Chapter Text
“Breakfast is ready Megan!” A gentle voice called from the kitchen downstairs, joining the sounds of sizzling and clacking pans.
“Just a minute!” Megan shouted back from her bedroom as she straightened her Pink Floyd T-shirt with a tug, gazing into her body-length mirror. Her dark brown hair spilled freely over her shoulders, the blond front pieces illuminated in the golden early-morning light that shone through her wide-open windows. Megan posed before her reflection, satisfied with her choice of outfit.
“First day of school.” She whispered confidently to herself, energy and excitement clashing with nerves.
She moved away from the mirror and began picking up her new textbooks off of the hardwood floor
First day of Junior Year. She chose to transfer to a different high school this year due to the better AP programs and college routes offered at Merritt High.
There were more opportunities in transferring. She was ready for the change. Or so she told herself.
Megan dropped the books onto her unmade bed, pulling her bag up to pack them carefully.
She paused at the sight of an old crinkled photo at the bottom of the bag, stark against the black fabric. She pulled it out carefully, examining her and her friends’ smiling faces as they posed in front of an arcade. Fondness and longing pinched in her chest. They had all gone their separate ways over the summer, and Megan would have to move on without them. Find new people in a place where everyone was already found.
“Megan! You’re going to be late!” Her mother called once more, causing her to jump, snapping her from her thoughts.
Shoot, she couldn’t be late on her first day.
She moved to toss the photo into her bedside drawer, then quickly stuffed her books into the bag before zipping it shut and slinging it over her shoulder with a huff.
*Time to go, I guess. * She thought to herself as she hurried through the doorway and thundered down the stairs.
“Morning!” She greeted cheerfully as she turned into the kitchen to see her mom already eating at the food-stuffed table.
“Good morning, are you ready for your first day?” She responded after taking a small sip of steaming coffee.
“Yep, all prepared.” She half-lied as she tied her high-top Converse. Truthfully, she was a little terrified. She had no idea what to expect from a giant public school after so long being in tiny charters where everyone knew each other.
Megan stood, examining her shoes for a second before heading to the table for a quick breakfast.
The dark wood table was covered with a vibrant and wide variety of food that gave off a mouth-watering scent. There were bowls of fruit, vegetables, eggs, waffles, bacon, and French toast. Megan grabbed a fork and stuffed some eggs in her mouth with an “mmm”.
“This is delicious mom, thanks.” She mumbled around a mouthful of food.
“You’re welcome. I may have gone a little overboard but hey, leftovers!” Her mom smiled as she took another sip of coffee.
Megan’s phone suddenly buzzed in her pocket and she dropped her fork to fish it out.
A little reminder bubble read “BUS IS HERE!!!!” In all caps on her lock screen.
“Oh shoot sorry I’m gonna be late for the bus, got to go!” She rapidly put her phone away and ran to the front door. “Bye! See you later!”
“Bye honey! Have a good day!” Her mom called back as Megan threw open the front door and sped across their neat front yard.
She would *not* be late.
She sprinted down the sidewalk, her labored breaths visible in the surprisingly chilly Colorado air. Why was it so cold in August? It was stiflingly hot just the day before.
The bus stop was at the small intersection at the end of her street, just a couple minutes away from her house. She couldn’t believe she might miss the bus already, on her *first* day.
The yellow bus thankfully came into view once she rounded a corner, still stopped patiently at the sign. It looked as though it hadn’t been waiting long. Megan could’ve laughed in relief as she came to a gradual stop before the open glass doors, two students still climbing aboard.
She walked up behind two boys who appeared to be related, panting after her frantic run. This was going to be her first impression on the students of Merritt High, she had to do this right. Butterflies danced in her stomach as she made her way up the cheap metal steps inside the bus.
Megan was met with a blast of heat as she entered, both from the heater and from her apprehension as she felt dozens of eyes flick towards her.
The boys easily found their seats near the front, enthusiastically greeting their friends with high-fives and loud shouting. Megan walked past them, looking around for an open spot to sit. The bus was stuffed with teenagers, leaving little space even before they blocked the remaining seats with their things while side-eyeing Megan coldly. She continued walking slowly down the aisle, her unease rapidly rising.
She didn’t have a clique yet like all of these people. She didn’t have anywhere to sit.
She debated just plopping down on the floor when a shrill voice called for her attention.
“Hey! New girl! Over here!” A girl with short black hair and blue roots stood and waved her hand wildly at Megan from the middle-back of the bus.
*Oh, thank God.* She thought to herself as she beelined toward the girl.
“The name’s Trina, we don’t get a lot of new people. Come on, sit.” Trina scooted close to the window to leave room once Megan approached.
“Thanks, that was a little terrifying.” Megan laughed under her breath as she settled down in her seat.
