Clare's POV

I woke up to the birds singing and the sun shining. Today was my first day at Degrassi High School. Freshmen year, I went to a fancy private school thirty minutes from my home, but my best friend, Alli, convinced me to transfer to Degrassi. I was coming to Degrassi with only Alli as a friend. Yeah, sure, I knew some people at Degrassi, but I was still only friends with Alli. Unfortunately, Alli was going to be in India the first day of school. I was nervous, but decided to keep my hopes high because I was bound to meet someone. I got up and got ready. When I approached the front steps of the school I stopped, closed my eyes and took a deep breath. I walked through the doors of Degrassi High School and into Principle Simpson's office.
"Oh, you must be Clare Edwards, the transfer, right?"
"That's me."
"So, you probably need someone to show you around, right?"
Then the door to his office creaked open. A woman with long dark brown hair peered in, "Sorry to interrupt, but I have the boy with me." She said "the boy" like they were the worst words in the English language.
"Ah, well." He looked over at me. "Ms. Edwards, do you mind if I deal with a problem real quick?"
"No, I don't mind."
"Ms. Oh, send him in."
Ms. Oh left and a boy with longish dark brown, almost black, hair came in. He had the most beautiful green eyes I had ever seen. They were like two perfectly polished jade stones. He was smirking. He came in and sat down next to me. He stared at me for a moment then over to Mr. Simpson.
"What she in for?" he finally spoke, nodding his head in my direction.
"She's not 'in' for anything."
The boy chuckled, "Figures. She looks too goody good, to do anything anyway."
"She's a transfer student, but enough about her. What were you thinking? Why did you start a fight with Mr. Fitzgerald?"
"Oh, come on, Mr. Simpson. You know Fitz's name shouldn't be used formally."
"Just answer the question, Eli."
I just sat there awkwardly, holding my stuff. What was I supposed to do right now? Just sit and listen to why this guy got into a fight with some kid named Fitz? What kind of name is Fitz, anyway? I looked down and saw Eli was wearing black combat boots. I continued to scan up. He was also wearing worn black grey jeans, a black and white striped belt, a black tucked in shirt with a grey blazer with the sleeves rolled up to his fore arm, and a thick chained necklace around his neck with a silver guitar pick charm. What is this kid wearing? Did he hate color? Eli then turned and stared at me. Crap! I forgot I was staring at him for so long.
"What?" he said harshly. I quickly looked down. Eli looked back at Principal Simpson and continued to defend himself. "Look, what happened was I was parking and Fitz and his friends were in the parking space so I honked at them and asked them to move. Instead, Fitz reached over and broke the skull off the hood of Morty. So, I"
"Excuse me?" Mr. Simpson asked.
"What?" Eli responded.
"Did you just say he broke it off of 'Morty'?"
"Yeah….."
"Who's Morty?"
"My hearse….." Was this guy for real? He drove a hearse? To school? Well he does have a killer stare. He probably kills someone just by staring at them. Principal Simpson looked down and shook the thought out of his head, like he regretted asking.
"Continue."
"Anyway, so I got out of Morty and walked over to Fitz and said, 'Really? You broke my car over a friken parking spot?' and then he just laughed and threw the piece off my car he broke off somewhere in the parking lot. So I said, 'Wow, you can throw.' And then he started pushing me and saying, 'you think your funny, emo boy?' and that's where he crossed the line so I retorted, 'yeah, I do.' And then he punched me and we started fighting each other."
"Well, only to be fair, I have to punish you because you were contributed in the fight."
Eli rolled his eyes and crossed his arms. "So, how many weeks of detention?"
"Oh, you're not going to have detention."
"Am I getting suspended? Because it wasn't that big of a fight."
"No, you're not getting suspended. What you're going to do is you're going to show Ms. Edwards around Degrassi." My head shot up. Please tell me he did not just say I have to hang out with this kid.
"Huh?" I said.
"WHAT?" Eli yelled.
"Mr. Simpson, really, I don't need someone to show me around. I can just suffer through finding my classes."
"See, she says she'll suffer through. She doesn't need me. I'll just take three months of detention."
"No."
"Five months?"
"NO!"
"Six months?"
