He said to me. He swung me to the wall and hit me up side the head. "Bye bye, stupid face!" He laughed and walked off. I really did derserve that. Cussing at people will only make matters worse, but I don't really like being called a stick.

I got up and felt my head. That is one hell of a headache! I walked to my next class, "Biology". Pushing open the door, I saw tables with jars filled with what looked like to be a part of the body. There were a couple of posters showing the anatomy of the human body, as well as a skeleton. An older looking man in a lab coat with a grave face stood at the desk. "Child! It is too early for you to be entering!" He said very seriously. I freaked for a bit and said, "Sir, I'm the new student. Is this Biology?" He squinted, "NEW?! Oh! Yes! You're the Whitesides girl that Dr.Crabblesnitch was telling me about!" I stood there and listened while he said, "He was telling me how much you seemed so interested in death, he said it was not really something for your age to be so fascinated with. He doesn't find it an acception for such interests. However, I'm sure that that this class will be fit for your pursuits!"

"Really?" I said openly. The bell rang. I remained standing at the head of the classroom. I remained calm until five of the Bullies came in. Among them was Russell. Couldn't my day get any better? All of the kids took their seats at the tables. Russell was the only one who sat his table. "Class, it seems as if we have a new student. Mikaela Whitesides." The Biology teacher began. "Mikaela, I'd like you to have a seat at Russell's table." Russell looked up from writing on a piece of paper. I thought to myself, "Don't worry buddy, I ain't to happy with this idea myself." I walked calmly and sat down in my seat. Not showing any sign of fear. I faced straight ahead, watching Russell out of the corner of my eye. In front of me was a paper that had a diagram of the Human Body.

The teacher was giving us a lecture on the parts and functions of each organ. Meanwhile, Russell was passing notes back and fourth to his friends. "The Major Artery extending all the way through the heart..." I was listening to the lesson until I was hit with a sharp slug to my arm. Russell passed me a note under the table. I looked at him and he nudged his head, telling me to read it. I opened it, finding it to ask, "Do you like Johnny Vincent?" I broke down in a salted fit. Heat flushed my face. I whispered to Russell, "Who's this from?" Russell leaned back so that way I could see who it was. It was Christy sitting with Lola. I wote down, "What the fuck is that suppose to mean?" I passed the note to Russell, and then he passed it to them. I returned to the lesson, "White blood cells are what travel throughout the blood stream, fighting off..." The note came back in 5 minutes. Under the table I read, "Everyone is saying you like him." I wrote back, "Why?" I passed off the note and turned back to the lecturing, "There are many diseases having to do with the blood stream. One is Sicle Celled Anemia, and is often found to cause blood clots. Heart Attacks..."

The note was back again, "Nevermind!" Russell wrote something down in the note as well, in really sloppy handwriting. "You have bad mouth!" -RUSSELL. A worksheet was passed out with boxes that matched up to different parts of the Human Heart. I already found two parts, which were the minor arteries and the Aortic Valve. The right and left ventricles. Another slug came to my arm. Another note was thrown in my lap. I sighed and opened it up. "YOU ARE A STICK!" -RUSSELL. More salt was added to my mood. "YOU ALREADY FUCKING TOLD ME THAT!" I wrote and passed it to him. I was nearly half way finished with the worksheet, when a striking punch came to my shoulder. It popped and cracked as I was hit. "MGHM!" I looked over to Russell was holding his left hand in the palm of his right. His lip trembled a bit. The blow was painful, but I didn't complain.

"Uhgh..Uhnn" Russell was moaning. I was pissed of the situation. The bell rang and everyone go up out of their seat. I was the last to leave. As I walked out, Russell was waiting right by some lockers. "That hurt, didn't it?!!' I crossed my arms and tilted my head. "SHUT UP!" He shouted at me. I walked away to my locker in prepare for next class, "Music". Not long, Russell was there too. He pushed me out of the way and fumbled with his lock. He faced me with a pouting look. "What the hell do you want now?!" I said to him. "You've been going at me for the whole day if not more!" He huffed, and standing there with his fists all clenched. "Russell think you have bad mouth! Girls should respect me and bow down in fear!" "Yeah?! Well, I ain't the one who's afraid of you!" I got up and off the floor, walking up to him. "YOU GOTTA PROBLEM WITH THE WAY I SPEAK?!" "RUSSELL GOT PROBLEM WITH YOU!!!" He yelled in my face. I stepped a couple feet back. Russell was hyperventalating. I felt really bad for the mood he was in. The bell rang, and Russell was still hyperventalating.

I've never really had any sympathy towards a boy like this. It was hurting me to see him like this. I timidly stepped back. He still hyperventalated, but then pounded his fist on one of the lockers. I decided that it would be best If I left him alone. I walked up stairs and down a hallway to the left, turning a corner, arriving to a small classroom. I walked in, finding all of my classmates as boys. I whined to myself. Johnny Vincent was there again. "Hi!" An African American lady approached me. She was dressed hippy like, wearing a tie-dye long sleeved dress, purple leggings, and sandles, having her hair done up high. "You must be Mikaela! I am Ms.Peters, your Music teacher for the year. The head told me some interesting things, but nothing about you and your involvement in music."

