Chapter Three: 

 

Mrs. Miranda escorted the three of us out of the office, all but giving me a motherly smile, two girls who obviously didn’t fit in, and a piece of paper that determines my entire day. Annie and Lissa stood next to each other, almost as if they were less than a foot apart the sun would explode. 

Annie leaned against the shut door of the principal’s office with her arms crossed and her icy blue but shaded eyes never wavering from me. What’s her deal? Is she just always like this? Moody? 

Lissa’s smile fell, but not completely. She decided to break the awkward silence between the three of us. “Principal Brewer wanted us to show you around the school since it’s your first day.”

“Yeah,” Annie replied dryly. 

Ignoring Annie’s monotonous voice, Lissa came up to me and held out her hand. “Since we’re not formally introduced,” she began. “my name is Lissa Jones.”

Staring at her, I shook the living Barbie’s hand. “Halo Nelson,”

Lissa chuckled lightly, her smile widening. She then nudged her chin in Annie’s direction. “That’s Anneliese Gray, but we all call her Annie.”

“You mean you call me that, Lissa,” the goth corrected. 

Lissa waved off her comment. She immediately changed the subject. “So,” she began. “Is it true you were in JUVIE?”

“Lissa!” Annie scolded. 

“What?” she replied nonchalantly. “I was just asking a question!”

“Still, it’s rude!”

I cleared my throat, ending the tiny argument. “Yes, Lissa. I was in JUVIE for four years.”

“Wow,” Lissa drew out in amazement. “That’s…long.”

This girl needs to see a doctor, I thought to myself. I didn’t see the rudeness in Lissa’s question, although Annie seemed to think the opposite. I had no trouble talking about my life in prison. In fact, it was probably the best life I ever had. Despite the dirtiness, the bloody fistfights, and the ever so “delightful” yelling from the guards. I had actually made friends with people in there who understood me: they went through some sort of mid-life crisis like I did. 

“What was it like in there?” Annie asked genuinely. “Were there bloody fights?” she added in fascination. 

I looked at her skeptically, wondering, truthfully, if this girl had committed murder. 

Annie’s question made me dwell on my time in prison. Sure, it was a big part of my life. But, what was the true emotion I expressed through that time? Was I happy? Was I whole? Now that I reflect back on it, I remember my happiest times were with Sam. We bonded over so many things; mainly the cause that led us to prison. 

I replied, “It was…interesting.” I quickly added, “And yes, there were bloody fistfights.”

Lissa obviously didn’t like talking about brutality. “Okay,” she said, clapping her hands together nervously. “Shall me and Annie show you around the school?”

“Sure,” I answered. “Maybe it will be like the movies.”

“If only.” I heard Annie murmur behind me.

 

By lunchtime, Annie and Lissa had shown me all the classrooms. The art room, the gym, the cafeteria, and all the other basic academic quarters. But, above all, I was somehow drawn to the music room. 

When Lissa had opened the door to the music room, I was in no hurry to visit it. I had never been fond of music, mostly because I hadn’t listened to any in four years. But, for some reason, when I saw what was behind the door, I was in awe. 

There was a music instructor, no older than a graduate student, conducting a group of four girls, one singing higher than the rest. The girls seemed to be having fun, bursting chords and letting out notes way above my vocal range. The one singing the highest was a redhead. Well, I suppose strawberry blonde is a better term. She wore only the most expensive of clothes a teenager in high school could own. Along with that, her hair was straightened to the tip, sporting light blonde highlights that stroke through and a few bracelets from Gucci on her wrist.

“That’s Alice Anne,” Lissa had whispered to me when we peeked into the room. “She’s the most popular girl in the whole school.”

“More like the most overpowering girl in the whole school,” Annie retorted. “The girl is a total psycho.”

I didn’t care that much to learn about Alice Anne. All I knew is that I wanted to sound like those girls; I wanted to sing angelically; I wanted to sing. 

No, I thought. You’re an idiot if you think you could become famous for singing. Plus, do you really think the world would let a former prisoner be a singer?

The three of us left the music room at that. Even though I tried to force myself into forgetting about becoming famous, it still nudged me like a nosy kid. 

When lunchtime rolled around, I sheepishly poked at my tray. It wasn’t like the slop they served us at JUVIE, but somehow, it still resembled it. Annie and Lissa hadn’t touched their trays either. They must know what’s in the food. They seem smart about things like that. 

I pushed my tray away. “What do you think it would take for me to sing with those girls?” I blurted. 

“You mean, join the choir?” Lissa asked. 

I nodded. Annie burst out laughing, slamming her fist on the table giddily. 

“What?” I asked. “What’s so funny?”

Annie’s laughter ceased. “Auditioning for the choir is a high school death wish,” she explained. “If anyone steals Alice’s spotlight, she’ll break your reputation in half with the whip of her hair.”

“She’s that threatening?” I genuinely mused. 

“Yes,” Annie replied. “She doesn’t care who she breaks; it’s as long as it benefits her.”

“So what you’re saying is that if I audition for the choir, she’ll try to ruin my reputation if I try to ‘steal her spotlight’ and I’ll be a high school outcast?”

They both nodded simultaneously. 

Not caring, I grabbed my fork and shoved a bite of the mystery lunch into my mouth. “Well,” I said mid-bite. “I guess I’ll have to take my chances.”

 

---

THE PICTURE USED IN THE FEATURED IMAGE DOES NOT BELONG TO ME. ALL RIGHTS GO TO THEIR RIGHTFUL OWNERS.

(also, in case you were wondering, the picture is Jade West from the Nickelodeon show Victorious because I thought she resembled Annie)