When Two Worlds Collide p.1

A single girl of sixteen stood at her locker in the empty west hallway of Hetaria Public High. She hurriedly gathered the books for her second period class, angry at herself for being late to the point of having to miss first period history, her favorite class. The girls honey-bun colored, wavy hair bounced on her shoulders from her body's swift movements and she constantly pushed away one specific, thick strand of one ringed looped hair that kept floating down in front of her blue-violet eyes.  As if her horrible eyesight didn't need more troubles, for she already had to wear a pair of single-rimmed glasses to improve her vision.
Before heading down to her next class with her bag of school supplies and books for past time reading, the girl checked her clothes for any hint of dress-code violation.
Over a plain white V-neck shirt, the girl wore a light brown, hooded hunter's jacket. The hood draped over her shoulder blades in a bulky hulk from the dense layer of wool lining the inside. It was warm throughout the school during the cold, early January morning, so the girl wore her jacket sleeves pushed up her evenly toned, slightly pale colored arms. To match her shirt, she wore light denim skinny jeans that tucked into chocolate brown hiking boots that were tied securely around her calves. So, seeing there were no violations,  Mattie  Williams finally slammed her locker door shut and began to walk down the hallway just as the shrill ring of a bell marked the end of first period.
Mattie pushed herself against the wall as other students of her high school hurried past her to their next classes, ranging from Biology class to Lunch. She winced and apologized as people pushed and shoved her closer to the wall, seeming to not notice her.  She gasped as one boy, a senior, rushed past her in his giant manner and stepped on her foot in the process. He didn't apologize, although Mattie did. She sighed with relief when she finally slipped into her Honors English class with a minute before the bell to spare, a new record. Usually she would fall on her way to class and spend the five minutes of relief between periods picking up her books. Sometimes she'd annoyingly get pulled into helping someone else carry their books or something of the sort. One time she even got caught in between two boys that were fighting over who stepped on who's cell-phone. So she was grateful to have time to clear her desk at the back of the class of everything but her English supplies. When she finally looked up from her task, her body froze as she caught the eye of the one boy she never expected to walk into one of her classes, let alone Honors English.
Gilbert Beilschmidt, age seventeen, was known throughout the school as the number one ladies man. He also held the titles of class prankster and strangely, loudest belcher.  Most girls shivered at the sight of his platinum blonde hair and deep red eyes that mixed well with his lightly pale complexion. He most always wore a grin and frowned on the slightest occasions.  He never went without wearing a dark grey hoodie, yet he did change the way he wore it often. Today he wore it wrapped around his waist. Under it he wore a black T-shirt and dark blue jeans that tucked into black army boots. He gripped his books with one hand while he ever so slightly moved the other in one of his jean pockets where everyone, even some teachers, knew he hid a medium sized yellow chick that seemed to never grow and stayed quiet until teachers were out of ear-shot.
Mattie gave a start and looked down into her lap as her cheeks flushed with heat. She knew Gilbert must have been looking at someone who had been standing behind her, for Mattie was pretty much invisible to everyone except the teachers and her closest and only friend Elizabeta. She only dared to look up as the teacher began to explain the appearance of Gilbert, to most of Mattie's classmates' pleasure.
"Alright, I'm sure you're all wondering why the famous mister Beilschmidt has appeared in, of all places, our class, honors English." The teacher, Mrs. Karon, paused, as if to wait for any objections, and then continued.
"Well the answer is that mr.Beilschmidt scored fairly high in the English portion of last semesters exams; therefore, he became qualified to enter this class, which he did for whatever reason. Please except him and make him feel welcome."
        Gilbert then flashed his teeth in a wide grin as he made his way to the only empty seat, coincidently  three seats from Mattie's  to her left, and declared boisterously,
      "Don't worry my friends! I'll make it my personal goal to turn this class into this your most favorite period, hahaha!"
       The girls giggled and a few boys laughed and playfully punched his arm. Mattie wished she could join her classmate's mirth, but she knew no one would acknowledge her presence, so why bother going along with everyone else? Instead she opened to the first page of her fairly new notebook and added two new items to her list of New Year resolutions:
  3. Get to class on time, if not early
  4. Join in with the class
They might have seemed insignificant promises to some, especially the last, but to Mattie they meant so much more. Along with the other resolutions; the wants to be seen and make more friends, Mattie hoped to one day become the girl everybody knew and wanted to be, at absolutely any, any, cost. She only hoped it wouldn't take all year to change.
The mood of the classroom changed as Mrs. Karon directed the students to take out their notes and review the many roots of English words until the end of her lesson, ten minutes before the bell. Seizing the opportunity to leave a few minutes early, Mattie packed up her books and headed out the classroom door. She hoped to have enough time to grab an apple from a vending machine to settle her rumbling stomach. It reminded her she had not eaten breakfast. However, she did not exceed in safely exiting the classroom as a group of girls pushed past her, causing Mattie to trip and fall, dropping her bag and spilling its contents on the floor in the process.
Mattie groaned and hurriedly tried to gather her belongings. Without looking she reached toward her notebook only to freeze as her fingers brushed those of another. She whipped back her hand and looked up to see Gilbert holding her notebook. He studied it with curiosity. It was when he began to open the front cover that she shook herself out of her frozen state.
"Ah! W-wait! That's …" Mattie reached for the notebook only to have Gilbert turn his back to her as he read aloud the first item on her new year's resolutions list.
"One-"
"W-wait!"
"-Be noticed-"
"I s-said wait!"
"By-"
"Stop!!"
"My pe-"
"Enough!"Reaching out from behind his back, Mattie ribbed the notebook out of Gilberts grasp, ripping several papers out in the process. Mattie stood slightly bent over, hugging the notebook against her chest as she panted to regain her breath. She was aware of Gilbert's eyes as he watched her gather the rest of her belongings. Finally she dared to look at him. His face gave away no hint of emotion. He neither frowned nor smiled. She realized he was waiting for an explanation.
    "I-i…." Mattie stammered. Her face grew hot as she stuttered and stammered, her brain reeling as it tried to think of something for her to say. Finally, she gasped,
    "I'm sorry!"
     Using the now clanging bell as an excuse, Mattie turned on her heel and rushed down the hallway. She didn't bother to watch who she bumped and shoved as she went where her feet guided her, third period Biology. She didn't bid good morning to the teacher as she did every day, and she didn't let her gaze sweep the room to find her best friend among the small group of students. Instead, Mattie collapsed into her seat and sat with her head in her arms atop the desk until the bell rang, signaling the start of third period….
      And the beginning of what she thought to be her worst nightmare.