The First Day of the End

By Katelyn
Inspired by the book  "Slatted" by Teri Terry

Today, today it's a Monday. Probably one of the worst days of my life. I'm a senior in high school, I'm used to all of the things that the universe can torment a person with. I thought that I had been through everything horrible that life could throw at someone, but I was very wrong. You know the new kids at your school, how their misfits and how they don't really fit in that well. There are three types of new kids, the first type are those who try to fit in. They will do anything that they have to to be noticed and praised by others. The second type are the ones who don't care whether they have new friends or not. They believe that if someone is going to be their friend then they shouldn't have to change for that person. Finally, there's the third type of student, this type tries to not fit in. They avoid talking to other people unnecessarily and they don't put an effort into making friends. The one thing that all new students have to live through is being the shiny new toy that everyone has to meet.

"Listen up, this is the new girl. She'll be sitting next to... Edward... Please, be nice to her. Go ahead introduce yourself!" The teacher smiled at me. Her overly curly hair and the tangles in it prove that she didn't put any effort into her bun that's sitting on the top of her head. Her shirt has wrinkles in it and I can smell two-day old perfume on her. She hasn't taken a shower in at least a day. She's chewing gum so that you can't notice that she didn't brush her teeth this morning but it's obvious. This woman is a slob, at least she tries to hide the fact that she's thirty and probably still a virgin who has never been kissed before.

It's only natural at these times to be nice to the new kid, but the thing is. "It's nice to meet you all, my name is Katherine D.Caster." I fall under category three of new students. I won't or more like I can’t fit in with these people, I’m too different than them.

"It's break right now so why not try to settle in and make some friends!? I'm sure that everyone is dying to get to know more about you, Katherine!" Great, I have an overly nosey, slob of a teacher for my first period. I wonder how I'm going to live here?

"Ok, so my seat is where?" As I look around the room I notice that everyone is staring at me. I can't believe that I have to be the shiny new toy that is the center of attention, the sooner I get rid of this title the better. There's one seat that no one's sitting in, that mus be my seat.

"Hi! I'm Emily! The class representative and head of the cheerleading squad!! Your name's Katherine right?" The first person other than the teacher to talk to me and it's the most annoyingly preppy head of the cheerleading squad. Could this day get any worse? If I smile at her maybe she’ll go away.

"Yeah, my name's Katherine." As I start to walk over to my desk, I was surrounded by a group of girls. "Excuse me, but I'm trying to go to my deck."

​"But, you don't need to go right now! You still have ten minutes of free time!" What is this kindergarten? "Why not come talk with us." The girl then
grabbed my arm and tried to pull me to her desk, but I didn't budge.

"No thanks, I'm going to my desk." I shook the girl's hand off of my arm and then started for my desk. The girls circled around me again. This is starting to irritate me… If they do anything further then I won't be able to keep my self-restraint in check.
​
"Why won't you come talk with us? Well whatever, we can just talk here!" Isn't it obvious that I don't want to talk to you? This cheerleader can't get any stupider than her captain. "So are you planning on joining any of the schools' clubs? I no how about cheerleading!?" Really, that was just a stupid question. Sure I look fit but I can tell you don't like me, besides I would rather die than wear that mini skirt like that in public.

"I haven't really given it any thought, but I'm not into cheerleading so that's definitely a no." Actually, I have given it some thought and maybe I'll join the kendo club or the boxing club. I haven't really decided yet. "Well, break's almost over. I'm going to my desk now." I pushed the girl out of the way and almost choked on her perfume. She's wearing so much that if I had asthma then I would need to be driven to an emergency room right now.

When I sat down in the desk, everyone around me gasped. I wonder what I did? But this chair is really comfortable. As I sat back I decided to let my hair down, because I only ever have it up when I'm working out. One of the girls from the group that had tried to corner me ran over to me, "Katherine you need to move. Fast." What's she so worked up about?

