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Out of Thin Air
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This seems like an interesting story so far. I'd love to read more. :)
Here's the next bit! Sorry it took so long, I'm really lazy about posting regularly...
Leila was pretty much back to normal when class started.
"Hello class, my name's Mr. Carwin. I'll be your teacher this year while we study the exciting topic of American History!" The teacher, an old man known in the school for his chocolate addiction, presented himself to the class. Leila felt herself relax, completely comforted by the normalcy of this class.
The class was in its full swing of half listening to Mr. Carwin's droning voice when there was a knock on the door. The new boy - Max, Makayla had called him - walked in. Leila clenched her fists.
"Sorry I'm late, sir," said Max.
"No problem, Max, have a seat." Even Mr. Carwin seemed to know who this Max was! What the hell was going on?
Throughout the whole class - and the rest of the day - Leila examined anybody and everybody for signs that could prove this new boy did not belong, but found absolutely nothing. Frustrated and confused, Leila led her group to their table, only to find that it was occupied by a couple of the new kids.
"And what do you think you're doing?" Leila smiled frostily - interrupting whatever fascinating discussion about a homework assignment the nerds were having.
"Um... eating l-lunch?" A braver boy answered.
"Well, don't you think you should go eat it somewhere else?" Makayla asked sweetly, coming up beside Leila.
"This is our table." Andrea added. The kids looked unsure, mumbling something or other. Leila realized they were stalling, so she leaned over them intimidatingly.
"Get out, now." She whispered fiercely. The kids fled so fast it was like they disappeared. Leila felt a rush of success as she watched them run, spreading the word of what just happened to their friends. Then she turned around,
"Ok, girls, let's eat!" She said cheerily.
They were deep into a discussion on Marissa's new look - seriously, who told her blue streaks were a good idea? - when Makayla abruptly changed the subject:
"So, are we going to talk about what happened with Max today or what?"
"What?" Leila replied. This is it, she thought. She's going to accuse me of being crazy.
"Oh, come on! I know you haven't forgotten! He forgot your name! We have to do something." Leila breathed a sigh of relief. Revenge was something she understood.
"So, what's it gonna be?" Makayla continued, "Complete ostracizing, or public humiliation or maybe even... dirty gossip?"
"Why don't we just..." Leila's mind whirred as she tried to think of a lesser punishment. "Do something smaller? It is the beginning of the school, after all." Makayla looked confused for a few seconds, then she grinned slyly.
"Does somebody have a crush?" she asked playfully,
"No! Ew!" Leila responded, scandalized, "Why would I? He forgot my name, remember?" He never knew my name, she silently corrected.
"True..." Makayla replied, "So, is this another one of your pity on the lower beings kind of things? I swear, you're going to open up a charity next!"
Leila felt her misgivings fade away. What did she owe him, anyways?
Leila was pretty much back to normal when class started.
"Hello class, my name's Mr. Carwin. I'll be your teacher this year while we study the exciting topic of American History!" The teacher, an old man known in the school for his chocolate addiction, presented himself to the class. Leila felt herself relax, completely comforted by the normalcy of this class.
The class was in its full swing of half listening to Mr. Carwin's droning voice when there was a knock on the door. The new boy - Max, Makayla had called him - walked in. Leila clenched her fists.
"Sorry I'm late, sir," said Max.
"No problem, Max, have a seat." Even Mr. Carwin seemed to know who this Max was! What the hell was going on?
Throughout the whole class - and the rest of the day - Leila examined anybody and everybody for signs that could prove this new boy did not belong, but found absolutely nothing. Frustrated and confused, Leila led her group to their table, only to find that it was occupied by a couple of the new kids.
"And what do you think you're doing?" Leila smiled frostily - interrupting whatever fascinating discussion about a homework assignment the nerds were having.
"Um... eating l-lunch?" A braver boy answered.
