Lonely Hearts Club // Book One

Chapter Fifteen

March 3rd, 2014

First Day of School

There wasn't anything different between Luke and I. We just didn't talk to each other after that Tuesday afternoon when we were sitting on my kitchen floor, eating our weight in pizza. And a month later, my hands were shaking and my mind was fuzzy. I was going to see him again. I didn't ask myself why I was nervous, however, because he always made me somewhat nervous. But now as I fixed the wrinkles in my skirt and the creases on my uniform shirt, I was about ready to collapse.

About two weeks ago, Calum mentioned to me that Luke nor his foster parents were in town. Their house was completely abandoned. At first, I was a little selfish. I was mad at him for leaving me, and then I realised nothing was ever going to be his fault while he lived with them. Luckily, Cal then said to me that apparently our school was still in Luke's future. I would be lying if I told you that wasn't the way Calum said it, because it really was.

I didn't fully understand why I was shut out so tragically all the sudden, but I couldn't say it bothered me. I did miss him, loads, but I understood what fate was. And if Luke was supposed to be in my life, obviously we'd still see each other eventually. And besides, he was going back to NCC, whether it was today, tomorrow or next month. I was going to see him. Frankly, that made me want to vomit.

"Oh no," my mum said as she entered the room with a large gasp. "It's Year 12; isn't it?" Her hands were placed over her mouth. Smiling, I nodded and ran into her arms. I tried to not think about Luke so much, as I wanted to enjoy day one of my last year at high school. From now on, every day would be some sort of last. Last first day, last second day, last everything. That pit in my stomach from all the nervousness was suddenly a great storm.

"You catching the bus today?" she asked me while she grabbed my backpack for me. I nodded, since I didn't get Calum any notice if I wanted a ride or not. I kind of ignored his text after he said that he was possibly going to pick up Luke. Yes, I'm a horrible person, do not remind me. He never purposely ignored me but now I was.

So I took my stuff and walked onto that bright yellow bus only to have a pencil hit me in the chest. Hooray.

My new locker was the only one that had idiotic writing on it, just because it was 269. It was old pen and then the 2 was scratched out (almost) so all you could see was the 69. Not like I cared, out of everyone, though, it was me to get the locker. I pretended not to notice Calum in the hallway on the way to my first period, but unfortunately he saw me. I was just too out of sight for him to say anything to me. I was being completely rude, to everyone, including myself.

School was going to be stressful. And that meant more tempers and less hours of sleep. I was still insanely bothered by the mysterious Luke Hemmings, since it was too true that I didn't know that much about him. I knew the necessary stuff, but the boy was like a plain boring cover of a book with a beautiful technique and writing on the inside. Still, I was desperate for the good part of my brain to kick and say to go find him.

Yet, the ugly, horrible, evil part was causing me to act like the bad guy. I felt like I was. I had no self control.

By lunchtime, the canteen was full of new kids and strangely attracted couples. As much as I wanted to, I didn't sit with Cal or Luke, not to mention I couldn't even find them in the crowded room. I felt like a sudden outcast, but I knew that I was making this day horrible by myself. From the corner of my eye, I noticed a girl who was also sitting alone, that was until a boy sat next to her and they began sucking each other's faces off. I was appalled and disgusted. Then sad because I would never ever, ever get a boyfriend.

"Paige," cooed somebody from behind me. I snapped my head around, probably hitting them in the face with my hair, and said what. It was Calum, and he was wincing from the former contact of my hair. "What's wrong? You seem distant."