How Everything Changed for the Better

Chapter I

I stare out of the window as I walk across the hallway, my backpack heavy against my shoulders and weighing me down. The day is finally over. My bored gaze goes to the cars coming to pick up students and driving away eagerly, trying to get home or back to work. I push past groups of boys and girls huddled by the vending machines, trying to get something to eat or drink, walking to the theater entrance and pulling open the door. I shiver at the gust of cold air brushing against my arms, sending goosebumps across my body. It's freezing. I look around the theater, purposefully avoiding the back, where a group of people sit and laugh loudly. My terms with them were, to say the least, rocky. I walk to the left, sitting down in a row far enough to be left unnoticed by the back, but close enough to where I sat the day before with my friend. I put down my backpack in between my legs, getting comfortable in the cushioned seat. Today, Chase Roberts is nowhere to be seen. Great. I notice a group of three in my peripheral vision, sparking my interest almost immediately. They were only a row or two in front of me, sitting at the edge of the seats. A girl with long blonde hair stands up and starts shuffling around, seeming to be looking at something. I find myself staring quickly, and before I realize it myself, I'm standing up and walking over to them. Hayden, what are you doing? I ask myself. I have seen her around more than once before in the halls, but I've never had enough courage to go say hi or introduce myself before. Now seems like the perfect moment, but as soon as I get close enough to make myself noticed I freeze. My eyes are still fixed on her, and I seem to forget about the other two people next to her laughing. She looks up, making eye contact with me, and it's almost like a movie moment where my heart seems to skip a beat. I feel my mind blank and my face burn, and I shake myself out of the trance I was in. I slowly and awkwardly wave with a small smile, trying to make a good impression and be polite. She slowly waves back before going back to shuffling around to go look for something again. I take a deep breath before walking over to her, and I find that the boy in the group seems to be gone. "Hey! Do you need help?" I ask, stumbling over my words and cringing at the sound of my own voice. I sound head over heels already, and I don't even know her name.

Both she and another girl look at me at the same time, with the same shocked expression. The girl next to the blonde has light brown, curly hair with bangs and is seated in a seat two away from the blonde. "Uh... sure. I can't find my keys," the blonde says, and I notice an accent in her voice but can't pinpoint what kind it is.

I nod quickly, listening intently and praying internally that I'm not freaking her out with my behavior. I've always been told that I have to reel myself back in and that I'm being way too energetic, so I breathe slowly through my mouth and keep a friendly smile on my face. "What do they look like?" I question her, half trying to help and half just wanting to hear her voice again.

"They are kind of hard to miss; it's a rainbow lanyard. Anthony just left to check if it was in my science classroom," the blonde mumbles, chuckling to herself.

So, that's the guy's name. I nod, talking while I look between the seats. "I am Hayden, by the way." I hum, looking up at her.

Even in the dark lighting the theater offers, I notice green flecks in her blue eyes, and her orange Reese's hoodie just barely goes past her waist as she crouches to check her bag again. Her hair is messy, and light brown streaks mix with the blonde hair that stops around her chest. She fixes her glasses, and I force myself to look away to help her. My heart is already racing enough. Don't make it worse for yourself. After what feels like forever to me, but in reality it must have been not even a couple minutes, she speaks up just above a whisper. "I'm Lizzy."

I grin to myself. Liz. "It's nice to meet you, Liz!" I exclaim, way too excited. I feel her eyes move toward me, an indescribable expression in her face.