"Well, don't you think you should go eat it somewhere else?" Makayla asked sweetly, coming up beside Leila.
"This is our table." Andrea added. The kids looked unsure, mumbling something or other. Leila realized they were stalling, so she leaned over them intimidatingly.
"Get out, now." She whispered fiercely. The kids fled so fast it was like they disappeared. Leila felt a rush of success as she watched them run, spreading the word of what just happened to their friends. Then she turned around,
"Ok, girls, let's eat!" She said cheerily.
They were deep into a discussion on Marissa's new look - seriously, who told her blue streaks were a good idea? - when Makayla abruptly changed the subject:
"So, are we going to talk about what happened with Max today or what?"
"What?" Leila replied. This is it, she thought. She's going to accuse me of being crazy.
"Oh, come on! I know you haven't forgotten! He forgot your name! We have to do something." Leila breathed a sigh of relief. Revenge was something she understood.
"So, what's it gonna be?" Makayla continued, "Complete ostracizing, or public humiliation or maybe even... dirty gossip?"
"Why don't we just..." Leila's mind whirred as she tried to think of a lesser punishment. "Do something smaller? It is the beginning of the school, after all." Makayla looked confused for a few seconds, then she grinned slyly.
"Does somebody have a crush?" she asked playfully,
"No! Ew!" Leila responded, scandalized, "Why would I? He forgot my name, remember?" He never knew my name, she silently corrected.
"True..." Makayla replied, "So, is this another one of your pity on the lower beings kind of things? I swear, you're going to open up a charity next!"
Leila felt her misgivings fade away. What did she owe him, anyways?
As expected, the story is turning out great so far! :) I can't wait to read more.
The next day passed normally, and as long as Leila avoided seeing or even thinking about Max, she was fine. She was scared that if she saw him again she'd slip up and call him New Boy, and then everybody would know she was crazy, or at the very least had some weird kind of amnesia. But when the final bell rang, she was in good spirits.
"Hey Micki, we going to your house tonight?" Leila called when she saw her friend.
"Aw, no. I forgot to tell you, My family's doing this back to school celebratory dinner. There's no missing it and no friends allowed, sorry." Makayla said apologetically, "See you Monday?"
"Sure, no problem!" Leila replied, waving goodbye to Makayla. She pulled out her phone and called her mom, voicemail.
"Hey Mom, change of plans; I can't study with Makayla today. Could you pick me up at the school?" she found a bench near the front of school, and sat down to wait.
She was still waiting ten minutes later when someone sat down next to her, she didn't look up.
"Hey," it was Max. Act cool, act cool! Leila thought.
"Hey, Max," Her voice was completely even, though she was panicking inside.
"You remember me?" Max said surprised.
"Of course I remember you." Max relaxed and gave a big smile. Leila took this opportunity to search her memory for him. He was medium height with floppy black hair, tan skin, a boyishly round face, and eyes so brown they almost looked black - kind of Greek, in a way. She may have imagined it, but it seemed like he had this differentness about him that separated him from everyone else she knew. Suddenly, Max shifted awkwardly. Realizing she had been staring, she looked away embarrassed, and he got up to leave.
"Uh, I guess, I'll see you on Monday then, Leia."
"It's Leila, New Boy!" she snarled, and her hands flew to her mouth - she had given away her secret. Max turned and fixed her with a piercing dark-eyed stare,
"You don't remember me, do you?" he said finally. Leila struggled to think up an appropriate response, but drew a blank. Max nodded, answering his own question, and walked away. Leila sighed and checked her phone. Her mom obviously wasn't coming, so she would have a long walk home to thinking about her impending social doom.
"Hey! Mom? I'm home!" Leila called into the empty hallway.
"Hi Leelee!" a little blonde figure rushed into Leila,
"Hey Olive," Leila said to her younger sister, "you've been home alone?"
"Ya, Mom dropped me off from school, but had to go to a work thingy."
