#Chapter3
/"Niyah, I hope you're up because you will make us both late./" I could hear my mom's voice echo from the other side of my bedroom door.
/"Yeah, yeah I'm up./" I lied. Crawling out from under the blankets, I sighed when the sun smacked my face.
/"Hurry up./" my mom yelled.
Rising from my comforting bed, I dragged myself to the bathroom for my morning shower. Once done in the bathroom, I ran in to my bedroom to dry off and figure out what the hell I would wear.
I knew I should have picked something out last night..
In a hurry, I grabbed and put on my tan blouse, my all black high waisted jean shorts, and my tan moccasins.
Finally, no school uniforms.
That was the one thing I dreaded in Philadelphia schools were the uniforms they required us to wear.
I grabbed my make-up bag, my brushes, and my flat iron. Dropping everything on the floor, I plopped down in front of my long mirror. I began applying eye liner, and mascara. I grabbed a few hair ties and put my hair in a high bun.
After about ten minutes of getting my bun in the perfect spot on top of my head, I was done and ready to go. I grabbed my bag and ran downstairs.
.
/"You got five minutes. I'm starting the car./" My mother snatched up her car keys from the key rack. She shot me one more demanding look before she stepped out.
/"You got five minutes./" I said in a mocking tone once she was out of hearing range.
I ran into the kitchen. Keeping things light, I picked up a quick breakfast. Granola bar and a bottle of orange juice. I knew cereal or the usual eggs and bacon was out of the question.
******
We pulled up in front of a large three story building. My new jail cell, school.
/"Will you be okay from here?/" My mom asked, as she silenced the car.
/"Okay if I say no, will you take me back home?/" I tested.
/"Let me think..hmm NO./" She smiled amused by my attempts.
/"Then I'm fine./" Unbuckling my seat belt, I reached for the door handle.
/"Once you get in, head for the main office to get your schedule./" My mom cleared up as I stepped out of the car. /"Ill pick you up around two-thirty okay?/"
/"Gotcha./" I dragged out. Walking up the marble staircase, I made it to the enormous doors of my prison.
Opening the doors, I walked into the silent entrance way. I assumed most students were in middle of their class.
Using a few signs for directions, I followed it as it led me toward the primary office. Once I found the office, I opened to door and stepped in front of the smiling receptionist.
/"Hi, what can I do for you?/" The woman smiled.
Was it possible to look that damn happy in the morning?
/"Um yeah, I'm Aniyah Ross, I'm new here./"
/"OH YES!/" She had a squeal in her sweet voice, causing me to flinch a little. /"I'm Anna. I have your class schedule right here. We gave you three honor classes. We based it on your transcript that was sent to us from your previous school. Are you okay with that?/"
/"Yes, that will be fine I guess./" I dragged out.
I kind of hated honor classes, but I never failed them. I failed no classes. I was never interested in the actual work itself. I was interested how good it will look on my college applications.
/"You can have a seat right there-./"She said point toward a row of plastic school chairs that were lined against the wall. /"And I can have a student here to give you a tour of the sch-/"
/"I can show her!/" Sitting in one of the off yellow plastic seats was a girl. She stood and stepped beside me.
/"No!, the principal will be with you soon Ms. Hall./" The receptionist glared at her.
/"But who knows the school better then me?/" She said with a playful, sad puppy dog look on her face. /"And besides, you don't want her to sit here and wait for the next available student to get done class, do you?/"
The receptionist shot her one more unsettling look before her face softened.
/"Fine, show her to her classes and you come back here./" She sighed in defeat.
/"Yes ma'am./" The girl smirked before she turned toward me. /"Come on, my wonderland tour awaits./"
She opened the office door and walked out and I followed behind her.
/"Its great to get out of that prison box./" She laughed. /"Can I see your schedule?/"
/"Sure....here./" I handed her the piece of paper that had my entire day planned on it.
She quickly scanned the paper and handed it back to me.
/"So it says you have English in room 209 then history in room 210, which are right across from each other. So there will be no problems with getting lost from there./" She summed up as I followed her down the hall. /"Then it say you have lunch, which is with me so you will be okay. So after your history class, meet me back in front of the primary office and we can head to lunch together, cool?/"
/"Sounds like a plan./" I smiled, happy that I did not have to spend my lunch alone while students stare at me like I'm fresh meat.
/"Cool, see you./" Her voice low and dry, she turned and began walking down the hall in the direction from once me came.
Once alone, I turned to face my first prison cell. Mustering up a set of courage, I opened the classroom door. I need it. Walking in, a numerous number of eyes met me.
How uncomfortable.
/"Hi, can I help you?/" Standing from his small wooden desk, my new teacher stood to greet me.
/"Yes, I'm Aniyah Ross, I have this class for honors English./"
/"Yes, yes, yes I was expecting you. I am Mr. Clearmen. Here's a rubric of the things we will review for this year and here's the work you have missed so far. Don't worry, you haven't missed a lot./" He assured me as he handed me a few sheets of paper. /"You can have a seat anywhere available./"