The Way It Could've Been

Chapter 4, Julian...

I tried my best to act like Mark wasn't there. Like nobody was. I looked out the window. I could see the football field from a distance. The sky was gray. I looked at the trees. Swaying within the breeze that looked refreshing. I looked at the gate, separating the school from the houses. I began to wonder how many trees were cut down to build the school. This place used to be a forest. No wonder the trees look like they can touch the clouds.

I drifted away from reality until I was too far to want to come back. Staring out of the window, watching. Watching as the leaves break off branches of tall trees, then slowly, like a parachute, fall to the ground. Later to be stepped on and forgotten about for the rest of eternity.

The leaves were turning different colors. Red, yellow, orange, brown, it meant something. Fall. I love to fall so much. It was comforting to see the warm colors.

"Hey..." I heard a voice but ignored it. I kept staring out the window.

"Hey!" Mark drew out the word to get my attention. I finally turned my attention to him.

"What?" I speak. My tone is a bit sassy or snarky. A bit of both.

"If you didn't hear, idiot, we are doing a project. And you're my partner..." Mark had a grin on his face.

"Wha- why me?" I say as I give him a look of irritation.

"She said to work with the person next to me, I didn't have a fucking choice..." Mark grumbled.

"Whatever-... So, what are we supposed to be working on?" I look at him again.

"I don't fucking know." He shrugs.

"Oh my god," I mumble under my breath and roll my eyes. I stand up and walk to Mrs. Lee.

"Uhm, excuse me, what are we supposed to do for the project again?" I ask her.

After she explains, I go back to Mark and sigh.

"We'll get this done in no time," I say and get out my journal.

"Nerd." I hear Mark mumble. I kick his leg a bit and he shoves me softly. Grinning again. I give him a quick glare, before turning back to research.

RING...

After thirty minutes, the bell rings and everyone stands up. I was gathering up my stuff and pushing my chair in. I sigh and stand up. A page full of notes in my journal, I shove it in my backpack and walk past Mark. Our shoulders brushed against each other slightly. I ignore it and quickly walk out and away from the classroom.

The hallways were full of students, metal lockers clanking together, and many conversations like always. The sound was so familiar that I never paid attention to it anymore. Like it isn't even there. I walk to my locker and put in the code. 1309. I got this code because my mother's favorite number was nine, and mine was thirteen. It kind of sounds strange having a favorite number. But I'm all about strange.

It's interesting how things that seem minor can mean so much more than they look.

I look around the halls and see the people around me. The hallways are getting crowded, and if I don't get to my second period soon, I'll get stuck in this traffic. I always like to think of hallways like highways. Everyone just trying to get to their destination without any delays.

I make it through the traffic and walk to my second period, which is Spanish. It was an easy class since I'm Mexican.

The class flew by but the one thing that caught my eye was the telenovela we watched. The mother died and left the son grieving. It hit home. He tried not to cry since he was going to get teased.

The third and fourth periods fly by quickly. I have yet another class with Mark in the fifth period. ELA. I loved reading and writing. It always calmed me down when I was too stressed and overwhelmed. That's why I love my teacher, Ms. Watson. But I hate seeing others disrespect her. Especially Mark. He would laugh loudly with his friends. Throw things across the room. It was annoying. He was annoying. He Is annoying.