Note: I've just used the characters in my current wip and my cat because I like them and don't want to make more character atm.
"Okay, today's the day." Leo glanced into the bathroom mirror. A strand of hair fell onto his face; he sighed while brushing it back into place. "You can't mess this up for yourself, Leo." He said while pointing an accusing finger at his reflection. Leo straightened his posture and looked himself over one more time.
While rushing downstairs, cat following him in pursuit, his books fell out of his backpack. "Fuck." Leo muttered under his breath. "Should've closed the zipper before I came downstairs. Great." He cursed. Lolly, his cat, rubbed herself against Leo's calf, and his face softened. "You'll still love me if she rejects me, right?" She started purring, then flung herself onto one of the steps.
When Leo got downstairs, backpack hung over his right shoulder, breakfast - Cinnamon Toast Crunch, his favourite, and a gallon of milk that had started to sweat - had already been laid out on the kitchen counter. It was a day like any other Winter morning. The sun had started making its way over the horizon and in through the window above the sink. Birds sang their songs of the morning while frost bit the air.
The school bus wasn't supposed to be here for a while, and its only 7 o'clock, leaving half an hour for Leo to do whatever he wants. His mother had already left for work, and his father hadn't returned from his annual business trip as yet. The house was silent, other than Lolly's purrs which faintly echoed through the hallway.
Although school was only a few blocks away, Leo's parents were insistent on him taking the bus for his safety. It wasn't a dangerous neighbourhood, and they knew all the neighbours well enough. At a guess, this was just another case of parents being paranoid.
The bus slowed to a stop outside the front lawn. The breaks screeching against the metal forcing the heavy tin of children to halt, was clearly audible. I rushed outside, slamming the door shut behind me. The door of the bus hissed open, and Leo waved at the bus driver, making a little hop onto the first step. Most of the seats were already filled with burned-out high-school students.
He was about to get to a seat near the front of the bus, when the vehicle started moving, causing him to nearly fall backwards. No chuckles or stifled laughter was to be heard; this situation had become universal, and everyone knows the feeling of nearly being flung back by their own inertia in a school bus.
Leo took his seat and placed the black backpack he uses for school on his lap. he ruffled through his pocket for earphones, and promptly plugged them into his phone. Rain drops from the previous day raced down the window, leaving trails of clear glass behind them. The whining of the engine went on in the background. A clear trail of smoke from the exhaust polluted the air in the bus' tracks.
The boy with curly, black hair was soon drifting off into a pile of his own thoughts. His pale green eyes reflected the dull, yet somehow bright, clouds. The paleness of Leo's skin was now illuminated by the soulless sky, causing his hundreds of freckles to stand out in contrast with his eyes. His hair fell softly against his forehead, he had given up on trying to keep it in place, and let it fall naturally.
The bus driver eased on the breaks, the school now stood to the left of them. The damp brick wall encircling the building had become a resting place for bats and birds alike. The once green plants scattered around the entrance, were now dry and crumbling. Muddy footprints led to the front gate which had a security guard seated next to it.
The bus driver eased on the breaks, the school now stood to the left of them. The damp brick wall encircling the building had become a resting place for bats and birds alike. The once green plants scattered around the entrance, were now dry and crumbling. Muddy footprints led to the front gate which had a security guard seated next to it.
The cold air that once bit down on Leo's skin was left outside the door to class 11B. The somewhat warmer air from inside the class welcomed Leo to his seat at the back of the class. He scanned the room to see if she was there, and she was. The brunette with round glasses was seated in the back corner of the room. She wore baggy blue jeans and her same old black hoodie. Somehow, this mystery girl hadn't aged a day from the time I'd laid eyes on her.
"Just breath, Leo, everything will go okay." he reassured himself. The tiny bit of courage he had mustered up this morning and snuck away from him like a thief in the night. He walked towards where she sat, with enough purpose to show that he was walking toward her and not seem intimidating.
"Uhh, hi. I know that you don't know me, but I was thinking maybe we could-" he fumbled with his words, almost glad that she had just interrupted him, that was until she strung out her first sentence.
"You aren't supposed to be able to see me." Her face darkened with concern for the newly represented matter at hand.
"Are you like me?" The words slipped out of her mouth with caution, unsure of what answer he would give.. Her eyes softened a shade, but Leo was stuck, frozen to the floor without a coherent thought.
"I'm sorry, what?" He spat, suddenly remembering he had a tongue.
Hope you enjoyed here's a picture of Lolly.
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
