November

Chapter Two

After class, November shot through the door as if trying to get away from a deadly disease that might be inside the history room. Cole ran after her and caught her halfway to her math class.

"November!" he called after her. She smirked and turned to face him.

"Did you suddenly remember my name, or are you reciting the months of the year?" she asked letting him catch up.

"Maybe a little bit of both." he chuckled. November wasn't amused. "Hey look, sorry for acting immature in history today. That was low even for me."

"It's fine."

"That's all?"

"Yeah."

"Wow. Okay."

"What were you expecting? A sappy speech about how much I forgive you? Because I can tell you right now, that I don't do sappy stuff."

"But you're a girl. Aren't you supposed to like sappy and lovey stuff?"

"Jeeze, you're sexist. Not every girl is the same you know. I broke the mold."

"Broke the mold?"

"Never mind."

Cole tried to follow what she was saying, but got lost just as quickly as he thought he we catching on. He shook his head and watched as November carried on walking even though he stopped. She probably didn't even notice him not being there.

Cole cocked his head to the side like how a puppy on a calender would do. November was different, that was for sure. But there was something fascinating about her nonconformity that interested Cole. He laughed at himself and walked to his class. Him thinking about November Kendra?

Ha, no.

She wasn't worth his time. She was a social reject while he was the social leader. Why should the king acknowledge the peasant? He shouldn't. So Cole decided he wouldn't. He woudln't think about her, and he wouln't talk to her. And that was that.

~

November's day passed in a familiar blur. The same boring math's teacher's voice droned on, while the rest of her classes were no different. But it was a Monday. This was the one day of the week that November got to see someone very special to her. Well she got to see two people who were very special to her.

November switched her backpack to her other shoulder since her right shoulder was getting sore. The air was still nippy, but it was a teeny bit warmer with a slight overcast now moving in. Even though it wasn't much, it put her in a grumpy mood. She hated days like this. At first the day was pretty, but then it turned ugly just as quickly as it started to look nice. Just like certain people. November knew quite a lot of people like that. She learned their bad sides the hard way.

November took out her book about constellations and started to read while she walked. The farther she walked down the road, the more trees she noticed. Their dark purple lacy shadows blocked the sun that warmed her skin. She shivered in the eerie darkness under their broad canopies.

Finally, she came to her first destination: the cemetery. Colorful flowers dotted the ground behind the mini apple grove in the corner. The hilly landscape was decorated with towering trees and was littered with gray and brown head stones that had sunken into the ground from many years of rest. Some were so old, the writing scribed into their smooth fronts were no longer legible. Others were new and shiny, but still depressing as it left the clue that there had been a recent death. The big tomb-like structures for the wealthy deceased were silver and black with fancy curly letters making the person's name, date of birth, and date of death. Thick hedges lined the acres of shady property.