I stood up and went to Simon's room to ask him what was going on since mum would not wait to talk.
"What's all these school dramas all about".
"What?". He said removing his headphones.
"Do you ever listen?".
"Oh am sorry, you were saying something".
" I asked what all this new school drama is all about".
"What do want to know about your new school".
"I never even knew I was resuming school".
"Well, mom has always been like that. Telling you about things at the last minute".
"Well, you might want to be really nice and explain them to me".
"Actually your new school is Duncan high school, about twenty minutes walk from here".
"Twenty minutes walk? You know am not going to walk that far".
"I don't know that but I know you would not drive in a car that doesn't have the necessary papers".
"Stop being sarcastic. Will you drive me to school?".
"Only for today Barbie".
"Every day?".
"No".
"Please?".
"Until you have friends you can walk with, I will drive you to and fro".
"Thanks, Simon. You are the best brother in the world".
"And you are the most pretentious sister ever created".
"I will take that as a compliment".
"Go and dress up Barbara".
I went to my room thinking about what to wear. it is my first day at school and I really need to make a good first impression. I know in some schools, the clothes you wear say a lot about you, in some schools, it's your intellectual abilities, in some, it's your social skills that matters and others its sports that makes you popular. I decided to try to cover all possibilities except for the sports aspect. I had never been the sports type and I do not think I would want to be all because of making a good impression. In my former school, I was the most popular girl. I had a rich dad which means new expensive clothes, shoes, bags and makeup. I even had a personal driver who is handsome and really cool and an aunt who owns the coolest lounge in town. Plus, I always celebrate my birthday in a very cool way. My birthday is always the talk of the town and the coolest guy in school likes me. Jared was the coolest guy in my former school and he was very handsome too. He was the captain of the two coolest sports in school, Soccer and basketball. Jared really liked me though we never dated, we really didn't have a lot of things in common.
I wore a turquoise jumpsuit made with Lycra material with a lilac-coloured hoodie jacket and sky blue sneakers. I even picked out the coolest of my sunglasses and wore light make up of bubble gum pink lip gloss and mascara. I tried to remember all I could from the previous term so I could answer as many questions as possible and also made a mental note to make as much "cool" friends as possible. With everything in place, I took my bag and set out for school.
Simon was leaning by the car when I came outside.
"Hey, Barbie calm down".
"What?".
"I know what you are trying to do"
"You do?".
"Yes. You are trying to make a good first impression, ain't you?".
"Yes. How did you know that?".
"I am human too and I was once a teen".
"You think I don't know that?". I walked towards the car. How dare Simon make fun of my social life?
"Besides, I once attended the school".
I froze in motion
"No way".
"Yes, way and I know that all these things do not count at Duncan high".
"What does count then?" I asked the conversation was getting interesting. He entered the car and I did so too. He turned on the ignition and off we go.
"You know all those kids you see at blue heavens every day during the holidays?".
"Yes, what about them?".
"They are students".
"Students?".
"Duncan high students".
"No way, these students are like old and mean looking and all they ever talk about are sex, alcohol and drugs".
"Exactly Barbie" He looked at me with an expression I couldn't read quite well. "That all that counts at Duncan high my dear little sister".
"So to make a good impression I have to go out with boys and take drugs and alcohol at parties".
"Do you want to do that".
"of course not".
"Plus there is always a popular girl and popular boy in the final year and it's only normal that they date each other".
"OK".
"So you see there is a price that comes with being popular. To be popular, you have to dine with the devil".
"I get you, Simon".
"No, you don't. I was once down that road".
"Wait you were?" I asked practically shouting on top of my lungs.
"Hey, calm down. I was the most popular boy in my final year....."
"And so you had to date the most popular girl". I cut in.
"Do you ever let anyone finish a sentence?".
"Am sorry".
"No, I didn't date the most popular girl in school. Rhoda was quite popular too but she was an Intellect. The most popular girl was Mercedes and God she likes me. Like she was dying for me".
"Well you are handsome," I said silently.
"What?".
"Nothing, "I said so quickly.
"I heard what you said". I blushed. "Back to what I was saying, I really liked Rhoda and I stood up for her but it didn't go so well and I almost got into trouble". He hesitated. "The bottom line is that you should stay away from the most popular girl and boy especially the boy and don't worry much about making friends and...".
"Dressing up" I completed the sentence.
"I was going to say 'taking drugs' but ' but 'dressing up' quite fits into my sentence. Anyways in Duncan high, students have to wear uniforms"
Oh, bloopers.
"What is this? The 1900s". I said frustratedly.
"We are here Barbie". He said stopping the car.
I got down from the car and looked at the building in front of me. It was painted in brown and cream colours. It had about six buildings and I guess each building is for each class. Truth be told, I have never seen a school as big as Duncan high. Back in my hometown, the schools were usually very small unlike this gigantic school am looking right at. I turned to Simon and realized he was not going to step out of the car.
"Let's go inside, "I said.
"Here" He gave me some papers. "This is your admission form. Mum had it filled out for you. Your schedule is also attached to it and here take this....." He handed me a complimentary card. "This has mum's signature at the back. The counsellor owns the card, she is mum's friend, she will process your admission and direct you. Good luck on your first day in a new school".
"But....."
He sped off leaving behind a small trail of smoke.
I looked around me feeling kind of odd. I wanted to stand out but not in this way. I didn't bargain for being the only student in party clothes in the midst of uniformed students. The uniform is a white blouse and navy blue pinafore for girls and a white shirt and navy blue shorts for junior students and trousers for seniors. The senior girls uniform was not really different from the junior girls uniform expect that the senior student's pinafore and had a lighter sleeve was taped with a brighter blue colour.
I asked a junior student who directed me to the administrative block. I looked from door to door searching for the counsellor's office.
"I am so sorry, I didn't mean to buy you the wrong drink".
"oh well, am sorry too I didn't mean to pour the drink on your head," she said sarcastically and poured the drink on her head. A group of girls behind her laughed.
"these must be the mean popular girls". I thought to myself.
"Hey you what are you looking at?" She said and turned to look at me.
"me?".
"Are you a student?" One of the girls asked.
"Wait why should you be wearing those clothes".
"I am new".
"Who cares, I am the only one that deserves to look cool".
"I...I...a..am...sorry" I stammered.
She came closer and looked straight into my eyes.
"This is not over". She said menacingly.