And You Became A Memory

Chapter 3

"Hey, sinner guy!" I shouted, perhaps a tad louder than intended. To my dismay, everyone in the hallway, except Ethan, came to a screeching halt, giving me a collection of perplexed looks. Way to kick off the first day.

Feeling the heat of embarrassment rising, I quickly picked my phone from the floor and shifted my attention to the papers in my hands, pretending to be engrossed in reading the locker number. It was my feeble attempt to salvage the situation, but deep down, I knew I must've looked like a complete idiot.

Feeling the weight of embarrassment lingering, I scanned the hallway, avoiding eye contact with anyone who might have witnessed my unintentional spectacle. Spotting my locker near the corner, I practically leaped towards it, eager to escape the prying eyes.

But of course, life had its own sense of humor - my locker lacked a lock. Perfect, just what I needed for my grand high school entrance. "Way to go, Leo," I muttered under my breath, shaking my head at the irony of it all.

With a resigned sigh, I glanced at my schedule. English literature is up first, as Lucas had told me. I realised I have nothing to actually put in the locker.

Why did I even get so excited after seeing Ethan? Well, it wasn't like we were long-lost eternal lovers, reuniting on a mountain peak after centuries with unicorns grooving in the background.

Lost in my thoughts, a tap on my shoulder startled me. I turned around to find Amalia grinning ear to ear, and before I knew it, she wrapped me in a tight hug. Amalia, the other part of my brain cells, my friend since kindergarten. She'd been my comrade, kicking the butts of mean girls in middle school, well, I was like her adopted child.

"Finally, finally, you decided to grace us with your company," she teased, pulling away.

I chuckled, "Couldn't leave my soldiers wandering in the war alone, could I?"

I asked Amalia about Lucas, closing the unused locker with a sense of relief. She rolled her eyes, a smirk playing on her lips. "Don't get me started on him. You're gonna pay for every second you left me alone with him."

Amalia started walking towards the class, and I followed suit. "He's eaten every last piece of sanity," she added, her words trailing off in annoyance.

I furrowed my brows at Amalia's cryptic comment. "Why? What did he do?"

Rolling her eyes, Amalia sighed. "Same Mr. Perfect being perfect and can't bear with people being imperfect." She shook her head in frustration.

I chuckled, picturing Lucas and his penchant for order. "Give me the details".

Amalia glanced at her wristwatch, the ticking seconds reminding us of the impending class. "Okay, so Lucas and I were working on the project for Chemistry, you know, the one Mr. Henderson assigned us on Wednesday. I'm in the middle of arranging the elements in a way that even Einstein would be proud of when Lucas strolls in."

I nodded, imagining the scene. Lucas always had a knack for pointing out the minutest details. "And then?"

Amalia sighed, "Well, apparently, the way I arranged them wasn't 'symmetrical' enough for his taste. He starts rearranging everything, muttering something about visual harmony and aesthetic balance. I mean, seriously, who cares about visual harmony in a Chemistry project?"

Amalia pushed open the classroom door, and as she turned to give me a look, I caught sight of Lucas in the second row. He was already there, sitting near the window, glasses fixed on his notebook, fully engrossed in his own world.

"So, he's already in the classroom," she remarked, her voice rising with every word as she walked towards the seats. She made sure her tone was loud enough for Lucas to hear.