//1. Nervous//

I stare up at the ceiling waiting patiently for my alarm clock to go off, but deep down I actually don’t want it to.

I think about having to walk in unfamiliar hallways of a new school and I dread the thought. This is the second semester and I will be coming in as a new student.

Just my luck.

Any student who wanted to change schools will have smartly come at the first semester, but look at me, coming at the beginning of the second semester. I wasn’t glad when my parents told me we would be moving, because I didn’t like change very much. While some decided that moving and changing schools will be a good way to start over, especially if you had a terrible life, I didn’t like it one bit. But there’s nothing I can do, mom and dad were so happy to be moving back to the town they grew up in and every other person was also excited about it.

I’ll have to meet new people who know absolutely don’t know jack about me, which could be a good thing or a bad thing. It also means new therapists that have to learn everything about me. I don’t want to have to go through the process again. I despise it. I was finally beginning to warm up around them, but now I have to start over again. From the very beginning.

The alarm clock finally goes and the sound of it fills my new room. I look around and there are still some boxes that contain my things that I’m still yet to put in the places they belong and hers. I sigh.

Before I get out of bed, I say a quick word of prayer, hoping nothing wrong is going to happen today.

I get up from my bed and walk to the bathroom. After I brush my teeth, I strip off my clothes and have a quick shower.

I come out of the bathroom with my towel wrapped around my body and put on the clothes I picked out yesterday. It’s a white crop top with black jeans and my black jacket. I look into the mirror and see my light golden skin self looking back at me. I apply a decent coat of makeup onto my face and put some lip-gloss to make my lips shine and loosen the twists momma had done for me yesterday, I pull my natural hair into a low puff and lay my edges and baby hairs down. I smile to myself in front of the mirror because I am looking on fleek and golden. I slip my white Adidas on, grab my phone, my bag and my keys and walk downstairs.

Mom, dad, and my siblings are already downstairs.

“Good morning,” I greet all of them.

“Isis, I thought you were oversleeping I was ‘bout to come wake your lazy ass up.” Momma says as I give her and my dad a kiss on the cheek.

“Well, no need for that,” I say as I take a plate and put some eggs and toast on it. I still have a lot of time before school actually starts, so I take my time eating and talking to my family.

Tyrell, my older brother, is also having breakfast with the rest of us.

“You want me to drop you off?” he asks.

“Nah, I’m fine driving myself,”

“Okay,”

“But make sure you shine like you always do,” he advises with a grin.

“I will thanks.” I say and hug him.

“Don’t get all soft on me Isis,”

“Never,” I smile.

I check my iPhone and the time reads 7:01am. Might as well start going.

I tell Zion to meet me outside after I tell mom and dad goodbye. They wish Zion and I a good day. Zion is my sixteen year old brother; he’s very smart and cute, but he’s way too smart for his age and sometimes it just gets me so upset. Although, I will never tell him that.

I walk out of the house and into the car and wait for Zion. My phone buzzes, so I unlock it and see a message from Macy, my friend from London.

She’s just checking up on me and asking if I’m doing well. I answer her and tell her I’m good and also ask about her. I make a mental note to start up a conversation later because Zion’s already in the car.

I start the engine of the car, and pull out of the driveway. Zion puts in the location of the school into the GPS and in seconds it’s already showing us the way.

The drive to school isn’t so long as it takes only twenty minutes.

Zion and I get ourselves out of the car after taking our stuff and walk towards the building of the school. Zion and I make sure not to draw attention to ourselves as we are walking to the main office to get our schedule, locker combination and every other important thing we need. It isn’t so hard getting there because there are signs around.

“Good morning Miss-,” I stop myself short realising I don’t know her name. It is like she knows this because she answers me a few seconds later.

“It’s Miss Fall,” she answers with a smile.

She looks like she is in her mid thirties but isn’t married yet because I can’t see a ring on her finger.

