One

"Are you ready yet? Your dad will drop you off on his way to work." Millie called out for her daughter.

"Almost out!" Sophia looked at herself in the mirror one more time as she tried to control her breathing. She felt nervous, the thought of starting at a new school in her senior year frightened her. Having just moved here because of her father's work, Sophia knew she had no choice, her parents were busy trying to make sure she had the best of everything.

"I can do this." She cheered herself as she left the room. 'If only words of encouragement worked magic.' She sighed in her heart as she went outside her room.

Their home was quite big. It was a three bedroom bungalow, beautiful and cozy. She especially loved how spacious her room was and the attached closet she got.

Sophia was grateful for her father's promotion as that brought in more money to the family, and although she wouldn't be missing her previous home as she had no friends, the idea of having to be the center of attention at her new school frightened her. The new student has always been an interesting topic students engage in. The first week of her in school will determine which category she will be falling into.

But Sophia knows just the best category she will want to be in. She will once again want to be the invincible girl, the girl who shall be forgotten a week from now.

"Good morning Mom." Sophia forced her voice to come out cheerful.

"Good morning my darling. Are you cold?" Millie questioned as she eyed the big dark grey sweater Sophia had on.

"Yeah a little. Where is Dad?" She tried changing the subject as her mom would keep prying otherwise.

Her backpack was too small for the sweater to go into hence why she had no choice but to wear it from home. Her previous backpack was put to charity by her mom without her knowledge. It had been the perfect bag as it helped hide things from her mom's prying eyes.

"The weather is indeed a little cold. Take this tea, it will help you warm up a little." The mother passed her a cup of tea.

"Hibiscus tea." Sophia smiled since she loved anything extracted from the hibiscus flower. Not only does it have a rich and memorable taste, but there are also so many health benefits to it.

"Good morning dynamite." Sophia's dad Austin grinned as he gave Sophia a quick side hug before turning to his wife. Her dad has a unique way of giving nicknames, before dynamite, he had nicknamed her tootsie which had taken lots of complaints and cries for her nickname to be changed.

"Alright darling, you two should head out now. She shouldn't be late on her first day.

Nodding, Sophia and her dad left the house.

"Are you excited for your first day?" Austin asked as he took a quick glance at his daughter. He couldn't help noticing the gloominess in her.

"I am not. I don't even know what to expect." Sophia answered truthfully. She had always found it easier to speak to her father than she did with her mother since she worries too much.

"Doesn't that make the two of us?" Austin chuckled. "It is going to be my first day at the office too and I haven't met my new colleagues..." Austin turned to her as they stopped due to traffic, "But I am looking forward to it tootsie. Sorry" He laughed seeing the glare his daughter sent his way. He loved calling her tootsie as she had the cutest teeth he had ever seen. "I am excited because I am letting myself think of all the positive impact being in a new office and environment offers. A change of environment might do you good dynamite, and for it to be good, you will need to want it. Hiding and refusing to let people get close will not do you many good. You are beautiful..." He heard the angry honking of the car behind his as he hastily drove off. "Beautiful, intelligent, you are perfection darling. The perfect blend of your mom and my amazing self, so why won't you flaunt yourself? Why would you hide yourself?" Austin's question had Sophia biting her lower lips.

Although her dad had compared her situation with his, they were worlds apart. Her dad is a confident man who is never afraid to speak up when he needs to or wants to. But she, she was different. She hates being noticed, she hates when people look at her, and she especially hates it when she needs to speak in public. She just wants to pass through school without having to be known by anyone.

"We are here." Austin announced as he drove to her new school gate. "You can do it, and you doing it, starts with your mind." Austin grinned as Sophia forced a smile before exiting the car.

Heaving a loud sigh, "This is it." Sophia looked at the huge school and the plenty students flocking into the school as she wondered what her last year of high school would be like.

Austin watched her as she walked forward and soon mixed among the students before driving away.

Having finally gotten to the office where she got her timetable and locker number, Sophia wondered which way she should go. 'Should I go look for my locker now or should I look for my class?' She glanced at her phone and seeing there is less than ten minutes before class, she decided to look for her class. The earlier she goes in, the less people will take notice of her.

"Need help?" A voice asked startling Sophia. "I am sorry, I didn't mean to startle you. You just seemed lost." The red-haired apologized.

"No, uhm, I mean yes I do need help." 'Dammit Sophia, why are you stuttering?' She smiled shyly at the red-haired whose name she is yet to know.

"Awesome then. It would have been so awkward if you didn't need help." The red-haired girl laughed as she waited to hear the help the lady before her needed.

"Oh... Uhm... My class, I don't know where to go." Sophia told her as she passed her timetable over.

"Geography. How perfect. I have the class too. Come on, let's walk together. And I am Skylar Liam by the way." Skylar stretched her hand to her.

"Sophia... My name is Sophia... Uhm Sophia Adalee James." Skylar chuckled as she thought of her as cute. Her little stuttering was fun and cute.

"Nice to meet you Sophia." Skylar grinned before pulling Sophia with her as they both walked down the hall. Skylar asked so many questions, including her age, what allergy she has, any health challenges she should look out for, and what sport she liked best. Sophia tried her best to answer all the questions as she wondered how someone could be such a chatterbox.

"Oh, don't mind me. I asked all the questions without giving you a chance to ask me any. Maybe during lunch, I will be sitting with you." Skylar smiled as she walked into a class, Sophia silently walled in after her and immediately went to sit at the back. Thinking of how lively and outgoing Skylar was, Sophia did not want to be seated with her.

Skylar turned around only to see her companion walking to the back. She followed after her. "So a back sitter." Skylar teased as she sat beside Sophia.

'So much for staying away from her.' She knew she couldn't change her sit now as that will definitely hurt the lady.

"Yes, I prefer being at a place no one will notice me." Sophia told her hoping she would take the hint and go away. Sitting with her will attract others attention.

"Really? I truly think people's character should be considered when we are getting created. I mean with a face like yours, you will surely be noticed." Skylar chuckled with no intention of leaving her sit. "And besides, except they do not come to school today, you will be noticed, very much so." Skylar grinned.

"Who?" Sophia asked. The tone in which Skylar had used got her curious.

"There is this group of walking sexiness, think of the sexiest actor you know, well someone hotter is in that group. I personally change my crush every day. And that is not just me, almost all the girls here crush on them. And guess where they sit." Skylar winked at Sophia who quietly stood up from where she was seated and went to sit at the window side.

Skylar who walked to go sit beside Sophia had missed the hateful glare that came from some of the females in the class.

Soon students began to walk into the room, the once almost empty class was now filled with students who chattered and hugged their friends.

"Alright students, get to your sits!" A middle aged man walked into the class, Sophia's heart skipped as she had never seen anyone so good looking. When the students had come in, she had wondered what some of them were doing here and not at a model school. They should be models, to think not only the students were beautiful, even the teacher before her too was absolutely good looking.

"Don't drool yet, when you see the group I talked about, you might flood the class." Skylar leaned in as she teased her. Her words which she had whispered though got some students chuckling. Sophia wondered what was funny but seeing how the hot teacher's gaze had fallen on her, she quickly looked down shyly.

The class door once more opened...

"I feel you girl." Skylar told Sophia happy she was not the only one looking at the new addition as though she was lost.

'Why is he looking this way?'

*****

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