Pretty Girls

CHAPTER 3

CHAPTER THREE

THE LINOLEUM TILES that lined the floors of my high school had not seemed more daunting than that of this exact moment. Usually, on an average school day, the hallways that were lined with multiple rows of lockers would have students of all cliques gathered around, too busy catching up with friends and chitchatting about the most useless of things. Today, however, was a little different than usual.

Unlike the early hours of the morning, the hallways of the school were empty when I first stepped into school grounds. The entire building was filled with a near eerie sort of silence that made shivers run the course of my bare skin. As each second went by, the simple watch that rested heavily on my wrist ticked loudly, constantly sending me a reminder that I was late for my classes. With the hands of the clock pointed to signal 12:56 PM, I had decided to skip out of the remaining few minutes of class and head straight on towards the cafeteria.

Deciding on slowly taking my time, I strolled along the deserted hallways of the school in an overly leisured pace, enjoying the usual quiet time to myself. I was having the absolute time of my life until I had stopped in front of the general office, a tall and familiar brooding figure stepping out of the glass doors.

In all his annoying glory, Apollo Hunt stood with his eyes impatiently glaring at the speaker inside the room, his jaw clenched and posture slackened. With a single hand grabbing tightly onto the door frame, I could see the lines of his blood vessels sticking out against his slightly tanned skin.

"And remember, Room 301 is right down this corridor so you best not give an excuse of getting lost for your next class! Lunch is coming right up after this so you will be able to go to the canteen straight after this." The portly woman that worked as the school receptionist said, her bright red lipstick glistening under the lights of the hallway. "Now go. I am sure you are very excited to start at your new school. Your parents made the right decision in sending you here," she gullibly continued.

The very second she pivoted on her heel and went back into the office, I felt Apollo's gaze rest upon my frame as I unknowingly adjusted my glasses, attempting to scurry past him unnoticed. Alas, when I was just about past him, I felt a hand gripping my upper arm, pulling me gently backward as I let out a muffled curse under my breath.

"Fancy seeing you here, sunshine." Apollo had a piece of gum between his teeth, obnoxiously chewing the candy as his eyes sparkled with mischief. "Do educate me on why a good girl like you aren't in your classroom?"

"I am not a good girl, Hunt." I scoffed, yanking my arm out of his grip as he surprisingly let go really easily. "I am just not a rule-breaker such as yourself. Usually."

"You aren't answering the question."

"Because of you kicking me out of your house so kindly yesterday, I caught a cold in the rain and overslept." Folding my arms across my chest, I tried my best to offer Apollo the most menacing look I could. However, I was so sure that I looked just as intimidating as a bunny rabbit.

"I apologize, then. You did hit a nerve yesterday and I got irritated." Apollo shrugged, "I've got to go. See you around, sunshine."

Apollo left me shocked and rooted to the spot with his words, my mind reeling with surprise that he had so easily apologized right after I played the victim card. I watched wordlessly, jaw still hung agape, as he curved a corner and left, disappearing right into the many hallways within the school. Just like that, Apollo had left me alone once more with nothing but shock rushing through my veins as if it were blood.

It took me a good few moments before I snapped back into reality and by then, the bell that signaled the end of class had already rung, reverberating down the hallways as students flooded out of their classrooms and made a beeline for the cafeteria. I was back to my usual routine right then, blending into the crowd and using the beefier students to pave a way right through the student body, going unseen and unscathed.