Almost as soon as she sat down, the bus began to roll lazily down the road, gradually picking up speed. She guessed it was around a five-minute drive to the school. Really, she could’ve just walked.
“So, what’s your name? Why’d you transfer to this hellhole?” Trina asked, blue eyes teasing beneath her thick black eyeliner.
“Megan. joined for the AP classes mostly.” Megan’s eyes drifted, examining the inhabitants of the bus.
“Oh, you’re one of *those* types. I know some people like that. Set on getting into good colleges.” “Don’t expect to be too focused on schoolwork though, you’re at Merritt High now, so you’ll be lucky if you even survive to graduation.” Trina smirked.
Megan turned back to the girl, expression concerned. “What?”
“You’ll see.” Trina said ominously, though it clearly humored her.
“Groups are pretty big here, so you’ll have to know who’s friends with who and who *not* to hang out with before you walk into that school and embarrass yourself. Luckily you have me, so you’re welcome.”
Trina stood, her black skirt swaying subtly as she began pointing out different groups.
“Over there, in the very front, those are the Nerds. Don’t talk to them. Social suicide.” Megan stood up to look where Trina gestured, seeing a handful of boys doing homework.
“Okay?” Megan agreed half-heartedly.
“Those,” Trina pointed at the front-middle where the boys Megan first saw sat down. “Are a few of the weird kids. Even worse than the nerds because at least the nerds can do your homework if you pay them.”
Megan frowned but Trina kept going.
“In the middle are a few different groups clumped together, the prissy girls, boy group, tomboys, and art students mostly.”
Trina turned to face the back of the bus. “Back-middle are theater kids, like myself, band kids, and some floaters, then the very back are vapers, jocks, and the occasional Popular girl.” She finished before sitting back down. “Got all that?”
Megan nodded thoughtfully and joined her in sitting back down.
“That’s just those who ride the bus though. Most of the Populars and bigger groups don’t ride this way.”
Seemed like a lot to wrap her head around. Megan was a little more terrified now thanks to Trina.
“Uh, thanks. Anything else I should be worried about?” Megan asked, half-joking.
Trina smirked. “Definitely. I’ll show you when we get there. In fact, I’ll even give you a tour.” She hummed before pulling out her phone to scroll with sharpie-stained fingers.
Megan watched for a moment before looking beyond Trina out the window, watching cars pass by.
It wasn’t long before the school came into view, a large brick building with square windows lining every side. The patio in front of the entrance looked nice with its carefully planted trees and flowerbeds accompanied by picnic tables for outdoor seating.
Trina looked up from her phone and groaned. “Ugh, we’re here already.” “You ready for this?” She asked Megan, putting her hand up for a high-five.
Megan gained a spark of confidence at the sight of the school and Trina’s promised assistance. She smiled back. “Yeah, definitely.” Megan smacked Trina’s hand as the bus came to a stop at the sidewalk before the school.
Trina and Megan stood up alongside a handful of other students as the bus doors opened with a hiss.
“Alright, everybody out!” The old bus driver shouted impatiently over the chattering of students.
Everyone began to file out with some mild pushing and shoving, hopping out one by one into the cold air outside.
Trina suddenly gave Megan a little push. “There’s an opening, go.”
“Going, going.” Megan responded irritably as she merged into the line, Trina following closely.
They made it out of the bus with little hassle, but Megan’s nerves began to reignite now that she was standing before the building. It was…big. Just a little intimidating.
“Welcome to Merritt High,” Trina spread her arms wide below the metal letters over the door that read *Merritt High School*.
“now come on newbie!” She went on ahead, gesturing for Megan to follow her through the tinted glass doorway.
Megan followed apprehensively.
The inside didn’t feel as big. To her right was a front office behind doors, and to the left, a large library. There was a wide hallway leading deeper into the building, and stairs leading down to the back entrance and more hallways. This was just the main building however, and there were two separate others flanking this one.
Megan followed Trina down the stairs to the Junior lockers, fishing a note out of her pocket that she’d stuffed there earlier that morning. She unwrinkled the paper as they walked, reading her messy handwriting.
Locker:
48A: 24-44-30
Classes:
-Mrs. Thompson’s Homeroom
-AP English
-Algebra II
-Study Hall
-AP Chemistry
-U. S History
-Art
-Spanish III
“What locker you got?” Trina asked as they started passing down the hall, dozens of students grouped up around their friends’ lockers.
“48A,” She responded, glancing about the hall and noting the locker numbers. “Around here somewhere…” she trailed off as she spotted it.
“Here!” She shouted happily, veering off to her assigned locker.
“Sweet, mine’s just three down.” She leaned her shoulder on the blue-painted locker beside Megan’s, waiting patiently.