"She knows I don't like it when she leaves you alone!" Leila exclaimed angrily.
"I was ok, I finished all my homework!" Olivia replied,
"I still don't like it." Leila grumbled, "Did you eat anything yet?"
"No, not yet." Her sister replied, following her into the kitchen.
"Here, I'll make us dinner." Leila started preparing something, and her sister sat down to watch her.
"What did you do today, Leelee?"
"Actually, I've got a bit of a problem, wanna help me out?"
"Sure!" the little girl replied eagerly.
"Well, a boy in my school accidentally found out a big secret I was keeping, and he's going to tell the world! What do I do?" Leila tried to keep her voice light for her sister, but it bordered on hysteria. Olivia thought a while; she could be very mature when she wanted to be.
"You can't stop him from telling...but could you find a way to make sure no one believes him?" Leila stopped.
"Olive, you're a genius! I'll be right back!" She yelled back to Olivia as she ran out the room.
"What about dinner?" the younger girl called back, but Leila didn't hear. She was already dialing Makayla's number.
"Hey Micki, we going to your house tonight?" Leila called when she saw her friend.
"Aw, no. I forgot to tell you, My family's doing this back to school celebratory dinner. There's no missing it and no friends allowed, sorry." Makayla said apologetically, "See you Monday?"
"Sure, no problem!" Leila replied, waving goodbye to Makayla. She pulled out her phone and called her mom, voicemail.
"Hey Mom, change of plans; I can't study with Makayla today. Could you pick me up at the school?" she found a bench near the front of school, and sat down to wait.
She was still waiting ten minutes later when someone sat down next to her, she didn't look up.
"Hey," it was Max. Act cool, act cool! Leila thought.
"Hey, Max," Her voice was completely even, though she was panicking inside.
"You remember me?" Max said surprised.
"Of course I remember you." Max relaxed and gave a big smile. Leila took this opportunity to search her memory for him. He was medium height with floppy black hair, tan skin, a boyishly round face, and eyes so brown they almost looked black - kind of Greek, in a way. She may have imagined it, but it seemed like he had this differentness about him that separated him from everyone else she knew. Suddenly, Max shifted awkwardly. Realizing she had been staring, she looked away embarrassed, and he got up to leave.
"Uh, I guess, I'll see you on Monday then, Leia."
"It's Leila, New Boy!" she snarled, and her hands flew to her mouth - she had given away her secret. Max turned and fixed her with a piercing dark-eyed stare,
"You don't remember me, do you?" he said finally. Leila struggled to think up an appropriate response, but drew a blank. Max nodded, answering his own question, and walked away. Leila sighed and checked her phone. Her mom obviously wasn't coming, so she would have a long walk home to thinking about her impending social doom.
"Hey! Mom? I'm home!" Leila called into the empty hallway.
"Hi Leelee!" a little blonde figure rushed into Leila,
"Hey Olive," Leila said to her younger sister, "you've been home alone?"
"Ya, Mom dropped me off from school, but had to go to a work thingy."
"She knows I don't like it when she leaves you alone!" Leila exclaimed angrily.
"I was ok, I finished all my homework!" Olivia replied,
"I still don't like it." Leila grumbled, "Did you eat anything yet?"
"No, not yet." Her sister replied, following her into the kitchen.
"Here, I'll make us dinner." Leila started preparing something, and her sister sat down to watch her.
"What did you do today, Leelee?"
"Actually, I've got a bit of a problem, wanna help me out?"
"Sure!" the little girl replied eagerly.
"Well, a boy in my school accidentally found out a big secret I was keeping, and he's going to tell the world! What do I do?" Leila tried to keep her voice light for her sister, but it bordered on hysteria. Olivia thought a while; she could be very mature when she wanted to be.
"You can't stop him from telling...but could you find a way to make sure no one believes him?" Leila stopped.
"Olive, you're a genius! I'll be right back!" She yelled back to Olivia as she ran out the room.
