Chapter One
I woke up at the shriek of the alarm from hell. I always had to set it so that I would have time to ignore it in the morning, even though it was more annoying than a six year old on speed. Life as a high school sophomore isn’t all it was cracked up to be. Thank goodness for caffeine. I grabbed the first thing I saw hanging in my closet, which turned out to be a black t-shirt that I quasi-stylishly paired with ripped up jeans. Black and blue simple and to the point, the message I hoped to convey was clear, off limits.
I am usually left alone by people outside of my private circle. The exceptions were praiseful teachers and misguided love-sick boys. I am, much to my friends amusement, considered a knock-out and because of that every once and a while someone will ask me to a dance or social function only to be refused with a gleeful “Nope, never, sorry”.
I grabbed my backpack and ran to the purple door down the hall. After banging on it three or four times I heard a crash and went downstairs. I opened my front door just in time to see a car pull up to the curb.
“My Angelina don’t we look darling this morning. Perhaps one day you could go for a color scheme that isn’t based on a bruise that intrigued you in elementary school” my friend, Kendra, a merry discipline of Stacey and Clinton.
“Morning Kenny, I’m sleepy and I have yet to read my summer reading so stop okay. Where are Neil and Stephanie?” I grumbled. A morning person I am not.
“What crawled up your ass? Neil got a car and is driving to his first day of junior year in a beat up Chevy. Steph is next on my list.” Kendra gave me a look, “You would think that I would get some appreciation since you, a dinky sophomore, get to ride in my esteemed junior’s car all the way to school but no. Me? I get grumbled at.”
“Love you too. Now shhhh I have to read this boring book.”
“I know you have already read it you bloody bookworm.” Kenny responded mildly as she pulled up in front of Stephanie’s apartment building.
“Oh that’s an image, a large tortured bookworm bleeding out from the ignorance of society and the quiet death of books and newspapers. The tragic death of an underappreciated icon beneath the dust of ancient tomb in a barren library where it could not feed young minds.” Stephanie said as she climbs into the back seat. Kendra and I exchanged a look.
“Isn’t she just so dramatic” Kendra said.
“Acting has gone to her head and made her a wordy liberal,” I finished with a devilish grin. I love these girls. Steph sniffed.
“Yes, since you’re so interested, I did get the part. Lead role and both of you will be attending my, what was it you called it before… ahhh yes, my con job.” Steph tried to keep a straight face but busted out laughing along with her friends.
“I want you girls behave today and I will see you at lunch.” Kenny instructed.
“Just because you’re older that doesn’t make you the group mommy. Please stop and get over it.” Steph belied her mature words by sticking her tongue out at Kendra. “What do you guys want to do this afternoon?”
“I have to see some guy who is apparently the lost love of my grandmother’s life, not my Gramps mind you just some random guy. His family has been a friend of mine since we came down from Ireland according to mommy dearest.” I sighed resignedly. There was no getting out of it, I’d tried. Just then we pulled up to the school. I jumped out with a “Later, ladies” and ran toward Lee’s Miserable Hall. Okay, so, the hall isn’t actually named Lee’s Miserable, technically it’s called Lee Ann Jeff Hall.
(This is going to take a brief history lesson. In 1964 when the school was founded they had different levels: accelerated honors and honors. Then when the private school of Bell Science Education was renamed Bell’s School for Gifted Youth in 1975 they built different building for the different levels. These buildings were named after their highest achieving students, Lee Ann Jeff in X. and Cooper Smith in H.
Lee Ann Hall is hell on even the smartest of us and back in eighth grade my class read The Killer Angels where we found out that the Southern Army under General Lee called themselves Lee’s Miserable. This was a play on words from the play Les Misérables. So we took this little history lesson/ joke and turned Lee Ann Jeff Hall and secretly renamed it Lee’s Miserable Hall. Needless to say the name stuck.)
Once I got there I turn down the main hall and stopped at Mrs. Fairy’s (yes, I know, what a name) office. I plunked myself down in what I’d learn was the only comfortable chair in the room and waited for my assignment. The bell for freshman would ring in about fifteen minutes but the upper class men got a half hour more on that first day. I was informed last semester that I would be helping any transfer students around this year. That is what I get for being second in my class. First doesn’t have to do this kind of boring stuff and third is rarely remember as often a he should be. So the only girl in the top five percent –depressing right—gets stuck being the welcome wagon. If you haven’t caught on yet, this is so not my gig.
