Dead Eyes.

Chapter One.

The sun shines softly through the raindrop stained window, as the soft, crisp, autumn air fills the dull room.

I open my eyes to grey colors washing against my eyes calmly. My throat burns fiercely as I swallow the lump away.

Oh, this world, so quiet but yet so terrible.

I arrise my from bed in a deep silence and turn towards my mirror mounted on my wall. I eye every feature that lays softly against my face, in a gentle awe. My deep mahogany brown hair fell just past my breasts in little knots and curls, my hazel eyes moved across my olive skinned reflection and onto the clock.

"Shit." I whisper, walking over to my closet.

I throw on a pair of dark blue skinny jeans, my black hoodie, and a pair of my old, worn down, black sneakers and quickly move out the door.

As I make my way down the stairs quickly, a loud knock at the door interrupts the silence that flows within my house.

I rush to the door, feeling a bit of excitement, I open it to reveal Ava Saunders, standing in my doorway with a cigarette in her mouth.

"Here's your pack." Ava mumbles, tossing a pack of Marlboro Reds into my hand.

I give her a sly smile and invite her in.
She takes a drag of her cigarette, and steps into my house eagerly, dropping her backpack at the door and closing it.

"Where's your mom?" She asks, following me into the kitchen with the lit cigarette still in her hand.

"She's in Puerto Rico on a business trip." I laugh, pouring orange juice into a clear blue glass.

"Oh, so she's fucking your boss?" Ava says, gently removing ash from her cigarette and onto a paper plate.

"Yeah, you got it. She acts like I don't know, but I mean, he stays over once a month, so she must not be very secretive about it any more."

I light a cigarette and begin to take a long drag on it as Ava speaks.

Ava, my best friend since the eight grade. Her hair was a pastel purple that hung to her shoulders, her skin was so pale, her pink lips were always poking out so naturally. Ava's eyes were astonishing as well, they were a deep brown that could just about make every guy melt within the school melt. I felt bad, because she was perfect in all eyes but mine.

As much as I love Ava, she has a drug problem. She usually drinks every morning before school begins and she often gets trashed right as the day ends. She uses guys for sex constantly and leaves them heartbroken, it irritates me because they all seem like such nice guys. Her personality was hideous at times but she was more sweet rather than bitter. Her and I both were only popular when it came to parties, except she had a reputation with the guys.

"Lacey!" Ava snaps, interrupting my thoughts.

"Sorry! I got lost in my thoughts for a second." I quickly explain.

"Your cig is burning, quit being a fucking waste."

Ava was weird with cigarettes and alcohol. She once made a freshman girl finish an entire half gallon of Malibu rum within the night because she poured a little bit out, thinking there was a bug in it. Ava refused to serve her anymore drinks the rest of that night.

I took a drag and blew smoke in her face.

"Doesn't phase me!" Ava grins happily, taking another drag.

I finish my cigarette as she lights a new one and I guide her out the door, throwing our old backpacks over our shoulders, and giving a bitter look to the school, dully poking over the crumbling trees.

We enter the autumn morning in a bit of a tired mood, but Ava was always more talkative than I.

"So, Derek Reynolds wants to bone me. I don't know if I should though, he seems like he may have herpes from that bitch Wendy." Ava laughs rudely.

"Or you can just take a fucking break from sex and actually come to American Lit, instead of banging guys in their fucking cars. We're reading poems and I never have a fucking partner." I say harshly.

We arrive at our school campus within minutes. I didn't live that far, just a few blocks. Ava angrily puts out her cigarette and stuffs it into her backpack.

"Why would I show up to American Clit? Lace, you know Ms. Abraham hates me."

"Gee, I wonder if it has anything to do with you banging guys instead of attending a core class." I say in an annoyed tone.

"I won't fuck Derek then, I'll show up." Ava says in a promising tone.

We arrive at Crescent Creek High school, to see our mascot dancing in front of the front entrance.

"You think Jesse gets paid to be the dancing panther? I think its kind of hot." Ava says loudly, as we pass him and enter the commons.

"Could you be any more horny? Do I have to put you on a leash?" I snap.

Ava quickly runs off to Derek and leaves me stranded at out regular hall spot as usual.

How great, Ava gets Derek and I get the chipping wall of Crescent Creek. What a great life I'm living.

I eye the crowd of dumb freshmans wandering past me. Each of them blonde and wearing some type of revealing clothing. I roll my eyes as they laugh about everything around them.

The bell abruptly rings and once again, my thoughts are interrupted as I head to class.

I slowly walk to my first class in absolute silence and hate of others around me. The halls quickly fill with waves of different faces and voices as the hallway itself seems to drown out my thoughts. I make my way into chemistry and take a seat in the very back. I watch the class flood in with different faces of people I despise.

"Well hello, Laces." A voice says happily, pressing through my thoughts.

I look away from the doorway to see Chase Larson standing in front of me. His perfectly chizzled jaw stuck out along with his dashing smile. He flexes slowly as he lifts his arms over his head to stretch.

"Oh, hey." I say calmly, laying back in my chair.

"It's been awhile, how are you?" He asks.

God, not this again. Chase has always had some sort of friendly attitude towards me, but it seemed quite fake. We've known each other since kindergarten, although he hardy seems to remember me. His thick, mahogany brown hair was combed nicely as always, and he always wore flannels and tight tank tops that exposed his abs underneath it. His warm, blue eyes always make the girls melt, but not I, I saw right through him. He was fake to me, just like everyone else.

"Great, and you?" I mutter quickly.

"Actually, not so bad. I'm so stoked we have break tomorrow. What are you doing for Halloween tomorrow?"

I move a stray strand of hair behind my ear and look up at his soft face.

"I'm not sure." I say.

"Well, Andy Sprague is throwing a party ar Crescent Cove tomorrow at nine, you should go and bring Ava."

The moment he said Ava I just felt a sudden anger. Why her? Everyone always uses me for her. I was so tired of being her shadow, it honestly made me incredibly angry.

I look up at him with a glare.

"I fucking got it. I'll let her know." I say quietly.