“Okay. I’m Isis King and this is my brother Zion King, we are new students here and we were hoping to get our schedules, locker combination, and every other thing we might need.” I say.

“Okay,” she replies as she types on her computer. A few minutes later, she hands us two pieces of paper with our names on it, showing our schedule and locker combination. She also gives us another paper with a map of the school on it.

“Thank you, Miss Fall,” Zion and I say simultaneously and look at each other and smile.

We were raised well enough to thank people when they deserved it and even when they didn’t.

“It’s no problem,” she smiles. “Y’all need help finding your lockers?” she asks

I look at Zion having a silent conversation with him and we decide we don’t need help so we tell her no.

“Your gym clothes will be in your lockers in the locker room, you’ll have to change into them before going for the class, and you can come get your uniforms tomorrow. And welcome to ” she tells us.

We thank her again and we get out of the office and I turn to Zion.

“See you later,” I say and he nods his head towards me like he is agreeing with me.

I find my locker after about a minute of searching for it. I put some of my things into it and turn around when I feel a hand on my shoulder.

I am immediately greeted by my cousin’s face, Zeus.

“Hey you,” he says and engulfs me in a hug, I respond to it by hugging him back.

“Hi,”

I look at Zeus from head to toe and he was dressed in a white t-shirt paired off with some black jeans and a matching white and black Nike. His hair was in a low cut as usual.

“How you been?”

“I’ve been a’ight. You?”

“I’m chill,”

“So, welcome to Portland.” he asks.

“Thanks, even though I’m not all that excited ‘bout being here. This town looks bunk, there’s nothing to do,” I answer.

“This town ain’t bunk. You’ll like it here. Where Zion at though?” He grins.

“Sure,” I drawl. “He’s somewhere, we just got our stuff, so he probably at his locker.”

“Okay,”

“So who’s taking your homeroom?” he asks.

I check the paper Miss Falls gave me a while ago and go through it to find the answer to Zeus’s question.

“It’s Mr. Gellar,” I tell him.

“Oh, he’s pretty chill. You ain’t gonna have any problem with him,”

“Okay.”

“Lemme see your schedule for a second, so I can know which classes I’m having with you,” I hand over the piece of paper to him and he goes through it.

“We have a few classes together,”

“That’s good,” I say as I close the locker.

“How ‘bout I walk you to your homeroom, the bell’s ‘bout to go?”

“I’m cool with that,” I say and we start walking together.

In a few minutes, Zeus and I are standing in front of a door, which is probably my homeroom. A few girls pass by us and acknowledge him with a smile and a ‘hi’ and I smile at him.

“Thanks for helping me out. You can get back to your girls now,” I joke and nod my head over to another group of girls looking our way.

“What you mean? I got you, alright?”

“Yeah yeah, was just joking anyways,”

“I’ll see you sixth period,” he says already backing away.

“Whatever,” I say and he turns around and walks away.

I open the door and walk into the room.

Here we go.

The room is filled with a few students, maybe about twelve. The moment I enter, a few students look my way, while some just look indifferent to my entrance. I walk to a desk and a chair at the far left in the middle of the room and take my seat.

The bell goes a few seconds after I sit and students start to fill the room up. A man dressed in a suit, probably in his mid-forties comes in, and I’m guessing he’s Mr. Gellar.

“Alright, settle down people.” He says holding on to a clipboard. After everywhere seems settled, Mr. Gellar does a role call.

“…Wendy Banks,” he calls out and she raises up her hand and says here. “Isis King,” he calls out.

I respond with a here as everyone else had done and a few heads turn to face me after I answer.

After doing the role call and telling us a few announcements, the bell goes and we all start to leave the room for our next class.

I look at the paper in my hands and it says I have Literature in room 12. I eventually find my way to room 12 and go in. Our teacher, Mrs. Tanner comes in a few moments after the bell goes.

“Morning everyone,” she greets and we respond as a class.

