Fluke

Chapter 1

"My name is Lizzy Johnson, I moved here from Perth. I like happy meals at McDonald's and I hate when they don't put enough ice-cream on their frozen coke spiders."

I had about twenty sets of eyes on me as I mumbled a quick introduction that my teacher (I think his name was Mr. Douglas) insisted I do. Honestly, I thought these sorts of introductions were such a primary school thing but nope, apparently high schools over here do them too.

"Thanks for that, uh, interesting introduction. Welcome to Sydney and Norwest Christian College, Lizzy. Everyone, please make her feel welcome," Mr. Douglas, an older man who looked to be in his forties or so, patted me on the back.

I closed my eyes briefly before beginning my walk of shame down the desks, half expecting someone to trip me so the class would know where I'd sit in the pecking order.

I took a seat in the back corner of the room, dumping my bag next to me. I'd managed to get through the walk unscarred and no one made any comments although I got a few looks from some students, obviously trying to figure me out.

I've spent a good sixteen years trying to figure myself out and I still haven't cracked the code, so they can knock themselves right out.

"Oi," I turned my head to the right to see a girl trying to get my attention in the seat across from me. She had blonde hair done in a spunky inverted braid and she was grinning from ear-to-ear.

"I know this is weird, but I have to say... what you just said up there, I agree one hundred percent. I pay an extra dollar to get that ice-cream on top and do you know how pissed I am when I get a teaspoon of ice-cream? I honestly want to-"

"Ms. Hunter, the lesson has been in progress for about point five of a second and you're already disrupting us with your antics," I looked up to see the teacher standing at the front of the room with his arms crossed.

I didn't even realise the lesson had started.

"Sir, trust me when I say that the discussion was important," the girl said. "Lizzy can vouch for me, I was telling her how we're working on algebra and that she can borrow my notes if she needs."

The teacher's eyes locked on me, silently asking me if this was true and immediately I felt the whole class turn to look at me. I gulped nervously and nodded my head.

"She was just helping," I lied.

"If you say so," Mr. Douglas shrugged, before turning to face the whiteboard. He began to scribble a few equations on the board, telling us he wanted them done in ten minutes.

I immediately grabbed a notebook out of my bag and began writing away, knowing easily how to complete algebraic equations. I finished up rather quickly and turned to see the girl who I'd vouched for before looking rather confused.

"Oi," I whispered. She looked up and I tilted my book so she could see my answers. She breathed a sigh of relief and mouthed 'thanks'.

I didn't even know this girl's name but I felt like she could be my first real friend here at Norwest. She agreed with my topic on frozen coke spiders so she had to be a potential at least.

"Ivory, answers for question 1 and 2."

I looked around to see who would answer to the name Ivory and sure enough, it was the girl sitting next to me. Her face went red slightly before she called out the answers I had given her.

The teacher looked a little surprised. "What a surprise, perhaps you won't need a tutor after all."

The rest of the class laughed and Ivory went even redder. I figured the teacher liked to pick on her because she didn't know the answers which I thought was a bit of a dick move.