^^Lillian Smith

Gawking two guys in a hot-blown make-out session in the mathematical section of the library was not what I expected my first day after Winter Vacations to be like.

And didn’t realize that seeing them was about to change my whole high school experience…

Must be wondering what I’m babbling about. Let me recap my day.

My alarm woke me up, blaring on the side table beside my bed. Yawning, I got up and stretched my limbs. My eyes darted to my calendar and a sigh escape my lips when I saw the red circle on today’s date.

First day of school.

I don’t hate schools on the contrary; I loved going to school and studying but since I got transferred to my new school I just want it to end.

I hopped out of my bed and went to my closet. Opening it, I grabbed my uniform that I neatly ironed and prepared last night. It was a white shirt with a check blue knee-length skirt and the same color tie. I always organize things in advance because it was difficult to do things at the last moment and I liked to be prepared.

Last year, I got transferred to the most prestigious private high school in California, West High. I used to live in Hidden Hills with my parents and brother, but when my dad got promoted by his firm, he had to transfer here to West Hills. My brother was going to college, so he didn’t have any problem and my mom was a nurse, she easily got to the near hospital. As for me, I had to switch schools.

There were few more choices for me but my parents recommended me to take admission in West High, because of its reputation. I took the scholarship exam and easily got in with the help of my grades.

In my previous school, everyone used to call me a nerd because I was the top student and wore glasses. If studying hard to make a better future for yourself makes you a nerd, then yes, I am a nerd. And the glasses were not because of reading books all the time, they were the gift of playing video games with my brother at a young age.

I opened my room door and padded towards the bathroom that was on the other side of the hallway. Grabbing the doorknob, I pushed the door open and did my business.

Skipping the shower because I took it last night, I rinsed my face and brushed my teeth, then changed into my uniform. I combed my waist-length, straight brown hair and tied them in a braid. After putting moisturizing cream and chapstick on my dry lips, I ran to my room and grabbed my backpack that I prepared last night, and took my phone, glasses, and blue sweater.

Descending the stairs, I adjusted my red square frame glasses. I had a weak vision but not enough to wear all the time, I only wore them to high school so I wouldn’t have any difficulty with seeing the board if I get to sit in the back but lucky me none of my classmates except me wanted to sit in the front.

A smile spread across my face when I heard my parents’ voices coming from the kitchen.

“Place for a watch. Well, that’s an easy... wrist.” I heard my dad as he solved the crossword.

Every morning my parents did crosswords together. It was their thing, I guess, and they took it seriously. One time they had this puzzle solved, except for one word. My brother and I watched my parents in amusement as they spend the entire day battling to solve it and in the end, they did.

“This one has a third letter ‘y’. Pen that is held by doctor frustrated-“

“Stymied!”

My dad snorted. “Okay, that was easy for you.”

My mom hummed in amusement. “Whenever I solve it, it’s easy for me.”

I entered the kitchen and giggled when I saw my dad sticking his tongue out at my mom.

“Good morning.” I greeted my parents and sat at the dining table.

“Good morning, sweetheart,” Dad replied with a smile and proceeded with the crossword, while Mom kissed my cheek with a smile and placed breakfast in front of me.

“Here you go.” She said in a cheerful voice. I scrunched my face at the sight of two bacon slices with a fried egg.

I’m not a nagger, but I never enjoyed eating bacon and my mom forces me to eat it, saying that it contains protein, which is good for my health.

The motherly smile faded from her face as she looked at me deadpan. “Eat... All of it.”

My mom wasn’t strict but for health, she doesn’t want any compromise.

I picked the glass of milk and, gulping it down, I listened to my dad as he read the next one.

“E. M. Forster novel... Fourteen letters word...”

“I have no idea,” Mom mumbled and turned towards the stove.

I took the chance to put my bacon slices on my dad’s plate. He peeked up from the paper and winked at me. I giggled and ate my egg.

“It starts with A and there’s I, T on seven, eight,” Dad murmured as he scratched his short beard.

My dad was an average-height man with green eyes and dark hair, which both my brother and I inherited from him. While my mom’s a blonde with brown eyes.

“I’m done!” I quickly announced as my mom turned towards me again. She squinted her eyes at my plate, then opened her mouth to say something, but I cut her off. “And that’s ‘A Room with a view’,” I said, referring to the puzzle.

It was a fiction novel written in 1908 by E. M. Forster. Yes, I read a lot of books including the old ones.

“I gave birth to a smart young lady.” He praised in his odd way.

“You’re exaggerating, Dad,” I grumbled, ducking my head as I felt my face heat.

“He is not.” My mother intervened, sitting in her seat. “You are going to the top high school in California on merit and that is a big thing.” She finished with a proud smile. I was glad that she forgot about the bacon.

My parents continued praising me, making me embarrassed, so I quickly got up from my seat and bid them bye. Wearing my sweater, I rushed out of my small two-story house, which looked similar to every other house on the street.

We lived in an area where most of the population is from the workers’ group, while the upper side of the town was occupied by wealthy residents.

