The Move

"I heard a new guy moved to town!" Tiffany exclaimed. She was able to be heard by everyone and the class down the hall. The dead too if she dedicated herself to it. Her high-pitched voice has been annoying since day one of hearing it. Sirens must have shaped her in their image. I could swear Neptune heard how loud and squeaky Tiffany's voice was, her fake eyelashes batting wildly. Her voice was something out of a kid's cartoon. Loud and shrilly, a voice only the tone deaf could love.

Thank goodness she got good grades, or her parents would probably get tired of her.

Her fashion sense was no better. Either fake lashes that you can clearly see the glue with or messy mascara and blue eyeliner, topped with the worst eyeshadow she could pick, it didn't matter if it matched her outfit or not. Her outfits were no better. Bright jumpsuits that were all made of the same crappy material old women wear with their jumpsuits. A headband had to be present and be the same color she wore that day. She usually pestered Jessica about what color she might wear tomorrow so Tiffany could match with her. Jessica never does, it's not like Tiffany would want to wear black all the time.

"Really? Did you catch a name, Tiffany?" Jessica sounded bored but I knew she was thinking about who knows what and going to commit it with who knows who.

Jessica was a kid the adults either liked or hated. A moody teen that did what she wanted whenever she wanted and hung with whoever she needed to get it. It didn't make her a bad kid; it just made her a user.

I've talked to her a few times when Tiffany was absent for a dentist appointment or was going to Florida for a week in the middle of the school year. Jessica isn't all that bad, she listens and likes to gossip like any other teenage girl. She just protects anything about her personal life. I can see it in her eyes when I ask questions relating to that, like she'll crumble if she tells me.

She tied her amber, red hair up into a ponytail as Tiffany made sure she had her stuff for the dismissal bell. Jessica never cared about school, so she never cared about her school stuff.

"Not yet but I'm sure I'll get it by lunch." Tiffany claimed, a bit of smugness in her voice.

Good luck, if someone hasn't already found it out.

Jessica rolled her eyes at this. "Whatever, did you get last night's homework done?"

And that was my cue to drown them out again.

Tiffany and Jessica. They're in my third period class and two of the cheerleaders of our school team. One wouldn't call them the queen bees of school, but one still would rather get validation from them then to face their wrath. Whether it was justified or not.

One year Tiffany and some other members of the cheer team got a pig's head off of the local butcher and stuffed it in Pepperoni's locker, but not before putting pieces of mini pepperonis on it. They waited in the hallway as Pepperoni opened his locker. The pig head greeting him coldly as he screamed at it, Tiffany and the others laughing.

Not much was known about Pepperoni besides his sister in freshman year doesn't have as bad acne as him. Pepperoni was called that because of his face. I'm sure you can put two and two together of what that looks like. I never called him his nickname to his face, only saying hi or nodding while passing by him in the hallways instead.

Leaving the cheerleaders to their gossip, I gather up my books and tonight's homework, letting my mind wander for a moment as we waited.

The new guy thing interested me, but I can't show the faintest hint of being interested in him if popular girls are already talking about him. If I dared to even glance at him, I would face many months, if not the school year of bullying and torment.

But what was he like? Was he cute? What music and kind of girls did he like?

The bell rung and everyone made their way out of the room like a stampede of animals. I never understood why we're in such a rush to leave a classroom besides for lunch and going home, we're just going to another classroom. Passing by the faces and loud voices of the halls and making sure I didn't barf at the week's newest couple making out, I made it to fourth period with no one bothering me.

"Hey, Linsday!" Almost no one bothering me.

I sighed.

"Nate." A boy that bothers me every time he sees me. His braces make his words do that thing in movies and shows when someone wears braces. Where he spits everywhere and struggles with speaking. His acne was always greasy along with his short hair, and he was annoying. I kept my peace because I knew Nate didn't have many friends and was socially awkward. It didn't help when he tries to talk during class and then asks what we're working on when we start.

I've told him that I'm not interested and that he was literally the same age as my younger cousins. Regardless, he still speaks to me about whatever he wants, which includes the daily town gossip so at least I never have to look into a local newspaper subscription.

"Did you hear that Mrs. Pattingtton fell down the stairs this morning? They said it might be a few weeks before she'll be moving around again." I rolled my eyes to Nate's face. His face looked so punch able right now, but I didn't need to get in trouble when it was so close to the homecoming dance. All of the tussles with Tiffany's lackeys over the year didn't help with that. I was on thin ice at this point.

"Who is that?" I asked, even though I would have cared less who it was. The teacher hadn't started class yet and we weren't allowed on our phones. The teacher sucked but at least he didn't take our phones when we got in trouble. That was the only positive thing I could say about him.

"9th grade's English teacher. I heard some kids think she tripped on one of her many cats and fell."

"Did you ever find out what she might've broke? You think she'll be okay?" I couldn't let on if I was that interested but I did want to know, I didn't know the lady but I hoped and prayed she got better.

Poor lady, I hope her class becomes a bit nice after she comes back.

"Might've slipped a hip, nothing too bad." That's good. At least that's the worst that's the worst thing that's happening in town right now.

"Oh and a lot of stray cats and dogs are popping dead recently so lock up any pets you got."