For the First Time

Chapter One

"Arden, what are you doing down here?" I hear someone ask me, the words bouncing off the tunnel's dirty walls. I can see my older sister  comewalking towards me with a concerned look on her face, of course. Always concerned about me. Of course.

"Thinking." I say and look away towards the bright graffiti on the walls. Blaire stands in front of me, her eyes squinted and asks "What about? Anything important?"

I shake my head, blinking at the black asphalt underneath me. The tunnel has been my little cove of happiness. Well, not exactly a cove of happiness but a place for thinking. I glance up at Blaire. We used to look so similar. She has a slim, body, dark hair, a pale, angular face, and striking, green eyes. After the incident, I lost weight, my eyes had constant bags underneath them, my legs became thin. I'm not perfect, at least not anymore. I'm not Blaire. Blaire is perfect, popular, everything that I'm not.

There's an awkward pause before Blaire turns "Well, I'll leave you here... just come back up at one point."

I nod and pull my knees closer to my small body. I can tell that my sister is still staring at me from the end of the tunnel, judging me for sitting alone in the middle of the tunnel. I always come down here by myself to clear my mind. There was a time when I would smile and truly mean it, but that changed a few years ago after the incident. My parents noticed a change in my personality after it and took me to the psychologist. All the doctor did was tell me I had some serious issues. Obviously. I had to laugh because it was all just too funny for me. People can tell you have issues, but they can never fully understand them.

Suddenly, a bright light sweeps over me, basking me in golden light. The tunnel has been abandoned now for a good decade so I have absolutely no clue as to why anyone would be down here. I stand up, leaning against the tunnel wall and wait for the car to pass by me, but it doesn't. A blue, expensive looking car pulls up directly in front of me and stops. The door swings open, and a boy climbs out of the car, his eyes grazing over me. He drags his slender fingers through his dirty blonde hair, and he smiles at me uncomfortbly.

"Um, hi." He says and awkwardly waves at me. I nod at him and cock my head to the side "Are you lost?"

"Yeah, actually. I only recently moved here, and I have no clue where to go." He laughs and then shakes his head "I'm clueless, I'm sorry. I'm talking to a pretty girl, and I haven't even introduced myself."

My cheeks burn with embarrassment, and I hope that he can't see me. No one ever compliments me on my looks or anything about me. Occasionally, someone says my voice is awfully nice, or my drawings are good, or I'm a good dancer, but never my looks. The boy smiles warmly at me "My name is Grey Mason, and you are?"

"I'm Arden Lewis. Where are you trying to get to anyway?" I ask and look him up in down. He really must be new here. He doesn't look familiar, and in this town, almost everyone knows everyone.

I try to downplay the fact that he just flirted with me and look up at the ceiling of the tunnel. Grey opens his mouth and then closes it as if trying to decide what to say "I'm trying to get to somewhere called "The Cold Corner". Have you heard of it?"

"Yeah, of course." I say and start telling him directions, but he suddenly stops me "Would you just like to come with me, I'll buy you something to drink and then drop you here? It would help me out a lot."

I shrug my shoulders and then nod. It isn't like I have anything to do, and he doesn't seem like he would be the kidnapping type. I blush as he walks to the passenger side of the car and opens the door for me. I climb into the car and point him in the direction of the Cold Corner, which is in the central part of town.