Cigarette Burns // FP Jones

Prologue

My nails tapped at the hard oak, the red polish reflecting the light. My first day at Riverdale High, and I was sure to make a lasting impression. The school was hardly welcoming, with cold, dirty floors and judgemental, hard looking teachers. The glimmer of the sunlight was hidden by thick blinds, as if it were a prison. But I expected nothing less from the town with 'pep'. 
"You're Jasmine, correct?" The principle asked, sitting as he examined the piece of paper in front of him. I nodded weakly, wishing to get this part over with.
"That's me." I added after a few moments silence, as if he didn't understand by the lazy head bobbing that I was agreeing. I was Jasmine Cole, in the flesh. But, who is Jasmine? I had asked that exact question many times in the past, and I still was none the wiser. Jasmine was a name, picked by two parents at a daughter's birth. Two parents who'd seen the world; the perfect couple and then some. But their first daughter, second child, was not in their image. She was idle, she was a pessimist, and she was the thing that held them back. Some had said she was too mature, others too immature. Too feisty, not speaking her mind enough. The fact was, Jasmine had no idea who Jasmine really was.

"I'll send someone around to escort you to your lesson." He said, sighing while placing the pages down. Although I may not understand some things, I knew exactly why he'd seemed so distant from me. On my record, there was a long list of negative, worrying things in which I'd done in the past. A few, I was not proud of, however that didn't mean the rest of them I would avoid. Fighting, for example, was something I would do again. Sucking a teacher off in the staff toilets, not so much. Jasmine was many things, but she wasn't intentionally hurtful. She only tried to do what was best, but impulsiveness had gotten the better of her.

The bell rung, causing me to stand, swinging my backpack around to sit on the curve of my back, uncomfortably over the thick winter coat I'd been wearing. The door creaked as a boy stepped through it, much quieter than the jocks who'd walked in before him. I watched as his blue eyes wondered to the floor; he awkwardly adjusted the leather jacket over his shoulders.
"Jacket off, Jones." The man spoke behind me, tilting his head down to view through the circular lenses on the end of his nose.
"A snake never sheds his skin." The boy replied bitterly, which was somewhat shocking as he'd seemed so timid upon entering. Nonetheless I was intrigued by the sudden change of character. I studied his face, wondering what he'd meant by the statement. A snake was usually a snitch, so it didn't make much sense to me.
"Jacket off, or you're expelled." The principle raised his voice. I decided it was time for me to step in, and gain a contact in this new environment.

"Jones, right? Can you please escort me to my lesson?" I asked, casing his icey eyes to switch between me and the teacher. I heard a sigh from behind me.
"He won't be doing that." The principle spoke, much more sternly than before. I turned to meet the brown eyed gaze, smiling.
"Sir, I know him from my childhood. It would help if someone I knew could show me around, and keep me out of trouble." I emphasised the last part, trying to persuade him. I knew I'd won as his eyes rolled, and I placed my arm around the boys, leading him out of the office and into the oddly empty halls of what was Riverdale High.