Don't let go

Chapter 2

They're new kids in school today. This is particularly news because almost all the kids in West Village HS have known each other since middle school. We don't get a lot of new students. I try to either always be the first ones in class on the last one. Considering my bus schedules I'm usually the last.

I made my way through the almost empty hallways to homeroom. This is my favorite class. Not because I actually LIKE the class but because mrs Simpson always lets me eat lunch in her classroom even when she's not there. This has saved me a lot of cafeteria drama from the start of this year.

I scurried into homeroom almost tripping over the shoelaces of my old converse. That got a laugh from the class. I made my way to my seat in the middle of the class. I know, not the best place to sit but we had seating charts in alphabetical order so. I didn't have much of a choice.

I set my backpack down beside my desk not so gracefully dogging the insults thrown my way. looking down on my desk in an attempt to hide my face. But that was at a lost cause with the words "FREACK" written across it. I silently smiled to myself. They couldn't even spell "freak" correctly.

"Okay class, today I'm going to be your sub due to the absence of Mrs Simpson" A tall blond woman from the front of the class said "you will address me as Miss laurel" she smiled at the class "and continue working on your essay till the end of class". Having being done with my essay yesterday I had the class period off. I pulled out my phone and a pare of earbuds to block out the world. I swear i owe my life to whoever invented these things.

At lunch Mrs Simpsons class was locked which gave me no other choices than to eat in the cafeteria. I contemplated skipping lunch but I knew there wasn't a lot of food to look forward to at home. I made my way to one of the the bathroom stall to wait until the lunch line comes down.

I was locked in the stalls picking at my fingernails when I heard two voices enter into the bathroom. "What time do you want to meet us at the mall today?" Wait. That voice. Tori. My best friend until seventh grade. After things went downhill she decided she was better than to be seen around me. The sad part was, it didn't come as a surprise.

"Maybe right after school?" An unrecognized voice said. "I don't know why you won't just skip with us" Tori said "maybe it's because I want to keep a good reputation with the teachers"

the other person said. "So how about you bring your hot boyfriend with you"

I'm really not the type to ease-drop by the way. It's just they're like five feet away from me....and talking really loud.

"ugh, like I said before he's my cousin NOT my boyfriend!" She laughed "I know it's just hard to believe he's actually single" I heard the bathroom door open and shut. Time to get out of here.

There were only about three people left in line. This was a good thing. After getting my peice of lasagna and weird looking mashed potatoes I made my way through the cafeteria avoiding all eye contact. This was the place filled with embarrassing memories. I don't know where to sit. Not that there were any options and I don't fancy eating in the bathroom again. I cringed at the thought. That would just make my da-

I was pulled back into reality when someone ran into me from behind in the process, spilling the contents of my lunch on the both of us .

I hurried up trying to get as much of the contents of food off my grey hoodie as I could. "Shit, sorry" I heard the other person say.

That's new. This kind of action usually resulted in hysterical laughter not an apology.

I looked up into deep brown eyes and stayed frozen in place. "It was an accident i swear, wasn't looking where I was going and I was being careless-I messed up your hoodie..."

I kind Of spaced out of there to stare at the amazingly attractive boy who made me feel like I wasn't worthy to stand in front of him.

A chunk of mashed potatoes was stuck to his dirty blonde hair that slightly fell over his dark brown eyes. He had full lips, high cheek bones and a prompted jawline.

Definitely the new student.

"So what do you say?" He finished rambling on. I snapped out of my daydream shaking my head as if to clear my thoughts.

"You weren't listening to a word I said were you?" He said giving me a smug look.

"No?" I said sounding like an idiot.

"I was asking if you would like to go out for lunch with me to make up for this" he sounded so genuine. But this had to be some kind of joke. What do you do when someone spills your lunch all over you knocking you down in the process the asks you to go out to lunch with them. Well I'm not the one to fall for one of their pranks again.

"Look, I don't know what kind of joke this is supposed to be but I'm not falling for it" I spat in his face then walked off . Too harsh?

I think not.

20th November 2004

I was told to stay downstairs because daddy was having a talk with my big brother James. Daddy yells a lot when he drinks the yellowish stuff. I told him I didn't like it when he drank the stuff but he said he needed to sometimes. I think that's why he drank a lot of it today. I tiptoed upstairs to see what made him so mad. I made sure to be extra quiet. I looked through the cracked door of James's room.
I wish I didn't.
James was sitting in a corner, crying. I've never seen him cry. Daddy was holding a belt and yelling bad words at him. But then he held the belt high and right before it could hit James I ran as fast as I could and stood in front of him.

I'm glad it didn't hit James.

~E.F