I went down from the porch to the side of my house where my dad’s car was parked with my bicycle. It was a simple white bicycle with a basket in front. I mounted it and put my foot on the paddle and with pressure; I kicked it and rode towards my school, which was about half an hour away from my house.

The freezing air blew through my body, making me shiver. I glimpsed at the sky which was filled with a thin layer of clouds. The weather in the West is mostly cold and throughout February it’s the rainy season. You can’t predict when it’ll rain. That’s why I always kept a raincoat in my bike’s basket in case it ever rained. I concentrated on the route again and made a journey towards my school.

I transferred to West high in junior year and after spending a term I came to know that this place wasn’t any better. If it wasn’t for the scholarship, I would have never afforded to get into it. All the rich kids from the town went there. There were few scholarship students there, but they were isolated. The rich kids at school bullied them, asserting that they are inferior to them because they didn’t have fortune.

I, of course, didn’t want to get in any trouble with the rich kids, so I made myself scarce. I was like a ghost in the school apart from my friend Chloe; I don’t think anyone else knew that I existed.

I cut my thoughts when my school came into view. I spent a term here invisible, and I was planning to do so till I graduate. I rode towards the parking lot, which was for cars, and there was just a little stand in the corner for bicycles.

I glanced at the luxurious cars in the parking lot. I knew little about cars, just one glimpse at them and you knew it cost a fortune. I wasn’t rich like every other student in our high school, but I am happy with whatever I have.

I parked my bicycle with a few others and ducked my head when I saw a lot of students greeting each other in the parking lot and near the high school gate. Without making eye contact with anyone on my way, I entered my school.

The hallway was filled with students and their chatter. I cautiously passed everyone, making no sort of contact with them. Keeping my head down, I heard them gossiping about how they spent their vacations and Christmas.

On my way, a loud thud made me flinch. I twisted my head and saw two guys shoving Toby. I had a few classes with Toby and he was a great guy. Toby was wealthy like others but he got tormented because he was gay. Toby came out before I was transferred here. Chloe told me he got bullied for that and he was the only openly gay in our school.

I sighed in relief when I arrived at my locker. Spinning the lock, I entered my code and opened the door. I was busy putting extra books from my bag in the locker when I heard my name called.

“Lilly!” I turned and my eyes widened when I saw a blonde girl running towards me.

“Chloe-“ I couldn’t even form the words properly when she tackled me in a bear hug and because of the force, my feet stumbled, and my back hit the locker with a thud.

“Oh, my god! You won’t believe how much I missed you!” Chloe screamed in a high-pitched voice and picked me off my feet like I weighed nothing.

“C-can’t...b-reathe.” I choked from her bone-crushing hug.

“Oh!” She abruptly let me go and sheepishly smiled at me. “Sorry.”

I took a huge gulp of air and gave her a small smile. “It’s okay, and I missed you too.”

Chloe’s my first and only friend here. When I got transferred here, I was alone, and in one of my classes, our teacher asked to make a pair. I sat in my class as I watched everyone making pairs and that’s when a beautiful blonde girl come to me and offered to be my partner which I accepted heartily and that’s how we became friends.

Chloe was quite popular here because of her cute, funny nature and she had other friends too but she said that they are fake and I’m the only real one here, so she stayed with me.

“How was your Christmas?!” she asked with her sparkling hazel eyes.

“It was good,” I answered as I closed my locker. “My brother came to visit.” I smiled.

“Oo the hot brother, huh?” She waggled her brows.

“Ew.” I scrunched my face in disgust. Once Chloe asked me about my siblings and I showed her the picture of me and my brother. She declared she had a crush on him, but I know she does it to tease me.

“Oh, come on, he’s seriously hot! You should have introduced us!” she said with a dreamy sigh. “And then we would have fallen in love and spent eternity together.”

“He has a girlfriend,” I told her, and her jaw fell.

“What?! You said he was single!”

“He was single, but now he has a girlfriend. He showed me her picture when he came to visit.”

“Oh my, I’m hurt!” She said dramatically, putting her hand on her heart. “The love of my life is in love with another woman! How am I going to survive this world now!”

“Stop being dramatic.” I shook my head at her in amusement.

She stood straight and gave me a serious expression. “Sure.” She said like a robot. “I’ll be serious as you, Miss Smith.”

I gasped. “I don’t talk like that!”

She gave me a grin and bobbed her head. “Yeah, you do and you-“ She mid-paused her sentence when her eyes darted behind me and grew big.

I slowly turned around to see what the reaction was about and saw The Clichés, the most popular and richest group of West High.

The Clichés were a group of seniors involving six boys and three girls.

Andrew, the blue-eyed player, changes the girls like clothes. Even with his reputation girls die to date him and try their luck because of his boyish good looks, but no one has succeeded.

Benjamin, the bad boy, guy best friend of Mr. Player, in his own world, and you never know what’s going in his head. Also, the son of the principal, Ms. Morgan.

Brittany, the bad boy’s twin sister, girl best friend of Mr. Player, and captain of the cheerleaders.

