She was trying her hardest to be positive.
But the idea of a school-arranged bonfire seemed a little strange.
Kelly knelt in the sand and carefully shook the granules from her sandals, placing them in the tote she had brought along with her. She felt as awkward as she probably looked.
She had seen the poster above the water fountain outside of her ceramics class. "Senior Fall Bonfire," it had said in bright orange glitter over a starry sky. Around the animated fire were promises of "sharing ghost stories by the fire" and "making new friends". And of course, "meet the student body president and vice president."
It seemed like a great opportunity to passively get to know a few new people. Ghost stories seemed a little juvenile, but she wasn't in a position to judge. Her family had moved to St. Simon's Island a few weeks ago and she was in desperate need of new friends.
Her parents blamed the move on their increasing age and wanting to retire to a small quiet town in coastal Georgia. But she was more than aware that another huge motivating factor was pulling her away from the distractions back in the city.
Kelly shook her head thinking of the family discussion that she was trapped in a few days before the move. She listened to her mother run down a litany of Lifetime teen movie plots that had little to do with her actual uninteresting 18-year old existence. She had made her share of the usual teenage mistakes: underaged drinking, unintentional hookups and dated more than one fuck boy, but nothing too harmful.
"But how will moving to the middle of nowhere prevent anything? You don't think there are boys, sex, and drugs in the boonies?"
Her mother had shrugged in that way that mothers do, where no answer was necessary. She didn't argue. Even though she was probably the least rebellious of her friends, Kelly could admit that maybe a little break before college would be beneficial, or at very least interesting.
Her first few weeks at her new high school were uncomfortable. Coming in as a senior was always difficult. It was clear that friendships and cliques were already formed and there was not much room for a newcomer.
She also noticed that in the sea of streaky blonde dye jobs and even streakier tans, she certainly stood out. Where in Atlanta, her waist-length box braids and brown skin had made her common-place, here it seemed like someone was always staring.
The boys weren't much better. Back in Atlanta, most of the guys she dated were tatted, with the same hi-top fades and sagging jeans that had the uncanny ability to worry her mother. But there was no worry of bumping into any of that type here. Polo shirts, Bermuda shorts, and Sperry's surrounded her. With an occasional sprinkle of camouflage thrown in.
All the boys here looked like Abercrombie models. Even now, sitting in the sand, she wondered if there had been an unofficial dress code that she had missed on the flyer. In her crop top and high waisted skirt, she had thought she looked classy but beach-cute. She had tied her braids up into a bun and made up her face in a way that wasn't too obvious.
But judging by the girls that she watched wander onto the beach wearing more or less bikinis and cover-ups, this was not a dress-up affair.
Kelly recognized a few faces vaguely from her classes. A few waved or smiled, but she remained alone. She was itching to text her friends back home, and group chat about how miserable this all was, and tell them about the Sperry's and fake tans, but no. She would give this a real effort.
It was hotter than she anticipated, especially with the bonfire now fully raging. Kelly had picked a spot in the sand a comfortable distance from the flames, almost in the shadows. She watched as her classmates took seats around the fire. Some were smoking, some obviously drinking vodka from label-less water bottles. She still sat by herself as what appeared to be the last person took their seat around the fire.
"I guess most everyone is here."
She watched as a tiny brunette Kelly recognized from her Statistics class hopped to her feet. She smiled brightly and turned as she spoke, making sure to make eye contact with everyone around the fire.
"Welcome, ya'll to the Glynn County High Semi-Annual bonfire." She announced ceremonially, with a bubbly southern drawl. "I'm Amber Maynard, for those who don't know." She said this like it was a known fact, and made almost direct eye contact with Kelly. "I see we have some new faces... I'm the student body vice president."
A few people groaned, but Amber continued. "Our president seems to be missing. But we can go ahead and get started. You all know the deal." Her eye twinkled and her face took on a mischevious grin as she said this. "Have fun!"
Kelly looked around, hoping to gain some semblance of what exactly "the deal" was. She watched as the students around her stood and began to wander off. Some in pairs, some in triples. What the hell was going on? Did she miss something?
Even Miss Vice President had taken the hand of a boy who sat near her and dragged him away down the beach. A few couples lingered around the fire, but they were obviously and amorously uninterested in the new girl that sat alone in the sand.
Was this a joke? Had she misread the poster? Kelly's nose crinkled as her annoyance and disappointment set in. Somehow she had wandered into another situation where the new girl was not welcome.
"I swear she starts this shit early every time on purpose."
The voice came from behind her. She turned her head quickly to see who it came from. A boy walked towards her, tall and tan, like every other boy on the beach. His longish brown hair was swept to the side by the sea breeze and he combed it out of his eyes.
"Did everyone already pair up?"
Kelly was silent but nodded. Despite his exaggerated southern twang, this boy was definitely more Ralph Lauren than Abercrombie. He wore a loose-fitting white and navy striped sweater and khaki shorts.
"I'm Jordan." The boy leaned down and extended a hand to Kelly. She shook it gingerly. "Student body President."
Of course, he was. Kelly forced a fake smile on her lips but internally scowled. Of course, she would be left last-pick loser with the beautiful preppy Class President.
She could tell by the perfect grin on his face that in his circle, this was an important title. At her previous school, she honestly couldn't even think of who their class president had been.
"I'm Kelly." She watched Jordan drop down in the sand next to her. "I'm new here."
"I figured so since I've never seen you around." Jordan motioned towards the fire. "It's a small town... you get to know everyone."
Kelly nodded. "Yeah, I noticed."
"Where'd you move from?"
