Two lives.

07. Crossing Paths

It had been exactly a week since I'd arrived at this school, and so far, I'd only spoken to one person. I'd promised myself I wouldn't make any friends here. I didn't want to get attached to people who could be just as much trouble as my old friends.

The breakfast bell jolted me awake. "Ugh," I groaned, dragging myself out of bed. Teachers come by each morning to make sure you're up, but they don't force you to go down and eat, which I appreciated. I hate eating alone, so most mornings, I sneak some food back up to my room. It's technically against the rules, but I've learned how to do it without getting caught.

During the day, I didn't really do much, but this morning, right after breakfast, I decided to go for a walk. I hadn't been outside much since I got here, and the weather was perfect—clear skies and a gentle breeze. Behind the building, there were two full basketball courts, usually packed with kids playing pick-up games. There was also a turf football field with a track around it, which some kids used as a soccer field.

Because there were so many people out on the track, I decided to slip into the forest that surrounded the campus. There were paths winding through the dense woods, trails made from years of footsteps that had worn the dirt down to smooth, packed paths. The forest itself stretched on for about 22 miles before meeting a tall fence designed to keep us from running too far. I'd overheard some kids talking about how easy it was to jump the fence, so I was curious to check it out for myself.

The forest was thick and alive, with towering trees arching overhead, their leaves filtering the sunlight into dappled patches on the forest floor. The air was cool and earthy, and I could hear the rustle of leaves and the distant chirping of birds. After walking for about twenty minutes, I heard voices drifting from somewhere behind me.

"Did you hear that Alicia and Kenny are talking now?" a boy's voice asked, his tone amused.

I stopped and turned around, catching sight of two boys heading down the path. One of them, tall and around 5'9" or 5'11", had warm brown skin and a head full of black dreads that framed his face. Something about him drew me in, and I found myself lingering, just observing. There was an ease in his walk, like he was comfortable with his surroundings, confident without trying.

Walking beside him was a slightly shorter boy with light brown hair that hung just above his eyebrows. They hadn't noticed me yet, so I stayed still, listening to the hum of their conversation. I couldn't put my finger on why, but there was something about the boy with dreads that intrigued me, something that made me want to know what he was thinking about, what he found funny.

For a moment, I considered saying something, but the thought quickly faded. After all, I was here to keep my distance, not to make friends.

The boy with dreads turned in my direction, his eyes widening as he noticed me. "Oh, shit!" he exclaimed, taking a quick step back. "I thought you were a bear," he added with a laugh, looking slightly embarrassed.

I just stared at him, unamused. I looked nothing like a bear.

"What's your name? Are you new here?" he asked, walking up to me with an easy, curious expression.

"Sienna," I replied flatly, hoping he'd take the hint and move along. But at the same time, part of me didn't really want him to leave.

"Oh, cool. I'm Ekko, and that's Colby," he said, gesturing to the boy standing a few feet behind him. Colby just gave me a small wave.

I glanced at him, noticing his silence. "Why isn't he talking?"

As if reading my mind, Ekko answered, "He's mute—that's why he doesn't talk."

"Oh," I replied, a little taken aback. I hadn't expected such a straightforward answer.

Ekko tilted his head, studying me. "So, what are you doing out here?"

"Nothing really," I said, shrugging. "I was just gonna see how far out the fence is." I gestured down the path behind them, where the fence that marked the edge of the school grounds was supposed to be.

"Oh, thinking about making a break for it?" he asked with a smirk. "Don't bother. It's not worth it." He shrugged, like he'd tried it himself and found it disappointing.

"Okay," I said, still a bit thrown off by the whole interaction.

"Well, I'll see you around, Sienna." He gave a casual wave as he started to walk past me, Colby trailing after him. Just before they disappeared down the path, Ekko called over his shoulder with a grin, "Bye, Bear!"

I rolled my eyes, but I couldn't help the small smile creeping onto my face.

A little while later, I decided to head back to the school. As I walked through the hallways toward my room, I caught sight of Ekko running around with a group of kids, laughing and joking. When he noticed me, he stopped for a second and flashed a bright smile, waving in my direction.

I gave him a small nod in return, trying to play it cool. A part of me wanted to go over and join them, maybe even make some friends. But another part of me held back, reminding me that I wouldn't fit in here, that getting close to people wasn't worth the effort. I felt the tug of loneliness but brushed it off, heading down the hall alone.