Is This Our Second Chance

Chapter 2

The sound of lockers being slammed shut rattles in my ears as I reach for my English book. Looking down at my overflowing arms, I use the toe of my boot to shut my own locker door. I shoot the lock a death glare knowing it would do absolutely no good. I start to make way to my first class. I notice that my best friend Kayla, is still at her locker.

I head over to where she is struggling with her own arm full of books. "So please tell me you have English first period? I will not make it through this class without you!"

I shoot Kayla an evil grin before I snag her schedule away from inside her notebook. With intense concentration I look it over while we walk to first period.

"We have every period together except fourth. I've got weightlifting and you've got drama club."

I watch as Kayla stumbles a bit out of shock. "No freaking way! Let me see!"

She took both schedules from me and begun to compare them for herself as we wondered into the English classroom. Kayla shook her head, "Stella this is almost too good to be true!"

"I know right!" I smile at the unexpected good fortune. I guide us toward the pair of empty seats near the back of the classroom that were beside the window. I think to myself, perfectly out of the way.

Suddenly, the hair on my arms and the back of my neck stood straight up as I took my seat. Feeling a pair of eyes on me, I turn my head to see who could be so rudely staring or watching me.

My breath catches in my throat and I take a big gulp of air. Watching me from across the classroom was an all to familiar pair of green eyes. I make eye contact very briefly and feel my heart hit the pit of my stomach. Discreetly I reach for the bottle of antacids and pop one before class starts.

I plop my books, notebooks, and pens on my desk and proceed to try and make myself busy getting organized for the lesson of the day. Thinking to myself, I wonder exactly how drunk, and if he was even drunk at all, the night before when he had sent that cryptic text message.

I shake away the thought and tune into what Kayla was chattering on about. Something about amazing memories to come and stuff this year, I think. Scolding myself for letting Zach even enter my thoughts.

***

I feel her presence the minute she walks in the room.  Hearing her laugh makes me look up from the conversation I've been having with a couple of my buddies. I give no notice to the thought of being rude as I carefully examine her as she boldly walks across the room.

I know immediately that she's heading towards the window seats that are still unoccupied. Whenever there's a class she doesn't particularly care for, she sits by the window so she can gaze off into the world beyond the glass.

I notice her tense up as she feels my eyes on her.  That was something to see, I muse to myself, almost like a cat bristling at the scent of a dog nearby.  Biting the inside of my cheek I pick up my water bottle and take a few gulps.

I take my time in noticing how shes basically all long skinny legs with dark brown hair that tumbles out of the makeshift ponytail she has her hair in.  Feeling a dark pull low in my stomach I switch gears to look at her face. Just as I remember, I think to myself, eyes full of secrets, pain, and depth, lips as plump and pink as a rose in the spring, nose still slightly crooked from an old soccer accident.

Chuckling to myself I allow myself to be pulled into the end of the conversation with my buddies just as the teacher stands up from the oak desk in the front of the room.

"I'll call your name only one time and point to a desk.  If I hear any complaining, you will find yourself after school with me in detention. Am I clear?"