novem- five

The black Nisan drove into the drop off bay of the high school. The buildings were tall and loomed over them in classic ways, distressing them only more.
"Have a good day!" Carol cooed through the lowered window.
Jan and December looked at the lot of the school. Some parking spaces were marked with red painted squares stating which senior possessed that space with a ridiculous nickname. All the buildings were built in cold stone colored bricks with a red line of colored bricks bordering the roofs.
"We have to go to the office to make sure everything's in order. Likely hood is mom didn't do all the paper work."
Jan started towards a small, square building labeled in tall silver letter's 'ADMINISTRATION'. On either side of it were high-bared silver gates attached to much larger walls. The only colorful thing in sight was the wall of an enormous auditorium. It was a vibrant new vermillion compared to the rest of the school. December sighed and followed his sister.
The inside of the administration office was artistic and classy. Dark wood desks, black tile linoleum, and grey carpeting to one side. A large black raven sculpture jutted out from the wall beside the door.
"Hi…"
"Hello, can I help you?" a woman behind a high desk answered.
"Um yeah, we're new here and we just want to make sure everything is in order."
"Okay, what's your last name?"
"Peachly…" Jan answered almost in question as if unsure.
December wandered in beside her admiring the works around the room in sight. Small sculptures adorned smooth, dark tables and student made paintings shone over the walls. He was taciturn in the room.
"Peachly, January and Peachly, December?" December turned at the sound of his name, "Those are cute names."
The woman was typing wildly on a white keyboard.
"Yes that's us… we're twins but he was born December thirty first and I was born January first… between the hours of the new-year…" Jan said half awkward.
"Well here's all that I can give you…" the woman swiveled on her chair to a tin paper organizer.
On the bottom shelf were two packets with different colored forms. Post it notes jutted out at odd angles.
"This one is labeled for December…" December held out a hand and took the papers, "and here's yours January."
She took it giving a tiny smile, "Thank you, have a nice day."
"You too… have fun at Empire…" the woman resumed typing at her computer.
December looked at the first page of the packet. On top was a note with 'Peachly, December 307889" written in red ink. They walked past the woman and out a door at the far end of the office. A slight gust of air forced them out of the doors and into the open schoolyard. It was mostly empty. To their right was a large and long structure labeled 'GYMNASIUM' in the same block letters. To the left was a building labeled 'DINING AUDITORUM'. Next to that was a Ramada with a collection of red tables under it. The rest of the school stood before them… grey buildings labeled '100' through '800'. The two walked to the dining auditorium and opened the door.
The interior was well lit with panels reflecting sound this way and that. It was nearly vacant except for two octagonal tables with other teens seated at them. All were dressed in dark clothes and hooded jackets. Three lunch ladies talked while waiting for kids to pick up breakfast trays. The stage apron stuck out on the lower level of the lunchroom just enough to cast a shadow over longer tables' edge. A thick black curtain kept the rest of the stage a secret.
A table in dead center of the upper most part of the great room was filled with laughing friends talking of normal humorous things. In the farthest corner next to the entrance three people sat at one of the strangely shaped tables. They were silent. One was on their white laptop, one was reading to her left, the other had a deck of cards and was playing solitaire to her right. All had on solid black hoodies. They turned in unison to look at the intruding party. All had brown hair but different facial features. The one on the laptop grinned pleasantly then returned to her computer screen. The reader let her gaze and head glide back to the pages of her book, uninterested. But the last looked at them with frozen blue eyes.
Jan set her backpack down at the table nearest her, not taking her eyes off the frightening stare. The table she chose happened to be next to the three. Scooting out a chair with her foot she motioned for December to sit down. He set his backpack down, trying to ignore the girl sitting only feet from him. The stranger stood up and left through the entrance. Her comrades followed her with their eyes. She went into the adjoining building labeled '200'- the fine arts building.
"Well this school is a little depressing," January whispered to December feeling as if she had to.
He shrugged trying not to agree although he knew she was right, "Where is everyone? I know this school is small but is everyone hiding?"
"The buses haven't arrived yet… and zero hour isn't over," a voice said.
December looked up. The voice was Eric from across the street. His familiar glasses glistened in the light.
"Good morning, didn't mean to startle anyone," he set a Styrofoam tray down and sat next to December.
Johnny stood behind him until deciding to sit next to January.
"Hey… thanks for helping us move. Jan this is um… Eric and Johnny… from across the street."
"No problem… what do you think of this place?"
"The school or the city?" asked Jan.
"The school…" Johnny responded for his brother.
"Doesn't it seem a little depressing?"
"We know that it is. The school colors don't help much."
"What are the school colors?" questioned December.
"Well the colors are red and black… the rival school picked them out when the school was built…" Johnny answered.
"Yes… but unlike the rival school we are more into the fine arts. Which explains why the district auditorium is on our soil," Eric said.
"I thought this school would be more technology based because of the laptops," December added.
"Not really actually… the other high school in this district, aside of Cienega, is Vail High School. They don't have a football team; they have this fighting robot team so they are more geared towards tech. Cienega has the largest grounds for sports in the county."
"Oh…" December slumped in this chair.
The entrance door opened letting in an icy gust of wind. An older boy- around 17 or 18 years- appeared in the doorway. He walked over to the table next to theirs, not forgetting to glance at the new comers- as everyone else seemed to be doing.
"Where's Al?" he questioned to one of the two girls in a quiet though strong, solid voice.
Neither of them turned their eyes to greet him. Both directed to the stage curtain. He nodded and replaced the seat where the other girl had been prior. Jan and December tried to ignore all the attention they were drawing. Eric ate his breakfast then turned and disposed of his tray in a garbage bin.
"So what are your classes?" asked Johnny.
Jan pulled her schedule out of her back pocket and unfolded it. December reached into his front jacket pocket and laid his flat over the cream surface of the table.
"You have two classes with me," Johnny said to Jan, "Biology and English…"
"Oh cool…" she answered.
"You're in one, two, three of my classes…" Eric held December's paper between heavy fingers, "English, Biology, and Elective- advanced guitar."
"You play guitar?"
"Yeah…"
"What do you play?"
"A Fender Strat…"
"Dude I play a Gibson Thunderbird!"
"Bass or guitar?"
"Bass."
"Oh awesome…"
"What elective do you have again sis?" December leaned to peek at her paper.
"Choir."
A bell chime sounded and reverberated off the panels in the room, "Well… zero hour's over… here come all the jocks."
Eric looked behind December at the door. From the lunchroom they could see the field; on it was a mass of soccer players jogging in to the locker rooms to change. Also within vision a blonde girl with flawless pale skin. She entered. She looked at them then moved to the table with the strangely quiet occupants. She set down her bag and took out a composition book and laptop.
"Classes will be starting soon. Let me take you guys on a tour to help you find out where you'll be going," Johnny stood and threw his backpack over one shoulder.
As they all shuffled towards the door between the crowds of jocks December turned to look at the quiet table. They were all watching them exit. Each one's stare said that they were unwelcome.
"What did I expect?" thought December.