“Before we actually start off, let’s welcome our new student,” she says and locks her eyes on me. “How about a brief introduction?” she asks and I get up from my seat.

“I’m Isis King, I’m 17 and I just moved from London,” I say simply.

“Thank you Isis. You may sit,” she says and I do.

Today’s gonna be a long one.

∞

The sound of the bell cuts through the air and its lunch. I grab my things and make my way to the cafeteria using the map that Miss Fall had given me in the morning.

I step into the noise filled cafeteria and join the line to get my food. After putting my food on the tray, I walk up closer and pay for it. I turn around searching for a table but that changes when someone bumps into me really hard. I stagger backwards a bit but gain my balance.

I look up and find the boy who bumped into me, he is smiling and I feel irritated, because he doesn’t apologise. He is about to turn around and walk away but I stop him.

“Hey, aren’t you going to apologise?” I question with a glare.

“Apologise for?” he raises an eyebrow.

You’ve got to be kidding me.

“You bumped into me, you idiot?” the whole cafeteria suddenly becomes quiet.

The boy just stands there and crosses him arms with a smirk on his face. “And if I don’t apologise, what you gonna do ‘bout it?” he asks.

You did not just ask me that.

I look down to my tray and smile because I have a brilliant idea.

I lift up my plate of spaghetti and dump it on him. But I am not done. I twist the cap of my Pepsi and pour it on him.

“That,” I answered.

The whole cafeteria erupts with a series of ‘woah’s’ and they are looking at us watching in shock. They are probably looking at me mostly, wondering who the hell I am, but I don’t care. I walk out of the cafeteria with so much anger inside me.

That nigga just ruined my lunch.

I walk through the almost empty hallways alone before I hear footsteps and someone calling, ‘hey’. I turn around and find a girl in a cropped hoodie and blue jeans.

“Yes?” I ask.

“I saw what you did back there,” she starts.

“So?”

“No one has ever done that to KJ, clearly you new ‘round here.” she continues.

“Maybe no one’s ever had the balls to put him in his place,”

“I like you. I’m Nevaeh,” she says with a smile and an outstretched hand.

“I’m Isis,” I say and shake her hand.

“You going outta school for lunch?” she asks.

“We allowed to?”

“Yeah, have you been to Rona’s?”

“Nope,”

“How ‘bout we go now, my treat? They have the best pizzas,”

“Sure,” I reply. I can’t ever pass up a free meal.

“So, where you from? You have an accent, I can’t exactly place it.” She asks as we walk out of the school.

“I’m African-American by birth and then English by naturalization. I’m from Jamaica, but I lived in London for most part of my life.”

“Oh that’s cool. I’m also African-American, I’m Somalia,”

“So, what’s that dude’s problem, anyway?”

“You mean KJ?” she asks as we walk in the parking lot.

“Yeah,”

“He’s just very cocky and sarcastic, he thinks he’s all that. He’s the captain of the football team, that’s why he stay feeling himself like that,” she says.

“He should just stay out of my way next time, or I might do somethin’ worse,”

“I don’t find that hard to believe after what you just pulled back there,” she says as she unlocks the door to her car. Her car is a black Volkswagen Passat, probably a 2015 or 2016 version. I know my cars.

“Get in,” she says and I do.

Nevaeh drives the car out of the parking lot and soon we are on our way to Rona’s.

Lunch with her makes me ease up a little after the whole incident with KJ. I actually enjoy her company.

After half an hour, Nevaeh and I head back to school; we split up because we don’t have any class together.

∞

Its sixth period and I’m walking to the English class, when Zeus comes to my side and slings his hand over my shoulder.

“Hey you,” he greets.

“Hey,”

“I saw what you did to KJ today, that was fire,”

“You saw that and couldn’t come to help me out?”

“Isis, do you look like you need help with him? I knew you were going to put him in his place, you didn’t need me back there,”

“That is true, I didn’t need an ass to help me out and I didn’t any help at all,” I say smugly.

