Thrust Into His Arms

I was still doing that when two girls suddenly approach me from behind. Flanking me on both sides. I froze when I see that one of them is that girl I was staring at earlier. My heartbeat becomes irregular with rising panic.

"You are new aren’t you?" The other one asks. She has blond hair styled in a messy bun and big brown eyes. She smiles, "Its so obvious.

I’m Annette. That’s Sloane." She introduced herself and the goth girl who says hi and waves at me. "What’s yours?"

"Wait look, I am sorry for staring at you earlier. It was a mistake—I didn’t mean to. Forgive me, I was just amazed. I did not think you were wierd or anything. I’m sorry. " They are stare at me like I have gone crazy when I finish rapping that out. "Please excuse me." The blond girl stops me as I try to leave.

"Wait. Sorry, where did all that come from?"

"She looks terrified of us." The goth girl adds.

"Not us, you." The blond girl corrected. "You look like the grim reaper’s sidekick. You dress like everyday is Halloween!"

"No it’s not that. I just—

"You hear that? That’s not it." Argues the goth girl in her defense. "Why are you afraid then? Do we look like mean girls?" She asks pointing to herself and the blond girl.

"No you don—

"She is totally scared of us. Look to the way she is speaking."

"Yeah. She reminds me of how my brother was before we found out that he was being bullied by his friends."

"That’s right, I remember. He became skittish and reclusive all of a sudden and seeing everyone as mean. I think that is the same with her. She is seeing us as mean."

"No I—" I tried to explain but they cut me off again. Unexpectedly.

"We’re sorry. We did not meant to scare you. We are just trying to be friendly." What? Now I am even more scared.

The goth girl nods in concordance. I don’t know them before why would they want to be friendly to a new student barely five minutes in unless they are mean girls looking out for who to bully?

They are seeing me as a new target right now. I want to run but my legs are too heavy to move.

I flinch as the goth girl snaps her finger all of a sudden. "You must be heading to the principal’s office right?

Come on, we can take you there!"

To my surprise they really did take me to the principal’s office. All sorts of fearful expectations had clouded my mind as I was being dragged along with them.

I thought they wanted to take me somewhere to bully and give me a welcome hazing.

The principal was nice. So are the teachers of the three classes that I have taken. It is still quite too early to say that it is going well.

There might be trouble waiting ahead.

"Hey everyone, can I have your attention? Drumroll please?" The goth girl whom I now know as Sloane starts. She and her friend Annette had dragged me here to this fully occupied table after the lunch break bell rang.

I inwardly do a headcount on them. Five guys and three girls. They must be a clique like Calix and his friends. Oh no!

Their loud clappings brings me back to the moment. I was hearing Sloane saying something but I do not know what it was.

"Make room for her."

"Come sit over here." I sat between Annette and a guy with dirty blond hair. Why did they have to bring me to this crowded table? I would’ve much preferred eating on my own.

There is no way I can eat a single piece of the fries and onion rings I had gotten on my tray. I did not have appetite before and now it’s even worse because of this.

The fact that they all don’t seem bad does not mean that they aren’t. Those bullies of mine in the past were visually anything but bad. You can’t tell by the face because it’s not written there. It’s concealed in the heart and mind.

I’m not looking for people to be friends with. I also don’t want enemies either.

"Hey new girl." The guy sitting on my right calls. I look at him. "What’s your name again?" He asks.

"Gweneth." I answer. I could have lied about my name but mom and Dad had already worked the registration behind my back.

"Okay Gweneth. What does the light bulb say to the celling?"

I found it strange but responded anyway as I knew the answer. "I’ve got a bright idea."

He and the others seem surprised at my answer. It is flickering on their faces so much that I thought I got it wrong for a split second that I failed it. That would be because I have not I have not opened my Riddles and idioms book in ages.

Come to think of it, I do not even know where it is now. I was so bad at riddles and idioms in middle school. Anyone else would not mind but it did not sit well with me.

I was so troubled and obsessed with becoming good at it that I got a separate notebook to write in as many as I could find as well as the answers. Thanks to that I ace anything riddles and idioms. I can even do them with my eyes closed.

"Listen to this one; never was, never is. Always to come?"

"Tomorrow." It was so easy. I did not even spare a second to think about it.

"Woah." He gasps, seemingly amazed by me answering two ridiculously simple riddles. I am finding it funny. Did he expect it to be difficult for me? "I like you. We would really get along." He remarks.

"Way to make yourself known Wolfe." Annette drawls ironically.

"Don’t mind him." She says to me. "He watched Batman: The Riddler in seventh grade and has been thinking of himself as the Riddler ever since.

Dude, it’s high time you let it go."

"Don’t act as if that wasn’t brilliant." The riddle guy argues with her.

"You never get yours right despite me always asking you the most simplest ones.

But still your brain can’t manage them. Have you already forgotten?"