Stuck in a Time Warp

Part 1: Chapter 1

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Natalie’s Point of View

“See ya later, Mum!” I call in the door as I latch it. I turn and bend to pick up by trombone case. Of course, with my luck, my pack slides off my arm and commits “suicide”. Lightly cursing under my breath, I retrieve my old pine green pack from where it had landed on the porch.

Brooke, Erin, and I usually walk together. Problem is that Brooke is a foreign exchange student in Japan for this semester and Erin has morning tutoring, so that it doesn’t interfere with gymnastics practice. So I walk. Alone. In the cold.

I stroll down my long driveway, dreading another long, seemingly endless, day of sneers and snide remarks. How I’ve survived this long I’ll never kn--

No, he’s why. Him. Perfect, flawless, amazing him. Drew Liam Marcus. His name is like heaven, saying it, thinking it, writing it. I’m hopelessly in love with him. Sure, I haven’t had an actual conversation with him since freshman year because we were assigned to work on an English project with him, but I love him.

Everything about him is impeccable. His slightly curly light brown hair that graces with forehead, so splendidly. His dreamy blue eyes that seem to know everything. His pale freckles that cover his entire face. How he stands proud and tall. His smile. Oh God, his smile. It makes me melt just thinking about thinking about seeing it.

Again, even my daydreams can’t be joyous for long, the foul scowling face of Nicole Williams intrudes not only my mind, but my vision. She’s standing by her orange BMW with her little stereotypical cheerleader clique, complete with football boyfriends.

I still haven’t the slightest why she would date Drew. I mean, come on, a cheerleader and a band member? He’s not like a drummer or anything, either. He plays tenor sax! She’s the kind of girl that the entire football team wants to get lucky with. The quarterback even wants her and he’s a senior! And she goes with a saxophonist?

Suddenly, their laughing stopped. I look up to see a smirk forming on Nicole's impish face. I speed up a bit, pretending I didn’t notice her. She didn’t notice me. She didn’t notice me. She won’ t say anything. She won’t say anyth--

“Natalie! Natalie, dear!” She almost sings to me, voice full of obviously false happiness. “Why don’t you come over here? We were just talking about something and we want to know what you think.”

I ignore her and keep walking. She’s a jerk anyway. They probably have some elaborate plan to ruin my day. I keep walking and walking looking down at the ground as my plum Converse step to an even pace almost in-step with an imaginary cadence. Then I see a pair of black patent leather flats in front of me.

Who wears flats? Well, other than me, who wears flats? My eyes trail up this unusual girl's body. Her clothes make her look like a mix between a old movie actress and the sweet old lady that lives over on Beech Avenue, but she couldn't be any old than me.

She was wearing a heavily crinolined navy skirt that fell to her mid-shin. On top, a white polo with an elegant and lavish jeweled choker. Her hair is of stunning comparison to Audrey Hepburn’s in the opening scene of Breakfast at Tiffany’s, highlighted chestnut hair all rolled up in a high bun. Unnaturally red lips almost overpower her face, yet her piercing green eyes still win the battle for attention, even in profile. In her ears, the basic Apple earbuds, and dangling on almost invisible chains- simple pearl drop earrings.