The classroom was filled with such noise and chatter. There was one kid running around in circles, and another clapping his hands. "Boys!" Ms.Peters said sharply. The students stopped what they were doing and had their attention towards her. "It looks like we have a new student! This is Mikaela Whitesides, your only female classmate." She announced. The boys stared at me like deer in the headlights. There were no desks, only chairs. I slid past some people, getting all the way to the back. Some of them were still straring at me. There was a pudgy Greaser who had his eye on me. He elbowed Johnny Vincent on the side, and said to him, "That chick behind us is skinnier than Lola." Johnny Vincent turned around in his chair to look at me. He looked upon me for some time, then turned to his friend, "Are you callin' my girl fat?" "No, I thought Lola was the thinnest in this whole school." "Yeah, but the girl behind us isn't as pretty!" They both laughed.

I noticed Casey way up at the right with someone who was unknown to me. The boy had clear pale white skin and dark brown hair, cut short in a buzzcut. He was wearing a blue Bullworth t-shirt with a long sleeved white shirt underneath. I noticed that he had on blue tennis shoes. The guy was too busy looking at me. "Juri!" Casey whispered to him. He wouldn't budge. "Juri!" Casey shook him on the shoulder. The boy turned him, "What?" "You were staring at that girl!" Casey teased. "NO!" The boy said in some type of European accent, which sounded a bit heavy. "Girls are wierd!" "Ok class!" Ms.Peters smiled. "Since we have a new student, we'll be playing a "Getting to Know Each Other" game.

Just then, the door clicked. We all had our attention to the door. The door opened and Russell came in. My left eye began to twitch. How many more damn classes am I having with him? I stared off into space and was trying to think of something least scary... The apparition in Lola's picture! All I could remember seeing, was that dark figure. The scene of the girl in the locker hallway. Who was she? There's clearly some things that need to be found out here! "As I was saying..." The Teacher started, "I'd like all of you to bring your chairs in a circle." The boys stood up and began to drag their seats across the floor, to the middle of the classroom. The metal scraping the ground. I was the last to bring myself into the circle. Ms.Peters clasped her hands together. "What we're going to do is... if you are picked you will tell your name, what grade you are in this year, and something unique about yourself. We will be going around in a circle, and the next person will tell their name, grade, something unique about themself AND will repeat what the last person had said." I raised my hand when she finished. "Yes Mikaela?" She turned to me. "So..." I began. "It's a memory game?" "Precisely!" She answered.

Everyone moaned. I kept quiet. She then returned to a more serious, sassy tone. "Unless all of you would like to work on our lesson and take home a packet to get done for homework! Let's say, the packet is about 10 pages thick, and it will be due tomorrow at 5:00 P.M. whether or not it's the weekend." The boys began to spring up with their answers. "NO!" One of the Nerdy kids said."WE CAN PLAY THE GAME!" "RUSSELL OK WITH GAME!" Russell spoke up. "IT'S ALOT BETTER THAN A BORING MUSIC LESSON!" A Greaser agreed. "YEAH LET'S DO IT!" One of the bigger, muscular looking boys joined in, the ones wearing sports gear. The Music teacher turned to me. "Mikaela, does that sound fun, honey?" I smiled crookedly. "Uh, yeah. A game sounds cool." Russell grabbed a chair and sat down right by me. I held a neutral expression of face as he brought over his chair.

Ms.Peters put her knuckle to chin, in thinking motion. "Actually, I think we should get in groups and just share your personalities." The boys began to move their seats in three seperate circles. Russell did not move. A cold sweat ran down my forehead. All of the Greasers were together as well as the Nerdy Kids and Athletes. This ain't fair! "I'm just going to place three people in groups!" Ms. Peters said to the students. A timid boy with red curly hair wearing octagonal glasses, a green sweater vest, khaki shorts (with his fly unzipped), and plain socks and shoes raised his hand. "Yes, Algie?" Ms.Peters turned to him. "Uh, I don't think that would be such a good idea!" THe boy was rigid in his seat. "Nonsense!" The Music teacher said merrily. "We should all learn eachother's interests! It will be really fun! In fact, I want you to sit with Lucky and Juri." The Nerdy kid sank back in his seat, but then he tipped backward and fell.

"HA HA HA HA!" All of the boys in the class laughed, all except for me. Johnny Vincent slapped his leg and cracked up. Russell right by me said, "HA! STUPID!" Ms.Peters put her hands on her hips and began to get sassy. "Alright! That's enough! Lucky and Juri, I want you two to come get in a circle with Algie." A tall Greaser stood up and dragged his chair. He had reddish hair worn in a Pompadour. He was wearing a jean jacket, with a darker shade of jean pants, and brown boots. The other one, who was looking at me before was Juri. He too grabbed his chair and moved over to his group. Ms.Peters looked where the Greasers were sitting. "Hal, I want you to get in a group with..." She looked around the room muttering to herself, "Let's see." Ms.Peters then