Fate Written in Ink

Chapter one

I chewed on my lip as I lightly tapped the end of my pencil against the paper repeatedly, trying to get the gears turning in my head enough to finish the sentence.
"What should Evangeline say here...?" I wondered aloud, trying to put myself into my character's shoes. Letting out a chuckle, I decided, "she'd probably cry... And then... Ace can console her."
Smiling, satisfied, I carried out my thought, scribbling neatly across the paper, dotting a period at the end. "There. Perfect."
I had finally gotten to finish chapter nineteen. Thankfully, this story I was writing was turning out exactly as I wanted itー a small victory for a young teen who makes dozens of different stories per week. I was always having new ideas and yet was unable to do them justice. Aside from that, I couldn't even remember the last time I'd finished one.
Sighing, I leaned back in my chair and set down my pencil, rereading the paragraph I wrote. It was always a precious thing when something I made up on my own caused my heart to flutter. I grinned to myself. I was so glad these characters were turning out nicely!
Evangeline was a perfect heroine; perfect hair, emotions that helped make the story flow smoothly, attractive. Just how I'd wanted. And Ace.... He was everything a girl would wantー or, at least, everything that I would want. I had given him the best traits I could. Beautiful, sleek, long black hair, gorgeous ice blue eyes, caring, mysterious...
I let out a breath.
Perfect boys only exist in fiction.
I was just about to pick up my pencil to resume my thought when I heard my mom calling from downstairs. "Paige! Hurry downstairs or you'll be late!"

"Kay, mom!"

Hastily closing my journal and collecting all of my things, I slung my bag over my shoulder and adjusted my glasses, glancing in the mirror once before heading down the stairs.

•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•

My school day was the same as it always was. I was quiet, sat in the very back of the class, and only opened my mouth when called on by the teacher. Writing.
Yeah... Same as always.
Of course, I did have friendsー don't get concerned, I'm not a total lonerー but I didn't have very many classes together with them, and was, in general, too shy to make any new relationships. I really only opened up to people that were able to greet me firstー I often surprised people with my unique personality behind the quiet mask, to say the least. Still, it couldn't be helped, and in the end, I was okay being on my own.
When the bell rang, I pushed my glasses up and gathered my things, holding my books close to my chest as I made my way out the hall. I did the same as usualー duck my head and carefully weave through the hallway traffic, trying not to bump into anyone.
Of course, I did, clumsy as I was.
"Oof...!"
I let out a squeak as my books went stumbling out of my hands and looked up to see a scowl, as the person I'd hit spat, "geez, watch where you're going."

"I'm sorry...."

I didn't say anything else as I bent over to grab my books. I hadn't grabbed all of them when a manicured hand came reaching out to snatch a certain pink journal from my graspー a journal that held my story.
My breath caught and I knowingly raised my head to see an all too familiar sneer on a perfect blonde.
"What's this, nerd?"
One of her petty friends leaned over her shoulder to look. "It says 'Promises'....!" She snickered.
The girls both chortled. "What is this?? Your diary??"

"N-no...! I..."

Not listening to anything I said as I stood up at tried to stop them, the too opened up my journal, their eyes tainting every page.
They busted out laughing, "hahah ew! It's a romance novel! Feeling lonely, her royal shyness??"
My cheeks burning, I glared at them and snatched the book back from them, tearing one page halfway out. Only giving them a heated stare in spite, I quickly turned on my heel and went tearing off down the hall to the girl's bathroom where I huddled in the last stall, looking at the torn page.
I hated it. I hated that I let it get to me, but... Tears burned the corners of my eyes. Infuriated, I wiped them away before they fell and slapped my cheeks.
What am I doing getting upset...?
I stared down at my defaced storybook.
Just because I'm alone doesn't make me lonely.
I'm not lonely...
I'm not....