As I looked at her with a hint of confusion, "Why? Isn't this my desk?" The girl shook her head and then pointed at the desk next to the one that I was sitting in. "Oh, I see. "The girl nodded and started to walk away and I started to move my stuff to the other desk.

Someone approached me, "Your in my desk." Obviously that's why i'm moving my stuff. This guy is staring at me, He’s fit and tall. When he’s standing over me he can cast a really big shadow. As I stood up he grabbed my wrist and pulled me closer to him, and whispered into my ear. "Where'd you get that tatoo?"

I quickly pulled away from him and smiled.  "Thanks!" I then sat down at my desk and the girl came back over to me. Without being conspicuous I slowly closed my eyes and sighed quietly. The guy laughed and I quickly glanced at him.

"Hey Katherine?' The girl stood by my desk. "Why did you thank him?" She glanced at the guy and he stopped smiling. “Didn't he just assault you?”

"Oh, you heard that? Well when I was getting up to go to my desk I fell backwards and he caught me before I completely fell. Do you have a problem with that?" The girl glanced at the guy and then back at me.

"Well, I guess that if you that clumsy then it would be stupid for you join us cheerleaders!" I can't believe that she just said that with a smile on her face. Her mood swings are starting to give me whiplash.

I clenched my fist a little, "I guess that your right. You wouldn't want someone as clumsy as me on the super advanced cheerleading team." The guy smirked. Can he tell that i'm not really clumsy? And that i’m being sarcastic?

"Ok class, take your seats your break is over." The teacher glanced at me, "I no why don't hear a little more about katherine?" She then looked at guy sitting next to me and noticed that he was glaring at her. I laughed to myself a little, the only person that noticed was the guy. "So, Katherine. Why did you and your family decide to move here?"

The smile I had fell off of my face. I don't know what to say, I can't tell them the truth. I'm too different from them. I looked down when I could start to feel my eyes growing heavy. "Are you stupid?" As I heard this I looked over and the guy sitting next to me was staring at the teacher and everyone else in the classroom was frozen.

Finally our teacher found some courage, "E-Excuse me? Wh-Who do you think you are talking to me that way?" She glared at him.

He stood up and the atmosphere of the room changed. "I am Edward, first born son of the dragon blood group and yes I correct. You are extremely stupid. You're an idiot if you think that it's ok to ask someone why they moved. If they want to tell you then they will but if you ask them it's stepping over the line." Edward sat down, and the room was still silent.

The teacher was literally shaking, she was so terrified. I can't believe that there's someone who understands. "I'm... I'm sorry Katherine."

"Don't apologise, it's a sign of weakness." Me and Edward both glanced a each other because when we said that it was in perfect unison. Now the teacher looks like she's going to faint, Her body is shaking and she's starting to sway. "Someone needs to go get the nurse." Again with unison everyone started to stare at us, so he can deduct these thing to. Well someone from his family would have to be able to do that.

"Why? Why do we need to get the nurse? Are you guys working together to kill us or something?" Everyone is freaking out now. They're all a bunch of idiots, they can't even see that their teacher is falling to the floor. "What are you going to do to us? Are you go..." BANG, That was the teacher hitting the floor.

"Told you to get the nurse." I looked up from my desk and noticed that everyone was staring at me and Edward. What now? They don't seriously think that we caused that to happen. Well I guess that we did but still how could we have known that she was that whimper. I took a deep breath in, and both me and Edward stood up and started to walk towards the door. "Well that was interesting, I wonder if that's going to happen in all of my classes?" As we walked out the door the bell rang signaling that first period was over. Once the halls were flooded with a bunch of other students Edward was signed over to a group of boys.

"Hey, Edward. Do you know where my second-hour class is?" Edward stopped and walked back over to me and glanced at my schedule and then smiled.

