Categories > Celebrities > Panic! At The Disco > Bushels of Bad Habits
At first I had looked in distaste upon the uniform. If it wasn’t just the fact alone that I actually had to wear one, it was that it consisted of such bland colors; black, white and dark gray. The white cotton shirt with the silly looking puff sleeves looked uncomfortable. I found, once trying it on, that it didn’t really look or feel as bad as I had imagined. The nerdy gray sweater vest clung to my slim frame, but once I had pulled the ends of the white shirt messily out from beneath it, it didn’t look nearly as lame. My black skirt wasn’t so bad, but it was shorter on me than expected, so I teamed it with some slightly transparent black tights for decency. Then there was the tie. After a frustrating few minutes of working out how to actually put it on, I managed to form some sort of noose out of it that hung sloppily under my collar. It was there at least.
I knew there were rules to limit the amount of make-up you wore too, but I personally decided they were silly, and couldn’t possibly imagine anyone following them. They stated minimal, light foundation and spot cover up. I wear neither, as I rarely, if ever, get any spots or irritations on my face. Surely then, I was liable to make up for this with simple black eyeliner and mascara? And lip gloss.
It was a bother when I realised I had no school shoes. All I could find that went were a pair of black heels. They were my mother’s, but she didn’t have to know that.
‘Why are you up so early?’ My mother frowned from her seat at the table as I entered the kitchen.
‘It is my first day.’ I said, opening the fridge and pouring myself a glass of orange juice. ‘I figure I should I should try and be on time for at least a week.’
‘They’ll be stricter at this Catholic school, I hope you know.’
‘Which is why you’re making me go there?’
‘I’m tired of constantly being called into your school to have pointless meetings with your teachers over your misconduct or whatever. I figure maybe this time they won’t give up on you as easily.’ She shrugged, sipping her steaming coffee.
‘You’re not even ready yet.’ I noted. She sat in her faded blue dressing gown that didn’t fully cover her almost see-through negligee. Her hair hadn’t been washed, and hung dark and limp around her tired, weathered face. Mascara smudged the dark circles under her eyes from where she had forgotten to take her make-up off last night.
‘Ready for what?’ She asked.
‘Er, to take me to school...?’
‘You need a lift?’
‘No, I plan to walk 4 miles in these heels.’ I said indicating to my feet.
‘It’s too early for you’re sarcasm.’ She mumbled, massaging her temples.
‘Hmm, migraine?’ I smiled innocently.
She looked daggers at me before declaring ‘Hey, those are my shoes!’
‘Typical of you to change the subject.’
‘Don’t go through my stuff!’ She said angrily.
‘Why?’ I said ‘Scared about what I’ll find?’
‘Just get in the car’ she snapped in fury.
_ _ _
Bishop Gorman high school looked terrifying. It was a large, white, posh building with swarms of polished students flocking through the large black iron gates. They surrounded me, buzzing like bees in their clusters of friends. Turning to find my mom had already left, I felt more alone and alienated than ever. Some sneaked glances at me. I found the ones with no make-up, tightly pulled back hair, and white cotton socks pulled up to their knobbly knees to be the ones who sneered.
‘Class, I’d like us all to welcome a new student, her name is Stephanie Moore and she moved here a couple of weeks ago from...?’
‘San Francisco’ I answered, through a mask of confidence, trying not to look as uneasy as I felt, being the focus of the sea of judging eyes.
Whispers immediately erupted throughout the classroom, but to me they were inaudible, which was probably a blessing.
‘Now then...where shall we seat you?’ Said the teacher, whose name was something like Mrs.Fitzyfield or Fitzengelf – I forget. She was one of those women who probably looked older than they were. Her curly brown hair was cut short and her face was lined with wrinkles that were probably caused by stress. You could even see a couple of purple veins protruding from her forehead which made me grimace. She wore those glasses with the chain attached to them so she could hang them around her neck when she wasn’t using them. Her eyes were quite piercing and her eyebrows thin and pointy like arrowheads. I concluded to myself that she highly resembled a hawk.