I know Mrs. Fairy- I have to poke fun one more time for good measure- was no happier than I. I, as I have said, am not a people person. She and I both know that just because I have to show this person around that doesn’t mean under any circumstances that I will necessarily be nice while doing it. Especially if he or she is either a prick, snob, or god forbid a complete idiot. And before you say anything you have to realize there are smart idiots out there, they are just like every other smart person except they are annoying and say dumb things.
Therefore I sat, a bit sulky and more than a little bored. Miss Kelly walked in. She stopped and blinked at me. “What have you done now?”
That made me grin. “Absolutely nothing, I’m here for a totally legit reason.” Miss Kelly likes me but she also finds me a little mouthy, hmm... I wonder why.
“Good.” She started to look around the room as if she thought some one else should be with me. I knew the second she figured out there was only me because her shoulders kind of sagged in defeat. She turned back to me. “Please tell me you are not assigned to our new transfer students.”
“Sorry.” I had to put my tongue in my cheek to stop a smile. This school goes from grade six to grade twelve and in the last four years I had developed quite a reputation. I think I heard my eighth grade teacher say to another teacher ‘Miss Black is brilliant but just so…well, she lacks social graces.’ I have to say I don’t lack social graces I choose not to have them for the fun of it. Life is short why act on pretense and tacked when I want to say “you’re a flipping idiot” to a flipping idiot?
“Okay. We can do this. Okay.” This was not really directed at me, that little mantra was for Miss Kelly and Miss Kelly alone. Miss Kelly is big on mantras, at least around me. “Rules, Angie, you need rules or else I can only imagine what will happen.” I had to employ a mantra of my own ‘you will not smirk, you will not smirk’. “These student are the very important children of a very important man, (she paused here for what I can only assume was dramatic effect) Thaddeus O’Malley V.” She waited for my reaction and I didn’t want to disappoint so I gave an ‘omigod’. She seemed satisfied for a second but I think the eye roll tipped her off; ah, insolence.
“Thaddeus O’Malley V” Miss Kelly said stiffly “is a world renowned historian and has written many books.” She stared off into space. I might mention that Miss Kelly is a thirty-two year old English teacher and more than a little flighty. She has wild red hair and is small, like four foot eleven feet tall. She could pass for a student if she wanted. Sometimes in the middle of class she just starts to daydream and won’t come back to earth until somebody calls her name (we never do, less work that way) or the bell. I like Miss Kelly despite her occasionally trips to never-never land. I also know that if Mrs. Fairy saw Miss Kelly in a day dream state that she- Miss Kelly that is- would be embarrassed so I said “Miss Kelly, what rules?”
“Huh? Oh yes… Angie, right the rules.” Miss Kelly put on her I’m-a-teacher-so-take-me-seriously face. It was rather adorable. “First and foremost be nice, don’t frighten them, Angie, please they are new. Don’t bring them anywhere near Sheila and her group if it seems like they wouldn’t…blend.”
Miss Kelly was putting it delicately. Sheila is the self proclaimed leader of the upper-school group. We were never friends. She likes to torture people and it’s been that way since sixth grade. Miss Kelly doesn’t want Sheila or her cronies being overly cruel to the – did you notice the plural because I did- new kids.
“Okay, Miss Kelly, don’t worry but you should probably go because I can hear Mrs. Fairy coming down the hall and you know how she is.” Miss Kelly left with a wave.
Mrs. Fairy walked in a second later. She studied my outfit and gave an audible sniff. “Miss Black, this is Thaddeus, Andrew, and Frances O’Malley. Gentleman this is Angelina Charity Black.”
I suppressed a grin at the sniff. The things I do to be a good young lady. That thought caused me to have to suppress a snicker. “Call me Angie…” I looked at them and said with a serious face “gentlemen.”
Let me explain. The O’Malley boys were not exactly gentlemanly looking. They looked like teenage boys. Scruffy jeans and wrinkled t-shirts, one said GREEN DAY ROCKS MY SOCKS for goodness sakes, made up the wardrobe of these…triplets? Two of them had red hair and the other brown. They all were taller than me and physical trim but I didn’t worry because I –did I mention this- am in training for my black belt. I have a brown.
