Are you in there?

Alberta had to get away at least until the other students had hopped on the bus and disappeared. She stood in the toilet stall, the chemical scent of stale potpourri burning her nostrils. Admittedly it was not the best hiding place, but it got her away from Gabe Mellon and his glances at her.



It was only her first day at school with the rest of the city teens and already she had met the greatest terror in her life-- the unwanted attention of Gabriel Mellon, the son of the city mayor. The older boy had changed seats so that he sat next to her. As if that weren't bad enough he had actually talked to her.



To make matters worse, the teacher called on Alberta to answer a question she hadn't heard because she had been too busy nodding stupidly and saying "uuuuh" when Gabe kept trying to ask her questions. Gabe had tried sliding a note within her field of vision with the answer, but Alberta had noticed the note at the same time as the teacher. Ms. Kerr had laughed as she asked Gabe to stop passing "love notes" to Alberta so she could focus on the class.

Alberta could have died of embarrassment as the entire class giggled-- including Gabriel! She felt there was no way she could return to class tomorrow.

The bathroom door opened and Alberta tensed.

"Alberta, are you in there?" It was the soft voice of Kate, the girl with the blond short hair. She also lived on the hill. Her parents were not city council members or assemblymen, instead they were simply rich. And her mother actually sat on the board for the school which had determined that Alberta could come to their school with their children.

Alberta stood quietly for a moment before she unlocked the door and stepped out in shame.



Kate smiled at her. "Are you ok? You shouldn't take Ms. Kerr too serious. She knows Gabe was trying to help you. She meant to shame him, but he's got no shame."



Alberta only nodded though she didn't see how she wasn't meant to be ashamed.

"Gabe asked me to come in here and get you out before you miss the bus."

"Oh... I-- I don't take the bus." Alberta didn't add that she only lived down the street in the slum apartments where other poor service sims lived.

"Are your parents picking you up? We could wait with you. I'm sure the bus driver wouldn't mind."



Alberta was slightly horrified at Kate's attempt at kindness. "Oh no. I mean thank you, but that's ok."

Kate only shrugged. "Well, you better get out there anyway or Ms. Kerr will come looking for you with more of her jokes."


Alberta waited for the bus to pull away before she dared to walk home. She had caught Gabe's glance for only a second before he seemed to turn to his brother and start laughing in a way that made Alberta's cheeks redden further in embarrassment.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Alberta's grandmother was created to be a place holder for the cemetery, but I got a little carried away with the creation of that family.

Well, the kids needed a student at that high school who wasn't related to them anyway.

So on her first day, I had Samantha Kerr stand at the front of the class and "introduce" Alberta.


This was Gabe's face.


And when she went to take her seat, he couldn't take his eyes off her.