The Ailing Heart

Chapter 1

"Nidhi, baby its time you wake up". I hear my dad call from the downstairs. I groan as I roll out of the bed. My body feels cold without the thick comforter.

" Baby are you up yet ?" Dad calls again.

"Yeah I'm up". I yell back. I walk up to the window and pull the screens away. As usual its cold and cloudy outside. I go back and make my bed.

It's the first day of my junior year of high school. Being late on the first day of school would be the last thing I'd like to happen to me.

I check my phone to find a text from Jenny, my best friend.

*See you in 15. Love you babe!* reads the text.

*Love you too babe!* I reply and set my phone down on my bed. I rush into the shower. The hot water sparks every single fibre in me. I stand there for 5 more minutes before I get out.

I settle for my normal jeans a white tank top and a long sweater paired with my favorite sneakers. I pull my hair back into a low ponytail. I put on a little make up before I start gathering my things for school.

Once I'm done I walk down the stairs into the kitchen to find my dad making the breakfast. I set my bag on the dining table as I grab a bowl of cereals with some warm milk. I walk back to the table and silently have my breakfast.

"First day of junior year. You excited ?" Dad asks just to break the silence I suppose.

"A tiny bit ". I reply while I concentrate on my bowl of cereal.

Soon as I'm done with my breakfast I put the bowl in the sink and grab my bag.

"Bye Dad. I have to leave. See you at night ?" I say.

"Take care dear". He says with a smile.

As if a cue for me to exit I hear the honking of a car. I walk out of the door closing it behind me. I see Jenny's car standing right in front of the door. I hop in and we get going. I'm greeted by a smiling Trevor.

Jenny and Trevor are the only best friends I've ever had. We're together since the 3rd grade. I can be my real self around these goofy idiots. A lot of people don't like us but we couldn't care less.

" Earth to Nidhi!!". Trevor yells from the back seat bringing me out of my thoughts.

"What's up with you ? What're you thinking about ?" Jenny asks.

"Nothing really". I say as we reach the school campus. Jenny pulls into the parking lot and kills the ignition.

We get out and walk towards the building. We are engaged in our normal gossip until we reach the reception to get our schedules and our locker numbers. We have all the same classes except for Literature instead of which Jenny and Trevor chose Economics. My love for literature has not been hidden from anyone. I'd choose books over boys anytime.

We walk to our lockers to put our stuff in there. I check my schedule and grab my books for the first class. We then walk to the first class, Biology.

By the time we reach the class, it is half filled with some new faces and some old ones. Jenny and Trevor sit in the second - last
row while I sit in the last row right behind them. I set my books and notebook on the table. Trevor cracks a poor joke but Jenny and I still laugh for the sake of him.

After a few more poor jokes from Trevor a guy walks in. I haven't seen him around before so I'm guessing he is new. He's tall, well built and I must say handsome but nothing that interests me.

Soon the teacher enters the class, snapping my attention from this 'new guy' everyone is talking about.

The class starts with the introduction of the teacher, whom now we know as Mr. Brown and his teaching experience spanning over a decade. Once done with the introduction he starts speaking about Plant cells.

The guy beside me shifts awkwardly in his seat as I look towards his clumsy desk. I look away from him, not wanting him to think I'm interested in him or something.

The class goes on with half the students either asleep or distracted while the other half try not to fall asleep. The bell rings after about half hour indicating the class is finally over.

The guy beside me grabs his bag and rushes it of the door the exact second the bell rings which earn him a few looks and a glare from Mr. Brown. He's really strange.

During our walk to the lockers Jenny tells us about her sister's marriage next month. She whines about how her sister found a really handsome and loving partner.

The next two classes, namely Physics and Maths go by in a blur. Soon its time for lunch. We grab out lunch and get seated. While we're having lunch Jenny tells us about some of her childhood stories. Time flies by and soon lunch is over.

I check my schedule and now I have Literature. Finally a class that'll be interesting. I rush to pick my books and go to my class after saying good bye to Jenny and Trevor.

I sit on the first bench while the class fills in. I pull out my books and set them on the table in front of me. Soon the class is almost full and that's when the 'new guy' enters the class. The only empty seat in the class is the one beside me. I swear I saw him flinch at this realisation. Having left with no other option he settles at the seat next to me.

He looks at me and I look away immediately.

"Hey.. I'm Liam. Liam Johnson". He introduces himself with a warm smile, catching me off guard.

"Hey.. I'm Nidhi". I reply,returning his smile.

The teacher enters the class ending the awkward silence between us.

" Now that's really weird". Jenny says after I tell her about the awkward introduction, while we walk to her car.

"Yeah that is". I say as we get in her car and she starts driving.

Liam kept staring at me during the literature class making me even more conscious than I already am. After the class he bid me a good bye before he left. I didn't have anymore encounters with him for the rest of the day. The rest of the day was actually quite uneventful except for Trevor getting hit on the nose with a volley ball. Poor Trevor. He ended up with a swollen nose.

I didn't even realise we had already reached by my house. I bid my goodbye to Jenny and Trevor and walk in the door.