2

The silence.

Crikey! The silence was killing.

What else should one expect to meet upon entry into the town's ever glorified institution? Well permit me to bare it all out to you—That imaginative part of me thought there would be a number of guards to be found on the school grounds, ushering students to and fro, making sure orderliness remained the tag of 'MAPLE VALLEY HIGH'

What sort of school did I go to? That, you may ask, but when one's faced in the open mouth of apprehension and worry, you are made to think a number of things.

All maddening, all impulsive, and dammit! I hated the silence.

Silence brought about a lot of things, I tell you.

Silence brought about temptation.

Silence brought about those voices that pushed the weak-hearted into letting the clutches of quietus, englobe them.

Silence took my friend away, pulled her so far away from me.

"Get them busy. Get them doing one thing or the other, but never leave them idle" Professor Adams had ensured to pitch in during one of his early psychology lessons.

But I sought silence, every now and then. It comforted me, if anything. Gave me such peace, and was my only escape.

Yet, I despised the silence that crawled around in this particular hallway.

Not a sound had been emitted for the past minute since I walked in here.

My eyes caught sight of the lady pulling up to me, a bright smile plastered on those red lips, with gaze so warm, it never shifted off my profile.

"Miss Sangretti!"

That voice was filled with enough cheer, while hands reached out for a handshake.

"We've long awaited your arrival" She followed, with hands soon slipping into mine.

Those bangs which fell over her face, did enough hiding that huge forehead I caught sight of on the picture sat on that billboard, a hundred kilometers away.

That billboard, which was mounted there as a means of promoting the school, meanwhile, they chose to let the school's principal take the glory of the screen, with such seductive eyes which followed any passerby.

"I'm principal McKenna"

Those eyes were just like that image portrayed, it wasn't edited as the forehead had been, and with such calm voice, it was enough to complement the lady stood before me.

"Come let me introduce you to the students"

I pushed forward at once, tagging behind her figure, watching that form lead the way.

We took the winding hallway which led farther into the building, the click of her heels echoing after every of her step, while hair went bouncing here to there.

The halls were quiet, of course, classes started half an hour ago, with school activities having begun for the day.

But was the school usually this comported? I doubted that. Every school was known to be a mess. No matter how hard the authorities tried. If it wasn't the students ruining it, it would be the staffs.

School itself was an instrument for testing one's patience.

The eyes of the lady away, spared a glance back at my form, and in a second, her figure took a halt.

"Wow" Her voice was laced with a tone that said, you're brave enough to go by with that, while those eyes remained skimming every part of me.

"We're not usually so controlling, but we'd appreciate it if our staff put modesty into their dressing" She followed at once.

"Oh, I'm sorry" I followed immediately, putting on the jacket I had snatched off, not after the day sun threatened to have my skin melt. She gave an approving look at the coverup, and with a warm smile tugging at her lips, she resumed the lead.

The form of Principal McKenna, went round a corner, while she went urging me to pull forward with that bright smile still held on her face, and in a second, she had proceeded into a classroom.

The ruckus pulling from every corner in the room was what I walked into, with crumpled papers flying here to there, the students remained scrambling about, their voices drifting into the air.

Now I could attest that I was in the premises of a school.

"Class"

That voice was barely acknowledged, as the noise lingered, with a number figures loitering around the room, they made sure to keep the area busy.

"Silence!"

This time, that bellow had snapped everyone in check, as they scrambled to their respective seats, eyes taking in the form of the principal.

"What nonsense is this?" She called at once, with warning eyes shifting from one figure to the other.

"I'd like to introduce someone"

At her utterance, a number of gazes soon acknowledged my presence, taking the sight of me stood by the principal.

Those scrutinies remained scanning every part of me, like I wasn't made in the same likeness. They watched me, some lips bearing frowns onlooking my form like it was that of an alien.

Perhaps, it was the babushka scarf wrapped around my head, that same one which you were to find on the lot of those beloved Hollywood starlets that had managed to get their attention.

Or could it be the lace gloves worn on my hands that seemed much of a spectacle to them?

Who could blame them though? I looked like I had just been brought out of a Vintage high-fashion runway, With those gleaming pearls which adorned my neck, the 'Janet Robins' Jacket clinging to my body, not to forget the red 'Nina Ricci' Pumps which made sure to stand out from the rest of my clothing.

But I tell you, my life was far from being the way I was dressed. It was a huge contrast to it.

"Miss Sangretti?" She called, earning my attention at once, while I pulled forward, that weak smile held on my lips, with gaze shifting through the figures before me.

"Class, I'd like to introduce Miss Sangretti, the new Counselor" She let out.

I could hear the murmurs following in the room. With some falling silent at her utterance, others made their disapproval known, not minding the principal stood before them.

