dark devotion ≫ a.b.

1 - First Encounters

The pleasant dream comes to a not-so-pleasant end. A not-so-pleasant end involving someone beating a pillow against my face.

I turn over onto my back drowsily. My roomate Lily is towering over my bed with a triumphant expression on her face. "Hello, Sleeping Beauty," she sings. "Glad to see somebody finally woke up."

I angrily toss the covers over my head, but she rips them away. "C'mon," I whine. "Just let me go back to bed. I was actually having a nice sleep."

"Why? Because you were dreaming about Ryder I presume?" she giggles.

Temperature rises to my cheeks. Maybe I was dreaming about him, but I had no reason to divulge on the subject to Lily. I groan and jump out of bed. "All I want is breakfast right now."

"Then let's go on an adventure to the mini-fridge and get some," she responds. She practically skips to the corner of our dorm. How could one be so happy in the morning? Dragging my feet over to Lily, I remember the dream I was rudely woken up from. Ryder and I had gone on our first date and we were just about kiss. If only it were reality.

I had a crush on Ryder ever since sophomore year. Now, in senior year he still hadn't even spoken to me, besides asking me for a pencil once that first year of J.R. Holiday Boarding School. Somehow I still can recall the exact pencil it was. I was going through a One Direction phase and that was my absolute favorite pencil at the time. It physically pained me to hand it to him as I saw their perfect faces smiling up at me. But once I felt the briefest brush of his hand against mine I forgot all about Harry Styles. The phase eventually ended but the crush didn't.

Lily takes two protein shakes out of the fridge and tosses the chocolate one to me. "Drink up, Quinn. You're gonna need it for the long day."

I catch it and take a gulp. Oh joy, the first day. After a terrible summer, I'm not sure how to feel about being here. I'm glad to be away from Mom. But I'm not glad to be here with the terrible people. Not everyone's bad but there are so many bullies here at J.R. Holiday Boarding School. After I finish my protein shake I grab my phone and head to the bathroom. I grab my red earbuds and plug them into my phone. Turning on "The Kids From Yesterday" by My Chemical Romance, I zip open my floral makeup bag and try to find the right thing for the first day of school. Everyone wants to make a good impression but I don't want to look so dressed up that I don't even look like myself.

I keep it simple with some black eyeliner and dark eyeshadow. I add mascara and just a touch of lipstick. Next, to my hair. The blue rat nesting on my head doesn't exactly look ready to budge yet. Maybe I should get dressed first. I pick out a red and gray Twenty One Pilots shirt and jean shorts. Since the classes usually get chilly I tie a black jacket around my waist just in case. It takes a long time to tame my hair and straighten it but I eventually get there. For once I'm happy with Lily for waking me up so early.

When I walk out of the bathroom I see her wearing a tight black and white striped shirt with a black skirt, tights, and fashionable red wedge boots. I smirk. "Looks like someone wants to make an impression."

She smiles. "I could say the same thing about you."

Together we walk out the dorm and downstairs to the seniors hallway. I've been here before but it feels so different to actually be a senior student. Everything gets better the older you are here, at least bathroom, locker, and dorm-wise.

We go our seperate ways, not before we share an embrace. She rubs my hand to comfort me and I rub her back with the same notion. I look back at her to see her give me a thumbs up and turn back towards her destination. I smile and turn also. When I turn my shoulder hits someone else's. It's rock hard and the pain is almost too much. That person who bumped me must've been rushing. I try to see who it was and my instincts tell me that the raven haired girl looking at me with narrowed eyes must've been the one who ran into me. It very well could've been an accident but the look in her cat-like green eyes suggested otherwise. She turns up her nose and stomps away. What an attitude on that one.

I'm glad to know that my first encounter with somebody other than Lily this year was a sucess.

By the time I reach my locker I've looked over my schedule several times. After a few tries my locker finally opens. Locker number D-24. Remember that Quinn, I mentally note. A student walks up to me and I start to panic.

What does he want with me? To fight me? Flirt with me?

"Hey,"

His hazel eyes crinkle as he smiles at me. Lost for words I just open my mouth, close it, and open it again. "Um, you're kind of blocking my locker. You mind moving?"

Oh.

I shift out of the way so he can get past. As he gets his stuff out of his locker I observe his appearance. Long bright blood red hair, hazel eyes, and slightly crooked teeth. He's average height and wears a gray tank and skinny jeans. He gathers his needed materials in his arms and closes locker D-23. "Wicked hair by the way!" he compliments me.

"Oh. Um... uh thank you," I stutter, reaching a hand up to my bright blue hair. But by the time the words tumble out of my mouth he's already walking away. I try to shake the boy out of my mind as I grab my books I need for my first period: English. I pack my phone, accompanied by my earbuds, and of course the fantasy book I'm reading. There are three things that are always guaranteed to make me feel safe: 1) my friends 2) my music and 3) my book.

With at least two of those things with me I guess I'll make it through first period okay.

A/N vote and comment🐬The girl in the picture is Quinn but the actual person is Alex Dorame. Btw I add songs to each chapter so listen to those while you read😘 Song requests are always open :D Stay happy, not crappy.
Chapter published: December 7, 2016
Song: Closer - The Chainsmokers (feat. Halsey)