“I’m not an ass,” he says as he playfully punches my arm.

“Sure,” I snort as we enter the class.

Zeus and I pick a seat the far back and wait for the teacher to come. When Mr. Dalton finally comes in the class begins. I pick out my note book from my bag and open to a fresh page.

“Alright, let’s get things started shall we?” she says as she walks around. “I hope you enjoyed your break and you all are ready and energised to learn?” a few people disagree in hushed tones but Mr. Dalton ignores them.

“We will-” Mr. Dalton is cut short by the sudden opening of the door and we all turn our heads to see who interrupted him.

Low and behold, it’s the stupid KJ.

“Mr. Andrews, may I ask why you are late to my class?” the teacher asks.

“Nope,” he says and some people laugh, including Zeus.

“Just sit down and don’t disturb my class. There’s an empty seat next to Miss King, you can sit there. Miss King please raise your hand.” he says.

Why? Why sit beside me?

Because it’s the only empty seat left.

I do as Mr. Dalton instructs and KJ’s eyes catch mine and he smirks.

He swaggers over to the seat beside me and sits.

“Where were we?” Mr. Dalton asks but doesn’t wait for an answer because he continues with his talking.

Mr. Dalton keeps on droning on and on and I concentrate until I feel someone kicking at my desk. I don’t need to look at who’s doing it, because it can only be him. KJ.

I ignore the kicking and continue listening to Mr. Dalton and scribbling things onto my note book.

“Yo,” a voice whispers.

I ignore it.

But he doesn’t stop.

“Hey,” he whispers.

Once again, ignore him.

“I’m talking to you,” he says and kicks at my desk.

I realise he isn’t going to go away or stop so I turn my head and ask,

“What?” I whisper yell.

“Finally, I thought you were never gonna answer me,” he says.

“What do you want?” I ask again.

“Think I could borrow a pen? I kinda forgot mine in my locker,” he says.

I give him a once-over after hearing what he said.

“Please,” he grinned.

I’m not exactly the biggest fan of KJ, considering what happened at lunch, but it’s not like I need two pens at the same time. I dig my hand into my bag and pull out a pen and hand it to him.

“Thanks,” he says as he smiles, showing a perfect set of teeth.

“Its fine,” I say as I turn away from him.

Mr. Dalton specifically told KJ not to disturb the class, but I don’t think it means anything to him because he continues talking.

“I’m KJ,” he says.

“I know,” I say plainly without looking at him.

“You been asking about me?” I don’t need to look at him to know he’s smiling.

“Don’t flatter yourself and leave me alone. I already gave you a pen,” I say.

I think he finally gets the hint because he doesn’t say anything again.

The class goes on and on and I continue writing down the important things as Mr. Dalton goes on.

The bell finally cuts through the room and Mr. Dalton rounds up the class and dismisses us.

“I’ll see you later?” Zeus asks as I gather my things.

“Maybe,”

“A’ight,” he says and walks away with a smile.

I walk out the door and head to my next class. P.E.

I honestly don’t dislike the class, back in London, some of my friends dreaded having to go to P.E. class, but not me.

I find the girls’ locker room with the aid of my map. I get changed into the gym clothes just like Miss Falls instructed earlier on. The gym clothes are not anything different from the one I had in London.

They are simple shorts and a customised top with the school logo on it. I suddenly feel self conscious as I step into the gym that is already filled with people. It’s not like I’m ashamed of my body, if anything I’m in love with it, you know all the curves and stuff.

A teacher walks into the noisy gym and blows a whistle, grabbing everyone’s attention.

“We’ll start off with some stretches and then finish things off on the track,” she says.

We all do as we are told and start stretching. I do some twists, turns, squats and touch my toes just to loosen up any tight muscles, when a voice rings out.

“Damn, I’d tap that ass,” he whistles.

I turn around and realise that it’s KJ who said that. He catches my eye and wiggles an eyebrow.