Tiana, a comrade of Brittany, was also a cheerleader.

David, the flirt and boyfriend of Tiana.

Madeleine is the tomboy who hates her full name and beats guys who tease her.

Louis, the goofy, is also the crush of Chloe.

Jordan is the serious guy, who looks ready to beat anyone on his way to a pulp but I never saw him fighting.

And the one and only Nate, the charming guy.

As I said Cliche. Their parents were wealthier than everyone else and above in their hierarchy.

This was the list Chloe provided me when she gave me the tour of our high school she said understanding the school hierarchy was important as the history.

I learned about them and from that day onwards I made it my mission to stay out of their way.

Everyone created a way for the group to pass by, including me. I struggled not to look at them, but couldn’t help myself. The way they confidently strode through the sea of students made me envious. I’ve always been the antisocial one and I get easily anxious even when my parents pay a little attention to me.

My eyes went from one to another and landed on Nate. I never said it out loud, but I liked Nate. He was the friendliest of them all and also very attractive.

As If he could read my mind, his dark eyes contacted mine and my breath ceased. He gave a charming smile and walked with his friends, disappearing in the corridor.

“Oh, my god! Did you see Louis! He got a haircut and Damn! He looked hotter than before...” Chloe went on with how impressive Louis looked and what she wanted to do with him in bed, but I muted her out. My mind turned blank, and I stared at the floor.

Nate and I made eye contact...

And he smiled...

I may not be a crazy girl in love but I was, after all, a teen crushing on her senior and when they pay even a tiniest attention, we go weak.

“Lilly...LILLY!” Chloe shouted, snapping me out of my dreams.

“Yes?”

“Are you having a fever? Your face looks so red.” She said, putting her hand on my forehead.

“I-I’m fine,” I said, taking her handoff. “Let’s go get our schedule.” She nodded her head, and we went towards the office.

~•~ • ~•~ • ~•~

Classes went by in a blur, and now it was lunchtime. Chloe went to give cheerleading trails, and I was on my own. Instead of going to the Cafeteria like a normal student and sitting alone there in the sea of people, I chose to go to the library.

Whenever Chloe was busy, I went to the library and spent my time there. It was easy to spend time reading books there.

I entered the library and was greeted by the silence; it was empty as always. The librarian, Mrs. Peterson, looked up from her book and smiled at me.

“I wasn’t expecting you on your first day here.” I used to come here at lunch in the previous term too and made acquaintance with Mrs. Peterson.

“Chloe is busy with the trails,” I shrugged.

She raised her brow and got up from her seat. “You should make friends.”

“I have,” I said, showing her the book I brought to read.

She chuckled, shaking her head. “I mean real ones.” I kept my mouth shut and didn’t answer her. “I am going for lunch. Help yourself.” She smiled and gestured for me go to ahead.

“Thank you,” I said and went inside the library. I ascended the stairs to the first floor and went to the corner near the windows.

I loved sitting there because the view was incredible and the cool wind that blew at this time was such a blessing.

I sat on the chair near the window and narrowly opened it. Peeking down, I saw students playing on the ground and some just sitting there chatting with their friends.

I missed my old friends, not that I had many, and even though they considered me a nerd, we were happy and I wasn’t hiding in the library at lunch to avoid getting bullied. I haven’t gotten bullied and I’m praying never to see that day.

A loud thud made me jolt from my seat, and I looked around. The sound of footsteps echoed in the library, and it screeched like someone was in a rush. I went towards the railing and glanced downstairs, but saw no one.

Frowning, I backed away; I was definitely not imagining it. Suddenly fear overwhelmed me. I was alone and now someone was here.

Grabbing my stuff, I slipped downstairs and searched for Mrs. Peterson, but found her desk empty. I gulped and clenched the book in my hand to my chest as I tiptoed towards the door, but halted in my steps when I heard someone groaning.

Is someone in pain?

Me being me turned around and followed the sound. I was terrified, but if someone was hurt, I needed to help them. I turned around the corner and my jaw fell when I saw two guys making out in the corner.

One was pushed against the wall by the other as they both clasped each other’s faces, kissing furiously.

Snapping out of my thought when I heard them grunt and heat crawled up my neck. Slowly backing away, I tried to escape and leave them to whatever they were doing. I whirled on my heels to run, but my feet tangled and I hit my head on the shelf, the book in my hands fell on the floor.

“F**k!”

I squeezed my eyes shut at my luck when I heard them cursing. Opening my eyes, I angled my neck and saw both boys staring at me.

My eyes widened when I recognized them. The guy against the wall was Toby, which was not a surprise. But I was stunned when my eyes landed on the other guy from the clichés.

~•~ • ~•~ • ~•~

A/N

I wrote 3k+ words! 😱

The longest chapter I ever wrote was 2k but I thought that the number of chapters goes on and on so I decided to write long chapters for this because there are a lot of characters and secrets...😉 (I can't help myself)

Now I want to know your opinion!

Did you like the starting?

What do you think of the Clichés?

Any guesses on who can be the other guy?👀

Don't forget to vote and comment ❤