Breathe

Chapter One

Chapter One

*~*~*~*

"She was so pretty." I glanced over my shoulder, spotting two girls standing in front of a familiar lockers, one that had been turned into a shrine of sorts.

"Totally." The shorter of the two girls agreed as they both pulled out their phones, snapping pictures of themselves in front of the locker. A scoff escaped my lips at the sight, it disgusted me to see how they were acting, as if they'd actually known the owner of that locker, had been her friend. "What was is again?"

"Hashtag never forget." The first girl told her friend as they walked down the hall, posting their selfies on Instagram or Twitter. I closed my locker as the second bell rang, spotting a familiar face walking over to stand in front of the locker. I tightened my grip on my bag as it hung over my shoulder, walking over to stand next to him.

"Sickening, isn't it?" I spoke up, making him jump slightly. I chuckled, glancing up at the boy since he stood a head or so taller than me. I nodded at the decorated locker, making him look at it as well. "How they're all acting, as if they were all her best friend. It's enough to make someone hurl."

"Uh, yeah." He stuttered, though it sounded more like a question.

"You should really talk more, Helmet." I suggested.

"What?" He frowned at my use of his nickname, the same nickname Hannah had given him last year. I couldn't blame him, after all, Hannah was the only one to ever call him by it.

"What the hell are you doing?" We both looked over at the sharp voice, seeing none other than Justin Foley standing there, his eyes narrowed as he looked between us.

"Nothing." Clay shrugged. "I'm just-"

"Looking for something?" Justin guessed.

"What would I be looking for?" Clay asked, clueless.

"Yeah, Justin." I crossed my arms over my chest, raising a neatly plucked brow at him. "What would he be looking for?"

"You tell me." Justin glared at me.

"Do you even know our names?" Clay asked.

"'Couse I do, Clay." Justin scoffed. "Penny."

"Guys." We all looked down the hall to see Mr. Porter, the school's guidance counselor, walking towards us. "Second bell."

"You're not that innocent, Jensen." Justin warned Clay. "I don't give a shit what she says."

"Mr. Foley, let's go. Get to homeroom." Mr. Porter pressed, still watching us. "You too, Mr. Jensen, Miss Atkins."

"Of course, Mr. Porter." I nodded, flashing the man a smile before I headed down the hall, leaving Clay standing in front of Hannah's locker, lost in a sea of confusion.

*~*~*~*

"So, there are a number of ways to get help if you need it, or if a friend does, okay?" My peer communications teacher, Ms. Bradley, walked around the room as she spoke to us about help for depression. It was the third time this week that I'd heard this lecture, able to recite it from memory at this point. "And all of this information is on the board outside of my room or outside of the main office. It's on the Liberty High home page."

"Ms. Bradley, is it possible we could be done with all this?" One of the guys in the back of class asked, clearly annoyed. "I mean, it's been over a week. Isn't it healthy to, like, move on?"