Promise Me..

Chapter 5

By lunch I had gone through three classes: chemistry, algebra II and AP English. I sat in the back of the class and didn't introduce myself to anyone and no one introduced themselves to me, which didn't bother me in the slightest. It might have been the first day of school, but it was my first day at this school. Everyone already had friends and cliques and knew where they belonged. The only thing I knew was that I didn't belong here. 

Walking into the lunch room an overwhelming sense of panic came over me. This was the part of the day I dreaded the most. I sat alone at a table near the exit and kept my eyes down. I didn't bother with lunch and instead got out a book and began to read. Not long after a familiar voice came from behind me. 

"I was wondering when I was going to see you."

I turned around to see Miles smiling at me. He had his hands shoved in the back pockets of his skinny jeans. 

I smiled back shyly, "Hey."

"Why are you sitting by yourself?" he asked looking around. I shrugged and blushed a little. "Come sit with us." He motioned for me to follow him halfway across the cafeteria. He must have been looking for me for him to have found me. The thought made my stomach do a flip. I silently scolded myself for having such thoughts and focused on the scene in front of me.

The table he brought me to had four people sitting at it. Three boys. A blond named Alex, a kid with bright red hair Miles introduced as Thomas and guy with the brightest blue eyes named Frank. A girl with snow white hair clung to Franks side. Her name was Alice. She wore a pastel pink dress and a matching flower crown. She was adorable, like a little doll, and she had the shyness to match.

"Hey, I've seen you around. You're in 2nd period Algebra with me." Thomas said pointing a fork full of green beans at me.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't really pay attention." I muttered like an idiot.

He laughed, "It's no biggy, but you should sit next to me tomorrow. Johnny O'Bringo sat next to me today."

The table group laughed as if he'd told a joke. I must have looked really confused because Frank pointed across the room to a very large kid sitting at a table with a bunch of guys in Letterman jackets. "He's the quarter back and dumb as a rock." I nodded as if I understood. 

Thankfully the topic switched from me to a party that Frank and Alice had attended a couple of nights ago. I just sat there and watched how they interacted with each other. Alice never left Frank's side, even when he went to return his lunch tray. Alex and Thomas sat close to each other and I'm pretty sure they were holding hands under the table. They all seem comfortable with each other. They must have been friends for a long time.

When the bell finally rang to dismiss us to 4th period, Miles stood and walked out with me. Leaving his friends behind. 

"What's your next class?" He asked. 

I took a folded up piece of paper out of my back pocket and looked it over, "Uh.. Art I."

"Oh cool!" He said with, dare I say it, happiness. "My class is right next door. What do you have after that?"

"Psychology."

He looked at me weird, "Did you sign up for that class."

I nodded. 

"You're weird," He laughed.

I laughed too, "I enjoy figuring out what makes peoples minds work. Sort of a hobby."

We stood in front of my classroom when he said, "Would you like a ride after school?"

I shrugged and blushed, "I don't want to be a burden."

He flipped his hair out of his face, "I wouldn't have asked if it was one Ladybug."

I smiled, "Well sure then."

He smiled and opened his mouth to say something, but before he could, an annoying high pitched voice interrupted the conversation. The girl from the party, Miles's girlfriend, appeared. She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him deeply on the mouth. I watched Miles tense under her touch. He pushed her away after a minute and cleared his throat.

"Um, Amber, this is Lydia. From the party the other night." 

She looked me up and down and gave me the most fake smile I had ever seen. "Hello." She shook my hand, gripping it a little too tight. She quickly turned her focus back to Miles, "Don't you think we should get to class baby?"

He looked at me, then her. "But I was--"

She cut him off laughing, "You're so silly babe." She looped her arm through his and pulled him into the classroom across the hall from mine. 

A little sadness grew in my stomach. I found a seat in the back of the class near a window. I spent most of the class staring out into the world, not paying attention to the class. Our teacher had us introduce ourselves. The girl, Alice, from lunch was in the class with me. She sat next to me but didn't say much. When she introduced herself, she said that she was freshman, the youngest of three children, and had a pet turtle name Fred. 

"I really like the color in your hair," she said close to the end of class.

I tugged at my bangs a little, "Thank you. It took me a long time to do it. Killed a lot of my hair."

She smiled a little and pointed at her hair, "I know what you mean." We laughed. "So how did you meet Miles? He seems to like you."

I felt my cheeks start to burn, "Um, I met him at a party. At my neighbors."

She furrowed her brow, "A party?"

I nodded.

"At your neighbors?"

Nod.

"Recently?"

Nod.

She seemed to maul things over in her head. She didn't say anything after so I took that as a sign that I wouldn't be getting more out of her and put my headphones in. I let classical music play as I did the assignment. We were suppose to create a symbol that represented who were were. I drew a heart with glasses sitting in a cloud. Signifying that I was a dreamer but also a scholar.

When class ended, I half expected Miles to be waiting for me outside the door. No surprise he wasn't. That girlfriend of his, sure was a pain in the neck.