X / h.s

Chapter 2

The narrow hallway was crowded with other students making their way to class. Everyone pushed into each other, and talked way too loudly. I peered down at my schedule in annoyance. Luckily, this was the last class.

My first day had gone terrible. Especially because it was mid semester. everyone already had their groups of friends, and were reluctant to the new girl.

A sigh of relief escaped me as I found my last class. I walked in, handing the teacher my schedule. The smell of coffee breath hit me as he told me to sit anywhere there was space.

I immediately headed towards the back. The class piled in with the other kids, everyone taking their seats.

"Hey." Someone said besides me. I looked up, taking in the sight of a gorgeous brunette.

"Hi." I muttered nervously.

"I'm Isabella."'

"Charlie." I replied.

"Charlie. That's pretty. Normally, no one else sits in our seats. But it's okay. We can always make more friends."

I could feel my face turn red in embarrassment.

"We'll be your friends," She smiled, showing her perfect white teeth, and gesturing towards two other girls.

"That's Cassie, and Nina."

"Where do you live?" The one I thought was Nina, asked.

"Uh, Wave Ln." I responded.

Immediately all their faces paled.

"Not the navy colored house?" Isabella asked.

"Yeah, that's the one."

The three of them shifted uncomfortably in their seats.
"What?" I asked, mustering a smile.

"So!" Isabella exclaimed.
"Where are you from?"

"Seattle." I muttered, confused by the topic change.

The boy from across the street towered over us, as he sat in the desk besides me. His dark curls fell across his face, and his hand reached, shoving them back into place.

Isabella and the girls immediately hushed and turned around.

"What's your name?" He demanded.

"Charlotte. Charlie." I answered, nervously.

His eyes bore into mine. And he sat there, in silence, his index finger tapping slowly on the wooden desk. Although his eyes fixated on me, i got the impression he was seeing right through me. Lost in thought. Eventually, his green eyes rolled, and his body shifted under the desk.

After school ended, I decided to walk around and get to know where I'd be spending the next year. The town was really small. You could walk practically everywhere, and all the big shops were close to each other.

It was a cute place to live. The small shops were decorated with flowers outside, and everyone knew each other, so they were always saying hello on the streets.

A cute little green cafe caught the corner of my eye. I walked in, inhaling the smell of fresh coffee beans.
Once I had reached the counter, I already had an order in mind. The boy behind the register was cute. Blonde, and lanky. He wore a white button up shirt, with the sleeves rolled up.

"You're the new girl. Charlotte, right?"

"Charlie. I'm sorry, I dont.."

He shook his head, strands of blonde hair falling into his eyes.

"Don't worry. I'm Mason. We have History together."

"Oh, yeah! Yeah, I remember seeing you." I smiled through the lie.

"Medium Vanilla!" A girl behind him called out.

Mason turned his back to me, reaching for my order, before sliding it across the counter towards another waiting customer.

"So. What can I do you for?"

"Just a small iced latte please."
His fingers tapped against the screen.

"Dont worry bout it." He said, as I reached into my pockets. "This ones on me. See you?" He asked.

I nodded. "Yeah, see you tomorrow. Thank you so much."

As I awaited my coffee, I took a look around the cafe. People were staring. Whenever I'd catch their glance, they quickly looked away & would mutter something under their breath.
That seemed to be happening all day.

Finally, the girl called out my order, and I snatched it, quickly wanting to make my way out. I shrugged the thought away, as I walked back out into the street, blowing into my coffee. A feeling of content washed over me. For the first day, I had managed to talk to more people than I thought I would the entire week.
~
My pen fell against my mess of papers. I raised my arms, stretching my body, as I sighed. My bed was covered in forms for school, and my room in unpacked boxes.

Throwing my legs over the side of the bed, I shoved my phone into my pocket listening to the music that played through my earbuds. My hands reached for the first box, and I sat down on the floor, reaching inside for it's contents.

My books started piling on the floor next to me as I brought them out the box. My thoughts seemed to fade into the simple task as the music played in my background.

Perhaps I knew her long ago..
Wrote her poems at nine years old..

I continued unpacking the boxes, making piles of whatever was inside, and setting things where they belonged.

Wait for me, I know it won't be easy..
Quite a thing to leave in a dream..

My fingers reached up pressing the pause button on my earbuds. I stood in my place, listening carefully.

A rustle seemed to come from under me. I dragged my feet slowly, and listened. Within a few seconds the rustling returned. I dug into my pocket for my phone checking the time.

10:00 PM. My mom had gone to work the nightshift at the hospital an hour ago.

It's just your imagination, it's your imagination, I repeated to myself.

I quickly tip toed over my bed, shoving all my papers into my backpack, deciding to leave the boxes and their mess until morning.

Pulling the covers over me, my eyes bored into the ceiling, afraid to look anywhere else.

The rustling returned, faster now.

It's your imagination, I chanted in my head.