Lonely Paradise

Chapter 1

School was the same as usual, normal classes and being in the library for any free periods until finally, it was over. I walked out of the side exit of the school, as the front exit had too many people seeking attention, with a book I had just borrowed in my hand. I went over to the tree at the park across the street I would usually go to after school, and sat down and started reading.

My best friend walked over and plopped herself down next to me.

"Hey," Melissa said with her usual goofy smile.

"Hey," I replied.

"Another new book?" she tried to pull off sounding surprised, "Aren't you tired of reading?"

"You know I love to read Meli!" I said nudging her softly.

"Hey look but don't look," she said pointing at the school, "Leon's looking over here."

"Probably looking at you," I muttered.

She giggled, "Sure."

"You know it's true, whenever you're not with me or Nate, you're with Leon. And you guys always seem really interested in whatever you talk about."

"Actually, he's really interested."

"In what?" I said looking at her.

"More like in who," she said putting her finger to her chin.

"Who is it that he needs to come to you for help?"

"A girl he's liked for a while now."

"He's dated tons of girls, yet he's interested in one?"

"Maybe it's you Zoë," she said plainly.

"I know it's not me, whenever I look at him and he's looking at me, it's like he's staring through me, and if I smile at him, he stares at me like something he just scraped off from underneath his shoe." I recited.

"You smile at him?" she smirked.

"You know what I mean!" I said making a face at her.

"He's a really nice guy, once you get to know him."

"Yeah, you would know."

"C'mon Zoë, I mean he's cute, but he's not my type."

"You have a type?" I said trying to restrain from smiling.

She just smiled.

Then I saw Nathan walking over, "Hey girls."

"Hey Nate," I said.

"Hello you," Melissa replied.

Nathan sat in front of Melissa and me, but more to her side. Over the last couple of weeks, they had been growing closer together. It was really nice, I mean, I was happy for them, though they did not admit it or tell me or anyone anything, I knew what was happening. But with that came the small pang of jealousy. Why did he like her over me? I knew she was definitely prettier; she had striking green eyes, dirty blonde hair with beautiful blonde highlights that made me jealous, she had curves and she always knew what to wear.

I on the other hand, had grey eyes and brown hair that never fell the way I wanted it to, so I usually kept it tied up. Saying I was flat would be an understatement. My skinny body didn't help at all. People often asked me if I was anorexic. I hardly ever wore anything outside of my big blue sweater, it used to belong to my dad.

"What're you guys doing later? It is a Friday," said Nathan.

"I think I'll stay home with my new book," I lied. But I held it up so he could see.

"Well, Lisa's having this thing.. And I really wanna go. Although I don't know what I'll wear yet."

"You'll find something pretty," Nathan began, "You always do." Then he noticed his mistake and looked at me quickly and Melissa bit her lip.

That was my cue.

"Well, I better get going. I can't wait to finish this book." I said quickly getting up, trying not to sound like jealousy was swallowing me whole.

I slung my bag over my shoulder and started to retreat.

"Bye Zoë," Melissa said. And that was all I got.

I turned around and waved and saw Nathan looking at me, I turned back around quickly. At a far enough distance I glanced back once more and saw Nathan laughing and poking her nose and Melissa blushing.

On my way to catch the bus, grey clouds covered the sky and thunder rolled in the distance. Great. It was going to rain.

Today the bus ride home seemed longer than usual, we passed the same route but it seemed like we were crawling through the rain. Maybe it was because I let my mind wander. I do that too much. I would have continued reading but looking down in moving vehicles always made me feel dizzy and sick. So I just watched the raindrops that hit the window slide down slowly.

When the bus dropped me off it was still raining heavily, I stood under the little shelter I could find; a little bus stop shed at the side of the road. I was alone, I was cold, I was wet and I was hungry. How wonderful.

I tried to keep my mind off of myself and tried to focus on anything else. There weren't many people around, just one here and another there. The rain was ridiculously heavy and everything seemed blurry. Then something caught my eye, off to my right were some kids, from the distance I could see they had various piercings and some had tattoos. They were the goth kids. They were around my age, singing and dancing in the rain as if they had no where to be. But oddly enough, it seemed as though they had just come from no where. No one ever really saw them coming, they were just there and then no where. Where they came from, no one knew and where they went, no one knew.

Then I saw movement to my left and I turned quickly, to see no one. When I looked down, I found an umbrella on the seat. A plain black umbrella which, I'm sure, had not been there before. I looked up and around to see if I could find who put it there, but the fog and rain made it hard to see, but I think I saw a figure walking away with his hands in his pockets and his head down. The only color I could decipher was black. 'Did he put this here?' I thought, 'If he did, why? If not, then how did this umbrella get here?'

After some debating with myself, I decided I would use it and bring it back here tomorrow. I took it, lifted it up and opened it, a piece of paper fluttered out of the umbrella. I grabbed it up before the rain made it illegible and stuffed it in my pocket.