"What about dinner?" the younger girl called back, but Leila didn't hear. She was already dialing Makayla's number.
Alison wrote: "I'm glad you like it!"Of course! It's really good. :)
Alison wrote: "The next day passed normally, and as long as Leila avoided seeing or even thinking about Max, she was fine. She was scared that if she saw him again she'd slip up and call him New Boy, and then eve..."Ooh, I'm interested in seeing how Leila solves this! :D
Chapter 2
Leila walked into school on Monday feeling triumphant. It had been pretty simple to make sure that Max wouldn't tell the world how crazy she was. Just a simple phone call to Makayla, saying that Max had forgotten her name again, and all was arranged. Max was now the boy who had done something very bad and everybody knew it, except for Max, of course.
She walked into class and sat down at her usual seat next to Makayla, who gave her a thumbs up and a big smile. A few seconds later, the class quieted. Everybody was staring at Max as he walked in. The boy nervously went to sit at the back of the class.
One of the boys yelled something rude at him, and soon the whole class was chanting, his high school social life was over before it had even began. Try and mess with me again, New Boy. Leila thought triumphantly.
Leila hadn't expected for Max to ever talk to her again after that, but he caught up to her a few days later when she was walking home again.
"Hey Leila, wait up!" Max ran up to her side.
"What are you doing here?" She asked sickeningly calm.
"Walking home, just like you." he replied just as evenly.
"Sure..." She replied sarcastically, "What do you want?"
"To get you to stop the rumors." He stated.
"And why would I do that?"
"Because otherwise I'll tell the world you're insane." She stopped, he had hit a nerve.
"How will you prove it?" she asked, turning to face him.
"The fact that you don't know who I am, and call me New Boy. You obviously hit your head over the summer." Max said coolly. "Come on, Leila, you know you don't want that to get out. Stop the rumors." Leila thought for a moment.
"No," she said finally, shock showed clearly on Max's face, "It's my word against yours, and we both know who is more credible to the school." Suddenly, Max's face fell, despair written all over it.
"Please..." he whispered to her in one last attempt to convince her. She almost was, she almost gave into that round, innocent face and dark pleading eyes. No! an inside part of her screamed, he's using you, as soon as he gets what he wants he'll turn and tell the whole school! Against every single instinct she had to save this boy, she hardened her heart, lifted her head and walked proudly away. But when she got home, she locked herself in her room and cried for the new-boy-that-wasn't.
It's for your own good, she tried to reassure herself, you can't trust him. But try as she might, she couldn't stop thinking about Max's vulnerable, crushed face after she said no.
Leila walked into school on Monday feeling triumphant. It had been pretty simple to make sure that Max wouldn't tell the world how crazy she was. Just a simple phone call to Makayla, saying that Max had forgotten her name again, and all was arranged. Max was now the boy who had done something very bad and everybody knew it, except for Max, of course.
She walked into class and sat down at her usual seat next to Makayla, who gave her a thumbs up and a big smile. A few seconds later, the class quieted. Everybody was staring at Max as he walked in. The boy nervously went to sit at the back of the class.
One of the boys yelled something rude at him, and soon the whole class was chanting, his high school social life was over before it had even began. Try and mess with me again, New Boy. Leila thought triumphantly.
Leila hadn't expected for Max to ever talk to her again after that, but he caught up to her a few days later when she was walking home again.
"Hey Leila, wait up!" Max ran up to her side.
"What are you doing here?" She asked sickeningly calm.
"Walking home, just like you." he replied just as evenly.
"Sure..." She replied sarcastically, "What do you want?"
"To get you to stop the rumors." He stated.
"And why would I do that?"
"Because otherwise I'll tell the world you're insane." She stopped, he had hit a nerve.
"How will you prove it?" she asked, turning to face him.
