Chapter 3

Monday came all too soon. Anna didn't want to get out of bed but that was out of the question. She grudgingly got up and did her morning workout. Then she had her bath, did her skin care routine and put on her uniform. The uniform was a sky blue shirt with a purple collar on a purple shirt. She wore a pair of white socks and completed it with black sneakers. 

She then pulled her hair into the usual ponytail and took her school bag. She had packed her bag the night before so she just threw it over her shoulder after putting her phone in it, wore her glasses and checked herself in the full length mirror and felt that her look was satisfactory. 

Annabelle went downstairs to fix a little sandwich for herself because eating with her parents would make her late but apparently, Katherine beat her to it.

″Good morning dear,″ the cook greeted.

″Good morning, Kathy. How are you?″ she asked.

″I'm fine,″ Kathy replied. ″I made you some breakfast,″ she said as she handed Anna a package. 

Anna thanked her.

″It's nothing Belle. I happened to overhear your conversation with your parents last night when they said that you'd be starting school today so I decided to make you some breakfast early. You wouldn't want to be late on your first day,″ she said. ″I just need to pour you some milk and you'll be off.″

Anna's eyes widened. ″No!″ she screamed. 

″Why? What's wrong?″

″I'm allergic to milk,″ she explained. 

″Oh, I'm sorry darling,″ Kathy said apologetically.

″It's fine. Didn't my mom tell you? In fact, don't answer that, I'll just take this and get going,″ Anna said as she left the kitchen.

″Goodbye Belle,″ Kathy called after her. 

The sight that met Anna when she got to the living room made her jaw drop. Her parents were sitting down and looked like they were waiting for her. 

″Mom? Dad?″ she called when she finally found her voice. 

Her mom smiled at her. ″Good morning Anna. I hope you had a nice night,″ she said. 

″Yes, I did,″ Anna replied, still shocked.

″Annabelle,″ her dad began, ″We came out to see you before you leave for school.″

That statement on its own was both hilarious and shocking. Her parents never saw her off on the first day of school. This was certainly a new development. 

″Oh, okay. Thank you. I'll be leaving now,″ she said. ″See you later.″

″Alright dear. The driver must be waiting for you now,″ her mom said.

She nodded and walked out the front door. 

Her parents had already gotten a driver? She didn't put it past them but it was still surprising that they had gotten a driver so soon.

When she went to the garage, the driver was indeed there.

He was a young man of about twenty-five years. He was about 6'2 and very handsome with chestnut hair. He could pass for a model.

″Good morning Miss, my name is Dexter,″ he said as he stretched forth his hand.

She shook his hand. ″I'm Annabelle and I'm pleased to meet you, Dexter.″

″So which car would you like to go to school in?″ he asked. 

'What sort of question is that?' she thought.

″Dexter, choose any car. I just don't want to be late,″ she said.

″Okay,″ he answered, ″I'll meet you just outside the garage Annabelle. I hope you don't mind me calling you that.″

″Of course not. After all, it is my name,″ she replied, exiting the garage. 

A minute later, Dexter drove out in a black limo. Anna stepped in without waiting for him to come round and open the door for her. 

″Why didn't you let me open the door for you?″ he asked with a frown as they drove out. 

″I have hands for a reason,″ she said, rolling her eyes.

″Dex,″ she said, deciding the nickname was faster to get out. ″Why did you have to choose the limo? There were other modest looking cars there. Why did it have to be this one?″

Dexter looked shocked. ″Are you hearing yourself?″ he asked.

″Yes-″ Anna was saying.

″You are the daughter of Basha and Riley freaking Siromani!! You deserve a grand entrance. And don't forget this is a new school,″ he screeched, cutting her off as he turned around slightly.

″Oh, that. It's no big deal-″ she began.

″Yes it's a big deal, Anna,″ he cut her off again. "It's a very big deal. Do you know who your parents are? I never dreamt of even glancing at them in real life and here I am working with them.″

″Okay,″ she said as she brought out the breakfast Kathy gave her.

There was silence as she ate her sandwich. She got lost in her thoughts again. 

First her parents saw her off, then she was reminded of their importance in society. But that was just the problem. Being their child wasn't easy because most kids wanted to associate with her because of the money her parents had. 

On the other hand, her parents had been paying more attention to her since they got here. Maybe, just maybe, their move to America was for the best but Anna felt there was something strange about that. Maybe they were trying to give the impression that they cared but they would soon forget about her and face their work then everything would be the way it was before. It was either that, or they were trying to hide something.

There was no more time to think because they pulled up in front of her new school. 

″Good luck today,″ Dexter said.

″Thank you,″ she replied.

Then she took a deep breath and braced herself for what was to come.

One look at the building before her told Anna that this school was only meant for the rich. 

The signboard in front of the school said REGIS HIGH SCHOOL in block letters. The building looked neat, well maintained and there was a green verge in front of it.

Anna took her time to admire the building because she was dreading to look at the faces of the students who were watching her. Some were sitting on the bench in front of the school's glass door while the others - mostly boys - were sitting on the grass but that didn't matter. What mattered was that all of them were watching her like their lives depended on it and she was scared shitless. 

When she couldn't stall anymore, she looked up and almost regretted it. Some of the students were watching her with amusement, some with expressionless faces and a certain group of girls with…anger?

Anna ignored them all and walked towards the glass doors with her head held high, she was the Siromanis' daughter after all. But that didn't stop her from hearing the comments of the other students.

"She's pretty," she heard one boy say. 

"Where did she come from?" another one asked.

"I don't know, maybe Africa? Her skin color is dark," someone answered and she mentally face palmed.

