Lost in Life

Hallway Boy

*** LISTEN TO THE ABOVE SONG WHILE READING THIS CHAPTER ***

As I'm sitting in my English class head down, headphones in listening to one of my favorite bands for KING & COUNTRY, louder than I should be. One of my many notebooks is laying open in front of me, as I doodle something that will somehow become something else. As I finally start to see what I'm drawing I am hit in the head with a piece of paper rolled up into a ball. I don't even bother looking up. At this point in my high school career, I have learned to just give up. It took me a while to learn that lesson but so far it works for almost everything in my life.

Wait I just heard my name. I push my hood back off of my eyes just enough to look up. I see the boy I ran into in the hallway standing with the teacher, Mr. Warner, who is pointing straight at me. The boy from the hall turns to look me straight in the eyes. My blood runs cold, the paranoia kicking in that he is here to settle some sort of vendetta. He begins to walk towards me. He's gonna follow me home and pull me into the back of his car. I'll be taken to the marsh in the woods. My body won't be found for at least three weeks, and even then my flesh will have absorbed so much moisture from the swamp that my body will be unidentifiable.

I snap out of murder mystery paranoia and watch as Hallway Boy pulls out the chair from the desk next to mine and takes a seat. He holds out his hand to mine and says,

"Hey, my name's John Collins. What's your name?"

I keep my mouth shut and glance behind me, trying to see if he may be talking to someone else. When I look back Hallway Boy just chuckles. I then realize that he must have been talking to me. My eyes must be the size of plates when I decide to respond.

"Uh... Hhhhhhhhhi."

Once again he just looks at me and chuckles.

"And your name is? Or should I just stick with Hallway Girl?"

I inwardly smile at the very similar nickname he has for me that I have for him.

"Uh, oh um. Yea sorry, my name is Josephine McCoy," I finally take his hand and shake it.

"Well nice to meet you, Josephine," He smiles at me, making me suddenly feel completely aware of my appearance.

"Thank you. No. Wait! I mean, it's nice to meet you too."

I then turn back to facing front as Mr. Warner begins to address the class. Out of the corner of my eye, I can still see John looking at me, with one of those crooked smiles.

I silently scolded myself for looking at him again, and then send a quick prayer hoping that he isn't like the rest of the world.

Authors Note:

Sorry for the short chapter. All last week I had 12 hour days of band camp. 8 days. If anyone is in marching band you know the exhaustion. As the school year starts back up, my schedule will give me no free time. But I promise that when I do have free time and the mental capacity for grammar, I will be spending that time writing.

Thank you so much for reading this book you have no idea how much it means to me.

Till next time.

-Mepbird483