Let's Stay Strangers

Chapter Two

When we arrive at Connecticut's airport it is 8 pm. We are exhausted as we have been all day traveling, at least I am.

I swear the only thing I want is to sleep for the next two months, not only because of the trip, but mainly because of the fact that a new life awaits me, and although someone else would have grasped this opportunity with all their force to become a new person, achieve new goals and blah blah, I feel unable to start over at a new school, making new friends, getting to know new people... Just the sound of it makes me want to sleep until college.

I'm starting as a junior in Middletown Academy, which is a private school, so it has a uniform, which is one of the main reasons I dread going to that school, which, by the way, starts in exactly 6 days.

Our new house is as big as the one in LA, but doesn't have a pool. I still have a room for myself, which I'm very grateful for, as the last time I slept in the same room as Olivia I ended up having to sleep in the living room because of her snores. We live in a nice neighborhood with very different kind of houses, all of them big.

Three days after having moved, my room is in perfect condition and I find myself with no distraction. When I was bored in LA (which wasn't very regularly) I would hang out with Victoria or with my friends. But it might take Victoria a long time to settle in and here I don't have any friends.

I decide to go out for a run and take some fresh air. It had been a long time since I'd gone out running so I go a bit slowly at first, but I quickly catch up. I run around the neighborhood, which is absolutely beautiful. It is surrounded by thousands of trees and has a nice path in both sides of the roads marked with plants.

Just when I'm lost in my thoughts I bump into something. Someone. I look up and see a familiar face. I recognize that face after two seconds of mutual staring, that end up being a bit awkward. It is my former best friend, Jake Cummings, who is standing right in front of me.

"Mia?" he asks, clearly as astonished as I am to see him.

I smile and nod. I don't really know how to react. After all, the last time we saw each other was five years ago, back when we called each other best friends but neither of us had the decency to say goodbye when I left.

"Wow, you've changed" he says with his eyes lingering a bit longer than necessary on me, which starts to become a bit uncomfortable. Who am I kidding, the situation itself is uncomfortable.

Standing next to Jake makes me realize I have changed a lot since I left, both physically and personally.

"How have you been doing?" I ask. Although it might seem a question out of cordiality, I actually do mean it. Jake hadn't been the worst best friend ever.

"Everything is fine. How about you? How's everything in... LA? " He says trying to memorize where I had been, I'm actually surprised he remembers. "Are you back for good or just visiting?"

"Back for good" I say, with a tone that, unwillingly, clearly shows I'm not thrilled to be back.

"Oh, will you be going back to Middletown Academy?" he asked, obviously trying not to sound curious, but I've know him for too long to not notice he's dying to know, for whatever reason it is.

"Yeah" I answer. "Anyway, see you around?" I want to finish this conversation as soon as possible before it keeps getting more awkward.

"Yeah, I'll see you on Monday. I have to go, I'm late for dinner" He was obviously feeling the same way as I was, because that's the lamest excuse I've ever heard when it's four thirty in the afternoon.

We wave goodbye and keep going our ways.

He has also changed a lot, he's much taller and broad shouldered than he was before. His hair isn't that curly as it used to be and is a bit darker. The only things that remain the same are his green eyes. Overall, he still looks very handsome.

On the way home I start remembering my last days at Middletown Academy. I wouldn't exactly describe them as the best ones of my life. I had enough friends and didn't get bullied, but I still exactly wasn't boy's definition of pretty or attractive, and sometimes I got laughed at for it, especially by Zach Pearson. I hated that boy with all my heart, but now I probably would feel sorry for him. A small part of me hopes now he is, as he called me, "not the exact definition of pretty" . The other part of me couldn't care less about him.

Three more days until summer officially ends and this new school year starts.

I can't help but feel a bit curious if when I return, I'd be recognized as Jake recognized me or I would just be a total stranger. I'll just have to wait and see.

(Hey guys!! I hope you are enjoying my story so far!! If you do like my story, could you comment so I'm aware please? Thank you so much, xoxo)
PS: The girl I imagine as Mia is Gabriella Wilde)