The papers in my hand didn’t make my heart pound any less; tears brimmed over my eyes as I stared at the floor, taking a ragged breath.

Like waving a credit card in front of a shopaholic, society had shaken the magnificent life of high school in my face and snatched it away within seconds of my bliss.

Holding my new schedule in hand, my mother gave me a sympathetic look and patted me on my back awkwardly a few times.

Shrugging my backpack onto my shoulders once again, I started for the halls of the Jr. High, holding my breath as the bell for second period rang loud and students crowded the halls.

The Eighth and Ninth graders bombarding the hallways didn’t even seem to notice me, it could have been the hoodie that I safely secured around my face.

Checking my sheet I stalked toward my Art Class, I had studied the scaling of the building and all the areas inward.

The first hall to the right of me was the Science hall, to my left was the Math hall, up above were the English to the top right and Social Studies to the top left.

Still I went onward, sauntering on ahead of the Cafeteria, heading to the left into the Art hall.

I followed the teenagers until I stopped on my classroom and trudged in, grabbing a chair not bothering to introduce myself, I set my bag on the floor.

I wasn’t an idiot, I felt the stares of people watching me, glancing up at the front of the classroom, and the teacher looked at me.

He continued to stare at me as it finally clicked; my hood was still up, he teacher looked annoyed.

I sheepishly smiled to myself, took both my hands and slid my hood off my face, confusion filled the teachers face.

“Are you a new student?”

“Yes, I am a new student, sir.” I answered averting my eyes from the curious stares of a few classmates.

“Name, please?” he nonchalantly asked.

“Chelsea Heart.”

“Take a book from the far corner over there, Miss. Heart.” Mr. Sautner spoke pointing toward the edge of the class; I stood, sauntered over grabbing a textbook and sat back down.

“Class; flip to page 110.” Mr. Sautner boomed “Do 1-6.”

We obediently went to work; I shifted in my chair and grabbed my notebook out of my bag with a fine-point ink pen.

Within twenty minutes, I finished my work and sat there, to look at the ceiling and wonder what would happen to my life now.

“Hello.” A voice said, clearly male, I stared over at him, cloudy green eyes stared back.

“Hi.”

He studied me closely, somehow I knew he could see through my weak façade, at how broken I was, he smiled optimistically.

“I’m Alex.”

He held out a hand, smile still in place.

“Chelsea.” I replied weakly, not taking his hand but watching it carefully, as if it would walk up and slap me across the face.

I stood gripping my paper and walked to the front of the classroom and put my work down on the front desk, taking a deep breath I walked back but Alex was talking to the girl on the other side of him.

I hadn’t been gladder in my life to not talk to anyone, the bell rang above and I rushed to my third period class, a hand gripped my wrist and I stopped.

Turning around I watched familiar blue eyes glaring into my face and tears started to slide down my face.