"ELI! You show her around or I will expel you."
Eli slumped into his seat. "Fine, I'll show her around," Eli mumbled, unhappy.
"Don't I get a say in this? I didn't even do anything and I'm being punished too," I said, frustrated.
Eli laughed and mumbled, "Like anyone cares what you think." I heard and glared at Eli.
"I'm sorry, Ms. Edwards, but I can't have you walking around trying to find your classes by yourself."
"Then can I have someone," I looked at Eli like he was the most horrid looking thing on earth. "else?"
"I'm afraid I have no one else to show you around." I leaned back in the chair and crossed my arms. "That is all for you two. Now, Eli, be nice or you're gone and Clare, have a great first day at Degrassi."
If that was possible with this jerk being my tour guide. Eli and I both got up and went for the door. I went for the door first, but he decided to compete with me so we both tried to go out at the same time, but in the end, Eli ended up pushing himself past me, through the door and also, hitting my shoulder. Hard. I walked through the door and just stood there. What was this guy's problem? Did he really think that I enjoyed the fact that I had to hang out with him way more than I wanted to? Eli turned towards me and smirked, "You coming? I'm not waiting all day for you."
I huffed, pulled my bag higher on my shoulder and continued to walk with him. He just rolled his eyes and continued walking with me. "Are you a sophomore?" he asked me.
"Yeah and you?"
"Junior. So lucky us the only time we'll see each other is when I have to show you around, which hopefully shouldn't be long." Why was he such a jerk? "So, let me see your schedule," Eli asked. I look through my bag and pull it out. I then handed it to him. He stared at the small piece of paper and finally spoke, "Ok, so, your first class is down this hall and to the left. Where's your locker?"
"Why?"
"So, when your class is over I can meet you somewhere to show you where the next one is," he retorted. I stopped walking and pointed to the locker next to me. Luckily, it was in the middle of the school so it was the same distance for every class.
"Why are you trying so hard anyway? I know you don't care if I find my classes or not."
"Look, I can't afford to expelled, my parents will flip."
"Oh, so you do care what people think?"
"No, I only care because….why am I telling you this? It's none of your freaking business."
"Hey, I just asked a question, you started answering."
I was amazed how easy it was to talk to this guy. Usually I freeze up in front of people. I guess I am a different person. Then the bell rang. "Finally! You can go to your class now."
"Well, you didn't have to stay with me." I glared at him.
"Oh, just go to class already."
Isn't this just great. I haven't even been to my first class yet and I already hate someone. These are the moments when I need Alli. I walked into class. My first class was technology. I sat down at a computer. Then a guy with dirty blonde hair and brown eyes sat next to me. I got a better look at his face. Wow, I think went to school with this guy from kindergarten up until fifth grade. Then I went to private school. I think his name was KC. "Hey, you must be new. I'm KC." Yup, it's him. He nodded his head at me. Was he was trying to be cool? Well, it wasn't working, but since he seems a lot nicer than Eli, I'll just play along.
"Yeah, I'm Clare."
"You look familiar. Do I know you from somewhere?"
We just went to school for six years together. No big deal. "Probably, I've lived here my whole life."
"Wait, Clare Edwards right?"
"Yeah."
"I remember you. We went to elementary school together."
"Oh yeah, I remember you."
"So, how do you like Degrassi so far?"
"Well, I've only met you and this Eli kid and I have to say I like you a lot better." I think I just insulted him. "Not that there's anything wrong with you I….wow, I didn't mean it like that." Smooth Clare, just smooth.
He chuckled, "It's ok. Wait, did you say Eli?"
"Yeah," I responded.
"Eli Goldsworthy?" he asked.
"Yeah, what about him?"
"You haven't heard?"
"About what?"
"Eli. He's like this psycho." I knew he was a jerk and had odd choice in clothing, but psycho?
"What did he do?" KC then told me about Eli. Apparently, everyone fears Eli. He moved her last year and so of course everyone believes these rumors that fly around about him. I have to admit it's hilarious how someone could believe something so out there. The rumors are like him getting arrested, killing a family, going on psychotic rampages and so on. For some reason, everyone believes them. They are so not true, well at least I hope not.