Shameless Chapter Three

Brakson Valley High School is like any other school I ever went to. Old, crumbling, and full of hormonal teenagers looking for some trouble. I sit at the back of my fourth period class, in the corner. Papers are scattered around my desk, and I'm trying to catch up on a lesson I never learned, back at my previous schools. The teacher is talking, but I don't know to whom or what about. I rub my eyes but can't seem to concentrate. Why even bother? I'll be gone in two weeks, tops."Clarabelle!" I look up and see the teacher, Mr. Keffinjer, staring at me. Forty-six young eyes also stare vacantly at my crimson face.

"You are being paged, you are wanted in the office," Mr. Keffinger says. I nod, slide out of my seat, and out the door.

The halls are empty and lifeless, I half expect a tumbleweed to bounce by. As I walk to the main office, my sneakers make high-pitched squeaking sounds against the freshly mopped floors. The main office is an octagon-like shape, with windows on all sides. Inside you can see the front desk, along with the secretary typing away on her Floppy. When I step inside,I see the principal(whom I have yet to learn his name), standing there. How did I not notice him before?

When the principal sees me, he smiles, "Oh, Clarabelle! How nice to see you! Mr. Finnly called, he's here to take you to his office." What? Mr. Finnly has never pulled me out of school before. Did Ms. Hackles already change her mind? Wow...new record.

"Do you have any idea why?" I ask him, my hand resting on the front desk. He shakes his head, "He said that there has been a change in your legal guardian contract." I couldn't help but smile. Was I finally going to be allowed to live on my own? Maybe the rules changed for the Switched program? Either way, I can't be happier. "Kay, thanks," I say cheerily, and walk out the main office, but as soon as I'm out of sight of the principal and his secretary, I break into a sprint. Running down the halls, my hair whipping past me in a dark brown blur, I race with a purpose.

Out of nowhere, the wind gets knocked out of me, and I collapse to the ground in a tangle of arms and legs. I look up to see a boy I recognize from a few of my classes. Jackson...? No, Jonah. His eyes get wide in horror and he makes a small squeaking sound. I untangle myself from the weird ball/pile thingy the collision caused us into. "Sorry," i mutter under my breath. He nods, still on the ground, blackish brown hair disheveled in an odd way. I look out at the window, see Mr. Finnly's familiar green 1967 mustang, and smile. "Um, gotta go," I say, scooping up my backpack, I step over his sprawled self, and walk out the school doors.

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