“Mom, I’m leaving!” I call out to her, grabbing my bag and throwing it over my shoulder. “I’ll call you if I’m going to be home late.”
“Okay, Prairie, have a good first day. Hey, did you eat?”
“I got an apple, I’m good.”
“Prairie, that’s not enough. Have a yogurt or a cereal bar!” Her voice gets louder as I walk out the door.
Leaning in, I yell back, “I’m good, Mom! Thanks!”
Closing the door quickly before she can start to throw toast at my head like ninja stars, I hop into my car. Putting the key in the ignition, it starts to kick on, only to sputter and die.
No, no, not today. Of all days, not today.
Gripping the key, I whisper a small prayer and turn it again. “Come on, come on, don’t do this,” I say as the engine spurts and pops while I pump the gas pedal. “Let’s go, you want to start.”
The engine kicks on for a second and I’m about to breathe a sigh of relief when it coughs and dies again. “Fuck!” I yell, slamming the wheel.
What the hell do I do now?
I don’t want to ask my mother, even though I know she’d give me a ride to school. Showing up on day one and getting dropped off by mom isn’t exactly how I want to start the year.
Resting my forehead on the steering wheel, I let out a slow breath and decide to give it one more shot. The ignition dings as I twist the key forward. I rub the wheel, wishing it to start.
“Come on, start you fucker.” My voice is soft, but I speak the words out loud.
Vroom!
The engine purrs on as if it hadn’t just fucked with me for ten minutes.
“Thank you, thank you.” I’m tempted to kiss the wheel, but I don’t, throwing the gear shift into reverse instead, and backing down the driveway.
Taking a few turns, I’m on the main road, heading toward the school. My nerves are on edge as the anxiety of starting a new school gives me butterflies. I don’t feel ready. I wish I had taken some time during the summer to go out and meet people, maybe make a few friends before school started.
I never did. I let the summer consume me in a terrible way. I secluded myself, afraid to break down the walls.
It’s not my fault. I didn’t build the walls, I only lived behind them.
Stopping at the red light, I stare off, wondering if I’m going to like this school.
I always thought I was going to graduate with the kids I had been with since grade school. Not once did I expect to have to start over as a senior.
The light turns green and I hit the gas, turning the wheel to take the right. Out of nowhere, a horn blares loudly, and I can hear people yelling.
Looking in my rear-view mirror, the car behind me is riding my ass, and keeps laying on the horn.
I didn’t see them when I was at the light, and I have no idea where the hell they came from. I feel bad, and I’m wondering if I cut them off and didn’t know it. Waving a hand out my window, I hope they know I didn’t mean to almost cause an accident.
Focusing on the road, I keep checking the car behind me. They’re still there, the car hasn’t gone anywhere. Every turn I make, it’s right behind me. It’s starting to make me uncomfortable.
Are they following me?
I take a left, so do they. I take a right, so do they. I can barely see the headlights on the car because they’re so damn close to my bumper. But I do my best to ignore them, hoping that when I turn into the school they give up and leave.
Only they don’t, it follows me into the parking lot. My heart is racing, afraid that the person behind the wheel is crazy.
Who follows a girl into a school lot and isn’t crazy?
Parking my car, I stay inside, and peer out my rear-view mirror as the car stops behind me, blocking me in. Reaching over to my purse, I dig my phone out and hold it in my palm. I’m not sure what I’m going to do. Call the police, call my parents, scream at the top of my lungs so everyone around knows I’m in trouble?
Will they come to the rescue of a stranger?
The doors open, and three guys climb out. I notice the driver is wearing a football jacket with the same colors as the school. The other two guys come to his side of the car, both of them in matching jackets.
It’s fucking students, they must be on the football team or something.
Breathing a sigh of relief, I open my door, ready to apologize and introduce myself. It’s not how I want to start my first day, but it is what it is. Fitting right into how my life has been going lately. Shitty.