‘I’ll sit here’ I said flouncing over to the empty desk that was closer to the back of the classroom and set down my shoulder bag. The class stared at me whilst I slid down into the seat that was positioned next to a girl with a sweet face and shoulder-length light brown hair that was decorated with a variety of colorful hair clips.
‘Seriously have I got something on my face or is my skirt tucked into my underwear or something?’ I said, peering over my shoulder at the back of my skirt.’ You’d tell me right?’ I said, turning to the girl, who laughed and shook her head. ‘Um, I guess we just haven’t had a new girl here for a while.’ She shrugged ‘This school is pretty sad, sorry.’
Just like my life, I thought, slumping back on my seat and crossing my legs and arms. How well we’ll fit together. Like Irwin and crocodiles. Blaine and ice cubes. My mother and Jack Daniels.
Mrs.F told me to stay behind after class. I gathered my books, slung my bag over my shoulder and unenthusiastically approached her desk once everyone had left. She looked up at me after shuffling some papers.
‘So how did you find your first English lesson Stephanie?’ She asked clasping her hands together and looking up at me expectantly.
‘Err...fine, I guess.’ I shrugged.
‘Why didn’t you read the extract when I asked you to?’
My stomach twisted into a knot and my throat felt dry. ’I’m not a good public reader miss.’ I said.
‘You’re not telling me you’re shy now are you? Especially when you have just spent the majority of my lesson gossiping away to everyone around you?’
‘I’m new; people have a lot of questions.’
‘You were expelled from your last school for behavior problems I believe?’
‘Officially they stated excessive rule infractions and vandalism, but that part is seriously out of whack, because that whole flooding incident was just not my fault at all.’
‘Well I hope you will strive not to make the same mistakes as before Stephanie. ‘
‘Of course miss’ I said, giving my most innocent of smiles.
When I was eventually allowed to leave, I found the girl I had sat next to for the lesson, standing outside the classroom with some guy I hadn’t seen before.
‘Were you waiting for me?’ I asked as the girl as she shuffled her feet and looked down shyly.
‘Uh, yeah, I thought just in case you needed help finding your next class...’
‘Well, you are a complete life-saver’ I smiled. ‘What’s your name again?’
‘Kate’ she said. Then, prompted with a soft, swift kick on her shin, she introduced her friend. ‘And this is Spencer.’
‘Oh hi!’ I said ‘Is he your boyfriend?’
They both turned into tomatoes at this question of mine before simultaneously spluttering into random protests of ‘No...No way...Definitely not...As if!’
I adored them instantly.
_____
Ryan's in the next chapter.
I knew there were rules to limit the amount of make-up you wore too, but I personally decided they were silly, and couldn’t possibly imagine anyone following them. They stated minimal, light foundation and spot cover up. I wear neither, as I rarely, if ever, get any spots or irritations on my face. Surely then, I was liable to make up for this with simple black eyeliner and mascara? And lip gloss.
It was a bother when I realised I had no school shoes. All I could find that went were a pair of black heels. They were my mother’s, but she didn’t have to know that.
‘Why are you up so early?’ My mother frowned from her seat at the table as I entered the kitchen.
‘It is my first day.’ I said, opening the fridge and pouring myself a glass of orange juice. ‘I figure I should I should try and be on time for at least a week.’
‘They’ll be stricter at this Catholic school, I hope you know.’
‘Which is why you’re making me go there?’
‘I’m tired of constantly being called into your school to have pointless meetings with your teachers over your misconduct or whatever. I figure maybe this time they won’t give up on you as easily.’ She shrugged, sipping her steaming coffee.
‘You’re not even ready yet.’ I noted. She sat in her faded blue dressing gown that didn’t fully cover her almost see-through negligee. Her hair hadn’t been washed, and hung dark and limp around her tired, weathered face. Mascara smudged the dark circles under her eyes from where she had forgotten to take her make-up off last night.
‘Ready for what?’ She asked.
‘Er, to take me to school...?’
‘You need a lift?’
‘No, I plan to walk 4 miles in these heels.’ I said indicating to my feet.
‘It’s too early for you’re sarcasm.’ She mumbled, massaging her temples.
‘Hmm, migraine?’ I smiled innocently.
