SMOKE AND MIRRORS.

003

the most useless chapter ever ???

The next day, Melody was eager for class to be over. She usually loved class, loved learning, but this time her stomach begged to differ. It grumbled loudly, and she felt absolutely miserable. She waited in math, longing for a snack, then band. The bell rang and Melody raced for the door. It was finally lunch.

"Wait Melody!" The teacher called loudly. Melody stopped, hiding a groan. "You're forgetting your instrument." She saw her flute laying on her chair. She packed up in a rush and left.

Melody backed up to a wall to put up her awfully long hair, people shoving by her. She winced when someone elbowed her in the gut, Melody quickly flipping them her middle finger. She enjoyed the school, some people were great, honestly, but it was moments like this that she wish she wasn't stuck in these stuffy blazers. Her hair was finally in a ponytail and she was swallowed up by the crowd of teenagers once more.

...

"Astana." Nina gritted out for the third time. Beady eyes were turned to Nina's grey ones.

"What?" Astana asked sharply. Before Nina called her, Astana was staring at the new guy, who was sitting in a corner of the cafeteria, looking hot and lonely. It made an uncharacteristic giggle bubble up whenever they made the slightest eye contact, and that's what spooked her. Astana has always promised herself to be the independent woman in her own story, and she wasn't really following in on that rule.

"Stop eye fucking him, I literally cannot handle it." Nina said, cringing. They added quietly and smugly, "Get a room."

Astana's jaw dropped and she smacked them playfully, a blush painting her cheeks. "Dude!"

With raised eyebrows, Nina sipped their lemonade.