As I studied the boys they studied me. I know what they saw. A dainty delicate blonde in grubby dark clothes and no makeup, I love to confuse people with my appearance. Most useful of all, dark brooding almond eyes run in my family, a brown eyed blonde just shocks the male psyche. Poor fools. I looked down at my black sneakers because I wanted them to follow my gaze. They did and read on my foot wear DO NOT TALK TO ME and I DON’T LIKE PEOPLE.
The tallest said to me then, “I’m Thaddeus.” He gestured to the boys with red hair, identified one as Andrew and the last one was called Frances. They gave me a nod and continued to stare. This is what I have to say about the manners of some people: sniff.
Mrs. Fairy took control. “Miss Black, the boys are assigned to all your classes and your lunches. You can show them around for a bit and then report directly to first period.” This surprised me. The classes I’d picked weren’t exactly easy. I was taking advanced honors functions, statistics, and trigonometry and advance algebra, with English, Spanish three, Latin, Modern European History, Art, Creative Writing, Newspaper, Chemistry, and Speech and Debate. It’s a pretty daunting work load. I wasn’t exactly looking forward to it. Smart guys.
“Yes, Madame, I will do that, Mistress Fairy.” Sometimes I simply can’t control that mouth. Oh well, what’s done is done. I motioned to the guys to follow me while Mrs. Fairy’s face turned red. I swear one day she is going to explode. Here’s hoping there’s a camera ready. We got in the main hall and I led them down to the chorus wing that wouldn’t be occupied till that afternoon. “Okay, we are out. This is the chorus wing, down there is band. If you seriously have my schedule you’ll never see it. The rest you’ll see later. Lets go, I have to see a few people.”
Thaddeus cleared his throat, “You’re supposed to show us this school, Miss Black.”
“Well, Thad it’s like this, I have things to do other than show you and your darling brothers around. Oddly enough the sixth graders find there way around fine without a tour guide and not only did you have one but I am going to show you where to enjoy the company of your peers.”
“I’m not sure we have any peers here,” Andrew said mildly. “Besides, I’d rather see your chem. lab.”
“I’d rather see the girl’s locker room.” Frances threw in, grinning in a fashion I’m sure he considered charming.
“Oh, Frances, such a one track mind. Keep in mind what we are here to do.” Thaddeus warned his brother, oddly if you ask me. “Angelina, really we must insist that you complete the tour of the school as planned.”
“Well, Thad, now that that’s out of your system, let’s go meet my friends.”
I turned and walked away, assuming correctly that they would follow. Only one thing surprised me. One of them-Frances I think- laughed. Andrew looked bored so I held a little respect for him but Thad looked more than a little...satisfied. Now that confused me, if anything he should looked shocked. He must have assumed something only idiots assume. Just because I’m small, dainty, blonde, brown eyed, and have “delicate” facial features that doesn’t mean I am a…bubble head. Oh, I’m intelligent and deadly. Right after I mused about this in my head Thad rejoined.
“Excuse me, Angelina,” Thad sounded very upper crusty with the European accent, so European I wondered what their first language was, “do not to call me Thad. My name is Thaddeus, after my father’s father, and after his father. My name is Thaddeus Silas O’Malley, if you must shorten it call me Silas.”
“Oh, and about your friends, I feel that I should inform you the O’Malley men only associate with the…top levels of social standing. We really wouldn’t know how to communicate with anyone else.” Andrew informed me.
I know when to fight and when to enjoy the out come of the evitable. I introduced Andrew and his brothers to Sheila and her clones. The plan back fired, big time.
Andrew’s haughtiness mixed with Sheila’s bitchiness like salt and vinegar: some people think it tastes great but its not my flavor. Sheila made goo-goo eyes and he grinned suavely. I abandoned the O’Malley men to their sacred circle of E.I. (elite idiots) and move on to my circle.
My friends are legendary in a different way than the E.I. and unlike the stupid teen movies that you might watch we didn’t compete with the Sheila’s of the world. We don’t have to. The only reason Sheila hates me is because I dated her brother for a month and dumped him and for good reason.
Anyway back to my buds. Dave is an odd ball who is obsessed with rap and rock. He plans to be a music agent. He does all kinds of comparative articles for music magazines under the name Reese Dudley. Yes, the Reese Dudley is my fifteen year old guy friend who giggles if you say “monkey phooey”. All I can say is its bizarre.
