Saved Myself {Riarkle}

Chapter 1

Junior year and I'm trying to become a stronger person.

I know now not to let people's words get to me. In fact I rarely take what people say to me into consideration at all.

When I was younger I used to be this helpful girl who would do anything for anybody. But last year I started to realize that no matter how much I help people they're never there to help me.

So here we are. Third year of high school and it's just me against the world.

"Riles, you can't wear that."

Oh and Maya. I can't forget about her.

I turn to her and ask why.

"Because it's not you. Ripped black jeans and a tight dark blue crop top? C'mon you hate those colors and tight clothes," she reasons.

I just shrug and check the time. "If we don't eat now we'll be late for school," I say grabbing my bag and heading to the kitchen. She sighs, but follows anyways.

We eat quickly then head off to the subway. Before I know it I'm in my first period which is AP chemistry. The only class that I've always given my all. For some reason, I've just always had a thing for science.

"Today you'll all be working on a lab about chemical reactions with the partners that I will be assigning you," Mr. Jones explains to us.

He starts calling out names and everyone moves to their partners. My partner is some girl named Isadora.

A girl with big black glasses and French braids comes up to me. I take in her choice of clothing, which is purple leggings and a blue and white stripped shirt. Her clothes are definitely not the most fashionable, but she has combat boots so I let it slide.

"Hi," she says quietly, "I'm Isadora, but you can call me Smakle. You're Riley, right?"

I hesitantly smile and nod.

"Well all you have to do is write down what I say and then we'll get an A."

My little smile turns into a frown. "Why can't I help get the answers? I'm in AP for a reason."

Smakle gives me an exasperated look. "Yeah, but I've been studying science since forever. You do want an A, don't you?"

I look down at the beakers in front of us and sigh. She's wrong. I'm just as smart as she is. It's just that she has a little more experience than me, but maybe she's a little right too. She knows more than me so maybe I should let her be the scientist.

I pull out my pen and write out our names. As I fill out the sheet I feel myself break a little. It's almost as if I'm letting go of one of my favorite parts of me by letting Smakle do all the work.

Class ends and I went through the rest of my schedule. I finally made it to the best part of the day. Lunch.

I find Maya at our usual table. A table just for us in the back corner of the cafeteria. I set my bag down at the table and let my best friend know that I'm going to get my lunch from my locker.

I walk out and to my locker as quick as I can because I feel bad leaving Maya alone.

"Riley!" someone calls.

I turn to see Smakle. "Yeah," I respond as she gets to my locker.

"Just wanted to make sure you turned in the lab paper."

I close my locker and nod.

She grins. "Great. See you later," she says awkwardly before walking off to a group of kids that have the same fashion sense as her.

I lean against my locker wondering why I let this Isadora take science away from me.

"I thought you like science Matthews."

I look up to see a blue eyed boy standing in the middle of the hallway. He's wearing dark blue jeans, a black long sleeve, black converse, and a black beanie.

I stare at him for a bit and roll my eyes. "Its none of your damn business whether I like it or not."

"You're right," mystery boy says, "But you've always been good at science."

"Stop stalking me. Don't you know it's weird to do that kind of crap," I call as I walk back towards the cafeteria.

"I'm not stalking you. We went to the same middle school," he quickly explains.

Curiosity makes me stop and I turn a little. I narrow my eyes. "Who are you?" I ask slowly.

He smirks. "I like to go my Minkus."

I'm about ask what his real name is when he turns on his heels and wanders down the hallway away from me.

I stand there confused. If we went to the same school, how do I not know him?

Shaking those thoughts away I walk into the cafeteria and sit with Maya. She's working on some math work when I decide to ask her about Minkus.

"Oh, the weird kid right?" she tries to clarify.

I shrug picking at my salad. "He seemed pretty cool and mysterious to me."

Maya looks up for her book and says, "If you're talking about who I think you are, then he was weird. We've been going to the same school since we were younger and he was the weirdest person around. Always in turtlenecks. In seventh grade though, If I remember correctly, he stopped wearing them and in eighth started to try and be cool. It worked fairly well but he didn't go by, what did you say it was?"

"Minkus."

"Yeah, that. He went by, I think it was, Barnes."

I stay quiet, finally deciding against the limp lettuce and pushing it aside. Maya goes back to her work leaving me to wonder if the person she just described was the kid in the hallway. He seemed to know me well, yet I don't even recognize him.

The bell rings and Maya and I head towards one of the few classes we have together. History. It also happens to be our favorite.

We walk into my dad's classroom and take our usual seats towards the back.

As class starts my dad looks at everyone then smiles devilishly. He picks up a piece of chalk and writes migration on the board.

"Animals and people alike have migrated for various reasons throughout history. Sure we don't typically use the term migration when talking about people moving to a new town or country, but it's still the same concept. So I've decided that some of you need to migrate," my dad tells everyone, "Pick up all your things and stand in the back of the room."

Maya and I give each other a confused look and do what he says. I start to put two and two together and figure that my dad is moving everyone to new seats. My dad moves Maya and I to the front with some guys we don't know behind us.

I turn and look at the boy behind me. He has mocha colored skin and has a flannel with blue jeans. He smiles and I narrow my eyes turning back around.

I look over to Maya who is looking at the boy behind her. He has fair skin and blonde hair. He, like the one behind me, has a flannel and blue jeans. Maya smiles kindly at him, but the boy just looks at her disgusted.

My dad comes to the front of the room and says that he hopes we like these seats because he's not going to change them for a long time.