- - - | This Is Next Level! | - - -
Now, I am convinced that this is a school for the rich.
A fingerprint device for the lockers?!
And a code that I have to fill by touching a black screen that doesn't let you peek from the sides because that's its purpose?
This is some next-level technology that even if I paid to see, I couldn't because I wouldn't have the money to buy tickets for the exhibition.
When the secretary was nice enough to help me get to my lockers, she handed me a map of the school with a few circled spots.
"I have helped you out a bit here. I circled all the classes you attend in blue and the entrance, cafeteria, and locker-hall in red in case you get lost."
I was grateful for her generosity because I knew that I'd have a very difficult time finding my way around this school.
"Thank you. This is very nice of you." I couldn't help but smile at her thoughtful gesture.
She giggled, "Don't sweat it. We take care of our students here." She patted my shoulder in reassurance.
she was about to say something else when her phone rang. She fished out a phone that looked like a Samsung Note 20 before answering her call with a simple click on one of the buttons on the side.
I wanted this phone for so long but couldn't afford it!
Looking at it in this close proximity makes me feel things; Like the greed that I have been holding myself back from feeling because I didn't have the luxury to.
The phone seemed like it was personally customized because I have never seen anything like it before, at least not in any store that I went to.
"Sir." She answered with a business voice then she addressed me, "-Your next class is Theatre, I suggest bringing a laptop in case you'll be learning theory today. I gotta go, good luck!" She smiled then hurriedly left to the direction that we came from with the Principal on the other line, who, I assumed, was.
Miss, I do not have a laptop was all my brain perceived before she disappeared in the large crowd.
- - - | - - -
After she called the guard, he led me to a security room before leading us to a computer that he tapped on a few buttons, passed a few security tests (fingerprint and eye-scan were just two of them) before he finally requested to pick a finger and just press it on a weird-looking machine.
When he was done, the guard requested to test it a few times in case of a malfunction. Once finished he said that I was good to go then led me back to the Secretary's office.
"All good." He said before leaving me with Sera.
The bulky man left before she could thank him or speak at all. Sera seemed displeased with his attitude.
I raised an eyebrow still watching the door where he left off.
He is so head over heels.
Then I turned to look at Sera when I caught her shaking her head, mumbling to herself.
And she has no idea.
Not deciding to act as the Cupid today just because I am single and a nice person, we ended up cutting to chase and I ended up at the lockers.
- - - | - - -
I could feel my heart pound in my ears. The longer I stood in front of this high-end technology, the deeper the realization set it- I am in a completely different environment, 'the new girl, 'the black sheep' of not just this school but this entire city as well.
I don't have any friends and I feel so out of place here.
I never suffered from panic attacks but it felt like one was on its way.
Taking deep breaths, I tried to calm my beating heart that just kept increasing in speed the harder I tried to calm down.
Leaning my forehead on the cool metal of the locker, I closed my eyes.
Everything's going to be fine. Just be your usual difficult self and it's going to be fine! It's your last year, girl... Your last year.
"Hey. You alright?" A soft voice brought me back from my preoccupied mind.
A chocolate-skinned short girl appeared in front of me when I opened my eyes. A brunette with a pixie cut, deep brown eyes that held worry, a small straight nose with thin lips that folded into a frown.
She was beautiful.
Her hand was on my back as support, while the other held her laptop.
"Uh, yeah." I gulped. "-Thank you, I needed that." She giggled when her lips turned into a soft smile.
"Don't mention it. I am Sasha, and you?" Sasha extended her hand.
"Maria. Nice to meet you." I shook her hand.
"You seem to struggle a bit." She motioned with her head to the locker.
"Uh, not really. The nerves caught up with me, that's all." I chuckled and was even a bit delighted to receive attention and help.
"It happened to all of us. Want me to help you?"
"I don't think that there's a need to help with a fingerprint and a pin, right?" She laughed, flashing her whites, then nodded.
"Yeah. I'll just wait here for you to finish." She leaned on the locker beside mine.
"Ok?" I hope that she didn't plan on trying to steal from me. Is it weird of me to be suspicious of people this quickly?
She laughed, understanding the look that I cast her.
"I'll turn around." I nodded in thanks.
Noticing the black machine that stood out the most, probably the fingerprint scanner. Touching the screen or trying to find a button... Nothing seemed to help to turn this machine on.
"Umm..." I turned to Sasha that was chuckling to herself. "-You knew..." She turned around with a hand over her mouth.
"O-of course. I attended this school since my junior year. I struggled as much as you did, babe. Here, let me show you." She pushed me slightly with her bum, making herself some room.
"There's a button in the very back, sort of like a switch..." Her tongue slightly pulled out trying to locate the button. "-Huh! Got it!" Then the machine displayed a 'Welcome to East High' in bold letters on its screen before a fingerprint sign showed.
"Now, you can press your finger. I think you know where right?" I rolled my eyes at her sarcasm. Sasha laughed again.
Pushing Sasha gently aside, I pressed my finger on the appropriate spot before it turned green and numbers immediately appeared on the screen.
"This is when you type in the code given to you."
"No shit, Sherlock."Sasha laughed again with a shake of her head. I covered the machine with my hand, in case someone decided to look. I put in the code then I heard a click.
"That's it. It will take a bit of time to get used to. I bet you weren't told that at the end of each day, you will have to re-lock the locker too."
"What?" My eyes grew in size. They grew so much that they were probably bigger than my tomatoes... If you understand my indication...
Sasha laughed again, wiping a tear from her eye.
"Oh... Oh my god. The expressions you make are the besstt!" I waited for her to calm down but the longer she looked at my face the louder her laughter got.
Her laugh died down after a while when she spoke again, explaining; "You don't use the fingerprint every time you need to open the locker. You use it once, to open it for the entire day then again to close it when the day is over. If you need the locker while at school then you just use the code."
"Ok... I think I got it..?" I put my bag back inside when a question popped into my head.
"What's your first class?"
"It's theatre." I brightened at the new information.
"Mine too!" Sasha grinned happily.
"That's amazing! Let's walk together! Also, I suggest bringing something to write with 'cause today it's two periods of Theory so brace yourself!"
"Is it that bad?" Sasha gave me a look then grinned devilishly.
"You have no fucking idea." I grabbed a notebook and a few pens when Sasha cast me a disapproving look.
"Is that all you got?" I nodded.
"I genuinely suggest bringing something more advanced next time 'cause you won't keep up with the way Mr. Theo presents." She looked a bit worried.
"That's alright. This is not a permanent schedule."
"Uh, right. Forgot about that. Alright! Then let's head off!" She swirled her arm around mine before dragging me in the direction I guessed where the class is.
