"Who's Xander?" she inquired, slightly confused.
"Xander, remove your hood so Reese can see you," the teacher replied.
Xander, the boy seated at the back of the class, took off his hood, and Reese was startled by his appearance. He was striking, with disheveled black hair and bright green eyes that resembled emeralds. His jawline was sharply defined, enhancing his features. Reese quickly averted her gaze before moving to the empty seat next to him and taking her place.
"Hey..." she murmured softly.
"You know, no one talks to my sister that way," Xander stated icily.
"Huh? What are you talking about?" Reese inquired, clearly bewildered.
"Olive, my sister, the girl you just labeled a 'pick me,'" Xander clarified.
Reese's eyes widened in shock. "You're siblings? I didn't mean it. I spoke without thinking."
Xander rolled his eyes. "It seems you do many things without thinking—like the push door incident, and now insulting my sister."
"Oh... the push door. I must have looked like an idiot, I know," she said, slightly embarrassed.
"Yeah, if you're that clueless, this school will literally eat you alive," Xander remarked before pulling his hood back on. Although Reese was slightly disappointed, she didn't think much of it.
"Also, what are you wearing? You look like a grandma from the 2000s. My grandmother has better fashion sense, and she's passed away," Xander retorted.
"Rude..." Reese muttered under her breath.
"Oh, rude, you say? Well, guess what? I couldn't care less," Xander replied, punctuating his indifference with a yawn.
After a while, the bell finally went and Reese made it to her next class, the classes were surprisingly fun although she still had her doubts. Its was finally lunch time and Reese was starving. She wasn't really the type to eat food that didn't come from her house so she was ready to go for her lunch. She looked at her map and made her way to the cafeteria, searching around for empty tables she kept walking until someone tapped her on the shoulder. Reese flinched and nearly dropped her bag.
"Bloody hell!" She exclaimed turning around. A girl about her age stood there, with blonde hair and brown eyes, she was average looking but clearly had better fashion sense than Reese.
"Hey you're Brit girl! Right?" The girl said cheerfully.
Reese raised a brow. "Brit girl?" She asked.
"Yeah, Brit girl!, everyone's talking about you, you're the girl that insulted Olive." She replied
"Oh! Wait, people are talking...about me?" Reese asked again.
"Yeah! Its all over the group chat!" The girl said.
"What group chat?" Reese asked, becoming more and more confused by the second.
"Every year, our set makes a group chat, last year it was the 11th graders, this year its the 12th graders, that sort of thing" She replied.
"Who even are you??" Reese asked.
The girl sighed before replying. "I'm Claire.."
Reese nodded. "I'm Reese, not Brit girl or whatever you guys call me."
Claire smirked. "Fine, I'll call you Reese even though calling you Brit girl is more funnier."
Reese gave a slight smile, trying to mask her discomfort. "Nice to meet you, Claire. Is there a place to sit around here?"
Claire glanced around the cafeteria, then pointed to a table near the window. "You can sit with me and my friends. We're not that bad, I promise."
Reese followed Claire to the table, feeling the stares of other students as she passed by. The murmur of whispers surrounded her, confirming that she had indeed become the topic of the day. Claire's friends greeted her with a mix of curiosity and skepticism.
"Guys, this is Reese," Claire introduced. "She's new and, well, she's had quite a morning."
"Hey," Reese said awkwardly, waving a hand.
"Quite a morning, huh?" a girl with dark curly hair and glasses remarked. "I'm Mia. So, you're the one who called Olive a 'pick me'?"
Reese sighed, feeling the weight of her words more than ever. "Yeah, that was me. I didn't mean it though. I just—well, it slipped out."
A boy with a mischievous grin leaned forward. "I'm Josh. Honestly, it's about time someone called her out. But watch your back, Olive has her loyal followers."
"Great," Reese muttered, her appetite waning. "That's just what I needed."
Claire chuckled. "Don't worry, Reese. You'll be fine. Olive might be popular, but not everyone likes her. Besides, you have us now."
"Thanks," Reese said, managing a genuine smile this time.
Lunch continued with casual conversation, and Reese started to feel a bit more at ease. Claire and her friends were friendly and seemed to accept her despite her rocky start. However, she couldn't shake the feeling of being watched.