"The fact that you don't know who I am, and call me New Boy. You obviously hit your head over the summer." Max said coolly. "Come on, Leila, you know you don't want that to get out. Stop the rumors." Leila thought for a moment.
"No," she said finally, shock showed clearly on Max's face, "It's my word against yours, and we both know who is more credible to the school." Suddenly, Max's face fell, despair written all over it.
"Please..." he whispered to her in one last attempt to convince her. She almost was, she almost gave into that round, innocent face and dark pleading eyes. No! an inside part of her screamed, he's using you, as soon as he gets what he wants he'll turn and tell the whole school! Against every single instinct she had to save this boy, she hardened her heart, lifted her head and walked proudly away. But when she got home, she locked herself in her room and cried for the new-boy-that-wasn't.
It's for your own good, she tried to reassure herself, you can't trust him. But try as she might, she couldn't stop thinking about Max's vulnerable, crushed face after she said no.
I can't help but feel bad for Max. :(
Still life went on, and Leila got up and went to school the next day, and the day after that, and the day after that, and so on. Until that conversation with Max had faded in her mind, replaced by schoolwork and other stuff. "Hey Leila, guess wha-at?" Makayla yelled across the hallway, too excited to wait until she reached her friend, "They just posted it on the announcement board! Cheerleading tryouts in two weeks!"
"What? Oh my god, we have to try out!"
"Ya, I've heard any girl worth anything at this school is on the cheerleading team!"
"Hey, you girls are trying out for the team?" Taylor bounced excitedly up to the girls, followed quickly by Savannah, "We were just going to sign up!"
"We were?" Savannah asked confusedly, "I thought we were going to the b-Ow!" Taylor had stepped not so inconspicuously on her foot, and dragged her away.
"Anyway..." Makayla continued with a roll of her eyes, "Tryouts are Tuesdays and Thursdays, and..." Leila half listened to Makayla's blabbering and half daydreamed about her, a senior and the cheer captain, queen of the school along with Makayla, loved by everyone....
"Hey Leila, are you getting this?" Makayla interrupted her thoughts. Leila snapped back into reality. "Look, what is that?" A crowd of boys had crowded around the lockers.
"Come on, it's probably nothing." Makayla shot her a look; they both knew what it was. They ignored it, and kept on walking. For some reason though, Leila looked back behind her and caught a glimpse of the poor boy they were beating up; It was Max. I did this, she thought.
Before she knew it, she was in the middle of the circle of boys.
"STOP!" she yelled at the top of her lungs, they all stopped, staring at her in surprise. Suddenly, she remembered who she was, Leila Hawkins, most popular girl in school, she shouldn't care about lowly boys like Max.
"All the blood...I think I'm going to..." Leila faked a faint, and one of the boys caught her. There was an awkward silence and then, good old Makayla screamed:
"Oh my God! Get her to the nurse!"
After hurriedly carrying her to the nurse's office, and the nurse dabbing a wet cloth on her forehead, Leila "awakened":
"Oooh, what happened?" she said pretending to be woozy
"Oh honey, you just fainted. I expect it was the heat or something. You should be fine in after a small rest. Have you been eating enough, honey?" Leila hated the nurse, the way she called you "honey", the way she always smelled sickly sweet, and was constantly hovering over you. Leila sat up her cheeks hot.
"What are you implying?" Leila stood up so that she was level with nurse, and stared her down.
"N-nothing, I was just wondering that's all, hunger is a big cause of fainting, is all..." the nurse stuttered nervously, Leila gave an inward smile, even the staff respected her.
"I hope that's all it was." Leila replied as she left, finding Makayla waiting for her outside.
"I hate the nurse."
"So do I." They didn't talk about how Leila had broken the unspoken rule, or how they both knew she had faked that faint, they just carried on they way they had been. The only difference is that Leila had acquired a new shadow, Max.
"What? Oh my god, we have to try out!"
"Ya, I've heard any girl worth anything at this school is on the cheerleading team!"