"We don't need a Counselor!" A voice called.

"I believe you do, Cynthia" Miss McKenna followed. "It is for your own good, to help build you guys"

"School as it is, gets tiring, and then you bring a new staff to worsen things"

"Think about it like this—Principal McKenna began— Whatever you can't speak to the teachers about, you can tell Miss Sangretti, she'll be kind enough to pass it onto us"

"Then will she be kind enough to tell the principal to let us be"

"That's enough, Julie" Snapped the Principal at once, eyes shifting to me.

"They're usually better composed than this" She assured, with a smile crossing her lips.

"I'll leave you to have a word with them" She called, right before making her way out the room.

The silence which fell upon her exit, clung to the walls of the classroom, with a number of scrutinies fixed on my form. All my years of psychology, consultancy and overall professionalism seemed to be wiped away, as I tried so hard, standing my ground before the questioning eyes.

"Good morning, class" I began.

"My name's Cara Sangretti"

"What do you think we are? Pre-school kids?" A voice had called from nowhere, with a middle finger being flashed my way. I turned my gaze to the figure, a girl with thick-framed glasses, one which made sure to droop down her nose every now and then. Her teeth were accessorized with braces, and holding her hair was a hair clasp in shape of a penis.

Who were these people?

"We're better off without you" Another followed. This time it was a guy. I couldn't tell if his hair was dyed or that was just its natural colour, but such blonde hair was one I hadn't seen before. It just was too bright.

"Miss Sangretti" Another girl had gotten to her feet, eyes matching mine. That crop top which she wore, did enough revealing every skin of her belly.

With bosoms protruding from the top, it was there to get every attention its way.

"Can I ask a question?" Despite all she tried accessorizing herself with one couldn't deny the beauty which laid behind that caked up face, if only one was to peer harder.

She had the perfect set of teeth, long dark hair bouncing to and fro at every slight movement she gave.

"I have a question for you" She began.

"Whatever is it?"

She let out a sigh, a smile soon tugging at her lips.

"I've been told it's best for girls my age to stick with anal" I heard the noise which erupted at her utterance, with a few guys cheering her on, the ruckus rang out around her.

"But I prefer missionary, especially cause it makes the guy dominant" She followed.

"Now I do understand why we've been adviced to stick to anal, perhaps to prevent pregnancies, but I believe sex should be pleasurable, convenient and comfortable, not me trying to avoid one thing or the other" The claps soon began, with some guys hooting at her, a girl had taken to her feet, giving her a high-five.

It was an utter commotion.

"What's your name?" I began.

"Isabella" She followed at once.

"Isabella, I'll advice you to use protection in every engagement with the opposite sex, anal or not"

A few jaws had dropped at my utterance, their forms soon sitting up in their seats, with every attention given to me.

Perhaps they'd decided to give the disorderliness a rest, but one thing I caught onto was how their interest had piqued in whatever I had to say.

"Yes, sex is pleasurable" I uttered. "And if it makes you happy, I wouldn't tell you to disengage from it. We all should be free to do what we want, after all. That is in fact, our freedom to live"

The applause poured in at once, with a few forms tearing off their seats, my name had soon filled the room, their voices breaking out.

"Miss Sangretti!" The chants began.

Amongst the rowdiness, I caught onto a figure sat at the far end, right back on the last row. Head bent low in that hoodie which did a lot to keep his profile hidden, he seemed uninterested in whatever was going on. Not even at the noise had he spared a glance up, and only at my last utterance did he consider having a look up.

And I could swear those eyes, did enough to earn my attention, they were warm, yet loomed with a shadow. So soft, they remained peering on, still, one could catch onto the haze of trauma which lingered there.

His eyes had soon taken my form, with our gazes meeting for a moment, a voice out of nowhere was what had managed to snap my attention away.

"Give it up for the counselor!" The boy cheered.

The hubbub went on, smiles plastered on each one of the faces, the excitement hitting the room.

My gaze shifted to that figure sat at the back, watching him get to his feet, form proceeding out of the tumult, meanwhile my gaze lingered on the back of his hoodie, following his figure through.

"That's Logan" A voice from behind me called.

I turned around, only to find girl with braces grinning on at me.

"He is always like that. You need not worry" She uttered, smile growing even wider.

"A pleasure to have you at Maple Valley, Miss Sangretti" She called at once, hands reaching out to take mine.

"I can't remember the last time we had such a cool schoolie" she followed.

"A what?" The words poured out my lips without warning.

"A schoolie" She uttered even louder this time, like that would give any better explanation.

"Come, Miss Sangretti. Let me show you around" She let out in such cheer-filled voice, pulling me into the hallway.