As she was finishing her sandwich, she caught sight of Xander standing at the entrance of the cafeteria, his hood still up. He locked eyes with her for a brief moment before turning and walking away. Reese's heart skipped a beat. She couldn't quite figure him out. He was cold and dismissive, yet there was something about him that intrigued her.
"Who was that?" Mia asked, noticing Reese's distraction.
"Xander," Reese replied, still looking towards the door. "He's Olive's brother."
"Oh, Xander," Claire said, her tone lightening. "He's a bit of an enigma. Keeps to himself mostly. Just ignore him if he gives you a hard time."
"Yeah, easier said than done," Reese thought, but she nodded anyway.
The rest of the day went by in a blur. Classes were engaging, and Reese found herself slowly getting into the rhythm of her new school. By the time the final bell rang, she felt exhausted but somewhat hopeful.
Gathering her things, Reese decided to explore the campus a bit more before heading home. She wandered through the hallways, admiring the old architecture and the way the sunlight streamed through the large windows.
Finally, Reese arrived home, opened the door, and stepped inside. Her mom was already in the kitchen, and her little brother, Felix, ran up and hugged her.
"Reese!!" he giggled. Reese lifted him and twirled him around.
"Hey, Fill, you okay?" she asked, and he nodded in her arms. "How was school today?" she continued.
"It was really good!! There was a cute girl too; she shared her chocolate with me!!" he said with a smirk.
"Ahh! My little brother is charming the girls, huh?" She gave him a high five before setting him down and heading to the kitchen to greet her mom.
"Hey, Mom, I'm back," she announced as she approached.
"Hey, how was school?" her mom inquired.
"It was okay... made some new friends," Reese replied.
"Mmm... any boys?" her mother teased with a smirk.
"Eww... Mom! I already said I'm not interested in dating for a while," Reese protested, her cheeks blushing slightly.
"Okay, okay! I'm just waiting for your dad to come home, then you can tell us all about your day, and maybe, just maybe, you'll start to like it here," her mother said as she put away the dishes.
"I doubt it," Reese muttered as she placed her bag on the counter, then grabbed an apple from the fruit bowl and took a bite.
Reese decided to head up to her room to unwind. "I'm going to put my stuff away and change. Let me know when Dad gets home."
As she climbed the stairs, Felix followed her like a shadow. "Can I come too, Reese?"
"Of course, Fill," she said, ruffling his hair. They entered her room, and Reese dropped her backpack by the door before flopping onto her bed.
Felix climbed up beside her, looking at her with wide, curious eyes. "Reese, do you miss our old home?"
Reese's heart ached at the question. "Yeah, I do. But I think we can make this place home too, don't you?"
Felix nodded, but his expression remained serious. "Do you think I'll make friends here like you did today?"
"Absolutely," Reese assured him. "You're funny, smart, and super kind. Everyone's going to love you."
Felix's face brightened, and he gave her a quick hug. "Thanks, Reese."
"Anytime, Fill," she said, hugging him back. "Now, go and help Mom in the kitchen. I'll be down soon."
Once Felix left the room, Reese lay back on her bed, staring at the ceiling. She couldn't shake off the conversation she had with Xander earlier. There was something about him that intrigued her, and she felt a strange pull to understand him better.
Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of the front door opening. "Dad's home!" she heard her mom call from downstairs.
Reese jumped up and hurried downstairs. Her dad, looking exhausted but cheerful, greeted her with a warm hug. "There's my girl! How was your first day?"
"It was... interesting," Reese replied, smiling. "I've got lots to tell you."
"Good, let's sit down and catch up," her dad said, leading her to the living room.
The family gathered around, and Reese recounted her day. She talked about Claire, Mia, and Josh, and the group chat she was now a part of. She even mentioned her encounter with Xander, carefully omitting some of the more awkward details.
Her parents listened attentively, nodding and asking questions. Felix sat beside her, beaming with pride as his sister shared her stories.
"Sounds like you're handling things pretty well," her dad said. "High school can be tough, but it seems like you're making the best of it."
"I hope so," Reese said, feeling a bit more reassured.
After dinner, Reese retreated to her room to finish her homework. After that was done she flopped onto her bed again and closed her eyes for a very much needed night of sleep