"Your next class is history with Mr. Benjamin. That's also my second period class, in fact." Edward took my class schedule from me. "All of our classes are the same. You even have the locker next to mine. You can just follow me to all of your classes and your I guess your locker." Edward started to walk towards the group of guys that called him over. As I tried to follow him I kept being rammed into by other students and at one point I lost sight of Edward. He came back up to me and grabbed my hand. "This way Katherine." As we walked I noticed that everyone was avoiding getting near him, or should I say us. Because he was pulling me with him. I wonder why he’s so different, is he like me? Can I trust him?

As we approached the group of guys they all stopped talking and their attention moved from our hands and then me and then back to our hands. What does Edward not normally hold hands with people? “Um, Edward?” One of the guys is still staring at me. “Who’s the… Girl?”

“Oh, this is Katherine. She’s new here, as of today.” Edward then pulled me to the lockers and then showed me which was mine. I guess that he’s not that bad, So why is everyone else so scared of him?

As I looked back I noticed that everyone’s still staring at me. “Um, it’s a pleasure to meet you?” I glanced at Edward and then tried to open my locker, It wouldn't open. “Seriously?” After I tried two more times Edward started watching me.  This is humiliating, Why is Edward watching me? And now he’s laughing…  As I looked up at him he nodded and then opened my locker for me. “Thanks, Edward.” The other guys are just staring at us with shocked looks on their faces, why? This a mystery that I have to solve.

“Second period is about to start, we should get going Edward.” One of the guys nudged Edward and started walking through the crowd of students that were heading for their next classes. As the rest of them disappeared into what seemed like an endless black hole of people, I was left alone. Not knowing where to go.

“Edward?” I looked through the enormous amounts of people and realized that there numbers were decreasing. Then after the halls were almost bare I heard it, the most dreadful noise all day. I heard the bell, I am officially late for class… As I looked around I didn’t see anyone. “Where do I go? Edward, you said that you’d help me. But now I'm alone again…”

“Who said you're alone?” When I opened my eyes Edward was standing in front of me. I looked down to hide my embarrassment but my plan didn’t work very well. “We should get going Katherine, you don’t want to leave a bad impression for your new teachers!”

“Ok, Where’s the classroom?” I looked around and then Edward took my hand again and pulled me to our next class. Does he know that when there are not any people in the hallways that I won't get lost right? Who knows, I shouldn't question it. When we reached the classroom and walked in all everyone was reading from a textbook, none of the other students even noticed that we were late. I was kind of hidden behind Edward.

Well, every student except for one. As soon as he noticed Edward he signaled the teacher that he was late. I wonder if he hates Edward or something? “How nice of you to join us, Edward.” The teacher then smiled at the kid that informed him of Edward's presence. “Take your seat.”
As Edward went to his seat he was still holding my hand. “Come on, You can have the seat next to mine Katherine.”

“Ok.” I continued to follow Edward to his seat and everyone looked up when I replied to him. Wow, it’s just like last time. What’s up with these people?

“Umm, and who might you be?” The teacher then realized that we were holding hands. One of Edward's friends from the hallway was sitting in one of the seats not to far from us. He was staring at our hands again? I then looked down at my hand, I'm still holding Edwards' hand. “Excuse me, I asked you a question.”

“It’s probably his girlfriend. Wait, sorry I forgot he doesn't date other people.” What’s this guy's problem? Is he actually Edwards enemy?
Edward’s grip on my hand tightened, he’s really mad. He’s walking towards the other guy. I have to stop him. I grabbed Edward's hand tighter and planted my feet, on the ground. Then I turned around and pulled Edward to his desk.

“Sorry, I’m Katherine. I’m a new student today. Edward was late because he was showing me to your class.” I then bowed my head to the teacher.
“I don’t believe you, I didn’t hear anything about there being a new student today.” The kid glared at Edward. “I’m sure it’s just a trick made by his family.”

“I assure you that it's not a trick. I don’t know who you are but my transfer was really sudden. I didn’t know that I was moving until yesterday morning.” I looked down away from the boy back at Edward. “I left behind everything that I, for this. Everything that I knew, is gone. Everything that I loved, ripped away from me.” As I was about to continue I realized what I was saying. “Sorry, but that’s enough about me.”

