She didn’t have a break time at her last high school and wondered how she was going to kill 15 minutes.
A refreshments cart had been rolled into the hallway and the students gathered in a herd to purchase the best of the snacks.
She slid past the crowd and made her way out the door where there were benches on either side of the doors. She slid down onto the bench and took in a deep breath of the crisp autumn air.
She slid past the crowd and made her way out the door where there were benches on either side of the doors. She slid down onto the bench and took in a deep breath of the crisp autumn air.
A smile crept across her face for the first time that day as she watched the sun shining through the trees of the Kentucky mountains. The glistening streams could even be spotted from this corner of the school. It had at least these beauties to offer.
"Quite a sight huh?"
Samantha turned and saw a beautiful smiling brunette seated next to her.
"I'm Madeline" She put out a confident hand.
"Quite a sight huh?"
Samantha turned and saw a beautiful smiling brunette seated next to her.
"I'm Madeline" She put out a confident hand.
Sam smiled and returned the gesture.
"It's nice to meet you, Madeline. I'm Sam"
"I heard. You're from South Wood right?"
"Yes."
Madeline chuckled. "A lot different from here, I suppose."
Sam smiled. "I'll say. Over twice as big and twice as loud. Have you gone to school here long?"
"It's nice to meet you, Madeline. I'm Sam"
"I heard. You're from South Wood right?"
"Yes."
Madeline chuckled. "A lot different from here, I suppose."
Sam smiled. "I'll say. Over twice as big and twice as loud. Have you gone to school here long?"
"My whole life." She tilted her head "Well, at least since kindergarten."
"Must be nice to stay somewhere so long."
She shrugged "It's school."
"Must be nice to stay somewhere so long."
She shrugged "It's school."
Sam watched Madeline slide a chip into her mouth and found herself wondering how someone could have attended only this school their whole life. This girl was unexposed to the excitement of high school life. Stuck in this rinky-dink place. She would fair so well at a public High School. With her looks she could easily be on the cheerleading squad or the dance team with no talent at all. But did she even know all she was missing out on? Sam felt bad that Madeline would never have the opportunity to shine like she could in a more visible place.
"Well." Madeline took the final sip of her drink.
"Better get to class. Journalism."
"Journalism?"
"Yeah. I tested out of 9th Grade English. I love English" She smiled.
Sam smiled too but felt a little disappointed. Another class as the new girl.
Sam smiled too but felt a little disappointed. Another class as the new girl.
"It was nice to meet you, Madeline."
She smiled "Nice to meet you too, Sam. And you can call me Maddie."
Sam nodded. "I'll remember that."
She smiled "Nice to meet you too, Sam. And you can call me Maddie."
Sam nodded. "I'll remember that."
"See ya"
Sam watched Maddie toss her bag over her shoulder and take the second door on the right to her classroom.
She took a deep breath and made her way to class as well.
Sam walked into the room and found the students searching the board.
She took a deep breath and made her way to class as well.
Sam walked into the room and found the students searching the board.
Assigned seating again.
She could hear the grumbles as boys and girls and besties had to part ways. Sam had put names with faces now and had observed in one day the personalities that were cliché in high schools everywhere.
A blonde named Aliyah was definitely the attention getter of the class.
A blonde named Aliyah was definitely the attention getter of the class.
She was the girl that always laughed even if the situation wasn't funny, and she always had to push herself into whatever group she thought my be getting the attention at the moment. Sam could smell the insecurity a mile away but she was beautiful and therefore very intimidating.
Jack was the goof ball. Surrounded by guys, he was eyed by every teacher as he came into each classroom and he was always assigned a seat on the front row.
James was the man of the hour. He wore his varsity jacket and Sam was pretty sure it wasn't to fight against the Kentucky mountain breeze. He was a little too proud.
There was a group of four or five guys who were just there. Hanging without a care in the world. Talking about the game last night or the newest video game they scored, and finally few groups of girls that had joined forces as a sheer matter of high school survival.
Lastly there were 'the settlers'. They had been here forever. They were secure and confident. They weren't seeking to establish themselves as anyone special. They were the school. Sam envied them.
Jack was the goof ball. Surrounded by guys, he was eyed by every teacher as he came into each classroom and he was always assigned a seat on the front row.
James was the man of the hour. He wore his varsity jacket and Sam was pretty sure it wasn't to fight against the Kentucky mountain breeze. He was a little too proud.
There was a group of four or five guys who were just there. Hanging without a care in the world. Talking about the game last night or the newest video game they scored, and finally few groups of girls that had joined forces as a sheer matter of high school survival.