She looked daggers at me before declaring ‘Hey, those are my shoes!’
‘Typical of you to change the subject.’
‘Don’t go through my stuff!’ She said angrily.
‘Why?’ I said ‘Scared about what I’ll find?’
‘Just get in the car’ she snapped in fury.
_ _ _
Bishop Gorman high school looked terrifying. It was a large, white, posh building with swarms of polished students flocking through the large black iron gates. They surrounded me, buzzing like bees in their clusters of friends. Turning to find my mom had already left, I felt more alone and alienated than ever. Some sneaked glances at me. I found the ones with no make-up, tightly pulled back hair, and white cotton socks pulled up to their knobbly knees to be the ones who sneered.
‘Class, I’d like us all to welcome a new student, her name is Stephanie Moore and she moved here a couple of weeks ago from...?’
‘San Francisco’ I answered, through a mask of confidence, trying not to look as uneasy as I felt, being the focus of the sea of judging eyes.
Whispers immediately erupted throughout the classroom, but to me they were inaudible, which was probably a blessing.
‘Now then...where shall we seat you?’ Said the teacher, whose name was something like Mrs.Fitzyfield or Fitzengelf – I forget. She was one of those women who probably looked older than they were. Her curly brown hair was cut short and her face was lined with wrinkles that were probably caused by stress. You could even see a couple of purple veins protruding from her forehead which made me grimace. She wore those glasses with the chain attached to them so she could hang them around her neck when she wasn’t using them. Her eyes were quite piercing and her eyebrows thin and pointy like arrowheads. I concluded to myself that she highly resembled a hawk.
‘I’ll sit here’ I said flouncing over to the empty desk that was closer to the back of the classroom and set down my shoulder bag. The class stared at me whilst I slid down into the seat that was positioned next to a girl with a sweet face and shoulder-length light brown hair that was decorated with a variety of colorful hair clips.
‘Seriously have I got something on my face or is my skirt tucked into my underwear or something?’ I said, peering over my shoulder at the back of my skirt.’ You’d tell me right?’ I said, turning to the girl, who laughed and shook her head. ‘Um, I guess we just haven’t had a new girl here for a while.’ She shrugged ‘This school is pretty sad, sorry.’
Just like my life, I thought, slumping back on my seat and crossing my legs and arms. How well we’ll fit together. Like Irwin and crocodiles. Blaine and ice cubes. My mother and Jack Daniels.
Mrs.F told me to stay behind after class. I gathered my books, slung my bag over my shoulder and unenthusiastically approached her desk once everyone had left. She looked up at me after shuffling some papers.
‘So how did you find your first English lesson Stephanie?’ She asked clasping her hands together and looking up at me expectantly.
‘Err...fine, I guess.’ I shrugged.
‘Why didn’t you read the extract when I asked you to?’
My stomach twisted into a knot and my throat felt dry. ’I’m not a good public reader miss.’ I said.
‘You’re not telling me you’re shy now are you? Especially when you have just spent the majority of my lesson gossiping away to everyone around you?’
‘I’m new; people have a lot of questions.’
‘You were expelled from your last school for behavior problems I believe?’
‘Officially they stated excessive rule infractions and vandalism, but that part is seriously out of whack, because that whole flooding incident was just not my fault at all.’
‘Well I hope you will strive not to make the same mistakes as before Stephanie. ‘
‘Of course miss’ I said, giving my most innocent of smiles.
When I was eventually allowed to leave, I found the girl I had sat next to for the lesson, standing outside the classroom with some guy I hadn’t seen before.
‘Were you waiting for me?’ I asked as the girl as she shuffled her feet and looked down shyly.
‘Uh, yeah, I thought just in case you needed help finding your next class...’
‘Well, you are a complete life-saver’ I smiled. ‘What’s your name again?’
‘Kate’ she said. Then, prompted with a soft, swift kick on her shin, she introduced her friend. ‘And this is Spencer.’
‘Oh hi!’ I said ‘Is he your boyfriend?’
They both turned into tomatoes at this question of mine before simultaneously spluttering into random protests of ‘No...No way...Definitely not...As if!’
I adored them instantly.
_____
Ryan's in the next chapter.
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