Between Me & You - n.r.

Chapter 1

Hailee's POV

I'm sitting by myself at lunch. Again. It's been this way for a whole year already. 

This is my second year of high school and so far, I don't see why everyone likes it so much. 

I went to a high school where I didn't know anyone. Everyone told me it would be great: I'd make friends quickly and it would be fun. They told me everyone was in the same boat. 

They lied.

I went into high school with the intention to have the "high school experience" like everyone else. But when I didn't make any friends (not for lack of effort), I gave up.

I just don't care anymore. High school doesn't last forever and I'm counting on that. The day high school is over will be a very good day for me. 

I'm sitting at my table outside. I found it last year when I needed a place to sit. It's under a huge tree that protects me from the sun and shields me from the snow in the winter. It's the perfect place. No one bothers me here.

The bell rings to signify the end of lunch. I'd rather not go to class, but I know that the academic portion of school is the only thing that's keeping me here. I have to go. 

I have a general psychology class right now. Not because I want to be a psychologist when I grow up, but because I just thought it would be interesting. 

I get up from my table and say goodbye to my tree. Then I slowly make my way to class.

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Psychology is my favourite class. The teacher knows what he's doing. The only thing I don't appreciate is the question and answer period at the end of every class. 

Every class, the teacher chooses a student and makes them sit at the front of the class. The rest of the students ask them questions and the "chosen one" is expected to answer.

I haven't been chosen yet. 

Until today, of course.

"Hailee", the teacher calls near the end of class. "Why don't you have a come up to the front today."

I know better than to refuse. This teacher has a short temper. 

I slowly walk up to the front and sit on the table that faces the class. I'm not nervous. I don't care about this. I lean back on my hands and wait for the questions to start. 

I don't expect anyone to ask questions. Nobody knows me or cares enough to ask me anything. I don't mind, that makes it easier for me. 

"Okay class, ask Hailee some questions", the teacher says. 

Why do we even do this? He said it was to get to know the people in our class but I think it's because he was too lazy to plan a full lesson.

A boy in the second row raises his hand. My first question. 

I point at him and he begins to ask his question.

"Who are you?", he asks.

"Hailee" is all I say. 

Then a girl raises her hand. Everyone knows this girl. Emma Grant. I hate her. 

"Are you new to the school this year?", she asks.

I laugh to myself a little before I answer.

"No actually. I was in your math class last year, but thanks for trying", I say with a sarcastic smile.

 The class comments on that and they throw different variations of "you got burned" her way. At least I could knock her down a few pegs. 

The next hand up surprises me which is weird because nothing surprises me. Nick Robinson raises his hand. Everyone knows him too, not because he's got a lot of friends but because he's the school bad boy. Guys want to be him. Girls want to get with him. 

He hasn't asked any other student a question during this class all year. 

I nod at him and he asks his question.

"What's your deal?"

The question takes me aback. Nick looks at me expectantly and the rest of the class is silent.

"What do you mean?",  I ask.

"Why are you so closed off? What's your deal?", he clarifies.

For some reason his question makes me defensive and my answer reflects that. 

"My deal is that high school is a waste of time and people are superficial."

Emma gasps as if I've just slapped her in the face. She knows that my answer was directed at people like her. 

"Fair enough", Nick says with a smirk.

The bell rings and I hop off the table and leave, grabbing my bag on the way. 

I stop at my locker to get things for my next class. When I have everything, I look down to get my lock that I left hanging on my locker door. The lock isn't there. I look on the floor, in the locker, everywhere. 

I'm frustrated. I can't just leave my locker unlocked, this school is known for theft. 

I feel a tap on my shoulder and I turn around.

"Looking for this?", The guy behind me asks. It's Nick and he's holding my lock in his hand.

"Yeah", I say as I go to grab the lock from him. He pulls away at the last minute, making me miss the lock.

"Not so fast", Nick says.

"What do you want? I'm going to be late for class", I say in an aggravated voice. 

He laughs and gives me my lock back. I hastily lock my locker with it.

"I'm going to miss these moments", I say sarcastically as I turn around to look at him.

"Why? You going somewhere?"

"Oh you see this?", I say as I gesture to the hallway around us. "This is high school. We're here for 3 years and then we leave and all the people we saw everyday vanish from our lives and we'll never have to think about them again."

"That is a good answer", Nick says.

I smirk and push past him on my way to class. I don't look back because I trained myself to never do that.

 Always leave things behind, Hailee.  

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Hey readers,

So this is the first chapter of my new fanfic! I'm excited about this and I hope you guys are too. Keep on reading!

That_Epiphany