The Parallel Paths

The Book

Heavy weather and grey skies, the last leaf of autumn fell, gliding effortlessly through the air.

That wind howled an eerie cry, stirring all the old disregarded remains of the other leaves into a big whirl. With a harsh slam against the window, the rough brush perked a students attention,

Elara.

It was a gloomy Wednesday morning at Havencrest high. The clouds were a dark grey as if it were going to rain yet it never did, only causing a more gloomy-depressing atmosphere.

The classroom was dull and colorless, half the kids lay sleeping on their wooden dirty desks or resting their head against their hand, listening to the lecture but who could blame them? It was first period after all.

The dull lights shined down into the depressing classroom, causing an annoying buzzing noise that the school didn't care to fix. They never fixed much in the school. The desk were covered in graffiti and the walls were even peeling in some places though nobody had the motivation to do anything about it.

Besides—it was junior year, one more year of this and they'd be gone.

"Any questions?" Asked the teacher after solving such a complex problem, he was the only one live and filled with energy this early.

Everyone kind of avoided his joyful enthusiastic stare and bright smile.

Some turned their heads away nervously,

others pretended they were writing in their notebook even though the paper was covered in doodles.

Elara shifted in her seat a little, trying to get comfortable enclosed within this weather. She nuzzled into her hoodie, shifting her eyes up to the board trying to make sense of what was written.

After glancing around and seeing that half the class wasn't paying attention either— just made her drop it.

Just as the teacher stood there in awkward silence before his sighing and turning back to the board to erase what he had wrote.

Suddenly the bell rang, seems he didn't have enough time to finish this lesson. Before he could speak everyone was getting out of their seats and collecting there things.

Elara grabbed her things aswell and began to head out the door to her next class. She clutched her yellow backpack, her beaming star keychain jingling as she set off on her journey to her next class, the first obstacle was the crowed hallway

though it wasn't anything new.

"Hey Elara.." Muttered a rather quiet voice along with a cold hand upon her shoulder.

Elara's body jolted around to see her friend standing behind her—

Alice.

Her pale skin and black messy hair covered her face, hiding those brown eyes of hers. She was wearing some baggy dark jeans along with a black hoodie.

"Oh sorry! I didn't mean to scare you." She muttered anxiously and quickly pulled her hand away from Elara's shoulder, a nervous blush fading onto her cheeks.

Elara couldn't help but smile at her friend Alice's jumpy demeanor. Alice had always been the shy and quiet type ever since freshman year and honestly hasn't changed a bit. Sure, her hair grew longer and her eyes growing darker with bags though that's just life.

"It's fine. Wanna head to class with me?" Elara asked with a soft smile despite her heart still racing from shock.

She couldn't lie— Alice did scare her at times.

The two were now behind from the crowd with only a few other kids passing by them down the hallway.

"Sure." Smiled Alice and followed right behind Elara, a small warming sensation filling her heart.