High School Horror

“You like English right?” Zayn asked. We were on our way to a lit class with a blonde guy he kept calling Niall. Niall was stitched up and proudly showing off the finger cast he’d gotten from a bad game of soccer while on break in Ireland. “I mean, goth kids like poetry and stuff so this is your forte, huh?”

“You know Zayn, part of being goth is kind of like being punk. You don’t really go around talking about it all the time”, I laughed.

“Oh I get it!” Niall beamed. “It’s like how thinking you’re not in denial is like part of being in denial!”

We stared at him before Zayn clapped him on the shoulder. “Sure thing, buddy. Anyway Ginger, you’re a goth. It’s weird, but it’s unique. Refreshing. Like when Lady Gaga first came out and made the freak show mainstream. It’s about time this stupid place had a change. You should come join the Elitists.”

“Zayn”, Niall whined.

“What’s the Elitists?” I questioned.

“A daft club with a bunch of tits who think they know what should be in and what should be out each month”, Niall groaned. “They’re like a ‘cool’ version of the planning committee. They do fashion shows for the dances, get school events trending on Twitter, decides whose parties are hot or not-”

“Niall, please don’t bitch”, Zayn muttered. “It’s a very important job. How do you think you got to be nominated for class party animal?”

“I throw the best parties because Louis Tomlinson can buy liquor and I can drink all you English folk under the table? And me pa don’t give a right shit if-”

“Because we’re friends and I make sure everyone knows about your parties”, Zayn corrected. “Including the go-to, king of theatre.”

“I did theatre in America!” I chimed. “Do you have a theatre club?”

“You’re looking at it!” The voice who answered me wasn’t Niall or Zayn’s. It was coming from a blue eyed boy in a bright green sweater who came jogging down the hallway. “My name’s Louis, president of the drama club. We don’t have a fancy name like that Elitist group but thinking of them, Zayn, Grease? Yay or nay? I thought because we had Americans coming over, it would be a fun suggestion!”

Zayn swatted his hand at him. “Sure, sure. I’ll run it over with everyone-”

“Except Emma.”

“I can’t make exceptions.”

“Your democratic methods don’t work. What do you do during a tie? You only have 12 members.”

“And with Ginger, we’ll have 13”, Zayn said proudly. “She’s going to help us make some innovative changes in this school’s styles and ideas!”

“That little tart isn’t doing anything!” I felt my shoulders get tense as the brown haired girl from the parking lot pushed herself between me and Zayn (or more like me OUT of Zayn’s way). “This little bitch can’t keep her dog under control. How do you think she could help us? Besides, we need different. We need trends. Not...a creep.”

“Do you even know her?” demanded Louis, dropping his hands over my shoulders. “This is one of the Americans-”

“I know who she is, Tomlinson”, the girl spat. “Her beast of a sister tried to attack me in the parking lot!”

“The only beast I see is you, Emma”, Louis scoffed. Oh God, this was the girl Zayn said I should keep away from? No fucking kidding.

Emma screamed. “We are NOT accepting her! Let Tomlinson’s freak group take her.”

“My freaks will”, Louis retorted, forcing a big cheesy smile. “And we’ll give her a place unlike you. You’re what’s wrong with this school and why all the transfer students end up leaving. Come on, Ginger.” I wasn’t given an option. Louis Tomlinson pulled me out of the hallway and headed for the school doors.

“What are we doing?” I questioned.

Louis shrugged, still yanking me outside. “Going out”, he informed. “This is just first day of school bull shit. You don’t need to be there for the syllabus. Hazza!”

Looking out in the parking lot, I saw Harry with Liam. “Lou”, Harry greeted. He led Liam over to a beat to Hell red Jeep that Louis and I also stopped at. “Is it already lunch time?” Harry wondered.

“It can be. Ginger, you’re not from here! Can we take you out for lunch?” Louis beamed.

“I’m a vegan”, I said, uncomfortably. I’d never skipped school before. What if they called? “Do you have any vegan friendly places around here?”

“There’s Chipotle”, Harry suggested. “And I’m in the mood for tacos.”

“What about my sister-”

“Niall should be coming with Zayn”, Liam interupted. “And Zayn’s going to want to be associated with the American students so he’s going to have Niall pick her up.”

“Let me just text him”, Harry assured.

“Now!” Louis clapped his hands. “Lunch, Ginger?”

I shifted next to the red Jeep Harry and Liam climbed into. “What about truancy officers?” I asked.

“Did you miss the whole ‘I’m president of the theatre club’?” Louis mused, pulling out his cell phone. He dialed a number and held back a snicker as he stared at the school. “Hello”, he greeted in a deep, serious, Irish accent. “This is Geoff Horan. I’m calling to let Dean Trenton know that my son has an appointment as the dentist at 11 and thus will not be attending his classes for the day.... Yes, ma’am that is correct. He’ll be seeing Doctor Carlos Estevez in London this afternoon… Yes, ma’am. He’ll be sure to make up the day’s work before the end of the week.” Louis glowed as he gestured to the school, seeing Niall skipping out with Zayn and Geneva. Louis hung up the phone as Niall tackled him in a hug.

“You beautiful bastard!” Niall squealed.

“You’re just saying that because my dad ain’t my dad”, Louis chuckled. “Anyway.” He turned to me as he picked up Niall bridal style. “Anymore questions, Ginger?”

“No time. Get in the car before Emma catches wind”, Zayn urged. Seven of us squeezed into the Jeep as Louis took the driver’s seat and started doing impressions of a tour guide for me and Geneva.

Notes

This ends horribly