Author's note, this chapter will be told from Lyra's point of view.
At 5:30 I opened my eyes, excited because today was my first day of high school. I showered, tried on 4 different outfits, put on my make-up and then changed my shoes because they didn't match the eyeshadow I had chosen. I heated up my curling tongs, experience had taught me that curling my hair and eating cereal don't mix. You either get a very warm tongue or very wet hair, neither of which was the first day look I wanted to create. I wanted people to want to be my friend, I knew that I would have no problems with this, so I was half listening to mum saying something about the weather as I finished my cereal. I brushed my teeth, hugged mum goodbye. I took one last look in the mirror before I left, adjusting my hair as I opened the front door.
I held my bag over my head as I ran to the bus, not wanting to destroy over an hours worth of work in the first 20 seconds after I left the house. God knows what this moisture will do to my curls.
I was very aware that nice girls do not finish first, I had a plan in my head to establish a social power base, obviously with myself at the top. This would unfortunately mean distancing myself from Lily as she isn't going to fit into my plans. The first step, was the cheer leading squad. Anybody who was anybody was in the cheer leading squad, and I knew exactly where I needed to be within that squad. Second of all. the boy I picked to date had to be a captain of a sport, probably the football team, maybe basketball. It would depend on which had the most potential and, obviously which one was hotter.
The bus journey was quiet, Lily seemed distant. I did not draw much attention to myself on this journey wanting first to find out who were the power players that i needed to associate myself with. Lessons started after an assembly and a dull tour by some geeky guy. I had Chemistry and humanities. In that time i learnt that the head cheerleader was currently Susie Lockston. She was 3rd year and stunning, I saw her in the corridor where I would be soon, surrounded by boys all fighting for her attention.
At lunch I seated myself with some girls in my Humanities class. I started to dazzle, one story after another coming from my mouth. they were not lies as such, merely exaggerations of the truth. A really hot guy walked past and placing both hands at the end of our table said: "You girls must be new here. I see some pretty faces. The cheer leading squad could do with one or two hotties. I'm Jake the captain of the football team and being honest ladies I don't want to be cheered on by a fat, ugly bird, so go sign up and see if Susie will let you on the squad". Then he simply turned to his crew and walked off. The rest of our conversation over lunch pretty much revolved around him. My plan was already forming to make him mine. I left early from lunch found the notice board, scribbled my name on the third line down.
English was dull, the teacher started making all these jokes that nobody laughed at, it was pretty embarrassing. Then he started talking about his books he had wrote. Snore................ . I was not interested in his adaptation of Julius Caesar. I had bigger fish to fry.
Final break was when I would start planting the seeds for the future. I spotted Jake lurking at the corner of the main hallway, probably looking for some nerds to beat up or some other pathetic activity. I looked him square in his greyish blue eyes and purred, "So I signed up for that cheer leading thing, but not just to impress you." I saw Lily out of the corner of my eye, damn she could ruin this, so I ignored her. "Is that so, I like a challenge, I usually impress people on the field" He laughed stupidly. "yeah, girls love it when I throw guys around." Man this was going to be easier than I thought. "Sure tough guy, you'll just have to see if I am impressed won't you." Then I turned, making sure I just brushed him as I walked past, as cool as a cucumber. Leaving the quiet whispers behind me I turned the corner and let out a sigh, this was going to be easy.
History of the Ancient Mayans, my text book declared, almost daring me to try and find the lesson fun. No chance! So far I was not impressed with much in the school, apart form Jake's muscles. The bell rang ending the last of my first school days forever.
Jake was already on the bus, sitting in an aisle seat next to an empty window seat. "A gentleman always saves a seat for a Lady," he smiled up at me, putty in my hands. Poor, simple fool. "I don't see a Gentleman, but the gesture is nice". Jake mostly talked at me on the ride home, he seemed overly keen to try and impress me as quickly as possible. I listened, but made sure I didn't seem too interested. As we approached my house, I saw Lily storm past me and Jake and go and stand by the door. "Bye Stud," I said softly as I squeezed past him to get out of my seat. "A gentleman would have got up." I smiled to show him I wasn't really serious. He seemed to look confused, and the shook it off "Yeah bye..........." I was off the bus before he had finished finding a nickname for me. Always keep them wanting more.
I saw Mum and Dad on the porch, Lily was a little way ahead of me. I quickened my pace to catch up to her.
Stay tuned for chapter 12 :)