Lastly there were 'the settlers'. They had been here forever. They were secure and confident. They weren't seeking to establish themselves as anyone special. They were the school. Sam envied them.
The teacher stepped to the front of the room and gave her hands a clap. "Alrighty."
Sam grabbed her seat.
Sam was nestled in the back row. The seat on one side was empty and the chair on the other was occupied by a boy named Dean.
He glanced over at her through his thick glasses. "You're Sam right?"
Sam smiled "Yeah. You're Dean right?"
He nodded. "I just wanted to give you a heads up. Mrs. Marcham has her classes read Pilgrim's Progress every year. It is due at the end of the year. You might want to start it soon."
He smiled as he gave the warning and Sam found herself smiling back.
He was an over-achiever. One of those people who actually makes something of themselves after highschool. One of the students you were proud to have studied along side of. She was going to like this kid. "I'll keep that in mind."
He nodded then opened his English book. Samantha figured she better follow suit.
Sam grabbed her seat.
Sam was nestled in the back row. The seat on one side was empty and the chair on the other was occupied by a boy named Dean.
He glanced over at her through his thick glasses. "You're Sam right?"
Sam smiled "Yeah. You're Dean right?"
He nodded. "I just wanted to give you a heads up. Mrs. Marcham has her classes read Pilgrim's Progress every year. It is due at the end of the year. You might want to start it soon."
He smiled as he gave the warning and Sam found herself smiling back.
He was an over-achiever. One of those people who actually makes something of themselves after highschool. One of the students you were proud to have studied along side of. She was going to like this kid. "I'll keep that in mind."
He nodded then opened his English book. Samantha figured she better follow suit.
"Sorry I'm late." Sam glanced up and saw Mrs. Marcham glance at the door but couldn't see who had entered.
Mrs. Marcham smiled "Well good morning, Cole. The seating chart is on the desk."
Sam leaned over but couldn't make him out. She was pretty sure she hadn't heard that name today.
Finally she saw him step into her row. "In the back? That's surprising." He smiled and Sam felt her heart flip.
Mrs. Marcham didn't turn. "I'm sure you won't be there long."
Mrs. Marcham smiled "Well good morning, Cole. The seating chart is on the desk."
Sam leaned over but couldn't make him out. She was pretty sure she hadn't heard that name today.
Finally she saw him step into her row. "In the back? That's surprising." He smiled and Sam felt her heart flip.
Mrs. Marcham didn't turn. "I'm sure you won't be there long."
He smiled as he passed the students. His smile was bright. He was tall and had a tan as though he had seen a lot of baseball and soccer fields. His hair was a nice brown shade and had a little wave to it and he walked with confidence- not pride, just confidence. It was obvious the girls swooned over him and that the guys especially James did not appreciate it.
She hadn't realized his assigned seat was next to hers until he was sliding into it.
She stared down at her book and began to flip through the pages. She could feel herself blushing and hated it. Yeah... she wasn't looking up until she absolutely had to. The curse of the needless blush, her mom called it.
She stared down at her book and began to flip through the pages. She could feel herself blushing and hated it. Yeah... she wasn't looking up until she absolutely had to. The curse of the needless blush, her mom called it.
"Alrighty" Mrs. Marcham began again.
"First thing is first who would care to open us in prayer?"
No one moved.
"Ok, I will" Mrs. Marcham began to pray.
She prayed for the students academic needs, she prayed for their behavior, and she prayed for their personal needs. Sam didn't understand why they prayed in every class. Once a day was plenty.
"Ok, everyone, you were given a journal this morning to work on in this class. I hope you still have it with you. Pop it out and let's get started. Cole, you have yours?"
"Yes, Ma’am."
"Good. I want to see every eye on a journal. Go ahead and begin."
Sam didn't need to be told twice. She wasn't taking her eyes off of the book.
It didn't take Sam long to become completely oblivious to the boy next to her- to the whole room for that matter.
This journal was intriguing...
"First thing is first who would care to open us in prayer?"
No one moved.
"Ok, I will" Mrs. Marcham began to pray.
She prayed for the students academic needs, she prayed for their behavior, and she prayed for their personal needs. Sam didn't understand why they prayed in every class. Once a day was plenty.
"Ok, everyone, you were given a journal this morning to work on in this class. I hope you still have it with you. Pop it out and let's get started. Cole, you have yours?"
"Yes, Ma’am."
"Good. I want to see every eye on a journal. Go ahead and begin."
Sam didn't need to be told twice. She wasn't taking her eyes off of the book.
It didn't take Sam long to become completely oblivious to the boy next to her- to the whole room for that matter.
This journal was intriguing...
