• Lorili Chapter 1: New
    She wasn’t normal. Her hair was unusually pale and skin was so papery white she glittered in the bits of sunlight glistening through the blinds. Her long, thin legs must’ve been freezing in the cold winter air with the black mini-skirt she was wearing. And on top she wore a black baggy sweatshirt with her hands buried deep in the oversized pocket. The most bizarre part about her was her eyes. They were an unnatural shade of pale blue. Her irises were too big for her eyes and she didn’t seem to have pupils. Of course that could just be the lights, which all seemed to focus on her. In a way, she was beautiful. And I hated her.
    It wasn’t just because everyone was making a big deal over her. After all, why shouldn’t they? She was the first new person to come to our tiny school in almost three years. And it wasn’t just because my best friend Jake decided to ditch me to “escort” her to class, though that might’ve been part of it. I know it’s wrong to judge people before you’ve really come to know them, but I just couldn’t stand her.
    “Lorili, why don’t you introduce yourself to the class?” Mrs. Nores’ voice always had an irritated tone in it, as if she’d rather be somewhere else.
    Lorili didn’t respond to Mrs. Nores’ command. She just stood there, staring at us with a blank expression. “Alright Lorili. If you refuse to answer to me now, perhaps you would prefer to answer in detention.”
    “D-detention?” Lorili snapped out of her trance long enough to look up at Mrs. Nores.
    “Yes. And unless you would like another detention I suggest you introduce yourself so the class may get to know you.” Mrs. Nores was the strictest teacher in the school and everyone in her class had had detention with her at least once.
    “Okay. I’m Lorili. I just moved here from Canada.” Funny. Lorili didn’t sound Canadian. Of course, how would I know? I’d never been to Canada and still lived with the assumption that they said “eh” after every sentence. We all expected her to say more, but she just stood there, going back into her blank trance.
    “Fine then. Why don’t you take a seat over there next to Jessica.” And with that Mrs. Nores pointed to the seat next to me. Go figure.
    I slumped down in my seat, not wanting to look at the person sitting next to me. But when I did happen to look up at Lorili I noticed her staring straight at me. Freak. Just as I looked down, Mrs. Nores called my name, wanting me to pass back papers. I stood up and walked to the front of the room to grab the papers. As I passed papers out I saw that Lorili was still starring at where I had just sat. It wasn’t me she was staring at. She must’ve been trying to look out the window.
    She was so weird. Didn't she notice the window was covered by the blinds? When I got back to my seat I moved out of the way, not wanting to block Lorili’s view of the blinds covering the window.
    ***
    Our cafeteria was small, and everyone in the school shared a lunch period. I sat at a table with two of my friend, Cassidy and Julia. Just then, Jake walked by, guiding Lorili. He wore a bright pink shirt with dark blue letters stating “Don’t hate me because I’m beautiful.” Jake was just weird like that.
    “Hey everybody!” He exclaimed, in his usual bright voice.
    “Hey.” Julia said, unenthusiastically. Cassidy gave him a nod and I didn’t bother saying anything.
    “So,” he chimed, unfazed by our lack of enthusiasm, “Have you guys met the new girl Lorili yet?”
    “Mmhmm.” Said Cassidy, chewing on the inedible school food she’d ordered.
    Lorili was shyly looking down, seeming worried that we’d eat her or something. “So,” said Julia, trying to break the silence while Jake sat down, “where do you live?”
    Lorili paused for a second, thinking. “Over in a house by Lakeview.” She answered quietly.
    “You live there?!? That’s where all the rich people live!” Cassidy said after forcing her lunch down. “Your parents must be rich!!!”
    Lorili looked down. “Actually,” She began, still refusing to sit down, “I’m an orphan. My parents abandoned me when I was little.” She paused, and then looked back up. “But it’s fine. I don’t even really remember them. And I live with my best friend now.”
    We all stayed quiet. I hated moments like this because I couldn’t even try to understand how the other person felt. I lived with two parents and an older sister who loved me and didn’t fail to show it. “Umm,” started Julia, breaking the silence yet again, “where did you use to go to school?” We all prayed this wouldn’t end up like the last subject had.
    “I was home schooled kind of.” No wonder she had such “wonderful” people skills.
    “Well welcome to the 8th grade Lorili” Julia said, lifting up her milk carton to Lorili, and we left it at that, all except for Jake who went on blabbing about some movie he’d recently watched.
    ***
    I sighed, wondering how it was I’d been stuck with such a difficult locker. Jake had already walked off, saying he’d see me later. I was alone in the hallway, trying my lock again and again. I was about to give up, when I noticed a girl walking by with Lorili sprinting after. I didn’t recognize the girl. She had a certain type of beauty about her. Almost a vamprirish look, if that’s even a word. I hid behind the corner, not sure why. Lorili finally caught up with the girl, gasping from her short sprint. “Beth, wait!” Lorili called.
    The girl looked at Lorili, staring with an angered look. “It’s Elizabeth to you and no I will not wait. I’m tired of your lack of respect and do not want to hear from you again until you learn some respect.” The girl, Elizabeth supposedly, walked off angrily, leaving Lorili standing there, looking sad and alone. I walked out from the corner I was hiding in, over to Lorili. “Hey,” I said, calmly.
    Lorili looked up at me, “Hey,” she responded quietly. “So how much of that did you see?”
    “Enough to know that Elizabeth girl is a jerk. Who is she to talk to you like that? I’ll go hit her with my bag if you want.” I held up my bag, which had more books than necessary do to my locker.
    She gave a small smile “Please don’t. She’s my best friend. And besides, she deserves to hate me, in fact, she’s being overly generous to me by letting me stay in her house.” And with that she looked down, tears glistening in her odd, blue eyes.
    I didn’t quite understand, but I figured this was a subject too delicate for me to ask about. “How about I walk you home?” I suggested, “after all, it’s on my way.” She gave a small nod and we walked. Maybe Lorili wasn’t as bad as I’d thought. And so I walked Lorili home, not yet aware of what I’d gotten myself into.