The Unseen

Chapter 8

There's a video down there that you can watch! :D It's Invisible by Skylar Grey. Someone suggested that it fit this story well.

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CHAPTER 8

Hanging my head low to avoid detection, I quickly, but not too quickly, walked into school and straight to my locker, ignoring any glances that might have been cast my way. My eyes were cast on the floor as I rushed towards my locker, knowing my first class was going to begin very soon. The few kids that were left in the hallways watched me with amusement. I'd probably have watched myself also, just as I'd watched all those other kids over the years who scrambled in at the last moment with their hair disheveled, looking like they'd just woken up and ran the whole way to school.

Which, of course, I'd just done.

As I turned a corner I saw, to my dismay, that Hunter and Quinn were hanging out by my locker.

Correction: Hunter's locker.

How could I have forgotten that his was right next to mine? It was a fact I had celebrated for many days when we started high school, even though, sadly enough, it really hadn't helped him notice me.

I was just the girl with the locker next to him, and that wasn't how I wanted him to know me.

Hoping that Hunter wouldn't notice me today, which was definitely a first, I hid behind the open door of my locker as I grabbed the things I needed for my next class.

Quickly now! I told myself, shoving everything into my backpack, not paying heed if it was needed or not. The bag would be heavy, but it wasn't like I couldn't handle it. Any other day I would have taken my time pulling books out, hoping Hunter would swing his lovely face around that door and give me his heartwarming smile, but not today.

"Hey, Nicki!"

He had spotted me. I almost groaned out loud, but that would have brought on only more questions, and I already had a lot of explaining to do about the whole bus incident. One glance at my watch told me we had exactly two minutes until I needed to be in the classroom.

"So, what exactly happened back there?" Hunter raised his eyebrows as he leaned gently on my locker door. If I had been as dramatic as Rashal and most of the female population, I would have swooned just then, but I stood there as steady as a brick. Although, to be honest, he definitely looked very attractive in that moment.

I searched my mind frantically for an excuse, which I seemed to be doing a lot of lately. "I, um, my mom, I mean...she wanted me to do some stuff and I, uh, didn't want to make you wait. Because then you would've been late to class." Shrugging casually, I hoped that I sounded believable.

"Nikkia, there you are!"

I heard the voice and immediately regretted my lie. Hopefully she hadn't overheard what I had just told Hunter, because then that would have blown away my cover.

My heart racing, I turned around, not having to fake the shock in my voice and on my face. "Mom? Oh, hey, what are you doing here? At my school? Weren't you just at home?"

Mom nodded, approaching me, a confused and slightly disappointed look on her face. "Yes, but I went upstairs to look for you and you were go-"

I grabbed her arm and quickly left Hunter's presence, who had turned and started talking to Quinn. Probably about how odd I was. "Not here, Mom, please. Not in front of my...friends."

"Okay, sorry." She waved book in front of my face. "I just wanted to give you the notebook you left in the kitchen. I wasn't sure if you needed it, and I knew I probably had time to get it to you."