Cassandra is an artiste. My girl can paint like nobody business. She has stuff up in galleries around Europe, California, New York, and even two in Egypt. But Cass’ got nothing on Elias who is a child prodigy. He can play the violin, and is an acclaimed genius at it.
Krista, Landon, and Shayne are your garden variety brains at there respective skills. Landon, to my disappointment, is valedictorian, Krista is a dancer, and Shayne is third in the class. Landon wants to be a Supreme Court judge and Shayne wants to be an architect. Angie Black wants to be a surgeon, perhaps surgeon general and maybe even president of the U.S. of A. one day, that or famous photographer.
We are the driven. The elite in the success department, we aren’t gorgeous. Cass has got some kinky black hair and is thick in what society thinks of as all the wrong places. Krista cut her curly red hair short for dance and is covered with freckles. Landon has a messy mustache that is awful and wears t-shirts that are faded beyond the ability to read them. Shayne, he is our pretty boy, with long brown hair and puppy dog brown eyes. Dave has messy blond hair and more pimples than he deserves. I dress in black that makes me look pale and my tilted eyes make me look like a…fairy. I don’t get the attraction of these boys.
“Sizerp, ladies and guys,” Shayne walked up to the group about the same time I did and made that lovely comment. Did I happen to mention that Shayne is our resident thug-let? Yes, you read me right a thug-let (like a piglet, only with baggy jeans). He thinks he is gangster fabulous as Cass says. The boy is a bag of laughs.
“Nothing, dude, just how you say chilling.” This was from Cass in her best French accent. Obviously somebody had a quiz next period. Cass has issues with grades, as in she needs better ones. It’s okay because she has that other skill that blows everyone away. “Angie, where have you been? I was worried.”
“Three new boys need my special abbreviated tour of our lovely school grounds.” Here it comes, wait for it…
“What boys? How old are they? What do they look like?” Krista is boy obsessed, its one of her more annoying qualities.
“Silas, Frankie, and Andy O’Malley are sixteen year old triplets who are now attending all my classes. I thought stalking was illegal in this country.” I paid no attention to Krista’s last comment. I don’t do gossip, I just add to what is talked about. I have more fun that way.
“Where are they? Please tell me you didn’t leave them in the dark room like last time? What if there had been a fire?” Krista sighed. I exasperate her too. All I had done was put a chair in front of the door to the dark room for twenty minutes. The thought still makes me smile.
“They, and because they wanted to go I had nothing to do with it, are with Sheila and her bi…posse.” Got to work on that swearing thing, I always have to remind myself that there are better ways to express myself.
“Introduce me one of them, I need a guy. Angie wish me the cutest and smartest and most talented of the brothers.” She looked at me, only half serious. Even that kind of worried me. My wishes have a tendency to come true. As a result I don’t wish much. I shook my head.
Jeez she won’t even do this for me.
That wasn’t my thought. I swear it wasn’t. It had to be Krista’s. Yeah, so I sometimes hear other people’s thoughts big deal. It’s a known fact that people only use a piece of there brain, maybe I use all of mine. I was not going to dwell on it; nope instead I was going to handle Krista. Kris was never a great friend and I couldn’t let her get away with that thought.
“Bye people, I’ve got class.” Landon grabbed my arm and walked us away. Landon is my best guy friend and understands my need to be in as much control as possible. In his opinion I need to conserve the friends I’ve got. Maybe he’s right.
“Hold up Land, I have to grab the O’Malley boys. They have our schedule remember?” Landon and I always signed up for the same classes but he has always gotten slightly better grades than I. We walked toward the E.I. “Hey guys, if you want to know how to get to class you’d better move because I’m going now.”
Naturally Andy answered that. “I’m sure Sheila can show us the way.”
“Actually she can’t,” was my less than sweet reply. Landon took control then.
“Sheila doesn’t go to the wing we go to. She’s in Smith Honors.”
“Are you telling me we were not put in Honors classes?” Frankie demanded.
“No dearest you were put in accelerated honors course with me- much to our mutual disgust and my personal disbelief.” Damn that mouth of mine.
“You’re in Misery.” Cass chimed in behind me before Frank’s head exploded. That’s what I love about Cass; she cuts through to the good stuff. I’d had enough. I turned and walked away. What a day.
Feedback is great. Stealing is not. More to come.
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