"Hey, you girls are trying out for the team?" Taylor bounced excitedly up to the girls, followed quickly by Savannah, "We were just going to sign up!"
"We were?" Savannah asked confusedly, "I thought we were going to the b-Ow!" Taylor had stepped not so inconspicuously on her foot, and dragged her away.
"Anyway..." Makayla continued with a roll of her eyes, "Tryouts are Tuesdays and Thursdays, and..." Leila half listened to Makayla's blabbering and half daydreamed about her, a senior and the cheer captain, queen of the school along with Makayla, loved by everyone....
"Hey Leila, are you getting this?" Makayla interrupted her thoughts. Leila snapped back into reality. "Look, what is that?" A crowd of boys had crowded around the lockers.
"Come on, it's probably nothing." Makayla shot her a look; they both knew what it was. They ignored it, and kept on walking. For some reason though, Leila looked back behind her and caught a glimpse of the poor boy they were beating up; It was Max. I did this, she thought.
Before she knew it, she was in the middle of the circle of boys.
"STOP!" she yelled at the top of her lungs, they all stopped, staring at her in surprise. Suddenly, she remembered who she was, Leila Hawkins, most popular girl in school, she shouldn't care about lowly boys like Max.
"All the blood...I think I'm going to..." Leila faked a faint, and one of the boys caught her. There was an awkward silence and then, good old Makayla screamed:
"Oh my God! Get her to the nurse!"
After hurriedly carrying her to the nurse's office, and the nurse dabbing a wet cloth on her forehead, Leila "awakened":
"Oooh, what happened?" she said pretending to be woozy
"Oh honey, you just fainted. I expect it was the heat or something. You should be fine in after a small rest. Have you been eating enough, honey?" Leila hated the nurse, the way she called you "honey", the way she always smelled sickly sweet, and was constantly hovering over you. Leila sat up her cheeks hot.
"What are you implying?" Leila stood up so that she was level with nurse, and stared her down.
"N-nothing, I was just wondering that's all, hunger is a big cause of fainting, is all..." the nurse stuttered nervously, Leila gave an inward smile, even the staff respected her.
"I hope that's all it was." Leila replied as she left, finding Makayla waiting for her outside.
"I hate the nurse."
"So do I." They didn't talk about how Leila had broken the unspoken rule, or how they both knew she had faked that faint, they just carried on they way they had been. The only difference is that Leila had acquired a new shadow, Max.
Sorry I've been kind of gone all summer
He followed her through the whole school, only leaving her side for class. He even followed her halfway home. One day, on this route, he finally spoke up;
"Why'd you do it?"
"Do what?" Leila replied innocently
"You know what I mean, why'd you stop the boys?"
"There was so much blood! I was going to faint!"
"I wasn't even bleeding yet."
"The violence, then."
"Sure, sure..." Max said dubiously, "Do you want to know what I think?"
"What?" Leila asked wearily
"I think that you have a soft spot for me!"
"I do not!"
"No?"
"No!"
"I think you do, I think you're more than you seem, Leila Hawkins. And I'm going to find out what your hiding underneath that beautiful mask."
"Ok, new boy, I'm the one that's more than the seem." That caught him off guard and shut him up for the rest of the walk.
He followed her through the whole school, only leaving her side for class. He even followed her halfway home. One day, on this route, he finally spoke up;
"Why'd you do it?"
"Do what?" Leila replied innocently
"You know what I mean, why'd you stop the boys?"
"There was so much blood! I was going to faint!"
"I wasn't even bleeding yet."
"The violence, then."
"Sure, sure..." Max said dubiously, "Do you want to know what I think?"
"What?" Leila asked wearily
"I think that you have a soft spot for me!"
"I do not!"
"No?"
"No!"
"I think you do, I think you're more than you seem, Leila Hawkins. And I'm going to find out what your hiding underneath that beautiful mask."