"It's not dark you idiot, her complexion is more of light skinned,".another boy said and a side of her lip twitched. At least someone among these boys had sense.

"She looks Indian," a girl whispered as she passed her. 

She kept listening, though she didn't like some of the comments, until she walked past those doors.

If Anna thought her experience outside was bad, then what welcomed her in the hallway was ten times worse. 

Every single head turned in her direction. She was never the excessively shy type but this was both frightening and irritating.

'Why can't they mind their business?' she wondered.

"Who is she?"

"Obviously a transfer student."

"Who cares?"

"I'm just waiting to see the Siromani daughter."

So they didn't know her identity. She immediately thought of laying low but that would be useless. After all, she would be asked to introduce herself in almost every class. 

Anna went to the secretary's office to get her timetable and locker number.

″Hi,″ she greeted the man at the desk.

″Name?″ he asked in a bored tone.

″Annabelle Siromani,″ she answered.

And behold ladies and gentlemen, he looked like he could die.

″The Siromani?″ he asked.

″Look sir, can I just get my timetable and locker number? I really need to be quick,″ she said as she resisted the urge to roll her eyes. 

The man quickly attended to her and in a few minutes, she was on her way to locker 160.

When Anna got to her locker, there was nobody there for which she was grateful. She checked her timetable and saw that she had Physics first after homeroom and groaned.

That cursed subject. Nevertheless, she put almost everything in her locker, leaving only the stuff she would need till lunch break. 

Next on the agenda was to find her homeroom. She sighed. That meant she would have to ask someone. Just then, she saw a boy wearing what looked like the school's football team jacket pass by.

″Hey,″ she called and the boy stopped. 

″Hi″, she greeted once she caught up with him.

″Yes?″ he asked in a rude tone.

Anna rolled her eyes and put on her coldest face. If these kids thought they could be rude and intimidating, she'd show them the definition of those words.

″I need to get to my homeroom. Could you help me out?″ she asked.

″Why did it have to be me?″ the boy with irritation evident in his voice.

″Because, in case your eyes aren't seeing well, you're the only one close by,″ Anna answered. ″In fact, never mind. I'll find it myself.″

Then she began to walk away. The boy groaned.

″What homeroom is that?″ he asked.

″32B,″ she replied. 

″Follow me,″ he said or more like commanded. 

Anna wanted to say something to that but decided against it. 

He led her to the class that was her homeroom and left her at the door before she could thank him. She watched his retreating back and sighed. From what she had seen so far, she really doubted she would like the school.

Anna took a deep breath and walked into the class. Again, all conversation stopped. Even the teacher who happened to be a man, was watching her closely. 

She walked up to his desk.

″Good morning sir,″ she greeted him, ″I'm a transfer student and I was given this class as my homeroom.″

″I see,″ he said as he nodded. ″What is your name?″

″Annabelle Siromani,″ she replied and he froze.

"Pardon?″ he said.

″My name is Annabelle Siromani,″ she said.

″Oh. We've been expecting you. Welcome to Regis. I'm Mr. Edwards. Have a sit Annabelle,″ he said with a smile.

″Thank you sir,″ she said as she scanned the class for an empty seat. Her eyes landed on an empty seat at the back of the class by the window and she decided it would be perfect for her. 

Everyone followed her with their eyes as she made her way to her new seat. 'Can't they find meaningful things to do?' she wondered.

After settling down, she took a picture of her timetable with her phone so that she wouldn't have to bring it out all the time.

In no time, homeroom was over and she had Physics. Worst subject ever. She took her bag and made her way to the door when she realized she had no idea where her Physics class was. Anna debated between asking the teacher and asking a fellow student and settled for asking the teacher.

″Mr. Edwards,″ she called when she got to his desk. ″Um, I don't really know where my classes are.″

Mr. Edwards smiled. ″Alright Annabelle. I'll get you a guide,″ he said.

The class was almost empty by then.

″Brooke Summers,″ he called to a girl who was passing them.

″Sir,″ the girl answered. 

″I need you to be Annabelle's guide for today,″ he said. ″Can you do that?″

The girl glanced at Anna. ″Alright sir,″ she said. 

″Thank you, Mr. Edwards,″ Anna said as they left the class. 

″What class do you have now?″ Brooke asked once they left the class.

″Physics,″ Anna replied.

″Okay. We're in the same class and….oh shit, we're late,″ she said as she looked at her watch. ″We'd better hurry.″

As expected, they were late.

″Mrs. Kyle will have our heads,″ Brooke said, ″well, it's better late than never.″

Then they entered and everywhere was immediately silent. Anna began to wonder if that was a normal thing in Regis.

″And where are you two coming from?″ Mrs. Kyle asked as she gave them a piercing gaze.

″We're sorry ma'am. She's new,″ Brooke said, gesturing to Anna, ″and didn't know her way around.″

″I see. Please introduce yourself to the class,″ the teacher said. 

This was the moment Anna dreaded the most but she just had to do it.

She faced the glass and said. ″Hi, everyone. My name is Annabelle Siromani.″

The reactions she got weren't quite different from what she was receiving all morning. Even Brooke looked both confused and surprised.

Mrs. Kyle was the first to compose herself.

″Welcome to Regis High Miss Siromani,″ she said. ″Please have a seat.″

Anna sighted an empty seat by the window in the middle row and made for it. 

As she walked, she heard her classmates whisper.

"That's her?"

"Obviously."

"She wasn't what I was expecting."

"She wasn't what anyone was expecting."

"She looks too ordinary."

Anna snorted at the last comment. Did they expect her to look glamorous just because she was a Siromani? Well, they were in for the shock of their lives because the Annabelle Siromani was not like that.