4. Friend #2

Here it was. Her first official day of school. She had a wardrobe of all the latest Parisian fashions and it still took her two hours to find the right thing to wear. She wished she had watched more American television to better tell what they wore to school. Although she didn't know enough, she knew that clothing meant a lot. She didn't want to dress too over the top but she wasn't going to be sloppy or careless either.

She thought she did okay when she stepped up to Jeremiah as he leaned on the hood of his father's light blue convertible Porcha he'd let him borrow for the first day of school.

Jeremiah pulled the shades he wore down past his eyes and whistled as he looked at her. She posed modeling for him with a smile.

"You like?" she asked.

"Too much," he responded. "I almost don't want to take you to school looking like that."

"Ah, well you have no choice." She opened her side of his car and carefully sat down not wanting to wrinkle anything.

She wore a short sleeve cardigan sweater with a deep v-neck cut that showed almost too much cleavage to get away with. It perfectly accentuated a long white and black plaid skirt that would have not been very impressive except for the high slits on each side of her waist up to half her thigh. It was really pushing the dress code so she'd packed some jean shorts just in case. For shoes she wore wedges with strings that laced up her calves. She'd had her hair straightened and it hung flaxen down her shoulders and back. She matched Jeremiah as she also wore a pair of designer shades.

They drove to school zipping past cars and weaving through traffic as Jeremiah enjoyed all that the Porsha had to offer. Deja braced herself through the wild ride.

They reached school in no time. Many eyes turned and watched them zipped through the parking lot. When they got out a few guys from the football team came up to Jeremiah, high fived him and said nice ride. He didn't correct them and enjoyed the attention.

They shared a kiss and separated at the steps to go to their lockers being that Seniors and Juniors had lockers in different buildings of the school.

"You got this, kiddo," he said while parting knowing her first day ever of school was daunting.

She made her way to the Junior hall with her shades on trying not to meet the eyes of all who stared and talked about her as she walked past. She was used to much more than this so it didn't bother her as long as no one ran up to her or screamed her name.

She was mostly in the clear until she heard someone call out her name while she was at her locker. She looked around in shock that someone would recognize her here of all places. She was relieved to see it was only Sheryl.

"Quick," said Sheryl as she held out a piece of paper, "Let's compare schedules."

Deja fished hers out of her backpack. While she got it, Sheryl gave her a once over.

"Wow, you look like you walked out of a magazine."

"Is that bad?"

"Oh, no. You're not the only one, trust me." She tried to laugh it off as she had worn her regulation t-shirt and jeans she always wore but kept staring until Deja diverted her attention with her version of schedule. Sheryl took it from Deja and placed it side by side her own.

"Hmmm, let's see," her eyes looked over Deja's schedule and then did the bug-eyed thing again, "Wow, you're in mostly AP classes I see. …BUT!! We both have AP Biochem together. That's a senior class, so Jeremiah should be in there, too….and yes! We both have 2nd period lunch together. We can sit together!"

"Awesome," said Deja. She knew enough about school to be nervous about who she'd sit with at lunch. Jeremiah had 1st period lunch because all Seniors had lunch first. They had tried but failed at getting the same lunch. The school refused even though she had the one class with Seniors.

When lunch period came around what she didn't know was her lunchtime decision would be taken out of her hands completely. She had gotten her tray without ceremony, saw Sheryl sitting with a group of similarly normally dressed students. She questioned her decision of clothing until she overheard on her way to Sheryl's table a girl saying over and over, "Who is that girl? Who is she?"

She looked up to the middle of the cafeteria to see a girl that perfectly embodied the words "bombshell" and "princess". This girl was beyond beautiful and perfect. She wore a pink leather jacket and skirt accentuated with a Dolce black white and gold purse. She wore clear plastic pink tinted glasses not caring that she looked more like she was ready for the runway than a high school cafeteria. She had dark brown hair pulled up into a perfect sleek ponytail with high fashion sleek bangs. Deja's mouth fell open as she looked at her. The girl realized where Deja was going and her mouth formed into an O.

"No no no!" The girl said loudly enough for her to hear. Deja watched as this image of perfection gracefully got up from her table and sauntered like she was on a mission towards Deja as she sat down.

The girl walked right up to her and smiled the fakest smiled as her eyes rolled unimpressed over Deja's company.

"Excuse me, miss," she said smiling more genuinely at Deja, "But who the hell are you?"

Sheryl looked between the both of them as they stared each other down. Something clicked in her head and she rolled her eyes at the both of them and said, "Deja, Meet Miss Perfect…"

The girl glared at Sheryl before turning back to Deja. Sheryl cleared her throat and tried again.

"I mean, meet Miss Abigail Pierre, Abigail, meet Deja Belafonte."

Not breaking her stare, Abigail held out her hand and Deja shook it.

"Hi, it's ni-," began Deja.

She was cut off as Abigail gasped loudly and said, "OH MY GOD, SHE'S EUROPEAN!"

"Well, I'm French."

"Get up. Get up from this table right now. Before you ruin your reputation any further young lady, you are now sitting with us."

Deja thought this was very rude and was about to give Sheryl a look that said "who does she think she is?" but when she looked at Sheryl, Sheryl was doing the bug-eyed thing again.

"Get up," said Sheryl, when it didn't look like Deja was moving, Sheryl lean towards her and whispered in one gasp, "SheisonlythemostpopulargirlevertoexisteverwhensheasksyoutositwithherYOUSITWITHHER.. GET UP!"

"Well, if you don't mind" Deja tried to apologize.

"Go! It's ok!" said Sheryl.

Deja got up and tried to take her tray with her.

"Oh no, my lady, we have catering every day for lunch not this mystery crap. There's plenty for you. Come on."

Deja left the tray and followed the petite beauty. She glanced back at Sheryl only to see her wave her away. The kids that sat with her all looked stunned. If only Deja had known she'd accomplish some kind of high school hierarchy historical feat her first day of school.