"Ok, new boy, I'm the one that's more than the seem." That caught him off guard and shut him up for the rest of the walk.
Chapter 1
Leila woke up to the singing of her cell phone.
"Hello?" she answered, her voice slurred with sleep.
"Are you not up yet, girl?" Her best friend, Makayla, practically yelled into the phone, "Get up! Get ready! Get dressed! It's the first day of high school!"
An hour later, after showering and drying and dressing and brushing and primping, Leila arrived at school. Melview High School was directly connected to Melview Middle School, and mostly everybody who was in the 9th grade had been there since they were kids. This is going to be a piece of cake, Leila thought.
"Ah! You're here, finally!" Makayla ran up to her and hugged her,"You won't believe it! I checked and we have all our classes together and everything!" They walked into the school auditorium - a big room crowded with high schoolers and a podium at the front - chatting to old friends. Taylor and Savannah, their perpetual followers, walking close behind. Makayla only had time to roll her eyes before they pounced.
"Hey girls, aren't you excited! Today's the day our life really begins!" they babbled on, but Leila stopped listening. They were always trying to impress her. Soon the rest of their clique joined them, and they went to take their seats.
"Ehem!" An unfamiliar young woman with short, choppy black hair standing on the podium tried to get the students' attention. Where's the normal principal, Mr. Muellers? Leila wondered.
"Hello, I'm Ms. Stellers," the woman continued, "Unfortunately, Mr. Muellers retired at the end of last year, and I'm his replacement. Of course, new school, new rules and also, new principal, new rules. I'm going to be making a few changes around here, nothing drastic of course, just a few.... adjustments, and I want you all to know..." Leila lost focus, her eyes drifting around the room and taking in the familiar faces, - and the one that wasn't? She stopped scanning, backtracked and found it. From what she could see, it was a dark haired boy that she was certain she had never seen before in her life.
"Hey, Micky, who's that boy?" She nudged her friend,
"Who?"
"That one over there! The one who's different."
"I don't see any "different" one, Leila."
"It's the one right-
"Excuse me - you two girls right in the middle there!" Ms. Stellers yelled, and everyone turned around to stare right at Leila and Makayla.
After a few moments of embarrassing silence, the principal spoke again. "I'd appreciate it if you would actually listen while I'm speaking. Thank you. Now, where was I... Oh yes, let's welcome the five new students to our school." The principal read out five names, and the bearer of each name stood up, but the dark-haired boy remained seated.
"Oh my god, was that embarrassing or was that embarrassing! I nearly died! That Ms. Stellers seems like she's going to be a huge pain in the ass." Makayla exclaimed as they filed out of the auditorium, her dark skin gleaming with indignation, "I'd appreciate it if you actually listened when I'm talking!" she imitated in a squeaky voice. They both burst out laughing.
"I almost wish Mr. Muellers hadn't retired!" Leila said. "Almost."
Makayla giggled. "God, was he terrible!" As the two girls and their friends walked down the hall to their first class, everybody else moved to the sides to make space for them.
"Hey, Leia! Hey, Makayla!" a voice chimed, Leila searched for the source, annoyed that it got her name wrong. It was the new boy.
"My name's Lei-la, new boy!" Leila corrected icily. "And what the hell are you doing in my school?" The boy's round face paled and he seemed to be searching for words. His mouth flapped uselessly, clearly intimidated. Leila was pleased, but that pleasure was interrupted by a sharp tug pulling her past the boy.
"What was that Leila? Do you want to get us embarrassed again?" Makayla snapped at her. Confused, it was her turn to be speechless, "Calling Max a new boy? He's been at our school since Pre-k!"
"What, no! I swear he's new! And he got my name wrong!" Leila protested.
"Hon, I know it's upsetting when the school renowned hottie's name is mispronounced, but you know as well as I do that no new kids ever come to our school," Makayla said sweetly and gently took her shoulder, "Come on, let's get to class."