I turn back around and ignore him.

Mr. Baxter blows the whistle again.

“Ok guys, let’s get outside onto the tracks,” he says and we move.

I start jogging on the tracks in attempt to get away from KJ. But he seems persistent, because I turn to my side and find him also jogging by my side.

“Won’t you go away?”

“I don’t think so,”

“I’m pretty sure my hair smells of tomato sauce after what you did at lunch,”

“If you think you’re gonna get an apology outta me, you’ve got another thing coming.” I say.

“I don’t think you capable of apologising,” he says smugly.

“Fuck off already,” I run faster and he laughs.

“I will if you tell me your name,”

So far, I’ve been upset twice today and it’s all because of him, I need to get away from him. If I don’t tell him my name, he’ll probably never leave.

“Isis,” I say and jog off.

∞

P.E. class ends and it’s now the end of school. After changing into my initial outfit, I make my way out of the locker room. I text Zion asking him where he is. A few minutes later, he replies saying he’s at the field with Zeus.

I head to my locker and take out the books I’ll need and drop the ones I don’t need. I walk to the field and Zeus and Zion wave me over.

“You stalking me now?” a voice that’s already unfortunately familiar, asks.

“Don’t make yourself sound important KJ,” I tell him and walk away from him.

I walk up to the top of the bleachers and sit with the boys.

“Hi,”

“You friends with KJ?” Zeus asks.

“No way in hell,” I say and he laughs.

“Anyways, how was your first day here?” he asks.

“It would have been a lot better if I hadn’t met him,” I mutter and they laugh. “But I did meet this girl, her name’s Nevaeh. We went out for lunch, she made me laugh after I was so upset, and she ain’t so bad.”

“I think you’ve met your bestie. She’s a lot like you, you know, sassy, full of attitude, and blunt.” He says and he and Zion laugh.

“I’m not full of attitude, idiot,” I punch him.

“You have to stop punching me Isis,” Zeus says and rubs where I punched him.

“Anyways, how ‘bout you, how was your day?” I ask Zion.

“It was okay, although I didn’t get to dump my spaghetti and Pepsi on someone,” he says and we all laugh.

The three of us sit there and talk for about half an hour, before we decide to go home.

“Say hi to the fam for me, yeah?” Zeus asks.

“Yeah,” I say as we are about to go. Zion and I hug Zeus goodbye and walk to the parking lot.

∞

It’s dinner and everyone’s gathered round the table, including baby Quan who’s sitting on his chair.

Yes, I have a cute baby brother and he’s one. I love him so much.

“So, how was school?” Daddy asks after we say a word of prayer.

“Mine was okay, but Isis’ day seemed to be so eventful,” Zion says and I kick him under the table.

Did I mention Zion could also be a snitch sometimes?

“What happened?” Mom asks with curiosity and Zion answers.

“She dumped her lunch on a guy,” he tells them and I see Tyrell smile from the corner of my eye.

“Why did you dump your lunch on someone?” Mom asks.

“He didn’t apologise for bumping into me and he was so cocky about it that it upset me,”

“Just don’t do that tomorrow, and try to control your anger,” she says with a tight smile.

“I’ll try to,”

“Make any friends?” Dad asks.

Zion shakes his head and I nod my head.

After dinner, I clean up the dishes and head to my room and I call Macy.

“Hey,” I say.

“Isis, I was just about to call you. How are you?” she asks.

“I’m a’ight. You?”

“I’m okay, although I’m missing you over here,” she says and I can imagine her pouting.

“I miss you too,” I laugh.

“How was your day? Tell me all about our new school,”

I do, I tell her everything that happened today including the part where I dumped my lunch on KJ, because it seems everyone is interested in it and she cracks up after I tell her.

“I wish I was there,” she says still laughing a bit.

“I wish you were too,” I sigh.

Macy and I talk for a while and then we end the call, deciding to get some rest.

∞