Megan opened the locker with ease and dropped her bag, unpacking her things into the small space. She was starting to look forward to this again. The books and binders fit nicely, albeit a bit tightly. She stood once she was done and tossed on her backpack after shutting the locker with a click.
“Don’t you have things to unpack too?” She asked Trina quizzically.
“Nah, I came here two days ago with a friend whose mom is the janitor. They’ve got nice hair, dyes it different every week.” Trina explained as she picked at her nails.
“Anyways, time to properly introduce you to Merritt High!” She smiled.
“Here we go.” Megan muttered, though she was buzzing with anticipation. The sooner she knew who everyone was the sooner she could come up with a game plan.
“Okay, follow me.” Trina walked down the hall and Megan scrambled to follow.
“Full tour!” She began pointing at the various groups. “They weren’t on the bus, those are the Randos. Them on the other side are the Frats, and those beside them are the jocks.” Trina gestured to each group in turn.
“Randos?” Megan asked skeptically.
“They just are kind of normal you know? Nothing crazy goes on with them.” Trina glanced at them passively.
All of them seemed pretty normal, chattering and laughing at each other’s comments. One of the jocks put a frat in a headlock and ruffled his hair, roaring loudly as they both wrestled with each other.
Megan almost smiled at the familiarity; her and her friend Riley used to mess around that that.
Trina went on and Megan snapped back to attention. “Emos, some Floaters…” she went on, seemingly uninterested in those groups.
Trina suddenly stopped in the middle of the hall then spun around to face Megan, arms crossed and hip thrust to the side. “And then there’s one more group.” She said, almost exasperated as she looked at something behind Megan.
“Who?” Megan turned around curiously.
“The Populars.” Trina announced as three girls strutted down the hallway like they owned it. And they very well might have.
2010’s Katy Perry music blasted from a boombox behind them, held up on the broad shoulder of a jock as the girls chittered, looking confident and snobbish in their designer clothing. A blinding light seemed to emit from their radiance and it was as if they walked in slow motion.
Megan gaped as everyone in the halls parted to hurry out of their way, some people spouting compliments that ended up ignored.
“The girl in the middle is Kimberleigh. Captain of the Cheer Team, most popular girl in school, and richest person you’ll ever meet.” Trina frowned.
Kimberleigh definitely looked the part, long golden blonde hair curled delicately, sharp icy blue eyes framed by dark lashes and light eyeliner, designer clothing perfectly fitted and extremely fashionable.
“She’s dating Kyle, most popular guy in school and star of the football team. But don’t let her fool you, she’s just as mean as she is impressive and can ruin anyone’s life in seconds.” She scoffed, lip curling in disgust.
“Who’re the other three?” Megan asked distantly.
“Those are her clueless lackeys, Jessica, Paige, and Adrien. They do all her dirty work and follow her bidding. Just as pretty, but way less intelligent.” Trina continued.
The Populars talked amongst themselves, laughing and pointing at other students or flipping their hair gracefully before a compact mirror until Kimberleigh stopped.
Right before Megan and Trina, who had not moved out of their way.
Kimberleigh gestured to halt the chatters of her group, then tossed her hair and rested her hand on her hip, eyes narrowed on Megan.
“You’re in the way.” She tsked.
Megan glanced around her then back at Kimberleigh. “Am I? There’s a whole hallway.”
“You must be new around here.” She began coolly. “When I walk down this hall, you scurry away to whatever rotting hole you can find.” She tilted her head in annoyance.
Megan met her sharp gaze. “Why…?”
This was wild. She was not expecting this.
Kimberleigh leaned in close, the scent of her expensive perfume enveloping Megan’s senses. Boldly, she did not flinch away.
“Because when people like you don’t stay out of my way, they end up regretting it.” She spoke slowly as if so that Megan would understand.
Her heart was pounding in her chest but she still refused to break away her gaze, refused to let her win. Trina, uncharacteristically, seemed just as tense beside her, though Kimberleigh completely ignored her.
After a few moments of unmoving silence, Kimberleigh backed away, red heels clicking over the linoleum floor.
Megan almost shook in relief.
“You’ll figure it out eventually. Let’s go.” She started to continue down the hallway, roughly bumping Megan’s shoulder as she passed, causing her to stumble. The other three giggled as they passed, making quiet comments that they knew Megan heard.
“Does that kind of thing happen often?” Megan turned to Trina once they were out of sight and she was able to gather herself back together.
Trina shook her head, expression livid as she turned back to Megan. “No, because everyone just does what she says. She’s going to make good on her promise if you defy her like that.”
“What’s the worst that can happen?” Megan laughed, but Trina did not smile.
“Trust me, you don’t want to know.” Her eyes went distant and angry for a split second before she bounced back into an easy smile.
“Anyways, let’s get going. Mrs. Ellis will probably have an actual tour guide for you in the front office.”