As I walked to the seat next to Edwards, the kid that was badmouthing me and Edward stood up. “I know that this is crossing the line, but tell me. Why did you move Katherine?”

As I looked back at him, I could feel it. All of my sadness, anger and fear came rushing through my body looking for a way out. As I started to speak I could feel my eyes becoming wet and my chest became heavy as if it were full of lead. This is the one thing that I have never done. A single tear rolled down my cheek. My eyes now filling with tears glistening in the light, bouncing sadness through the atmosphere. I have never cried in front of anyone before, not even my own parents. “It’s just…” As I was beginning to speak Edward came up to me and put a finger over my mouth.
It’s fine Katherine, you don’t have to tell us.” I buried my face into Edward's chest, threw my quiet crying I heard Edward's low raspy voice. “Don’t ask Katherine that question again.” Edward then took me to the hallway. “Katherine, are you alright?” His voice is different than before, it was harsh and cold but now it’s comforting and soft. It’s just making me cry more.

“I… I think that I'm fine… But I… I just… can’t st… stop crying…” I gripped Edward's shirt tighter. “Is there something wrong with me? I can’t stop… Crying…”

Edward softly laughed, “Someone made you cry on your first day of school and you think that there’s something wrong with you! I would say that there’s something wrong with Justin, not you Katherine.”

“Ju… Justin?” Who’s Justin?

“Justin is the guy that made you cry. He was only trying to pick a fight with me and he thought that he could get me irritated by going after you.” Edward`s voice changed for a second. “That bastard thought that he could go after you because I was nice to you. I’m sorry Katherine…”
“Hey!” I leaned away from Edward and looked up at him. “It’s ok! Something like that couldn't really hurt me! Besides you still came to my rescue!” I wiped my face, and hugged Edward, “Thanks, you really saved me back there!”

“Katherine.” Edward looked at me and then hugged me. Wow, I have no idea what I should expect now… “Thanks.” What did I do?

“Edward, we should go back to class!” Edward stood up and helped me get to my feet. I took a few deep breath and wiped a few tears from my face. “Let’s go!”

As we entered the classroom it was full of noise, but once the other students noticed us the room was silent. Justin walked up to me and Edward glared at him. “I’m sorry that I asked you why you moved, and the I made you cry, Katherine.”

At first, I didn’t know how to respond to him but then I chose my approach, no one here with pity me, or think I'm a wimp. They will know who I really am, they will fear me. My expression changed, my eyes went blank, and I had a smile on my face. “Don’t apologize, it’s a sign of weakness. You don’t really think that you could hurt me that easily do you, Justin?” All you could hear in my voice was sheer annoyance and pity, I shook my head, “You asked why I moved. Do you really want to know Justin? Well, it doesn't matter because I'm telling you right now if you like it or not.”

“Katherine? Are you ok?” The teacher walked up to me and as he tried to put his hand on my head to check my temperature I grabbed his wrist and put him in an arm lock.

“Let’s see, Where to start?” I wonder if I should have done this? Well, Edward seems to be getting a kick out of it so, why not. “I moved here because there is a bounty on my head. I’ll explain, my family is or was the phantom group over in Snowden. Two days ago we were attacked by the police and they killed my mother, father, and my little brother. They also killed a bunch of my men and all of my other family members.
​
My name is Katherine D.Caster and I’m the only one left in my blood line, and you thought that you could hurt me with some words… Pathetic.” I then took a deep breath in, “The police said that they had evidence against my family and so there acts were justified. But what they didn’t know was that in our line of business is that the family business is passed down to the first-born child when they turn 16 years of age. Once that happens the parents and other family members have almost nothing to do with any of it. The police don’t know it but my family had nothing to do with any of it. They killed innocent people in cold blood. But don’t worry, I'll get my revenge someday!” I then gave a real smile and sat down next to Edward. “I’m allowed to sit here right teacher?” The teacher just stood there staring at me. “I’ll take that as a yes.”