Until Time Runs Out (ON HOLD)

Chapter 5

I continue unpacking my clothes and putting them in my drawers. I checked under my dresser and bed for the ring and note, but don't find either. I did find an interesting note that was addressed to Nick.

Nick,
I'm sorry I had to leave. I liked you a lot. Did I love you? No. You claimed to have loved me, but I prefer to believe you were just an ignorant and naive boy. My parents will most likely blame you, but I don't and you shouldn't either. It will be okay because everything always works out in the end. We will see each other again sometime. Nothing will tear us apart. You were like my brother. The twin I never had. Your sister is lucky she has a twin. Someone to tell everything to. Someone to cry on. Someone to love. Although I never loved you I did the others. Please don't show my parents or anyone else this note. Don't cry either. It will make me feel worse. I know you are crying though.

Water stains make it hard to read the next few sentences. The page has also been ripped and crumpled. I can tell that someone had tried to undo it and flatten it. Who is this girl? Nick must have cared for her a lot. I put the note in my backpack for later research. I get into bed and turn the light out. Tomorrow will be a great day. I smile and slip into sleep minutes later.

-----------------------------------------THE NEXT DAY-------------------------------------------

I wake up to a dog barking. It is the neighbor's. I sit up and rub my eyes. The window is open once again. Did I open it? I swear I didn't. Maybe I sleepwalked? I don't know. I'll figure it out later. I get out of bed and stretch. I reach my hands up to the ceiling. I sigh and walk to my dresser. I pick out black skinny jeans and my Imagine Dragons shirt I got at a concert with friends last summer. I put black socks on with my black vans. I go to my bathroom and brush my hair out. I put it into a high ponytail and brush my teeth. As I'm inspecting my face for any pimples or something, Nick barges into my room.

"What the heck, Nick!" I screech.

"I just need to get something," he grumbles.

"And what would that be?" I say crossing my arms.

"Something," he responds and looks under the bed.

"You know I could've been changing," I state.

He just looks at me and smirks.

"Ew! Freak!" I yell and throw a bar of soap at him.

"Ow!" He rubs his arm. "What happened to the piece of paper that was under the bed?"

"What paper?"

"The one that was under the bed," he says impatiently.

"I don't know, but if it helps Mom had cleaned out the room," I say cooly.

He runs out of the room. Weird. We almost sounded like normal siblings. Almost.

I walk downstairs and grab a banana. I head out the door to catch the bus. Freshman year is about to begin. I am so excited. The bus arrives and I climb on with a couple other kids. I know nobody except Nick and he looks too busy flirting with a group of girls. What a player. I take a seat in the middle and look out the window. The bus starts up and we drive away. I look at the people occupying the bus. Who seems friendly? There is a girl in the back wearing a pink crop top which I'm pretty sure is against the dress code. I see a boy smirking at her. Sitting behind me is a boy reading a book. He seems chill. I move my eyes towards the front of the bus. I see Nick still flirting but he seems to be focused on one girl. I turn around.

"Hey! My name's Heather," I say cheerfully.

He looks up and sneers at me.

"Hello, Heather, you interrupted my book reading session."

"Oh, I'm sorry. What are you reading?"

"I'm reading Heroes of Olympus: Blood of Olympus," he said this proudly.

"Oh my gosh! I love those books!" I screech and blush embarrassedly.

"You're the first person who has openly admitted that to me," he responds.

"What do you mean?" I ask.

"Well at this school it's all about popularity. We have the cheerleading sluts, the football jocks even though our team sucks, the geeks who wear glasses even though they have perfect vision, the neutrals who try to fit in with the crowd, and the players."

He points toward my brother.

"Nick is the worst of them all," he finishes.

"Why?" I ask.

"He's all of them. He's on the football team, a player, he's also a neutral, and sometimes a geek. Just depends on which girl he wants. He's a great actor; I'll give him that."

"Oh ok. You never told me your name," I try to change the subject.

"I'm Marcus."

"Nice to meet you, Marcus. "

"You too. Is it your first day? We've been in school for almost two months now."

"Yep. I'm really excited... Well actually I'm nervous now," I say and giggle.

"Oh sorry about that. Would you like to eat lunch with me?" He asks

"Sure," I say and sit next to him.

We talk about books and music all the way to school. Once we get there he takes me to my locker and helps me with my classes. Turns out we have science together. He walks me to my first class and we say our goodbyes and where we will meet for lunch.

My first class is geography. I sit and try to listen about Alexander the Great. Finally it is 9:30 and I can go to my next class. I'm excited to hang out with Marcus in science. He's like the only person I know at this school m

I get to science and the teacher introduces me to the class.

"Everyone, this is Heather. She will be joining our class. She moved here from-" She looks to me to finish her sentence.

"Austin, Texas," I finish.

"Today will be our first lab so go pick partners everyone," our teacher announces.

I walk straight to Marcus.

"Partners?" I ask.

"No," he replies.

"Oh," is all I say.

"Just kidding," he laughs and then continues, "We can be partners."

"Ok thank God," I say.

We sit down and listen to boring instructions. I try to listen but instead I find myself looking at the kids in the class and trying to categorize them.

Someone walks in front of me and blocks my view. He looks at me with a scowl.